Maybe We Can Win Against JMU Tonight.....

Technical difficulties have prevented me from posting what I had originally intended this morning, but perhaps since it is a Monday and Christmas is a week away, no one is really in the mood for political things anyway (Did I just say that?!)..........

So, I must painfully admit that my alma mater Radford University in Radford, Va., got killed by the Georgetown Hoyas in Washington, DC, on Sat. night.

The fourth-ranked Hoyas beat my beloved Highlanders by a 110-51 margin.

The Radford U sports department said that sophomore Amir Johnson of Pittsburgh lead the Highlanders with 12 points and Mortell McDuffy of Laurel, Md., grabbed seven rebounds for RU.

The Highlanders (4-7) now head to Harrisonburg to face James Madison University tonight. Though I will be rooting for the Highlanders, I was saddened to hear that many JMU sports, including both men's and women's gymnastics, were cut this year due to Title IX regulations. I have been friends with Roger Burke, who coached both of these teams for the Dukes.

But, as a Turkish-American, I was delighted to hear that the Highlanders have a Turkish assistant coach Ali Ton who was profiled in a "Roanoke Times" article a few weeks ago.

I graduated from Radford U in 1996. While I was working for "The Salem Times-Register" in Salem, Va., I had vowed to shave my head if Radford U could beat the top-seed Duke BlueDevils in the NCAA tournament back in 1997. Needless to say, I didn't need to shave my head.

I also have a rivalry with my cousin Michael Dawkins. He went to Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC, which is also where my mother went to college.

While we were in college, Radford almost always beat the Eagles. And, I got to tease Mike at least once a year. But, in recent years, Winthrop has dominated the Big South Conference. Here's to the hopes that I get to make that phone call this year........

Update 12/20: Well, my beloved Highlanders lost 90-60 to West Virginia last night in Radford. I think we should play the Halifax County High School Comets from South Boston, Va., before we head to Columbia, SC, to face the South Carolina Gamecocks. I mean a win's a win, right?!

Useful links:

http://www.radford.edu

http://www.jmu.edu

http://www.winthrop.edu

 

Tags: Radford University, Georgetown University, Radford Virginia, Winthrop University, James Madison University, men's basketball, college gymnastics, Ali Ton, Turkish-Americans

 

Update on Dec. 18: Oh well. The Dukes beat us 85-74 last night. RU sophomore Kenny Thomas of Richmond, Va., hit a three-pointer to make it a one-point game with 3:30 on the clock but JMU went on a run to win the game by 11 points. RU next faces The West Virginia Mountaineers tonight in Radford, Va.