The Loss Column — Baltimore Sports Blog and Community

ed. note: the following post is by UMBC student Zak Bratcher, who attended last week’s game in Raleigh. It’s long, but worth it.

I remember going to my first UMBC basketball game two years ago. My roommate and I, both sports-obsessed freshmen who considered ourselves diehard Terps fans in our formative years, felt it natural to support our Division I men’s basketball team. We were playing Delaware sometime in December, a non-conference contest that meant practically nothing. Considering the Retrievers were coming off three forgettable losing seasons, the RAC arena was noticeably void of fans. My roommate and I represented two of about 30 less-than-crazed students composing the less-than-intimidating Dawg Pound student section.

I glanced at my buddy, “You think we’ll ever make the Tournament?”

Mostly out of courtesy, he didn’t respond.

At the time, we both realized our men’s basketball team had an arduous journey ahead to become relevant – probably too laborious for us to witness the resurrection in just four years. Hell, all we really wanted was for the Dogs to play a meaningful conference game in February. We weren’t holding our breath.

Last Thursday morning, a hoard of eight of my closest friends loaded into two cars, fueled up on coffee and donuts, and trekked down to Raleigh, N.C. Two weekends prior, we had logged over a thousand miles to support the Retrievers in their quest for a first ever America East Conference title, so following the Retrievers to their first ever NCAA Tournament game seemed only natural. After all, the 300-plus-mile retreat to the Mecca of College Hoops wasn’t a bad way to spend Spring Break.

Upon arrival, we followed Tobacco Road from Durham, home of the rigid, gothic architecture of Duke University, into Chapel Hill, home of the University of North Carolina. UNC’s campus has an overwhelmingly communal feel, highlighted by Franklin Street, a pathway connecting the university with downtown shops, restaurants, and bars. Clad in our gold and black, we felt right at home in the prototypical college town’s expanse of sky blue.

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UMBC did what they could today against Georgetown, but it wasn’t enough. They played it close, showed a ton of heart, and can leave their 66-47 defeat with their heads held high.

Hell of a run for sure. Hopefully we’ll have an on-the-scene report in a few days. Stay tuned.

Oh, by the way: the Terps got embarrassed by Syracuse in the NIT. Thus ends the Bambale Osby/James Gist era.

First, the good news: a Maryland team will win a game in this year’s NCAA tournament.

The bad news: it will be the play-in game.

On Tuesday night, Mount Saint Mary’s will take on the surging Coppin State Eagles in the “opening round” game. The winner earns the right to get throttled at the hands of UNC.

My beloved UMBC Retrievers, meanwhile, play on Friday against Georgetown. I like the fact that it’s an all-local matchup, but man…that’s a tough draw. I’ll keep hope alive, of course, but this looks to be a situation where just getting there is the victory.

I could be wrong, but this bracket doesn’t seem to include any great injustices or surprises. Everything feels pretty right.

The Loss Column will be setting up a brackets pool on CBS Sportsline, but there won’t be a buy-in or prizes. Unfortunately, there’s no feasible way to collect money because PayPal shut me down last year. So we’ll be doing it for sheer joy and bragging rights.

Consider this your pre-Tournament open thread and let it fly in the comments.

Tomorrow (Sat.) at noon, the UMBC Retrievers take on the Hartford Hawks at home with an NCAA Tournament bid on the line. Folks have been calling this the biggest college basketball game in Baltimore history, and if that statement is incorrect you’d have to go a long ways back to find one bigger.

A win tomorrow would pretty much wash away Maryland’s useless performance against Boston College yesterday.

The game is on ESPN2. It’s gonna be a good one.

More bad news for the Maryland Terrapins Men’s Basketball Team (their play of late demands a formal address).

Bubble teams like the Terps have to hope that the mid-major conference tournaments go as planned. When a mid-major #1 seed loses in their conference tournament it creates one more bubble team for the selection committee to consider. That’s what happened tonight and yesterday.

First, it was VCU (last season’s Duke-upsetting heroes) losing in the CAA semifinals to William and Mary. W&M then lost to George Mason, giving Mason an automatic bid.

Lots of people feel VCU might deserve a spot anyway. I’m one of those people.

Then tonight, San Diego knocked off #22 Gonzaga in the WCC tournament final to get their own automatic bid. This was after SD took down Saint Mary’s — a team that had been nationally ranked this season. The WCC will likely now send three teams to the tournament. Cue the “ACC of the West” comparisons/jokes.

This means three spots (VCU, Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s) that would have been open to a team like Maryland are now taken. For the Terps to make it now they have to win at least two games in the ACC tournament — over Boston College and then Clemson. Three games is more realistic, and that third one would probably be against Duke.

Not going to happen. This is UMBC’s year. They’re playing their conference tournament final at home on Saturday. I’m going to try to make it out there, but if I can’t I’ll be with them in spirit. I hope you’ll all do the same.

It’s a good Friday night to relax, sip a bit of this, and consider some weekend discussion topics.

The Loss Column is — justifiably — known as primarily an Orioles site, but in fact this is a clearinghouse for all things Baltimore Sports. The O’s are a primary focus but I don’t want to entirely lose sight of the bigger picture. So, here we go.

– The NFL free agent signing period is open. I don’t have a read on whether or not the Ravens will be active — any thoughts?

They did jettison both Mike Anderson and Mike Flynn this week. Neither move surprises me (maybe Flynn a little), and I take it as a sign that they’re looking to get a little younger and more versatile. Both of which are good things.

With any luck, Chris will have a full NFL post coming soon.

– You might not be paying attention (it’s hard to keep up), but college basketball in Baltimore right now is as healthy as it’s ever been.

UMBC (my beloved alma mater): they’ve won nine straight games and currently sit at 21-7 overall, 13-2 in the America East. They have a very realistic shot at winning their conference tournament and making it into the NCAA field of 65.

Loyola: winners of 11 of 13, they’re at first place in the MAAC and likewise have a real shot at the NCAAs.

Towson: not doing nearly as well at 11-17 overall, 6-11 in the CAA. But they’ve shown signs of improvement, and let’s not forget that the CAA is a very tough mid-major conference.

Maryland: on the bubble but still looking OK. At 8-6 in the ACC they have to beat either Clemson (home) or Virginia (away), ideally both. One loss and a conference tournament win or two will get them in.

– Down in DC, the Capitals are putting together a nice playoff run. I don’t know if you can call them serious contenders but they’re certainly a team to watch.

– There’s a fascinating and terribly long article in the New York Times about the new leadership of the Yankees. This isn’t something you can really skim, but it’s worth a read. Check it out here.

I can’t help but look at that fat bastard on the right and think that the Yankees might be headed for a 1980s redux. Probably just wishful thinking.

So there’s all that and anything else you want to talk about. Floor is all kinds of open.

Maryland’s losses to both Ohio University and American University — at home — have done great damage to my college basketball excitement. When the Terps are bad it just kills the mood.

Until March Madness, that is, when “which teams made it?” matters a lot less than “which teams should I pick?”

A few thoughts between here and there:

– As bad as Maryland looks, they can erase all of it by steamrolling to a winning record in the ACC. There’s nothing right now to suggest they could actually do that, but at least we can keep hope alive.

– UMBC, by contrast, looks fantastic early. They actually managed to beat the same American team that handled Maryland, and right now they’re easily the best men’s team in the state. Next up, though, is Ohio State. I’m looking simply for a good showing there, a loss by no more than 20.

– Here’s a bold prediction: this is the year when we’ll finally see a 16 seed upset a 1 seed.

With the way top talent is spread around college ball these days it’s bound to happen someday. I’ve got a hunch this is the year.

Anybody else watching college ball? Who’s your team? Who’s the mid-major dark horse I need to know about when bracket time comes?