The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Donnie Marsh Blog
3/10/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 10, 2010
It's amazing to think that we are in the third phase of our season - "the second season" - postseason! First you go through the non-conference phase of a season; then it's the conference phase; and now it's postseason time. Maybe you could say the appetizer; the main course; and now it's time for dessert. I don't know about you but I have a sweet tooth. I am so excited about the stretch of games ahead of us and the magnitude of each game you play. Preparation is key; focus is key; tunnel vision is imperative. It's all about the particular game in front of you - nothing in the past, nothing in the future. It's about the game at hand. That's a hard thing for players to do sometimes. They're human. They have family; they have friends; they watch television; they have access to the internet; it's everywhere! You need to do this or you can't afford to do that. More teams get tripped up because they spend too much time looking ahead or too much time banking on the past. It's "clichéish" but you have to play them one at a time. Up first for us will be the winner of the Southern Miss/Tulane game on Wednesday. It's dangerous to think that since we swept both teams during the regular season, it'll be a cake walk into the semi-finals (can't look back). It's even more dangerous to peek into the future to potential matchups that loom (definitely can't look ahead)! We have spent the past two (2) days of practice getting back to basics. Since you don't know who you will be playing, the focus needs to be on us. We wanted to recapture our toughness and fight that were so much a part of our success early in the season. It's our M.O.; it's our identity; it's who we are. Our guys got the message I think. We actually showed some of that in our final regular season game at UTEP. We just didn't seal the deal. We left way too many points on the floor in the first half; turned the ball over way too many times in the 2nd half; and missed way too many free throws - seven - for the game. That is not the recipe for upsetting a top 25 team on their court. That's behind us now, and remember, you can't spend too much time looking back.
We arrived in Tulsa Tuesday. We checked into our hotel and jumped back on the bus to go support our women's team in their quarterfinal game against SMU. They did a terrific job and advanced to the semifinals. They are playing with so much heart and grit and determination for a young team. You can see it in the way they play; they do not want their season to end. Coach Smith and her staff have done a terrific job nurturing this group of talented young lady Blazers. I think the ladies appreciated seeing the guys there cheering them on. Good luck to them in the semifinals!
We'll practice twice on Wedndesday. The first is a mandatory practice for the media. Then we will practice later in the day when we know who our opponent will be. The staff will head over and scout the first two games. We'll put our game plan together by practice time. Then we'll have a team meal followed by a film session on our opponent. We'll get the guys in bed for a good night's sleep. Then Thursday "it's showtime"! What a special time of the year. The postseason helps validate all the hard work you have put in during the summer training and pick-up games; the fall conditioning and weight training; and overcoming the challenges of a long regular season. So much is on the line. But if you truly have a mindset to "chase a championship", this time of the year is what it's all about! Whether you are here in Tulsa, at home in Birmingham, or any where else across the country, cheer on your Blazers! We are ready to "Bring the Fight"! GO BLAZERS!
