Wahoo Wire

Thursday March 31

NBA: Boston Celtics at San Antonio Spurs

Both the Celtics and Spurs have been considered to be struggling as of late, so a victory over a quality squad would serve as a confidence builder.  For the Celtics, this game will be the third straight away game.  The Celtics have dropped 14 of their 22 losses away from home and lost on the road against the Pacers on Monday night.  The Celtics are 5-5 in their last 10 games and seem to be fading as the season comes to an end.  Are the Big Three too old for one more ring or are they saving their efforts for the playoffs?  With nine games to go in the season and the Heat nipping at their heels, this is a must-win against the Spurs to secure a 2 seed for the Eastern Conference.  With eight games remaining on their schedule and a 3.5 game lead on the Lakers, the Spurs would appear to be in a comfortable lead for the 1 seed in the Western Conference.  However, take a look at the Spurs in March.  8-7, injured, old, fatigued, and fading fast.  They have lost four straight and are staring a fifth straight loss right in the eyes Thursday night.  Tune in at 8pm on TNT to see which team will break out of their slump.

NBA: Dallas Mavericks at LA Lakers

The second game for the double header on TNT Thursday night is just as exciting.  It features the second and third place teams in the Western Conference and is definitely an important game for both teams.  As both teams try to catch the struggling Spurs for the 1 seed in the Western Conference, this game will have a lot riding on it.  The Lakers will be coming off of 3 days rest while the Mavericks will take on the Clippers in the Staples Center Wednesday night.  Many consider the Lakers to be the hottest team in the west right now, having won 15 of their last 16 games.  Assuming the Mavericks defeat the Clippers on Wednesday night, these two teams will be within half a game of each other.

MLB: Detroit Tigers at NY Yankees

Opening Day. Finally the wait is over and we no longer have to hear about Spring Training, because we all know that nobody actually cares about it.  While the headlines are filled with the Final Four and NBA season winding down this week, we cannot forget to mention America’s pastime.  While this might not have the same appeal as a Final Four game, it might be comforting to switch on the tube Thursday afternoon and see some baseball.  The Yankees take on a Detroit team that has looked impressive in Spring Training standing in third place in the Grapefruit League standings right now.  Don’t miss the first pitch of the season on ESPN Thursday afternoon.

Saturday April 2

NCAA Tournament: VCU vs. Butler

This matchup features the highest total combination of seeds to ever play in a Final Four game: 19.  This may be something that we will never see again in our lifetimes.  Considering how whacky the tournament has been this year, this matchup still comes as a surprise to many.  The Battle of the Cinderellas will send one packing and the other will advance for a shot at the national championship.  Simply amazing.  And thanks a lot Jay Bilas for your expertise.  VCU clearly had no business being in the tournament since they defeated a PAC-10, Big East, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12 opponent on their way to Houston.  This just goes to prove that anything can happen in March and that is why we all look forward to the Madness every single year.  As for the Bulldogs, they will look to senior forward Matt Howard (16.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg) and junior guard Shelvin Mack (15.9 ppg) to lead Butler to back-to-back title games.  The Rams of VCU will look to workhorse senior forward Jamie Skeen (26 pts, 10 rbs. Vs. Kansas) for the spark they need to surprise the world (again).  Throw down your brackets, stop worrying about the $20 you may have lost in your pool, and enjoy one of the most rare Final Four matchups you may ever witness.

NCAA Tournament: Kentucky vs. Connecticut

This matchup will produce the likely favorite to win the National Championship.  The Huskies have impressed everybody with their postseason play this year and take a 9-game winning streak into Houston.  AP First-Team All-American Kemba Walker (23.5 ppg) will be the main focus of Calipari’s defense.  All the attention Walker has received has opened up scoring opportunities for freshman guard/forward Jeremy Lamb, who has come on strong for the Huskies as of late.  However, Kentucky will be a large obstacle to overcome if they want to reach the title game.  Kentucky has also been red-hot with 10 straight victories, including victories over West Virginia, Ohio State (the overall number 1 seed), and North Carolina.  To be honest, the Wildcats looked darn right impressive against the Tar Heels.  They attacked the basket well, which eventually led to Tar Heel forward John Henson fouling out of the game.  They shot an impressive 54.5% from behind the arc and had all five starters scoring in double-figures.  This Kentucky team appears to be hitting their stride at the right time and while Dick Vitale picked them to win it all, he might actually be right for once.  I would say not to miss this game, but it is the Final Four.  Enjoy the games.

Men’s Lacrosse (6) UVA vs. (10) Maryland at Scott Stadium

Simply put, this is one of the biggest rivalry games for the Cavaliers this season.  Dating back to the 2007-2008 season, UVA enters the contest with a five-game win streak against their ACC Rivals.  The sixth-ranked Cavaliers hopefully can bounce back from the heartbreaking 11-12 defeat they suffered at Johns Hopkins last week.  Having defeated the Terrapins twice at College Park last season, #6 Virginia will be looking to continue their winning streak against #10 Maryland when they host them at Scott Stadium (the first lacrosse game in the football stadium since 1995) in Charlottesville at Noon on Saturday afternoon.   One thing is certain: Both teams will be fired up for this game so you should not miss the battle of two national powerhouses.