If last week's game against Bradley was a "trap" game -- sandwiched between two road wins and a game versus Southern Illinois -- what is tonight's game? A booby-trap game? Yes, lets go with that.
Evansville is a booby-trap game. Unless you're 12, you should not be snickering as you read that; this means you, Mr. Glypha.
With only four games left, they're all big, but the George Mason and Illinois State games are bigger in terms of recognition and resume-helping. Tonight and next Tuesday at Missouri State are booby traps. Watch out for 'em, or they'll sink your season.
Some time ago, Creighton visited Evansville. The Jays, 4-3 at the time, were scuffling. Actually, if you were in the mood to be gracious, you'd call it scuffling. Those possessing less ability to confer grace were calling them other things. I thought they'd struggle in that game, and might lose it. I predicted they'd lose, even, which I rarely do. So of course they went out and won by 22 points. Of course they did.
They've lost just once since then.
In that game, Evansville native Don Mattingly sat at courtside to take in the throttling first hand. I remember this because mere days earlier, a friend of mine had purchased a lot of Aquaman Miniatures on eBay to give away as part of a promotion for his company. The auctioneer threw in a package of Don Mattingly Restaurant cards as a freebee. These were presumably cards from his own restaurant in Evansville, given and/or sold to patrons. Not knowing what to do with them, he asked if I wanted them.
Now, I haven't collected cards since I discovered girls didn't actually have cooties, oh, sometime around seventh grade. I declined his offer of free cards because I can't stand the Yankees, I don't know anyone who actually likes them, and they'd just wind up in a box in my basement with my other cards from years gone by. I was curious to see them, though, from a purely kitsch perspective. We graphic designers like that kind of stuff.
I don't know why I told you this story, so lets just move on, shall we?
One Big Paragraph With Lots O'Dots (TM): In their first meeting, the Jays played one of their most complete efforts of the season. Their ball movement was superb (21 assists on 30 made baskets), their bench was outstanding (30 points), and they were +8 on the glass ... The Purple Aces are 15-10, and 7-8 in the MVC, a disappointing position to be in considering the senior-laden team started out hot. They've lost three of their last four games and come into Omaha trying to win and stay out of the Thursday play-in round in St. Louis ... NET has televised the Evansville-Creighton game five years in a row, and the Aces have been various degrees of awful each time. Its a different world the Jays inhabit these days when TV outlets are clamoring to televise games that, on the surface, aren't real attractive ... The Aces are 2-7 on the road, and if I wasn't feeling so lazy today I'd go look up who they've beaten. Sorry ... Shy Ely is pretty good. So is Jason Holsinger. Guard these guys, please. For the love of all that is good and merciful, guard these guys. Thank you.
The Last Time They Played: The Jays won 79-57 in an ESPNU telecast where a student reporter at a pork brains sandwich. Before the game, I predicted a loss and was chastised by the editor of CollegeHoops.net, who predicted a Jays victory. After the game, I was elated to have been so callously stupid, and sick to my stomach from watching a dude eat pork brains on a sandwich. Perhaps it taste like chicken, but it looks like s***.
Pete Rose Memorial Odds: Creighton by 12, with the over/under at 137.
Gratuitous Linkage: Michael Jackson is selling off the contents of Neverland Ranch to make some quick cash. Don't think if money were no object that I wouldn't be bidding on the "Lookalikes" painting. Mona Lisa, George Washington, Abe Lincoln, E.T., and Albert Einstein, all wearing Thriller-era sunglasses AND a single sequin glove? O.M.F.G. Sorry for my temporary lapse into the lingo of the teenagers, but seriously, do you have any idea how dominant that would look on my office wall?
Don't answer that.
Official (Pre)Gametime Snack: A grape slushee from QT, in honor of the purple slush that the Aces will be at the end of tonight's game. Not to tip you off to my prediction or anything...
The totally random song I'd play right now if I were still a radio DJ: Prince. Purple Rain. YES, you can has Purple Rain.
Prediction: The Jays, like Goonies in a cave, do not make the mistakes that Chester Copplepot made. They win big.
Jays 81, Aces 67
