Now I’m over in section 230 with a huge group from Wincester Elementary, part of Nike’s Let Me Play program. Got a nice round of applause and recognition for the kids with 5:46 left in the game, just after the first team came out - for the final time?

One minute to play. Final question - who will be MVP? If I had a vote (which I don’t) it’d be for DRose for that one sequence where he blocked a shot, caused a miss then started a break back the other way. But that’s just me.

Somewhere, a UAB fan dressed like Larry the Cable Guy shivers and calls for his mommy.

That other relic of the ’90s, the Wave, is back. Tiger fans have been doing it all day. Clearly, this is a result of boredom as the Tigers are just drilling Tulsa, 68-39. Antonio Anderson has been unstoppable, hitting all four of three-point attempts en route to 19 points. Cal just brought in the second team with just under six minutes to play…

Instead of subbing one or two at a time, Cal’s been running a first and second unit almost the entire game, just like Hubie Brown did with the Grizzlies. First unit is the starters: Dorsey, Dozier, Rose, CDR and Anderson. Second unit has been Allen, Robinson, Kemp, Taggart and Mack. It’s clearly working well: the bench scored 13 points in the first half, and the Tigers are up 55-29 with 11:50 to play.

That’s what the vendor behind me is bellowing. And yes, despite the early hour, folks are taking him up on it.

I love that. Drinking beer at 11:45 a.m. on a Saturday while the Tigers are playing. It feels like I’m back in college.

Of course, I’m on duty, so I’m not partaking.

Damn.

CDR just threw an errant pass, which Brett McDade tipped and stole, streaking toward his basket. D-Rose took off, caught up with McDade, blocked the layup off the backboard, defended the Tulsa player who got the rebound, forced him to miss, then got THAT rebound. Who cares how many points he’s scored? This kid is all heart.

Jody’s sitting courtside, and I’m just bopping around the arena, catching all the different angles. Right now, from section 222, row P, things are looking pretty good (if you’re a Tigers fan, that is).

 Of course, the Tulsa faithful are still going strong. They got here for the first game on Wednesday and they’re still here for the last game today - decked out in their cool tie-dyed shirts and still hoping their boys can make a little run. Either way, they should be proud that they made it to the final.