We spent some time in last week’s column taking a look at high school basketball league and conference standings, both boys and girls, so let’s turn our attention this week to area college teams and see how their seasons are going as they enter the heart of their schedules.
In the A-10, the UD Flyers are 12-4 overall and 3-0 in league play, while the Lady Flyers are 9-7 (2-3) as both teams continue to enjoy home court advantage. Wright State’s Raiders improved to 11-7 and a Horizon League-best 6-1, while the Lady Raiders sport a 6-11 mark (2-4). Tri-Village graduate Riley Sagester is averaging 8.2 points per game but has come on in the past seven contests with six double-figure outings. The 5’7” redshirt sophomore had a career high 19 against Evansville a few weeks ago.
Down in Oxford, the Miami RedHawks are one of only a few undefeated major college teams at 17-0 (5-0 in the MAC) and a fun, well-balanced group to watch as they can get up and down the court! The Lady Hawks check in at 12-4 (4-0) as officials ponder replacing Millett Hall with a new facility more central to the middle of campus.
I well remember my sophomore year in Oxford way back in the fall of 1968, when Millett first opened with a visit from Adolph Rupp and the Kentucky Wildcats. A sellout crowd of 9,200 was on hand as the ‘Cats prevailed 86-77, the first of many memorable moments over the years for first Redskins and later RedHawks fans. My wife Kathy and I had season tickets for almost 25 years, front-row seats at the top of the foul circle, and enjoyed watching Wally Szczerbiak and other great players in action. Man, if they’re calling Millet “venerable” that certainly dates me!!
Over in Springfield, Wittenberg (can you believe that distinguished center of higher learning is experiencing decreasing enrollment and financial difficulties?) mens’ team is 10-4 and 3-2 in North Coast Athletic Conference action while the women are 8-6 (2-4). A really good D-III college conference with no clear-cut power on the men’s side, it somehow remains somewhat anonymous. That leads us to today’s trivia question—other than Wittenberg, can you name at least three more NCAC members?
Finally, the OSU men’s squad stands at 3-2 in Big Ten play (11-4 overall) while the women are 14-2 (4-1). How tough is the conference this year? On the mens ledger the top four teams so far are Nebraska (yes, the Huskers!) at a perfect 17-0, Purdue at 15-1, Michigan with a 14-1 record after being upset at home this weekend by Wisconsin, and Michigan State at 14-2. It’s shaping up to be another outstanding six or seven weeks leading up to the Conference tournament.
One final basketball update—Greenville graduate Clay Guillozet, Class of 2016, is playing professionally overseas again this year. The Wave’s all-time leading scorer had a fine career at Valdosta State through 2020 and has taken to the hardwood over the years for teams based in Finland, Luxembourg, Vietnam, and this year Trier in the German Basketball League where he’s averaging 8.5 points per contest. The 6’4” guard has experiences playing the game around the world that few can imagine and is still one of the nicest people you’d want to meet when he visits Greenville!
The NFL continues to hold to the “what have you done for me lately?” philosophy of head coaching firings as eight teams are seeking “a new direction” in gridiron leadership. Openings are currently available for the Giants, Falcons, Cardinals, Dolphins, Browns (replacing two-time Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski), Titans, Raiders (goodbye Pete Carroll), and Ravens (sayonara John Harbaugh after 18 seasons and a Super Bowl title). That’s 25% of league head coaches who were dismissed this year, and there might be one or two more after the next round of playoff games. Hired to be fired!!
One last item before the answers to the trivia question—January 1, 1971 was the last television commercial for cigarettes, which had been the largest product advertisers on TV. For those of a certain age who can forget even Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble taking a Winston cigarette break! The American Lung Association reports that the smoking rate among US youth has dropped to 3.8%, an all-time low.
It used to be that tobacco was an important crop to the agricultural economy here in West Central Ohio, as acreage allotments were distributed to farmers. Can you remember the first time, if ever, that you tried a cigarette? I was about 10 or 11 years old when the man who picked up the milk on my family’s Jersey farm asked me if I wanted one of his. Not knowing any better I thought why not and proceeded to inhale without realizing that eventually I’d need to exhale. After coughing for about ten minutes and enduring the milkman’s laughter while turning green I’m proud to say that’s been my only experience with a cigarette!
Finally, the North Coast Athletic Conference consists of Denison, DePauw, John Carroll, Kenyon, Oberlin, Ohio Wesleyan, Wabash, Wittenberg, and The College of Wooster. You are a true D-III follower or alumnus if you got more than five of the nine correct! Have a great week!
