Tuesday, March 28, 2023

Chalk City

 Fans of chaos have had it all their own way this March, in which the Madness has been more than just a zippy brand invented by the NCAA and HEY LITTLE MOM AND POP STORE IN HOOTERVILLE YOU BETTER NOT USE IT OR WE'LL SUE YOUR PANTS OFF.

Anyway ... where's the love for those who prefer sanity and chalk in their basketball tournaments?

Well, the women's tournament has just what you've been looking for!

It's Chalk City over there, baby, and you're gonna love it. Not only is the women's Final Four two 1-seeds, a 2-seed and a 3-seed, one of the 1-seeds is undefeated. Top-ranked South Carolina will be attempting the perfecto this weekend, and when's the last time we saw that on the men's side?

It was 1976, that's when. Indiana went 33-0, and it was so long ago Bob Knight was still wearing those hideous plaid jackets and still looked young enough to be carded on Saturday nights down on Kirkwood.  

But the women, they're keeping the faith with exclusivity. Last night, for instance, 1-seeds South Carolina and Virginia Tech both locked up their Final Four berths. And you know how they did it? 

By beating 2-seed Maryland and 3-seed Ohio State, respectively. You can't get much chalkier than that.

Even better, the women's Final Four is not only a 3-seed-or-higher private club, the two best players in the women's game are there. That would be Aliyah Boston of South Carolina and Caitlin Clark of Iowa, who just dropped a triple-double for the ages -- 41 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists, 8-of-14 from 3-point -- to send Louisville packing in the Elite Eight.

Clark and Boston meet Friday night in the second semifinal game. Which means a berth in the title game and Player of the Year honors will be for grabs.

Appointment viewing, if you ask me. And probably a few others.

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