Friday, March 19, 2021

Three Beautiful Things 03-18-2021: UCLA in OT, Two Minute Bracket, Snow Melted

1.  Of the four NCAA basketball games I watched today, my favorite was UCLA's overtime win over Michigan State. UCLA came from behind late in regulation and tied this game and jumped on the Spartans early in the overtime and hung on to win. Michigan State always plays a punishing game, lots of physical contact, with a primary emphasis on rebounds. For much of this game, UCLA would seem to have snared rebounds, only to have Michigan State muscle the ball away from the Bruins. This changed late in the game and in the overtime. UCLA fought to maintain possession of their rebounds, got stronger and stronger on defense, and made some clutch plays offensively helping them secure the victory, 86-80. Today's other winners in the first four games were Texas Southern, Drake, and Norfolk State (who will face Gonzaga).

2.  After these games concluded I decided to take the two minute approach to filling out my bracket and submitting it to Sharann and Doug in Bend. Rather than try to rationally figure out who might beat whom in the tournament, I decided that the tournament is such a crap shoot that I would just make quick decisions, pick some of my favorite teams, and live with it. I decided that even though I'll be surprised if Gonzaga wins the tournament, that I would, out of loyalty and wish fulfillment, pick the Zags to win the whole thing.

3.  I took an easy walk up to where the Health and Wellness Trail starts to see if the snow has melted both on the high school trail and the trail up the hill. It has. Before too long, I'll start huffing and puffing up the hill and start building up some stamina again. 

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