Three nice splashes of national attention developed this week for NSU Demon basketball, amid the bustle of football's National Signing Day.
1) ESPN.com, this week on its college basketball page, ran a feature story which discussed how predicable last year's NCAA Tournament was, on the heels of the upset-filled and wildly-entertaining 2006 NCAAs.
Not only was there mention of the Demons' win over Iowa, but the photo accompanying the story was of Demon forward Jermaine Spencer poking out his "Northwestern State" jersey in the post-game celebration at Auburn Hills.
While I was covered in football signing day work, thanks to sharp-eyed assistant basketball coach Mark Slessinger, this didn't pass us by.
2) Speaking of that game, there will be a story in the official 2008 NCAA Tournament game program (I believe just for the first nad second round games) on great buzzer-beating shots in the tournament. Naturally, writer Michael Bradley wanted to talk with NSU's Jermaine Wallace, which happened Friday. We'll try to get access to the story after its publication and share it here.
3) Also Friday, Dana O'Neil of ESPN.com talked with Coach Mike McConathy, sons Michael and Logan, and the patriarch, John McConathy. She is doing a story on the number of sets of brothers playing college hoops on the same team this season. When she learned of the special family ties at Northwestern, she was very interested in talking to the three generations of McConathys. It is fascinating to note that John played with his brother Leslie, and now his grandsons Michael and Logan are playing together, for the Demons 50+ years later.
Doug Ireland, SID
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