“The more excitement for the fans, the better the program.” “Everybody handles the ball, everybody passes.” “Let’s find out early on how good we are.” St. John’s offered a first look at a potential Top 5 team in today’s open practice: dalydoseofhoops.blogspot.com/2025/08/john... #sjubb

OH MY GOD JUMP AROUND IS PLAYING FOR THE SEVENTH INNING STRETCH AT PROGRESSIVE FIELD NORMAL SONG POPULAR IN MANY SPORTING VENUES @dalydoseofhoops.bsky.social @andygold24.bsky.social

Happy 10th anniversary, #Page145. It was actually yesterday, but it’s still far too prevalent in today’s world. @bracketdobber.net @rjcurren.bsky.social @mattzemek.bsky.social @anonymouseagle.bsky.social

GOD DAMMIT

@anonymouseagle.bsky.social #StopNigelHayes

Golden State and Phoenix somehow line up the wrong way for the opening tip in the WNBA tonight. Where is Karl Hess, @dalydoseofhoops.bsky.social?

Great piece by @samneumann.bsky.social. In retrospect, it's weird ESPN didn't have more to offer for someone like Reali.

Since he’s not here on Bluesky, and because we still love him anyway, please join me in congratulating the great John Fanta and his wife, Victoria, on the birth of their son, Andrew, who arrived Wednesday. By all accounts, mom, dad and baby are well. The Big East’s first family now has its prince.

In the name of the father, son, and Holy Spirit, #GeauxTigers.

Mike Repole doing photo ops with #RonDeShithead at the Ocala breeders’ sale wasn’t something I needed to see today, @bracketdobber.net.

I’ve never shared this on here before, but to be fair, I’ve only been on here less than a year. Every April 17th, I celebrate the site’s anniversary. This one makes 16. Here’s 13,744 words on the somber and the sweet, where I’ve been and where I am. The epilogue to yet another season:

“I can’t even explain it. But it feels good, though.” Walter Clayton, Jr. turned down two national championships with Georgia football to play basketball. Tonight made it worth the wait. He’s a national champion now, doing what he loves. My column: dalydoseofhoops.blogspot.com/2025/04/for-...

At 39, Todd Golden is the first coach under 40 to win a national championship since the late great Jim Valvano, who was 37 when he won it at NC State in 1983. Both coaches had to defeat Houston to do it.

Golden: “Our guys have been really good all year staying the course. You have to have the mental toughness to be able to withstand a little adversity. Our guys knew that it wasn’t gonna be easy, and didn’t panic when it got tough.” #Gators

Clayton: “I think the way we won tonight is just an exclamation mark on the year.” #Gators I told you that you were gonna love him, @bracketdobber.net, but even I couldn’t have told you he’d win a national championship.

Clayton: “The feeling is surreal. It’s a crazy feeling that I can’t even explain, but it feels good.” #Gators

Golden: “It’s a heck of an accomplishment. I’m super proud of everyone in my program, from top to bottom. We have an incredibly talented group, but I do think what has separated us all season long is our team talent. Because of that, we can call each other national champions.”

In the past two years, the head coach of an NBA champion and the most outstanding player of the Final Four have come from MAAC schools: Michael Malone (former Manhattan assistant, head coach of the Nuggets) Walter Clayton, Jr. (Iona/Florida) #MAACHoops

Sampson: “At the end of the day, they scored 65, we scored 63. They struggled to score on us, we struggled to score on them.” #GoCoogs

Sampson: “We thought if we could get Emanuel to shot fake and get downhill, a two was fine. J’Wan has been awesome all year…tonight was not his night. Florida was very physical.” #GoCoogs

Sampson: “I’m just going through those last two possessions more than anything else. Incomprehensible in that situation that we couldn’t get a shot. Down two, obviously we didn’t need a three. We had good looks, but Florida was doing a good job running us off the line.”

Cryer: “This experience is hard to describe. I remember when I got to Houston, I had three foot surgeries before I even got here, and after those surgeries, I started questioning myself, if I’d ever be the player I was before I got here. They believed in me.” #GoCoogs

Roberts: “I feel for these guys, and I’m sad I can’t do this with them again.” #GoCoogs

Roberts: “Coach Sampson’s been everything to me. But I told the returners to remember this feeling. When you’re in this moment again, when you’re in this situation again, you’ll be on top. Everything you go through in life is a lesson.” #GoCoogs

Sampson: “Saturday, we found a way to win. Tonight, not so much.” #GoCoogs

Sampson: “I told the guys, be disappointed that you lost. Do not be disappointed with your effort.” #GoCoogs

Kelvin Sampson is here with Cryer and Roberts. The ol’ ball coach looks like he needs a hug. This is crushing to see.

Shoutout to @bracketdobber.net.

Walter Clayton, Jr. turned down a chance to win two national championships when he passed on an offer to play football at Georgia. He just won a national championship playing basketball at Florida. Good things come to those who wait.

Houston can’t get a shot off, and for the third time in school history, the Florida Gators are national champions, stealing a 65-63 win over the Cougars, who were up 12 earlier in the second half.

Florida 65, Houston 63, 19.7 seconds for the Cougars to hold for the tie or win. Here we go.

You don’t need a three here.

JoJo Tugler has fouled out with 46.5 seconds left and Houston up one, 63-62. Here’s Martin at the line for Florida…first one good, second one good. The #Gators lead, 64-63, and Todd Golden will talk.

Who didn’t see that coming? #Gators

They’re going down the stretch for the last time until November 3rd. Houston, in its first national championship game since 1984, is 3:24 away from winning its first title. Florida needs to overcome a 60-57 deficit if it wants to win its third championship and first since 2007.

Now THAT was a reason to call a tech.

This game is tied.

Playing Jock Jams at a game that has become a regular occurrence for #UConn fans in April is a cruel, but well-played troll.

CLAYTON! AND ONE! He’ll shoot to tie the game on the other side of the U8, and it appears he may have finally risen. With 7:54 still remaining, Florida trails Houston, 48-47. #Gators #GoCoogs

Ja’Vier Francis now has FOUR fouls for Houston. Florida will now shoot two the rest of the way, for at least the last 8:31 of regulation.

Florida has pulled off seven straight and an 11-3 run to counteract the 11-2 that Houston uncorked to start the second half. Kelvin Sampson will talk with 12:06 remaining in regulation, and that leaves him only one timeout the rest of the way. The Cougars lead the Gators, 45-41.

What was missing from this game that was desperately needed? A trip #ToTheMonitor, said no one, ever.

Houston is shooting the rest of the way. There is still 14:07 on the clock.

Houston is on an 11-2 run out of the locker room, partially induced by the fouls racking up on Florida and the Golden technical, but largely because of its defense, which has gone to 11 since halftime. With 15:48 to go, it’s the Cougars 42, the #Gators 30. #GoCoogs

Not sure Golden deserved that one. Sirmons had a Calipari trigger on that tech.

Oh look, Ron Groover wants to be the star of the show again. Five fouls since halftime, all on Florida. He must think Duke beat Houston, @mdwdfw.bsky.social.

Florida only trailing by three after 20, with nothing from Clayton and Houston having its way with the Gators all night bodes incredibly well for Todd Golden. Auburn was up eight on Florida at this point Saturday. Houston gets to halftime ahead, 31-28. #Gators #GoCoogs

Houston ripped off eight straight to take the lead, then Florida stopped the bleeding inside with Condon. Still, the Cougars hold a six-point advantage with another 3:41 to get through before heading to the locker room. Houston 29, Florida 23. #Gators #GoCoogs

After that last travel, Florida has turned the ball over nine times. Niiiiiiiiine tiiiiiiiiimes. #Gators #edrooney

I’m set up on the Houston end of the floor. This side of the building went apeshit on the Cryer three and Mylik Wilson dunk, and rightfully so. Wilson just had all day to hit a right baseline three, and the Cougar fans erupted again. Todd Golden will talk now, down 29-21.