Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall probably regrets disclosing to the public how he compares the number of victories his team will have if they win their next game to (typically) a sports reference as a motivational tool for his players. Number 25, for example, was Richard Sherman, for his ability to walk and talk "the talk" (no, not that talk). Number 26 was for the number of miles in a marathon. And so on.
Marshall was on ESPN the other day explaining number 27 (something to do with the number of bones in a hand and making a fist) when I experienced a flash of second hand embarrassment (to be fair, I'm more sensitive to that than most). I can't truly criticize his technique, for it seems to be working. If I was a semi-big time recruit in the state of Kansas and saw that segment, however, I might try my chances at K-State.
I'll still root for the Shockers tonight because they're a nice story and the OCD in me finds it natural to support undefeated seasons. But I won't offer my own versions of what 28 might mean. Instead, I'd like to address the number "10," or the number of victories Loyola will have should they upset the third ranked Shockers tonight (at home) at 8:00 pm EST.
10: As the first double-digit number, it represents growth, maturity, and muscle.
10: Add 100 to it, and you get the Ramblers' national defensive ranking, an above average mark and their second highest national rank besides field goal percentage (46th at 47 percent).
10: Number of points they beat Illinois State (15-12, 8-7) by a few games ago.
10: nis, as in tennis, or the sport which saw the year's greatest upset when Stanislas Wawrinka defeated Rafael Nadal in the final of the Australian Open.
Even Vegas is behind an upset. They only have Wichita State at 13.5 favorites tonight. How could I resist? Loyola for the cover.
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Record: 17-24
Butler @ Creighton: L (picked Butler, +10.5)
UConn @ Memphis: L (picked Memphis, -7.5)
Depaul @ Villanova: W (picked Villanova, -17.5)
Pittsburg @ Syracuse: L (picked Syracuse, -5.5)
Creighton @ Villanova: L (picked Villanova, -6.5)
Baylor @ Kansas: W (picked Baylor, + 10.5)
Indiana @ Michigan State: L (picked Michigan State, -12)
Iowa @ Michigan: L (picked Iowa, + 1.5)
Colorado @ Arizona: W (picked Colorado, + 14.5)
Illinois @ Ohio State: W (picked Illinois, + 11)
Michigan @ Michigan State: W (picked Michigan, + 4.5)
Villanova @ Marquette: W (picked Villanova, -3)
Utah @ Arizona: W (picked Utah, + 15)
Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State: W (picked Oklahoma, + 4.5)
Villanova @ Georgetown: L (picked Villanova, -6.5)
Michigan State @ Iowa: W (picked Michigan State, + 5)
St. John's @ Creighton: W (picked St. John's, + 12)
Iowa State @ Kansas: L (picked Iowa State, + 8.5)
Syracuse @ Wake Forest: L (picked Syracuse, -10)
Purdue @ Michigan: L (picked Michigan, -12)
Florida @ Mississippi State: W (picked Miss. State, + 15)
Duke @ Syracuse: L (picked Syracuse, -3)
Xavier @ Villanova: L (picked Xavier, + 10)
Nebraska @ Michigan: L (picked Nebraska, + 13)
Boston College @ Virginia: L (picked Virginia, -13)
Oregon @ Arizona: L (picked Arizona, -11)
Oklahamo State @ Texas Tech: W (picked Texas Tech, + 6.5)
West Virginia @ Kansas: L (picked WVU, + 14)
Maryland @ Virginia: L (picked Virginia, -11)
Iowa State @ West Virginia: L (picked Iowa State, - 1.5)
Michigan @ Ohio State: L (picked Ohio State, -3.5)
Florida @ Tennessee: W (picked Florida, - 1.5)
Syracuse @ Pittsburg: W (picked Syracuse, + 2.5 -- absurd line)
Villanova @ Depaul: W (picked Villanova, -14)
Creighton @ Butler: L (picked Creighton, -8.5)
West Virginia @ Texas: W (picked Texas, -6)
Florida @ Kentucky: L (picked Kentucy, -2)
VCU @ Saint Louis: W (picked VCU, +4.5)
Villanova @ Creighton: L (picked Villanova, -3.5)
Texas @ Iowa State: L (picked Texas, +6)
Villanova @ Providence: L (picked Villanova, -4.5)
