Pictures

Well I made it back to Mitchell. It rained most of the 10-plus hour drive from Branson. DWU SID Matt Higgins and I made a two-car caravan on the drive, which helped a little. I still hope not to have to drive anywhere anytime soon, though.The drive itelf wasn't terrible, just long. I went around Kansas City, which was nice, as well as Omaha and St. Joseph. Took several state highways until I got to I29, and from there it was a straight, easy shot. 

Hopefully my computer will let me post some pictures I got at the tournament. College of the Ozarks does a fantastic job. The hospitality room for media and coaches was phenomenal. Plush couches and chairs, a huge flat-screen TV broadcasting the games from the gym and a buffet full of delicious food. They had a small food court in the gym for fans and a band for entertainment. The gym itself was comprable to the Corn Palace, I'd say. It looked to sit about as many people and there certainly wasn't a bad seat in the house.

(Here's the Ketter Gymnasium. Nice gym, about Corn Palace size. Notice the blimp in the top left. It flew around the gym during timeouts and stops in play and was very entertaining to me at least.)

I didn't get to see much of the campus, but what I saw looked very pretty. It looked as though the campus was on a bluff overlooking Branson, and I'm sure when it's green it's gorgeous. I noticed there were tulips blooming, which was fun to see this early in March.

(This is not a shot of campus, but it's a pretty decent shot of Preston Broughton dunking that didn't get run in the paper.)

The little bit of Branson that I was able to see was fun. I'm disappointed I didn't get to go to the Hollywood wax  museum down the road from my hotel. Or wander around and explore a bit. The cold, rainy weather kept me in my hotel room the little bit I was down there. I was pretty disappointed in the weather, but it's not like cold, rainy weather is anything new to me I suppose. I did, however, get to eat at the highly-acclaimed Rib Crib. I had heard nothing but good things about the restaurant from many people, and I thought it lived up to its billing. Next time you're in Branson, go.

(Rib Crib. Delicious. Try it.)

That's about it, I think. I didn't get as many photos as I would have liked due to the short stay, but that's how it goes I guess. I'll post more game photos on the Daily Republic's Web site as a photo gallery sometime in the very near future.

Posted by: Leah on 3/14/2010 at 2:30 PM | Comments (2) | Permalink

Parting thoughts

Less than 24 hours after I arrived in this interesting, busy city, I'm just about ready to leave. Another 10 hours of driving will make it 20 hours in two days. The good news is I'm finding music I haven't listened to in years in some of my old mixed CDs I'm digging out.

Before I check out I thought I'd look at the game again with a few hours gone by and a clearer head. My analysis: if Brady or Mitch would have done anything, the Tigers would have won. If Chase would have hit more than one of the eight field goals he shot (I think six were 3-pointers) it really would have helped. And if DWU could have kept Cornerstone off the boards... If, if, if. No room for those. It just wasn't meant to be -- not this year, anyway.

Time for me to check out and hit the road. I'll try and post some pictures when I get home of Keeter Gymnasium and the game and random Branson tidbits. And give a few more thoughts on the tournament. Like the fact that College of the Ozarks does a heck of a job hosting it.

See everyone back in Mitchell.

Posted by: Leah on 3/13/2010 at 10:02 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink

Sad end to a fantastic season

(Chase Walder goes up for a layup during the second half of the Tigers' Sweet 16 game against Cornerstone. (Leah Rado/Republic))

That was tough to watch. After a fantastic season, one cold shooting night ended it all for the Tigers. It just seemed like nothing was working for Dakota Wesleyan. The Tigers couldn't get the stops they needed and nothing was going on. They shot 37.3 percent from the field. They were 19-for-51 from the field -- and nine of those 19 field goals were threes. If it wasn't a three, it just wasn't going in. Especially inside, when DWU tried to go inside.

Coach Hemenway blames himself for not calling Brady Wiebe and Preston Broughton's numbers more on the inside. Cornerstone's big guys did some damage inside and got some big rebounds. Kelvin DeVries also hit the biggest shot of the night -- a three with 1:51 to play. That marked the start of an 8-0 Cornerstone run to end the game. That shot, combined with Broughton fouling out not even two minutes earlier, just took it all out of DWU, I think.

Aside from Dorsey, Broughton and Jake Kneeland -- who hit three 3-pointers -- no one did anything. Mitch Bain and Wiebe had four points each and Bo LaCroix, Mark Mingo and Chase Walder combined for eight points. Four players scored in double figures for Cornerstone, led by 20 from Caleb simons who was just a beast inside.

Tough way to end a fantastic season. Everyone came into tonight with dreams of the Elite Eight and then Final Four after No. 2 Oregon Tech lost to No. 15 St. Francis, but it wasn't meant to be. Not this year. That's why there's always next year.

Posted by: Leah on 3/12/2010 at 10:48 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink

Too close for comfort

To say there's no offensive rhythm in this game would be a gross understatement. With 4:42 left to play it's 52-50. Neither team has led by more than four. DWU led 11-7 early and Cornerstone went up 31-27 early in the second. DWU's 3-point shooting is keeping it in the game. The Tigers can't hit much else right now it seems like, and they can't stop Cornerstone, either.

It's 52-all with 4:30 to go. Offensive foul Broughton, his fourth. Oh man. Not good.

I don't know if DWU is still nervous or too relaxed or what the deal is but they are struggling. Less than four to go. Turnover. Oh boy.

Posted by: Leah on 3/12/2010 at 9:34 PM | Comments (2) | Permalink

Pre-game thoughts

Well, I'm finally here. Sitting in the upper level of Keeter Gymnasium on the College of the Ozarks campus watching Eastern Oregon and Indiana Wesleyan battle it out. The game was really close in teh first half, and IWU pulled out to a five- or six-point lead to start the second, but I see its back to a three-point game. This game was supposed to start at 5:45, so things are obviously behind schedule again. DWU probably won't start until closer to 8 or 8:15.

The Tigers shot around a bit at halftime of this game. Everyone looked pretty loose, not too nervous. Hopefully that first win really got all the nerves out and everyone can just do their thing now.

I was hoping to share a few pictures of the gym, but my computer doesn't want to let me right now, so I'll try again later. There is a blimp with the NAIA logo on it flying around during timeouts and stops in play. That's my favorite part right now. That and the hospitality room. This college knows how to host a national tournament.

Indiana Wesleyan is pulling away now. It's 43-36 with 10:31 to play and someone from IWU is at the line. Time to find myself a seat at the media table. More during the game.

Posted by: Leah on 3/12/2010 at 7:26 PM | Comments (3) | Permalink