Ugly basketball

I endured Michigan State's brutal loss to Maryland last Saturday in what has to be the ugliest Spartan basketball game of the season. Somehow, I kept thinking that MSU might miraculously make a run in the second half to make it a game, but that never happened.

 

It with some trepidation that I watched the MSU/Penn State game on Wednesday evening. After the Maryland debacle, I felt a little gun shy. Initially, I thought maybe I'd only watch the first half, then if the game was bad, switch over to The Middle and The Goldbergs on ABC and periodically check the game to see what was happening. Well, the ABC sitcoms were repeats, so despite MSU only clinging to a 2-point lead, I figured there was no excuse not to watch the game to its conclusion.

 

Penn State, and in particular D.J. Newbill, seemingly could not miss a shot after halftime and it looked for all the world like a replay of the Texas Southern game. Fortunately for MSU, Nittany Lions' coach Pat Chambers--who it must be said bears a striking resemblance to Daddy Warbucks--gave the Spartans a big boost when he was T'd up. Sometimes a technical foul called on a coach will inspire that coach's team to play harder, but in this case it spurred the Spartans on. But even when it looked like the Spartans had seized control of the game in the final few minutes, their absolutely atrocious free throw shooting almost did them in. Still, MSU made enough good plays down the stretch to win an ugly game.

 

So now I'm faced with the same conundrum regarding tomorrow's road game against Nebraska: How much of the game do I watch? Do I watch at all? I suppose I will end up watching, but I may need to be lubricated with enough adult beverages to endure what has recently been some painful basketball.