Perspective: Belmont will face Maryland trying to keep Coach Rick Byrd happily off course
By John Feinstein John Feinstein Bio Columnist March 20 at 2:26 PM DAYTON, Ohio — Belmont basketball coach Rick Byrd cheered, of course, Sunday evening when he learned his team had been granted an at-large bid. in the NCAA tournament. But then, inwardly — just for a moment — he groaned.
It was after midnight before Byrd and his players got on their bus to catch a chartered flight after their victory here. That meant the Bruins wouldn’t get to their hotel until about 5 o’clock in the morning.“I hope we have a late practice,” he said. “We’re going to need to get some sleep and some rest.”
They got the chance, at least in part because the bubble was so weak. The committee still managed to sneak in Oklahoma, St. John’s and Ohio State — all of whom finished below .500 in their conferences. But they found a place in their hearts for a Belmont team that had won 26 games and lost the conference championship game without starting center Nick Muszynski, who was out with a sprained ankle.
“I guess for a long time the missing piece was getting an NCAA tournament win,” Byrd said as midnight approached Tuesday. “Now that’s a question that won’t come up anymore.”“Forty-eight hours ago we didn’t even know if we were going to get to play,” Byrd said. “Now, we’ve got a win and the chance to play Maryland. A lot to do in a short time but we’re glad to do it.”
Maryland will certainly be the more rested team and the Terrapins, as Byrd pointed out, might make life miserable inside for the Bruins. But they would be well-advised to not get off to one of their sluggish starts or to somehow take this team lightly. Belmont is experienced — except at point guard where freshman Grayson Murphy is the starter — and confident, especially now that the NCAA drought is over.
As he headed up the steep ramp leading from the locker rooms inside University of Dayton Arena to his team’s bus, Byrd encountered Dunphy, who was surrounded by a posse of reporters asking how he felt to have coached his final game at Temple.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Belmont's Rick Byrd brought to tears after Bruins get NCAA tournament at-large bidBelmont was rewarded with its first ever at-large bid into the NCAA tournament and will face Temple in a First Four game on Tuesday.
Read more »
Belmont beats Temple in First Four for first tournament win, advances to face MarylandCoach Rick Byrd's Belmont Bruins picked up their first NCAA tournament victory, and Temple Owls coach Fran Dunphy is moving on.
Read more »
Off-duty Maryland officer arrested in road rage incident after allegedly pointing gun at driver: PoliceOff-duty Maryland officer arrested in road rage incident after allegedly pointing gun at driver, authorities say.
Read more »
Tanzania’s leader, the “Bulldozer”, runs off courseA newspaper was temporarily closed for daring to mention that the value of Tanzania’s currency had slid
Read more »
Opinion | Trump tried, and failed, to keep this couple apartAn American woman and her Iranian husband have reunited in the U.S. after President Trump’s travel ban threatened to break up their marriage. Nine days after The Washington Post told their story, they got a waiver. But thousands more couples are still in limbo.
Read more »
GM Tries To Fend Off Trump Tweets About Ohio Plant ClosureGM says it will work out the future of the Lordstown Ohio plant with the United Auto Workers Union and not with Donald Trump.
Read more »