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[12] Clemson Tigers vs. [12] UAB Blazers March 15, 2011 10:00 pm Dayton, OH BBState Stats/Recap

During a blowout, you need blowout material. In this case, a lot of talk about formal wear, Doctor Who and the All-Bowtie Team would have to suffice. Meanwhile, on the floor, UAB took a long and hard road to make it to the NCAA Tournament, overcoming past mistakes and a badly-timed loss to qualify for one of the last at-large bids by way of the selection committee's antiquated RPI-based system. And it culminated in a heartbreaking end to the college career of Aaron Johnson, the 5-foot-8 Conference USA player of the year, a young man who overcame towering odds just to make it to the Dance, much less college basketball. With the game already decided, he broke his tibia and was led off the floor on crutches.

Also: sportz intrusions, primarily not pictured and properly filtered. Most were related to UAB-related blog and Twitter snark, a negativity layer over the media slime of the previous two days.

"If you would have been there when our name came across the screen, you would have seen a group of guys that was so excited to be a part of this," said an emotional Mike Davis afterwards. "And I just think it put a damper on everything, how people were saying that we didn't deserve to be in.

"That kind of hurt our guys a lot, because you have young men who are student-athletes, and they live for this day. They live to see their name come across the screen. And they think so highly of opinions that people say about them on national TV. And for our guys to have to go through that was really, really heartbreaking for them. I can't even explain to you the magnitude of how crushed they were to hear that."

"And we deserve this," Davis said. "We won the conference outright. And our conference is really, really, really good. I think we don't get enough respect for our conference. We're willing to play anybody anywhere. We'll go play you at your place, as long as you come back and play us at our place. I'm sure everybody in our conference feels the same way, Southern Mississippi, East Carolina, Memphis, Tulsa. We have some very good basketball teams in our conference and some great coaches in our conference as well, and all we want is respect."

It ends in a loss, but it shouldn't end like this. Sickening.

@midmajority Game Tweets

21:25	If you have a tint knob on your TV, get ready to use it. Purple. Orange. Green. Gold. It must be Clemson and UAB.
21:49	Game No. 7-091: [12] UAB vs. [12] Clemson. An East region PIG. Live animal. http://twitpic.com/49w0wp
21:53	UAB. 22-8, 12-4 in Conference USA. League regular season champs. Lost to ECU in qtrs. Controversial selection. #youareinformed
21:54	NONE. RT @pretzel_logic: Looks like @midmajority has no idea whatsoever that he is on TV right now.
21:55	You like that RT @hendubble: oohhh, @midmajority with a swift move to get Bally on camera before they cut away
21:55	RT @PTNetherton: Wow, my boy @midmajority is wearing a FAINCY bow tie behind Nantz and Crew. And Bally is looking lovely as well
21:55	RT @RoryVidal3: @midmajority the bow tie is back! Beautiful
21:55	RT @ursinussid: @midmajority rocking the bowtie on tv I see
21:56	We are underway again here in Dayton. Clemson on the board first.
21:59	RT @DouglasAngle: Praise all over the place for @midmajority RT @BrevetCaptain That is a sweet bowtie, media guy behind Nantz.
21:59	We have seniority RT @marco_anskis: Years of PIG parties in Dayton by @midmajority and @ballybasketball must equal primo seats on press row
21:59	RT @nbadraftblog: All the space is empty around @midmajority because they felt horribly under-dressed
22:00	Clemson up 10-5 at 16:19 1H. Fields with 3, Soko with a bucket. Obviously, we don't care much about Clemson, so we're going to talk UAB.
22:01	That UAB is even here is a half-miracle. They needed a conditional waiver to get out of an APR ban. Had 2nd-lowest MBB APR in D-I.
22:02	UAB president Carol Garrison made an impassioned plea to the NCAA in Indy last spring, so UAB wouldn't get banned like Portland State was.
22:03	Walt Harrison, head of the academic progress committee, called Garrison' speech one he would "remember for a long time."
22:04	When Mike Davis got to UAB, he was trying to win quick. Sometimes you cut corners. He sure did. He got kids who were borderline students.
22:04	But, this: UAB has had three straight quarters of perfect 1000 APR scores. Mike Davis has turned that part of the program around.
22:06	UAB, with the school name and no surnames on the backs of their uniforms, are down 15-5 after five minutes of play. Five turnovers, 4 shots.
22:08	And in addition to the classroom turnaround, Davis is also the C-USA coach of the year, won the league RSC, and got into the NCAAT.
22:11	Your show is unlistenable. RT @Todd_Wright: Not sure what looks more out of place: Kerr btwn Kellogg & Nantz or dope in the silver bow tie.
22:13	UAB down 20-7. The "Let's Go Blazers" chants echo in the arena. Dayton has yet to pick a side. Blazers shooting 25%, Clemson is 8/13.
22:14	Jamarr Sanders blows a catch in the paint, and MTO2 comes merciful. Clemson 20, UAB 7 at 11:19 1H.
22:17	Reason why few think UAB should be here: they lost in the C-USA quarters. 75-70 in OT to ECU. Same team they beat by 18 to win the RSC.
22:18	I wish. RT @jskarp: This is terrible. @midmajority, please, PLEASE tell me you packed the Zooperstars in one of your bags this week.
22:20	But despite NCAA's insistence that RPI is "just one tool," UAB's was 28. C-USA had 8 teams in the RPI top 100 (only 2 other leagues did).
22:21	But UAB had no RPI top 50 wins outside the league. Almost an Air Force 2006 situation: they won the RSC in a league with a good cume RPI.
22:22	Before SelSun, Davis said it'd be a "travesty" if UAB weren't in. "We're in C-USA. We won the conference. Are we the Atlantic Sun? No."
22:26	Jamarr Sanders with a there, and UAB is climbing forearm over forearm into double digits. Still doubled up. 6:53 in 1H, 29-13 Clemson.
22:31	Aaron Johnson scores his first pts 14 minutes into the game, on a #superhoop off a steal. 31-19, suddenly. Johnson, 5-8 sr, was C-USA POY.
22:33	Aaron Johnson scored 39 points in what might have been UAB's final relevant game, the QF loss to East Carolina. Tourney record.
22:34	Dexter Fields comes alive! The #superhoop is helping the Blazers climb halfway back into this. The "U!A!B!" chants become louder.
22:35	Another three by Aaron Johnson! 33-25 Clemson! Dragons awake!
22:38	14-6 burst for the Blazers to make this a semblance of a contest. 2:51 in 1H, Clemson leads 35-27.
22:43	1:28 1H, Clemson up 37-27. UAB right now: 9/25 from field, 7/14 from 3. Most of the 14 came after decision to go straight chuck-and-duck.
22:46	Shooting 3's is a risky strategy for UAB. Clemson had the ACC's 2nd best 3FG D (32%). Blazers shot 32% from 3, 9th best in C-USA.
22:47	We are at halftime! Clemson leads by 12, 39-27. Mike Davis yelled at Jamarr Sanders on the way off the floor. Sigh.
22:47	Context is everything. RT @thrashsoundly: @midmajority Is it just me or do both UNCA and UALR look like better teams than UAB and Clemson.
22:52	Tempo-free HT, brought to you as always by BLAPP. UAB has 27 points in 38 possessions (.71). Clemson 39 points in 36 trips (1.08).
22:54	Sportz talk got you down? One sip of BLAPP's blend of lager, fruit juice and grain alcohol will make everything sound like static. BLAPP.
22:56	Disclaimer: In small amounts, BLAPP might turn you into an opinionated blowhard. So please drink a large amount instead.
22:56	RT @chrispalm: @midmajority Why would anyone only drink BLAPP in small amounts?
23:01	I am not going to sleep tonight. We get to sit here and be five feet away from Gus Johnson tomorrow. #OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
23:02	Bowties are cool. RT @Hirsch_in_Media: @midmajority wife wants to know why the bowtie. She works for acc... Doesnt understand your legend.
23:03	Here we go again. Gotta straighten the tie.
23:04	[RLU ALERT] Fairfield 62, Colorado State 60 | http://tmm7.me/fv0 @RedLineUpsets
23:05	RT @BrevetCaptain: I know dapper, and this man is dapper. RT @midmajority: Bowties are cool.
23:07	RT @donpot: @midmajority Bally looks like he's just waiting for the guys to turn around and ask what he thinks.
23:07	RT @RickMuscles: Used to disagree with this but then I drew a picture of George F Will on a motorcycle. RT @midmajority: Bowties are cool.
23:08	Tested during #champfortnight, think I'll keep it. RT @jeffshelman: @midmajority Bowtie become a regular part of your game-night attire?
23:09	RT @dhm: @midmajority Best shot of you and @ballybasketball yet. http://twitpic.com/49wo8t
23:09	Sounds like the guy's insecure enough. Why pile on. RT @AllanjLewis: @midmajority can you hold up a suck-it Todd_Wright sign this time?
23:11	UAB's 2H opens with a Ovie Soko #DUNX. Unfortunately, Clemson's already got two buckets. Keep digging out of that hole, it gets bigger.
23:12	We'll have the fez and redhead next year. RT @MichaeltheG1: @RickMuscles @midmajority Dr. Who fans are in the darnedest places sometimes.
23:13	Whoa! Jamarr Sanders, who got an earful from the coach on the way off the floor, has a pair of #supes this half. UAB still down by 10.
23:14	Real deal. Only clip is in the back for neck size. RT @iguerin: @midmajority One question: Is that a clip on bow tie?
23:15	I'm trying to be the guy, you know the guy who you go, like, "What should I get him for his birthday?" And you get him a bowtie.
23:19	The 11th Doctor, Pete Carril, Bill Nye, Groucho, Le Corbusier. RT @Nyghtewynd: @midmajority So who makes your All-Bowtie starting five?
23:20	Stetson University is cool too. RT @bktandem: @midmajority What about Stetsons? They will also be cool this year.
23:24	Very nice up-and-under by Jamarr Sanders. 14 for him. UAB stuck in dubl-digit jail. 48-38 at 13:07 2H.
23:25	10 lost me, Amy brought me back, 11 won me over. RT @brando_minich @midmajority I knew you would be on the side of The Doctor. Just knew it.
23:27	Ugh. The missed bunnies and puppies are adding up. UAB 13/35 from the floor, 15 turnovers. Put that in the RPI formula.
23:28	If UAB loses, this is the last college game for 5-8 senior Aaron Johnson, aforementioned C-USA POY and national assist leader.
23:30	Johnson contracted pneumonia at two weeks old, grew up with 11 siblings, sometimes in shelters. Basketball got him up and out.
23:31	Broke his nose against UTEP last year and wore a mask for the last half of his junior season. Nothing will stop Aaron Johnson.
23:40	It's 56-40 Clemson at 7:41 2H. Not much working for the Blazers today. Boring game in general. But they wanted an at-large PIG. Here it is.
23:43	Johnson goes down in pain; the arena goes quiet. Falls backwards. Looks like it's his ankle. DON'T watch the replay.
23:44	The few people who are still here, mostly Clemson fans, give Johnson a standing O as they take him off the floor on crutches. Devastating.
23:46	There's no fight in UAB anymore, they've lost their heart and soul. 20-point lead for Clemson.
23:49	We've never been big on cheap hashtag sympathy, but Aaron Johnson is going to need that ankle to play basketball for money in the future.
23:51	UAB 19 turnovers in 62 possessions, a rate of 30%. There's really not any way you're going to win a basketball game like that.
23:53	And as this city's greatest poet once said, people are leaving.
23:54	Final minute, 68-52 Clemson. A time out to get the walk-ons in. Ever since Johnson went out, UAB players had that "what do we do now?" look.
23:57	Reports are that Aaron Johnson broke his tibia. Obviously, if UAB wasn't selected, that doesn't happen. Fate isn't kind at all sometimes.
00:01	Really nothing to add. Except: it's amazing that so many things go right in our lives every day, and that setbacks like that are so rare.
00:01	Tomorrow, we'll do this again. Until then.
00:11	RT @midmajority360: Clemson 70 UAB 52 | CLEM: J. Grant 22 - UAB: J. Sanders 19 | http://tmm7.me/fv1

Boxscore

CLEMSON 70, UAB 52 03/15/2011 CLEMSON 22-11 (9-7) -- S. Lewis 7-16 0-0 18; T. Smith 4-6 2-2 10; D. Stitt 3-7 1-1 7; A. Young 2-8 2-2 8; J. Grant 10-15 2-3 22; D. Booker 2-7 5-6 10; M. Jennings 4-5 2-2 11; Z. Anderson 0-0 0-0 0; C. Stanton 1-1 0-0 2; B. Narcisse 0-1 0-0 0; J. Baize 0-0 0-0 0; C. Baciu 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-50 14-16 70. UAB 22-9 (12-4) -- J. Sanders 7-17 0-0 19; A. Johnson 2-7 0-0 6; D. Fields 4-7 0-0 12; C. Moore 2-5 0-1 4; O. Soko 2-4 4-6 8; A. Criswell 0-2 0-0 0; Q. Taylor 0-2 0-0 0; P. Purifoy 1-4 0-0 3; R. Williams 0-0 0-0 0; M. Jones 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-48 4-7 52. Three-point goals: CLEM 4-13 (D. Stitt 0-2; T. Smith 0-1; A. Young 2-7; D. Booker 1-1; M. Jennings 1-2), UAB 12-24 (A. Johnson 2-3; J. Sanders 5-9; C. Moore 0-1; D. Fields 4-6; P. Purifoy 1-3; Q. Taylor 0-2); Rebounds: CLEM 25 (J. Grant 7), UAB 27 (C. Moore 8); Assists: CLEM 17 (A. Young 5), UAB 10 (A. Johnson 7); Total Fouls -- CLEM 12, UAB 10; Fouled Out: CLEM-None; UAB-None.

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