100% COTTEN: A Season Of Memories
3/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 24, 2005
The recently ended basketball season will not soon be forgotten - for several reasons. Depending on the perspective, different things will stand out for different reasons. Here's my take:
The Preseason NIT pitted the Deacs against two tough, non-cupcake teams right out of the chute - and Wake responded admirably with wins over George Washington and Virginia Commonwealth. The two wins tended to validate the Deacs' high national ranking. The season was off to a good start.
The Deacons took their first-ever number one ranking to New York and beat Providence and then a nationally ranked Arizona team the day after Thanksgiving in Madison Square Garden to win the Preseason NIT and hand Coach Lute Olson his first-ever loss at the Garden. It was a solid win on a national stage.
Immediately following the game Dr. David Martin and I went downstairs to Penn Station to catch a train to College Park for Wake's football game the next day at noon against Maryland. We bumped into former Deacon football player and Director of Operations Tommy Kleinlein and wife Tara who helped us navigate station officials and carry luggage, radio gear and postgame meals onto the train. Tara got off the train just in time and nearly took part of the ride with us. I left an umbrella in the back corner of the Marty Glickman Memorial Broadcast Booth at the Garden because I simply didn't have enough hands to carry it. I'll bet a dollar to a doughnut its still there whenever we go back. Not much gets thrown away at the Garden.
The Deacs took their lofty ranking and unbeaten record to Illinois and were promptly shown the door by the Illini and their rowdy fans. We couldn't get out of there fast enough.
I would say Wake Forest responded well to that shellacking considering the ten consecutive wins that would follow. Noteworthy during that stretch was a hard-earned win at The Pit in Albuquerque, the Lobos' only home loss of the season. We actually had fans in front our broadcast location who stood much of the game, forcing us to miss seemingly half of the game. In my 25 years broadcasting college games, our spot at The Pit had to be the worst. But the win made it worth it.
The big win at Virginia was one for the ages in Charlottesville and got the ACC season off to a positive start. But the 13-point win over North Carolina at home in the only regular season meeting between the two ACC heavyweights to me really signified that this Wake Forest team could be special.
Two out of the next three games would be losses, however, proving that nothing was automatic in the ACC. The loss at Florida State after coming back from a 19-point deficit was notable on at least two fronts - a 50th straight free throw made to set an NCAA record and Taron Downey's clutch three to force overtime, but haunting was his miss at a four point play at the charity stripe that would have won it with 4.6 seconds left.
Another come from behind loss in overtime at Georgia Tech was preceded by a road win at 20th ranked Cincinnati. This had to be the toughest mental stretch to date.
A home win over Duke is always good, and that was followed by road wins at ACC newcomer sites Virginia Tech and Miami.
The loss at Duke I'll never forget. You remember. It came against Coach K and the Stormtroopers. I still smell a rat.
The thrilling win at N.C. State on a last second drive by Chris Paul was overshadowed by Chris' momentary lack of judgment earlier in the game when locked up with Julius Hodge. The press was quick to jump on Paul. He was wrong, but I also don't remember any stories about all of the good that this kid has done and will do- that his misstep at State was just that, an aberration. Chris Paul is good people. Of this I am certain.
Without Paul, the ACC Tournament wasn't much fun. And neither was the first half against Chattanooga in the NCAA Tournament. But the second half was much better. After that 20-minute period and the one that followed against West Virginia - I really did think the Deacs were on their way to a second trip to The Pit.
We know now they weren't. And what stands out in my mind now more than the loss to the Mountaineers was Taron Downey's resolve to keep his senior season and that of his teammates alive. It's Downey's grit and determination in the face of adversity that make me hopeful for tomorrow.
Just wait 'til next year.
