One Tar Hell Of A Basketball Season

Little did we know when the College of Charleston defeated North Carolina 82-70 in overtime back on January 4th it would lead to a Carolina collapse. Since then the Tar Heels have lost 10 of 13 games. Sorry Carolina fans, the Heels are in total free fall.

Here we are some 3 weeks from the start of the NCAA Tournament and the topic of conversation in restaurants along Franklin Street in Chapel Hill isn't whether the Tar Heels will get a number one seed or which region Carolina will be placed, it's whether the Heels can make the NIT. The friekin' NIT!!!!!

Chalk this up as to how much of a difference a year makes. A year ago at this time North Carolina was a fine tuned machine on the way to an NCAA Championship. This year someone put a banana in the exhaust pipe and slashed the tires of that machine.

You want real numbers as to how bad it is for North Carolina? The Tar Heels are 14-14 overall, 3-9 in the ACC and tied for dead last in the league with NC State. North Carolina fans are having Matt Doherty flashbacks. (By the way, Doherty is head coach of the SMU Mustangs who are 13-14 overall, 6-7 in Conference USA, in the middle of the pack in the conference. No shot of making the tournament.)

North Carolina has no shot of making the NCAA Tournament unless the Tar Heels win the ACC Tournament and that ain't happening. Heck the NIT is a long shot, but there's always the College Basketball Invitational. The CBI will take losers and would love to have a gold standard program like North Carolina in their 16 team field.

Something tells me North Carolina feels they are above the CBI. I would love to see that championship banner in the rafters of the Smith Center.

Photos Courtesy: Robert Willett/Raleigh News-Observer

Beaver Fever In The CBI

Cinderella bypassed the NCAA Tournament but has found a home at the College Basketball Invitational. The nation is being swept by Beaver Fever and will be tuning in to the CBI's best of 3 Championship series as Oregon State (16-17) hopes to culminate their miracle run through the CBI taking on UTEP (22-12).

Should the Beavs take the series, they will win their first ever post season basketball championship and have a winning season too.

Oregon State survived and advanced to the CBI Championship Series with another thrilling overtime win in Gill Coliseum. This time Stanford fell victim to Beaver Fever 65-62 in OT. A 7-0 run at the start of overtime put the Beavs over the top and send 4,759 OSU fans into a frenzy.

“I almost needed an ambulance,” Oregon State head coach Craig Robinson said of the emotions he felt in the game. “We played such a gutsy game to get there. This was probably the gutsiest game and and gutsiest group of guys I’ve been a part of, including when I played. And certainly when I coached.”

"It's exciting. We're in the championship." Oregon State junior guard Seth Tarver said. "We know what we're capable of. We know that we can play well. We feel like we've been getting better all season and we're just playing well at the right time."
Timing is everything. You think Oregon State is an example of spreading the wealth like Criag Robinson's brother in law talks about?

UTEP is next for the Beavs in the CBI Championship Series. Game 1 is next Monday at Corvallis but for OSU to win the title, they have to win on the road. Games 2 & 3 will be played in El Paso, Texas.

You can tune in on HD Net to see what could be a classic series. Unfortunately the OSG HQ doesn't get it.

Photo Courtesy: Scobel Wiggins/Corvallis Gazette-Times

Beavers Join The CBI Foursome

Once again, we don't want to tick off the execs at CBS or the NCAA powers that be and use their "brand name" so here at OSG headquarters, we came up with our own for the College Basketball Invitational a.k.a. "The Big Party". We also want to recognize Oregon State as the Beavers continue their quest for a winning season and a CBI championship.

Monday night the Beavs moved on the the CBI Last Foursome with a 71-70 overtime victory over Vermont in Corvallis. (They got 2 home games in this thing) It was Calvin Hayes' (pictured, many thanks Scobel Wiggins/Corvallis Gazette-Times) basket with 6 seconds left that won it for the Beavs. Oregon State is now 15-17 on the year. 4,052 showed up at Gill Coliseum for this one.

"Before getting into anything, I just want to say the crowd was phenomenal." Oregon State head coach Craig Robinson said. "I wish I could have stayed out here longer to thank them even more. We wouldn’t have been able to win without them. We needed those cheers and their energy.”

It would have taken coach Robinson 20 mintues to thank those loyal Beaver fans.

Who do the Beavs draw in the CBI Last Foursome... Pac-10 rival Stanford, who Oregon State swept in the regular season but lost to the Cardinal in the Pac-10 tournament. And guess what, the game will be in Corvallis, Oregon. Obviously the CBI must have tax issues or in dire need of a government bailout or Craig Robinson's friends and family in high places is benefiting the Beavs.

The OSU - Stanford game is Wednesday night. For those lucky ones you can see it on HD Net.

Your CBI Update: Oregon State Stays In The "Big Party"

You knew that the College Basketball Invitational had creditability issues when they invited losing teams to their "Big Party" (No dancing allowed at the CBI). St. John's was invited with a 16-17 record and the Red Storm properly exited stage left getting waxed by the Richmond Spiders 75-69.

Then there is Oregon State who finished the season 13-17 yet the CBI selection committee thought so highly of the Beavers that OSU received an invitation to the "Big Party" and not only that, the Beavs got a home game. Remember, Oregon State head coach Craig Robinson is Barack Obama's brother-in-law. Nice to have friends and or family in high places.

Well the Beavs opened, or sorry, began CBI play Wednesday night hosting the Houston Cougars at Gill Coliseum and won in an ugly game 49-45. (We here at the OSG HQ would like to show you video highlights but the CBI website won't let us embed. It must be so ugly the the CBI hasn't posted highlights from HD Net.)

”I was not sure about that one for awhile." Robinson said after the game. "It is good for these guys to get into tournament play, playing a new opponent. It is great for the program; it is great for those guys in the locker room, great for the staff and great for the university. We are really excited about this.”

It's great to be 14-17 now and if Oregon State wins the CBI they finish above .500. Remember, you have to win a best of 3 series to be the life of the "Big Party".

See where high political connections can get you?

UPDATE: We found video of the Beavs beating the Cougs. Click on this link and sit back and enjoy.

Photo Courtesy: Casey Campbell Corvallis Gazette-Times

Your CBI Moment

The College Basketball Invitational tipped off yesterday with much fanfare. The road teams prevailed in the South Regional first round. UTEP defeated Nevada 79-77 in Reno and Northeastern squeezed by Wyoming 64-62 in Laramie. I'm sure the TV ratings were off the charts.

The CBI did flip out on day 1. Wyoming's Adam Waddell goes butt over tea kettle with this gem.



There, the CBI has it's one shining moment. It Waddell would have stuck the landing he might have gotten a perfect 10. Instead he crashed and burned and so did the Cowboys Tuesday night.

Never let a geeky white guy try to make like LeBron or Kobe. This is what happens.

The CBI Is Back

An OSG favorite is back for another year and quite frankly we are wondering why? The 2nd annual College Basketball Invitational tips off Tuesday with a weak field. St. John's at 16-17 is in. Then their is Oregon State whose head coach, Steve Robinson, is the brother-in-law of President Barack Obama. Robinson and the Beavers got the biggest political break of the year making the field of 16 at 13-17. I didn't know their could be a bubble team for the CBI but here's your example.

"We are very excited to have the opportunity to continue our season and play a first round game in front of our home crowd," Robinson said. "I'm very proud of the way the team has grown throughout the year and the selection is a great reward for our seniors who have worked so hard over the past few seasons."

Reward!!!! Is this college basketball's version of spreading the wealth? At least the college football bowl games have the decency to not invite losing teams.

With that said, here's the field of 16 from the CBI for your office pools.


WEST
Wednesday, March 18
Vermont (23-8) at Wisconsin-Green Bay (22-10), 8 p.m.
Houston (21-11) at Oregon State (13-17), 10 p.m.

EAST
Wednesday, March 18
St. John's (16-17) at Richmond (18-15), 7 p.m.
College of Charleston (26-8) vs. Troy (19-12), 8 p.m.

SOUTH
Tuesday, March 17
Northeastern (18-12) vs. Wyoming (19-13) 9 p.m.
UTEP (19-12) vs. Nevada (21-12) at 11 p.m.

MIDWEST
Wednesday, March 18
Buffalo (21-11) vs. Wichita State (16-16), 8 p.m.
Boise State (19-12) vs. Stanford (18-13), 10 p.m.

Here at the OSG HQ are going to pass on this office pool. Our pick is College of Charleston though. Bobby Cremins deserves a post season tournament title, even if its the CBI.

By the way, you can catch all the CBI game on HD Net. Tune in.