Feeding my addiction

This was a post I should have done a few days ago, but believe me, the memory is still quite vivid.

This is one of only two photos I took on Saturday when Enoch and I went with our friends Trish and Eric to see a couple of college basketball games at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. The first game (where the picture was taken) was Louisville vs. Minnesota. Had I taken a picture of the sidelines, you could have seen Tubby Smith and Rick Pitino (two of college's great coaches) on patrol. The game itself was a real yawner. Even though Louisville was ranked #9 in the country, they trailed pretty much the whole game and looked pretty flat.

The second game was much more exciting. This pitted BYU vs. ASU, and it was a much more competitive contest—which is always better for any viewer—and this one certainly delivered. I just wish BYU could have pulled it out in the end. They were leading by as much as 10 points for most of the second half, but in the final minutes and seconds, ASU caught up. With just over three seconds remaining, BYU was down by 1, but had the ball. They called time out to set up the play. Three seconds felt like an eternity as they passed it to three different players before the third hoisted the ball up at the buzzer, and it went in! Initially, the ref said the shot was good and it counted giving BYU the win, but then ASU contested the ruling, and when they went to the replay, the refs found the ball had actually left the player's hand about 2 tenths of a second after the buzzer, so the win went to ASU. Disappointing, but SUCH an exciting game. I was on my feet, cheering, clapping, biting my nails.

This is not the best game I have ever seen played in terms of excitement. That honor would have to go to the Arizona vs. Gonzaga double overtime game I saw in Salt Lake at the NCAA tournament back in 2002, but this game is definitely up there in terms of its quality and excitement. BYU played well against a nationally ranked team, and showed it has promise. Fouls hurt them in the second half. ASU was already in the bonus with over 5 minutes left, and that was probably the difference. ASU was able to go the line any time BYU fouled them after that. And it was a fould shot that put them up by one in the final seconds. But I was proud of my Cougars.