Road trippin'

The NCAA loves to gussy up yesterday and today as the First Four, but it can't sell those groceries. No matter how often they say "First Four," to the general public they're the Play-In Games, on account of that's what they are.

I say this not to ding the NCAA. I say it mainly because the NCAA itself treats them that way.

Consider: Last night Indiana beat Wyoming by eight in its play-in game, as Trayce Jackson-Davis (29 points) continued to play as if Mike Woodson were holding his parents hostage. That was a 9:10 p.m. start.

The Hoosiers' reward from the NCAA was to hop on a plane, fly west across three time zones to Portland, Ore., and play 5-seed St. Mary's less than 48 hours later.

This means the Hoosiers will be taking on a team that beat overall top seed Gonzaga this season, AND their own internal clocks. And, yes, I know, they're young athletes with the resiliency of young athletes, so this likely won't be as much of an issue as the Blob is making it. 

And ... yet. It seems a huge additional disadvantage for Indiana, already the underdog as a 12-seed. Now they get a west coast team on the west coast that's not only a higher seed, but that has been resting while Indiana played an extra game.

So what happens?

Well, somehow, I still think the Hoosiers pull the traditional 12-over-5 upset. Not because they'll suddenly start making open threes, because they won't, but because they're playing the kind of defense right now that covers that sin and a multitude of others, even as it uglies up the game.

 Also, TJD.

"So what you're saying, Mr. Blob, is being a Play-In team won't hurt them after all," you're saying.

Hey! That's "First Four team" to you, buddy. Show some damn respect.