Published: March 21, 2009 03:19 pm      

MARK MAYNARD: MSU effort bodes well for the future

DAYTON, Ohio — Not much is ever expected of a No. 16 seed.

They are nobody’s bracket-buster.

Morehead State didn’t shock the world either, falling 74-54 to a much stronger and more athletic Louisville on Friday night in the NCAA Tournament opener.

But it’s how the Eagles went about business that will make them remembered as more than the 100th No. 16 seed to fall to a No. 1 seed.

That’s 100-0 for No. 1, if you’re counting.



Morehead played hard, played with passion and played with purpose.

But in the end, all that wasn’t enough.

The effort was good enough. Just not the end result.

Louisville will march on, maybe even to a national championship, but Morehead is leaving the tournament

with renewed pride.

“Morehead State was terrific,” said Louisville coach Rick Pitino. “We played well. We didn’t play great, we played well.”

The Eagles may have raised a few eyebrows by trailing powerhouse Louisville only 35-33 at halftime.

But nobody was exactly predicting victory. Everybody knows how relentless Louisville’s pressure can be. It’s suffocating and it’s taxing. You better be deep – and have nerves of steel – if you’re going to stay with the Cardinals.

Morehead blinked early in the second half. The Eagles tried to catch their breath and, like that, it was over. A blinding 22-6 run to begin the second half, fueled by the defense of Andre McGee, was the difference.

“You can say it was their defense but I personally think it was us,” said senior forward Leon Buchanan. “It’s like starting the game all over again. We weren’t loose like we came out in the beginning of the game.”

Whatever happened, it doesn’t matter.

What does matter is Morehead State basketball is back on the map. Coach Donnie Tyndall, a rising star in coaching, has everybody back except Buchanan. That’s the making of a team that can maybe do this again.

What the first NCAA Tournament appearance in 25 years has done for the university is immeasurable both in terms of publicity generally and recruiting specifically. Tyndall doesn’t have to worry about telling anybody who Morehead State is anymore.

“Other than the birth of my two girls it’s been the best two weeks of my life for many reasons,” Tyndall said. “To see the pride in our community and the fun they’ve had with this opportunity. It will impact our program in many different ways. Attendance will grow like it has the last two years. More people will be excited about what we’re building.”

What Tyndall is building is something Morehead hasn’t seen since Wayne Martin was coaching 25 years ago. There’s a sense of expectation with the program and that’s always a good thing.

Tyndall proved his coaching worth in the postseason, winning the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament and then the play-in game on Tuesday. But watching him work against Louisville was something as well. He pushed all the right buttons, working the TV timeouts to rest his stars for a few extra seconds, mixing defenses, trying to keep up with Pitino.

The difference came on the floor where Louisville was more athletic, deeper and just better. The Cardinals are a worthy No. 1 seed who won’t be busting any brackets anytime soon.

The biggest lead in the game was the final 20-point margin and Louisville didn’t reach that until one minute remained in the game. Tyndall took out his players, gave them a hug and the fans cheered with appreciation.

“I told them I loved them,” Tyndall said. “They put Morehead State basketball on the map. I wanted these guys to hear from me how much I loved them.”

Morehead basketball may be a love affair that’s not a one-night stand. Tyndall has them here to stay.

MARK MAYNARD can be reached at mmaynard@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2648.