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Murray State coach Billy Kennedy led his team to a OVC title and NCAA tournament berth. (rymanfromthesideline.blogspot.com)
By Ronak Patel ronakspatel@hotmail.com Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Murray State's head coach Billy Kennedy wanted his team to get a number 12 or 13 seed. And the NCAA Men's Selection Committee heeded his request.The Racers, winners of 21 out of their last 22 games, are the 13th seeded team in the West Region and will face SEC power Vanderbilt in Thursday's first round game.Kennedy, during a phone interview last Friday, was proud Murray State (30-4) is back in the tournament for the first time in four years (14th overall). The Racers defeated Ohio Valley Conference nemesis Morehead State 62-51 in the conference title game on March 6. The Racers are one of the game's more respected teams coming out of traditionally one-bid conferences and there was pressure for them to win, especially with a stacked team."It was a big sign of relief," said Kennedy of making the NCAA Tournament. "To have won 29 games up to that point and be in the championship game, I'm just proud and thankful our guys was able to get the 30th win because it's unfortunate but there would've been a lot of disappointment and frustrated people around here if we haven't done that."But such as the case, in a business where the bottom line is wins and losses and NCAA tournament appearances, we are reminded that the game itself is the greatest joy of all. That when it comes down to it, the players that wear the uniforms and play in the tournament have something that binds them, one common purpose of team, that super-precedes if they make it out of the first round or second round.And it's in that, beyond the madness where cubicle dwellers that fill out their brackets can't tell the difference between Jim Boeheim and Steve Alford, that is the reason why the college game is special.Every team has a story of courage, conviction and how they came together. This story was supposed to be about the two-week layoff the Racers have between playing games in the conference and NCAA tournaments; and if it is has any bearing on the team's psyche.But as life would have it, for the program and one of its players, reserve guard Piscasso Simmons, the game takes on an added importance, more so than if they defeat Vanderbilt or not. Simmons' mother, Freeda, an ex-MSU track athlete in the early 1980s, died in a car accident Monday.According to Murray State SID and team spokesman Dave Winder, Simmons will make the trip with the team to San Jose, Calif."His mom was real, real happy that he was getting a chance to go," Winder said. "He just feels that she would want him to go, and he wants to honor her in that way."Simmons' family is the embodiment of MSU athletics. His sister ran track and father played football there."Our basketball team is a family," Winder said. "We had all the jubilation of yesterday, and something like this puts it into perspective."Sometimes, we as fans or even writers like yours truly forget the big picture. And we need something to reinforce that the way the game is played is more important than who wins or loses.How many people remember Bo Kimble's left-hand free throw in honor of his fallen best friend, Hank Gathers, in the 1990 NCAA tournament? Not many recall the fact that Loyola Marymount lost to UNLV in the Regional Final but they recall Bo's gesture beginning in the first round and for the next three games until "the Little Engine that Could" was bounced by powerful UNLV.That what makes the tournament endearing; moments like that and how a team comes together at the pregame huddle or the bench players encouraging the starters out there, despite the score.And come Thursday, even though Simmons won't get off the bench against Vanderbilt, you can bet that the entire team will be playing for him and his mother and fighting its hardest against a very good Vandy team.And win or lose, Simmons will have something more; he will remember how the team help picked him up through these trying days.