The first mistake was not immediately suspending Greg McDermott. The second is currently being built: leaving a suspension without clarity.
Creighton owes it to his players to get this right. I am not saying that McDermott should be fired. But he should not become a coach again this year because of a racially insensitive comment to his team following the defeat at Xavier.
A brilliant coach and bright aggressive mind, McDermott told his players, “I need everyone to be in the plantation. I cannot have any plantation. “I can’t even think why he made such lewd remarks that lead racist miscreants to slavery.” He is besides the point.
But the school has handled it extremely poorly. This allowed him to coach at Villanova, and presumably his team was a mess, falling behind by 22 points in a loss of 12 points. Smartly, Crayton suspended him after that game, though it had a lot to do with the negative feedback he received.
Now, it is uncertain how long the suspension will last. Creighton players have handled it beyond their age with class and maturity. He has expressed his feelings sensibly. He is sure that he felt relieved on Saturday that the issue did not hang over his head in the 20-point home win over Butler.
McDermott has said that he offered to resign, but his players wanted him to coach. This can be true. This is not the right decision.
The Bluejays should not keep answering questions about McDermott. They should, at the very least, be able to focus on making a big march run. Distracted, and yes the coach is one, in a way that should be avoided at a time, more than anything for their mental well-being. This is a team, ranked 14th in the country, capable of reaching the final four, given an aggressive and intense gift in two-way inter-makers.
It would be a big mistake to bring McDermott back this year. It would be worse not to tell the length of the suspension.
Just take a look at what LSU did to Will Wade, and yes, generally following LSU’s conditions is such a big mistake. But in March 2019, LSU suspended Wade for the rest of the season after the FSI wiretap was released, in which he allegedly appeared to be making unspecified offers during the hiring of a player.
Under the leadership of interim coach Tony Benford, the Tigers advanced to the Sweet 16. By suspending Wade, it enabled LSU to focus on basketball rather than the scandal involving its coaches.
This is what Creuton could do. Its players should not answer for their suspended coach. He acted improperly, not them. It is up to the administration of the school to make life easier for their student-athletes rather than tough ones.
Red fever
Steve Pikil could never have another winning season. He could have lost a lot more than a win. It does not matter. Pikesel will be a folk hero for the rest of his days in Piscataway. He will always be remembered as the man who most thought he was impossible: leading the Rudgers to the NCAA Tournament.
Saturday’s overtime win at Minnesota, but assured the Scarlet Knights of their first trip to the dance since 1991, the second consecutive season in which they won a double-digit league game. The last time was 1989–91.
After 13 straight losing seasons, Pickel has led the Rutgers to consecutive winning campaigns, and most importantly, Rutgers fans will see their team name selections on Sunday. They deserve it.
In fact, Scarlet Knights may have to carry the local flag. Wagner, the top seed in the NEC, lost in the semifinals of the conference. St. John and Seton Hall need a strong week in the Big East tournament to be selected. While Rutgers has not played very well of late – it has lost three of its last five matches – it will enter the tournament without any pressure and may have already met its target. The team that started so strong may have finished 11th.
Game of the week
March 10-13, Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden
It will be a Big East tournament unlike any other. Due to COVID-19 rules, only 1,000 fans will be in attendance each day. Villanova, the No. 1 seed, is suffering a season injury after losing to star point guard Colin Gillespie and fellow starter Justin Moore can miss the tournament with a sprained ankle. Second-seeded Crayton could be without his coach Greg McDermott, after racially insensitive remarks led to his suspension. Shaking the third seed, may be preferred. No. 4 St. John, who closed the year by winning nine of 12 games, could become a popular dark-horse pick.
Seeding
1: Gonzaga, Boiler, Michigan, Illinois
2: Alabama, Iowa, Ohio State, Houston
3: West Virginia, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma State
4: Villanova, Oklahoma, Purdue, Texas Tech
Stock watch
Up – Arkansas
No team is hotter than the Razorbacks. They enter the SEC tournament winning 11 straight conference games as a second seed. Including victories over SEC regular season champions Alabama and tournament teams Missouri, Florida and LSU. Coach Eric Musselman has created an intriguing mix that includes a student freshman (Moses Moody), major transfers (Justin Smith, JD Notte and Jalan Tate) and even a holdover from the Mike Anderson era (Desi Mills). Arkansas is ranked 12th in the nation, this since 1998, only in the second season of Musselman.
UP – Iowa
You can’t make fun of Iowa’s defense. It is never going to be at a Virginia level, but it has made major progress, given this late-season run the Hawkeyes have won seven of their last eight matches. It includes two wins over Wisconsin, one at Ohio State and one at Michigan State. His defense now ranks 61st in the nation in efficiency, which is more than enough to supplement not only his second-placed offense, but one meets for the Final Four.
Downs – Villanova
Between losing star point guard Coleen Gillespie to a torn MCL and his backup, fellow starter Justin Moore described coach Jay Wright suffering from a “very serious” ankle injury, a week for the top team in the Big East . It is likely that Moore will play in the Big East tournament, leaving an already weak roster of any depth. Sophomore Brian Antoine, a McDonald’s All-American who has barely seen the court over the past two years due to injuries, will need to play big minutes. The Wildcats will enter the tournament at the Garden as the No. 1 seed in name only. They may be the underdogs against the Marquette / Georgetown winner in the quarter-finals on Thursday.
Down – Duke
The Blue Devils have lost three straight games. He finished 10th in the ACC. They are also 11–11 ahead in the season. And, yet, somehow you still see him in the mix for a big quote with some bracketologists. Duke has as many Quad 1 losses as Quad 3 – two Episcs – and a 6-9 record in Quad 1 and 2 games. The resume is barely qualified for NIT. The only reason this team wins in the NCAA tournament is the ACC tournament. I owe the Duke brand a lot of weight – ESPN tried to speed up Saturday night’s game in North Carolina, with analyst Seth Greenberg mistakenly suggesting that it was the biggest game in the archived rival since 1969 – But at some point, logic has to take over.
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