What’s Trending: The Ball is Tipped…
Posted by Matt Eisenberg on November 12th, 2018What’s Trending is a column examining the week that was in college basketball social media. Matthew Eisenberg (@matteise) is your weekly host.
Welcome back college basketball, it’s good to have you back!
Kyle Tucker of The Athletic provided this glimpse into Bankers Life Fieldhouse prior to the tip of last week’s Kentucky/Duke game. Match-ups like these are what we all look forward to…
This building is buzzing. Kentucky-Duke tip is 9:58 p.m., looks like. pic.twitter.com/Sgt1NEXBYf
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) November 7, 2018
While the game itself may have not lived up to expectations, the debuts of Duke’s R.J. Barrett and Zion Williamson most definitely did. Among their countless highlights of the night, this sequence will be tough to beat.
Zion and RJ out here toying with Kentucky…
(via @CBSSports)pic.twitter.com/igl3QwKxdM
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 7, 2018
College sports, where the wild and wacky often happens. Indiana opened its season in Bloomington while wearing their road crimson uniforms.
We're already making history in the first game of the season.@IndianaMBB is wearing crimson at home (for perhaps the first time ever) because of an issue with Chicago State's uniforms: pic.twitter.com/UPf1OVT7BF
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 6, 2018
Why were the Hoosiers wearing their road uniforms at Assembly Hall? Well, Chicago State’s road uniforms were never delivered to them.
Per a release from #iubb:
“At the request of Chicago State, IU will wear its red uniforms tonight. The Cougars road uniforms had not been delivered to them by the time they left Chicago.”
— Stu Jackson (@StuJTH) November 6, 2018
College basketball, where a team like Stony Brook can go 10 minutes into its season without a point… and still find a way to win!
Stony Brook misses its first 18 shots and trailed 22-0 at George Washington and the game is now in overtime if you want the wild contest of Opening Night.
— Ray Curren (@currenrr) November 7, 2018
Frank Martin’s South Carolina team took on USC-Upstate in its season opener. It was a game that was well under the radar, but one that also had a moment worth noting. USC Upstate is where Frank Martin’s son, Brandon Martin, now plays.
Hey @Kvng_0 don’t ever worry about the opinions of those that don’t know u or don’t believe in u. Keep trusting in those that do believe in u and hold u accountable to growth. Keep being u and keep living your dream pic.twitter.com/2g50LlS0XQ
— Frank Martin (@FrankMartin_SC) November 7, 2018
The opening week of college basketball would not be complete without a flourish of wild finishes. At Fort Bliss on Friday night, Arkansas decided not to foul Texas while up three points, then this happened…
https://twitter.com/marchmadness/status/1061085756066856965
After a magical run last March, Loyola-Chicago’s season began on the wrong end of a last second basket by Furman…
Game over. Furman 60, Loyola Chicago 58.
Tough home loss, definitely a wake up call for the Ramblers. But what a finish. pic.twitter.com/D557G1KaWI
— Matt Craig (@MrMattCraig) November 10, 2018
West Virginia had a three-point lead on Buffalo late in the game when CJ Massinburg took things into his own hands to tie things up…
CJ Massinburg with ice in his veins to send us to OT in Morgantown! ❄️pic.twitter.com/rPYTAU5Lf9
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) November 10, 2018
In terms of shot difficulty, this last second heave by James Madison’s Stucky Mosley might take the top spot in the opening week of games…
https://twitter.com/marchmadness/status/1061108617376604161
While Zion Williamson might be #1 in terms of highlight views, Oregon’s Bol Bol is making a strong run at the #2 spot…
7-foot-3, moving like a guard.
Bol Bol is different.
(via @Pac12Network)pic.twitter.com/Mtqb9n65Ju
— Bleacher Report CBB (@br_CBB) November 10, 2018
And standing above any singular game, upset, shot or moment of the opening week was this incredible scene from Austin, Texas. The college basketball world welcomed back Andrew Jones to the court…
This is incredible.
After being diagnosed with leukemia in January, Andrew Jones made his return to the court for Texas on Tuesday. He played 9 minutes in the Longhorns' win. pic.twitter.com/RlrkZkU21f
— ESPN (@espn) November 7, 2018
