College Basketball Notes, The Sleeves Stand for Honor

• Steve Merfeld, the men's basketball coach at the University of Evansville (my alma mater), was forced to resign Saturday following an early exit from the Missouri Valley Conference tourney. Merfeld's record at UE was a paltry 54-91, but the Aces under his leadership played several very good games against very good teams (though they lost most of those games). What frustrated me most about Merfeld was his decision to remove Evansville's trademark sleeves from the uniforms. Regardless of who replaces Merfeld, we need to bring back the sleeves.


• I'm still upset about Vandy's inexcusable unfortunate home loss this weekend to Arkansas. But I felt better last night after watching the Vandy women win a close one over LSU to take the SEC tournament title. By beating both Georgia and LSU en route to a conference championship, the Commodores are in good shape to get a #2 seed in the Big Dance. As for the men, they'd wrapped up a first-round bye in the SEC tourney before the Arkansas game; and they're in good position to make a run at a conference title. Still, the loss to Arkansas is evidence that you can't any predictions where the Vandy men are concerned. They are capable of beating anyone anywhere, and they are capable of losing to anyone anywhere.


• ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme has the Middle Tennessee women as a #5 seed right now. I'd say they have a slim chance at a #4, depending on what happens with Oklahoma and Baylor in the Big 12 conference tournament, and I can't see them slipping below a #6. At any rate, the Lady Raiders are in good shape to make a run to the Sweet 16. (In the meantime, they need to be careful not to take the Sun Belt tourney for granted.)


• Jerry Falwell's Liberty University fired men's basketball coach Randy Dunton. Dunton had a 66-85 record that included only one winning season, albeit a season that ended with an NCAA tourney appearance. This year the Flames finished third in the Big South (won by a very impressive Winthrop team) with a 14-17 record. Considering the school's unusually strict code of conduct and the obvious recruiting challenges this poses, I'm impressed that Liberty has been as competitive as they have been.