And now Delta State plays in NCAA Division II (where it won the D-II championship twice in the 90s) and women's school Immaculata (which is going coed in Fall 2005) plays in NCAA Division III.

That Northwestern double was a big deal to the school (my alma matre). It was a family affair. Brother and sister made their respective all tournament teams (at least one was tournament mvp), and Dad was coach of the women's team.

And Northwestern's championships were won on the same night in different cities. Some say the women's championship was sort of won on their home court, since they played the tournament in Sioux City, Iowa, that year, just a stone's throw from Orange City.

I knew a couple of guys who could throw a snow ball that far, but not sure about a stone. (^: You're right, though, that was a lot like Kansas playing in Kemper Arena (okay, on a much smaller scale) or Indiana playing in Indianopolis.

I for one was not surprised by UConn's achievment. I'm a PC alumnus and follow the Big East closely. It seems that the polls were way wrong in not rating UConn men and women #1 at the end of the season. When the men won the Big East tournament without Okafor in there until the final...that is when that team really matured and came together...it was much more than a 1 or 2 player team. As far as the women are concerned, I think UConn was just a mite bit upset that they were not ranked #1 and were on a mission to prove it.

Was anybody else in our group surprised by the outcome?

By the way, I'd like to say hello to everybody in the group - first day posting. I've called in New York, North Carolina and now Georgia - hence TravelinMan. Enjoy this forum immensely! And I know it will get real interwsting once season starts.

__________________________________________________ _____

"Common sense is not so common" - Voltaire

Welcome to the board!
 

Polls are a week to week thing. It's kind of a "what have you done for me lately" thing. I jhonestly don't think either team was real concerned about the polls.

Who did you work for when you officiate in NC?

BktBallRef - I worked for Glen Spivey in the Triad area (Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem)from '99 - '2003. Are you from NC? NC is where I learned mechanics/rotation for 3-man. NY and Georgia are 2 man. NC was surprised NY was still 2 man as they perceived a much more physical game from that area of the country. Why, I don't know what they are talking about! <grin>

Yep, I know Glen. Worked for him in the rec leagues when I lived there in 92-93. A real good guy!

I live just outside of Fayetteville now.

Were you around in the Jimmy Walker era? I saw him live a few times too. Another great guard. Just dominated. I honestly thought that he was gonna be another Big O. Never had the pro career that I thought he might have, but he was a wild man, I hear. I remember watching another PC grad Lennie Wilkins play in the NIT when I was in high school- which tells you how old I am. Another great, great player. Could only go left, but nobody could stop him anyway when he wanted to take it all the way.

TravelinMan,
Welcome ... a board !
Don't wait for the season; pop in from time to time.
mick

Jurassic - I'm probably older than you then. Yes, I more than remember "Walk" - I knew "Walk" very well. He, Arnie Gemino(from the Cape) and I (Jack Gil)roomed together for 3 years at PC. I kid you not. I can tell you some stories Walker told about officials back in those days that would make your hair stand up. Walker definitely was the New England Big O in college and should have been a great star in the NBA. He did make the all-star team 3 times though. But great things were expected of him. He was the #1 draft pick in his year. What I remember most fondly about Walk was all the free beers we would get during off season whenever we would go out together for a few cold ones. Seriously, he was a great guy and was the most modest guy when it came to his abilities and tremendous basketball talent.

Mick - Thanks. I definitely will make my presence known....
BktBall, yes Glen was especially helpful when I first moved from Yankee land to the South. That's Fayetteville NC right?

Naw, I think that I may have a coupla years on you. I just turned 16 in late fall of '59 when I refereed my first basketball game. Varsity game too. Jimmy Walker was mid to late '60s at PC, wasn't he?

Jurassic - I misread your earlier post - thought you were in HS when you saw Walker, not Wilkins. I'm 3 years younger -- does that make me a senior member though? Or what exactly is the criteria? What state are you calling in now? BTW, Walker had one weakness - women. Of course, he would always tell me he never went out the night before a game in college. Of course there are a lot more games in the pros ...and a lot more temptations.

Jalen Rose!