I heard VU color commentator Tim Thompson call it during the game and Sheldon Jeter say it in the postgame that they thought the shot was good when it was in the air then off when it hit the rim and then beautifully it hit the center of the backboard and swished through the net. What a huge win for our basketball team. The first half looked bleak, but the second half was fantastic. Kede, Sheldon and Josh were huge and KB always gives us excellent minutes. He’s a big time player as are the others. KB a frosh, Sheldon a frosh, Josh, Kede and Dai Jon are sophomores. Rod and Kyle are juniors and Shelby and James Siakam are sophomores. A. J, Astroth, whom I think can help us in the future, is a freshman guard. Really like the future of this group, but the future is now. We’ve been through a lot of wars this season, grown, learned how to win–last night was huge–and we’ve got momentum heading into March. Just so proud of the guys. Thought when Sheldon was called for the charge, which was a block, in which he sank the basket, fired Sheldon and the whole team up. We played some beautiful offense and defense in the second half. Just a terrific win for our team. Go to Auburn on Saturday at 9 PM ET/8 CT on the deuce (ESPN2). Like the way this team has come together. Didn’t like the first half, but loved the second half. After Auburn, we’re at Florida, Wed.at 8/7 on SEC Network, then at home to close out regular season on Saturday, March 9, against South Carolina at 1;30/12:30 on SEC Network. Really like where we’re at right now. Just got to focus on Auburn. We’re at their place so we have to bear down.
Baseball playing lights out. Just crushing the ball. Won 13-1 over Evansville yesterday after winning a hard fought win over Arkansas State 7-3 in a game we scored late in to close out. Now 9-1 on the season. Play a pretty good Illinois-Chicago team at home this weekend. Friday’s game is at 4 PM, Saturday is at 2 and Sunday is at noon. All times are Central. Connor Harrell is just knocking the cover off the ball hitting .400 with four homers and 21 ribbies on the season. Tony Kemp hitting .432 with eight stolen bases. Tony just a phenomenal player. Jack Lupo hitting .367 with nine stolen bases in 10 attempts and Yaz hitting .344 with seven stolen bases in eight attempts. The starting pitching has been terrific. Tyler Beede looks like the dominant pitcher we thought he’d be when he was a first round draft pick out of high school but he chose to come our way. He’s a sophomore. Zo pitching very well. T.J. Pecoraro still hurt a little, but hopefully we’ll get Pec back soon. Still the starting pitching and the bullpen has been phenomenal. Defense outstanding particularly lately (last four games). Vince Conde starting to hit the ball like we thought he could. Vince playing very well. Vince hitting .355. Have a few injuries with shortstops Joel McKeithan and Dansby Swanson battling some leg issues but we’ll get them back at some point. Love this squad. Love the potential. Big weekend with Illinois-Chicago then Eastern Illinois comes to town next Tuesday at 4 then we go to top 10 team Oregon for a weekend set next weekend (March 3-5). SEC season starts March 15th, a Friday. We’ll be at Auburn for a weekend series.
Finally, Warren Norman has decided to hang up the cleats. Warren was such a stellar player for us in 2009 as a freshman running back three kicks for touchdowns, scoring 12 TDs overall and running for over 1,000. With a healthy Warren and Zac the last two years we could have had the best rushing attack in the SEC if not the country if you throw in Wes Tate. Just a classy, classy young man. Will get his degree in December of this year and matriculate to the working world. Warren not sure what he wants to do, but James says he will be helping with the running backs this fall. James said that Warren made it clear he’s not going to work the coaches’ hours this fall though. Warren going to study abroad in London this May. Really an awesome young man and he loves VU. What a great Dore! Warren will be a success and we get to have him on the sidelines this fall working with Wes, Kimbrow, Jerron Seymour and freshman Rapheal Webb. Spring game is April 13 at 1 PM CT.
