Games 654-655: Afternoon/evening doubleheader

655 - Delaware State at Ball State
December 29 at Worthen Arena in Muncie, IN
ESPN +

654 - Gardner-Webb at Wake Forest
December 29 at Lawrence Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem, NC
ACC Network

In my pre-game notes I wrote down the following in regards to color commentator Stan Lewter:

I'm expecting great things from you saying the word "basketball", Stan Lewter, DON'T LET ME DOWN.

And he did not.

I was anticipating at least a "basketball" per game minute and Lewter provided that and more, saying the word 45 times - 21 in the first half, 24 in the second (1.1/game minute) - during Gardner-Webb's 73-69 victory.

Notable

"value the basketball"
"if you're asking me, that's a basketball play" (said three times in 14 seconds during a first half replay)
"he's played phenomenal basketball"
"a guy who can score the basketball if needed"
"this has been a ragged basketball game" (2)
"that was vintage Gardner-Webb basketball"

Other nonsense

During a time out at the 13:30 mark of a 6-6 game: "don't let this game get out of hand"

"that's an energy play"
"he's been an explosion player"
"when you think of Wake Forest, you think of Arnold Palmer" (you do?)
"make Wake Forest make a passing decision"
"a mental fatigue foul"
"the Bulldogs are barking, they're up one!"

Game 461 - Delaware State women at Florida

December 27 at Exactech Arena in Gainesville, FL
Gator IMG Sports Network

Not a well-played game by either team, though Florida extended to a double-digit lead late in the first quarter and was never threatened in winning 85-51.

Big day for Haley Lorenzen as the senior not only led all scorers with 18 points, but became the 24th player in Florida history to score 1,000 points, reaching that plateau with a 3-pointer midway through the second. But the hosts were sloppy, turning the ball over 21 times, and despite hitting ten 3-pointers, which was right in line with their top-15 national average of 9.8, were only 15-of-26 from the free-throw line.

Things get much tougher for Florida as they begin SEC play Sunday at Auburn.

A miserable season continued for Delaware State with Wednesday's sixth straight loss. The Hornets (1-10), already without MEAC preseason player of the year NaJai Pollard, who suffered a knee injury December 6 against Robert Morris, shot 25% (20-of-78) from the field and actually were worse in this game from three-point range (17%, 5-of-29) than their season mark of 19% coming in.

I knew Florida had a distinct advantage on the glass and had grabbed a ton of rebounds, but 68 in a 40-minute game is absurd. Nineteen of those rebounds came on the offensive end.