A few years ago, I took a date to a restaurant that had long been a favorite of mine. Every time I dined there, the food was exquisite, and it never disappointed. On this night, the food was merely average -- not bad, not great. Eminently forgettable. Then dessert came out, and it was the most unbelievably delicious thing you could imagine. And I can imagine quite a bit. As we departed the restaurant, my date commented that dinner had been amazing, forgetting all about the average main course.
Why do I tell you this?
After the game, we were at the bar celebrating the win and trying in vain to stay warm by drinking cold beer -- a plan only a genius such as myself could devise. Trust me, there is no off position on the genius switch. Anyway, one of my buddies says to me, "That was the greatest game I've ever seen!!"
He conveniently forgot the first 35 minutes of average, forgettable basketball and only remembered the exhilarating finish. For most of the night, this was UNI: Part Deux, and like the awful Charlie Sheen movie I stole that title from, it made me want to throw up in my mouth. There were still way too many open shooters with open looks, and the Jays only made SEVEN baskets after halftime. Seven. Seriously, you could look it up.
But hey, the Jays beat Southern Illinois in overtime, so I'd be the veritable turd in the punch bowl to point those things out, wouldn't I? Yes, yes I would. I am many things, but I am not a turd, nor do I make a habit of swimming in punch bowls. Its 3AM, and its time to celebrate what went right, not harp on what went wrong.
The difference between UNI and UNI Part Deux? P'Allen Stinnett carrying the team on his back. P played 39 minutes, scored 29 points, made five three pointers, grabbed five boards and took one very big charge in overtime. From where I sit just a few rows up from the court in 113, I could see the look in his eyes that they Jays weren't going to lose. That's a wonderful sight, let me tell you.
But P's amazing night would have gone for naught without Josh Dotzler giving his critics a big ol' giant plate of pie to humble themselves with. He's taken an absurd amount of pot shots from "fans" over the last couple of years, most by people who need to consider the fact that maybe they don't know as much about the game as they think they do. I'm not going to beat a dead horse by rehashing it all, but as my readers know I've never been one of the haters.
Four years ago, Josh Dotzler was the Freshman catalyst on a team that seemed destined for NCAA Tournament glory. His future and the Jays' future were intertwined, and both looked as bright as the sun reflecting off a new snowfall. Then in one moment, everything changed. Bryan Mullins of SIU, a fellow Freshman phenom, got locked up with Dotzler while trying to defend him, and Dotzler crumpled to the Qwest Center court, his knee shredded. He didn't play the rest of the year, the Jays limped to the finish line and bowed out in the NIT. He's never been the same, although this year he finally seems to be closer to that level than at any point since.
Four years later, at the Qwest Center, Mullins and Dotzler met for the last time in Omaha. With 1:06 to go in overtime, the Salukis were up four, 69-65. Cavel Witter was whistled for, in my opinion, a bogus charging call with 53 seconds left, giving the Salukis the ball and a two possession lead with less than a minute to go. But Dotzler wasn't having any of it. The Salukis had something that belonged to him, and he was going to take it back.
You've heard the myth of the "Make Up Call", where a referee crew will supposedly make a call to even out an earlier blown call? This was no myth -- it was the "Make Up Steal." He made up for the bad call by taking it in his own hands like Chuck Norris and stealing the inbounds pass.
Of course, the crowd went crazy-go-nuts, Stinnett immediately hit a three, and it was 69-68 Salukis. Mere seconds later, Stinnett drew a charge to get the ball back, and Booker Woodfox hit a three to give the Jays the lead, 71-69. After Mullins missed a three-pointer, Kenton Walker refused to be denied the rebound, skying for the ball and throwing any other interested parties on their respective kiesters for merely having the audacity to dare attempt grab what was rightfully his. Then he refused to pass the ball, daring the Salukis to foul him, wanting to take -- and make -- the big free throws. He hit both, which proved important when Mullins hit a three at the buzzer to make the final margin a mere point, 73-72.
It was sweet redemption for Dotzler; four years after his career was derailed against this same team on this same court, he made the biggest play in his team's comeback victory that may have resurrected the season.
But it wasn't just Dotzler gaining redemption.
On February 3, 2002, Southern Illinois and Creighton were deadlocked at 77-all with four seconds remaining in a game at the old Civic. SIU's Darren Brooks took the inbounds pass and found Kent Williams on the wing. As Williams released the ball, DeAnthony Bowden jumped to defend the shot, and was whistled for a foul with three-tenths of a second left by referee Mike Sanzere. Williams sank two of three free throws with essentially no time on the clock, and the Salukis walked out of Omaha with a 79-77 win.
Seven years later, Southern Illinois lead Creighton 69-66 with under ten seconds to play. Cavel Witter brought the ball upcourt, and finding no one open, took a contested shot from the top of the key. The shot missed badly, but SIU's Kevin Dillard was whistled for a foul. Witter went to the line and calmly sank all three free throws to tie the game.
Though separated by seven years, both fouls were calls that should never have been made at the end of games. But after seven years, both teams have been the beneficiary of free throws to win (or tie) a game, so they're even. It took seven years, but they're even.
This wasn't the greatest game in Creighton history, and it wasn't even the greatest game of the year. What it was, however, was a measure of sweet redemption for one Bluejay point guard, and a measure of revenge for the Jays program by using free throws to swing a close game at the buzzer. It was also wildly entertaining, even if the first 35 minutes were utterly forgettable. But you didn't hear that from me.
*****
Tonight's Polyfro Player of the Game is brought to you by "The Folks Who Leave Games Early." I don't know what's more ridiculous: the 5,000 people who routinely leave even close games early to beat the notoriously congested Omaha traffic **cough cough**, or the people who routinely complain about those people. Hey, I actually like it when the dude in front of me leaves early every game, because he's really tall and I get a much better view of the action in the deciding moments.
Dotzler had The Steal, Woodfox had The Three, and Witter had The Free Throws. But P'Allen Stinnett had The 29 Points, The 5 Rebounds, and The Charge. And most importantly, P'Allen has The Player of The Game award.
You bet.
