The UW Badgers very likely will be the only Division 1 state team that goes to the NCAA tournament, but UWM and Marquette could still create some interest before they hang up the jocks for the season.
UWM virtually dropped out of the NCAA running when it lost to UIC in the Horizon League title game Tuesday night at the U.S. Cellular Arena. Marquette started Conference USA tournament action Wednesday after this column was filed.
Look for results of that first round game at the end of this column Thursday, but most observers believed going into the tourney that the Golden Eagles had to win it, or at least go very deep into it, to get a bid to the NCAA. That's a real longshot, since the games aren't played in the friendly confines of the Bradley Center.
In some ways, if Marquette is eliminated from the C-USA tourney, it could set up an even more interesting scenario for local basketball fans. Could MU and UWM meet in a NIT game?
Marquette officials have regularly dodged playing UWM, but it's unlikely they would turn down a NIT bid just to avoid playing the crosstown team. It also could be that some heavy duty lobbying will be done to convince NIT officials to not create such a matchup. This writer would love to see it though.
Meanwhile, the Badgers built some momentum in their last two games of the regular season, with a great win at Michigan State and a victory over Indiana. UW also should be boosted by the naming of Devin Harris as Big Ten Player of the Year.
Bo Ryan's team starts Big Ten Conference play Friday. The Badgers would love to win the tourney and get an automatic berth, but they are almost a surety to get an at-large bid even if they are eliminated from the conference tourney.
State fans would love to see them play in the first round tourney that is being held at the Bradley Center, but that might be considered a "home court" by the NCAA officials.
New I-94 Rivalry
UWM and UIC have added another sport to the list of intense I-94 rivalries. Tuesday's Horizon League championship game had everything the rivalry requires.
First, the teams are from Milwaukee and Chicago. The coaches of the two teams, UWM's Bruce Pearl and UIC's Jimmy Collins, have a long-standing feud that goes back to a recruiting scandal when Pearl was an assistant to Dr. Tom Davis at Iowa and Collins was the main recruiter at Illinois.
Both teams have good basketball programs, but still are looking for respect. Both are what Al McGuire called "dash schools," referring to the dash after the university portion of their names. Coach Al always feared playing the dash schools because he knew they were hungry.
You could feel the intensity when the first wave of fans in the UWM record crowd of 10,254 entered the Arena Tuesday. It became even more heated as the game went on, even though neither team actually played that well.
The Panthers killed themselves with missed layups, blown free throws and some costly turnovers in the clutch, but it was clear by the end of the night that this matchup will be a fun part of the I-94 rivalry between teams from Milwaukee and Chicago.
The Brew Crew Review
The Brewers got off to the fastest start in the Cactus League with five straight wins. Cynics will ask, "So what? It's only spring training."
It's true none of these exhibition games count in the standings, but winning is important this spring and early in the regular season. Fans are more gun shy than ever after the front office turmoil over the winter and, most recently, the announcement that none of the team's games will be shown on "free" TV this season.
Many are down on the Selig ownership and wonder if the team really will be sold. Once again, they have been told "be patient; better things are coming." Many just won't buy it if they don't see some early indications of it. The Brewers will have to play well beyond the first week of spring training to gain back many of their fans.
Manager Ned Yost has taken the stance all winter that he and his players have no control over the off-field situation. They are indicating at least in the early parts of training camp that they intend to do everything they can to continue the progress that started last season.
Look for in-depth looks at spring training in this column on March 25 and April 1.
The Name Game
The Wave's Greg Howes was named the Major Indoor Soccer League offensive player of the week after scoring eight goals and nine points in two games ... The Admirals' goalies, Brian Finley and Wade Flaherty, have combined to allow only 2.06 goals per game in the first 69 games ... Craig Leipold reportedly continues to be interested in buying the Admirals, but no deal has been reached. Team officials did announce the Admirals will return for next season and continue to be affiliated with Leipold's Nashville Predators of the NHL ... The Sports Business Journal rated Green Bay the sixth best sports city in the country and Milwaukee the 17th. The publication rated 41 cities in eight categories.
Beyond Milwaukee Sports
UW-Stevens Point's men and women won opening round Division III NCAA games. The Pointers' men beat Gustavus Adolphus, 66-55, and the women beat Ripon, 84-66 ... Ryan Allen of UW-La Crosse won the 285-pound title at the NCAA Division III wrestling championships. Allen finished the season 38-2 ... Erika Brown of Madison, Nicole Joraanstad of Monona and Natalie Nicholson of Minnesota combined on the Patti Link team of Wisconsin to win the national curling title in Grand Forks, N.D.
Hot Tix
March Madness continues to dominate the sports buzz, but there are some other events on tap. The Bucks host Denver at the Bradley Center at 7:30 p.m. Friday and the Knicks at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The time of the Sunday game has been changed because it will be shown on ABC.
The Admirals play Utah at the BC Saturday night. The Wave is at Kansas City on Saturday night, but returns to the U.S. Cellular Arena in time for a 1 p.m. game against Baltimore on Sunday.
