While in normal years, the NCAA tournament is just starting to get hot right about now, this season, it — and almost all organized basketball — is on hold.
But we still have the past, and we’ll need it to get our basketball fix in the absence of NBA and NCAA games.
To this end, we’ve been revisiting the NCAA runs of all 12 current Boston Celtics in their collegiate days on the dates those games occurred, and on March 22nd, we have a trio of games — two wins and a loss.
The loss was Robert Williams III back when he was an Aggie at Texas A&M in 2018, his team falling to Michigan in the Sweet Sixteen.
The Wolverines prevailed handily, winning 99-72 despite 12 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks from Time Lord, whose legendary timing wasn’t enough to keep his Aggies in the Big dance.
For first-year forward Grant Williams, today was the start of a run — not the end. His Volunteers defeated Colgate’s Raiders 77-70 as Tennessee advanced to the round of 32 in 2019.
The Charlotte native logged 9 points, 7 boards and 3 assists in the win.
Reserve guard Brad Wanamaker also tallied a victory on this day in 2009, sending teammate Marcus Smart’s alma mater Oklahoma State home with an 84-76 win.
The Philadelphia native was still a reserve at that time, so he didn’t get much playing time, but he did manage to score 3 points and 4 rebounds as his Panthers advanced to face Xavier in the Sweet Sixteen.
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