A Mountaineer Victory at the Stroke of Midnight

As the evening grew older, I found myself looking through the on-screen guide to find out what channel I needed to be on for the 9:53 PM tip-off.

WVU takes on Arizona in the last game of the first round of the NCAA Tournament, West Division, and I can't find it on my satellite TV.  What to do? 

I could always listen to it on the radio, but that just didn't seem right.  I could pay $69 to order the special package from Directv.  However, I am a state employee who barely can afford groceries.

Therefore, I decided to see what I could find on the internet.  That is when I came across March Madness On Demand presented by CBS.  I never knew that this possibility existed.  With a couple clicks of the mouse, I was immersed in NCAA tournament action. 

I unplugged the useless satellite box from my HDTV and plugged in my laptop to enjoy the game from my recliner (OK, maybe there are a couple other reasons I can't afford groceries). 

A game filled with lots of field goals and several successful three-point shots was about to be under way.  The starting line-ups flashed on the screen.  Camera shots of each head coach were shown, as well as the many fans sporting old gold and blue in some fashion.

Midway through the 1st half WVU seemed to have the edge after pulling away from a 13-13 tie, beginning with a long-ball from Joe Mazzulla.  Da'Sean Butler followed up with two buckets in a row to give the Mountaineers a 7-point lead. 

However, the Arizona Wildcats were not going to give up that easily, as they responded and took a 1-point deficit into the locker room at the half.

Early in the 2nd half, West Virginia's leading scorer for the night, Alex Ruoff, connected for three to keep the momentum on the side of the Mountaineers.  Arizona pulled within one, with just minutes left in the game. 

That's when...

WVU Coach Bob Huggins grabbed his wand and went to work.  There may not have been a pumpkin/carriage or any white horses, but there was magic.  Darris Nichols hit two 3's and Alex Ruoff followed with one of his own. 

The Mountaineer faithful watched as the clock near midnight in D.C..  With hands clinched and teeth gnashing, the fans gave up one final sigh as the buzzer sounded just before the clock struck twelve.

WVU fits the slipper with a 75-65 win over the Wildcats of Arizona. 

No. 7 seed, WVU will play the No. 2 seeded, Duke Blue Devils on Saturday in the second round of the tournament.  Tip-off is set for 2:10 PM.  I should be able to find that game on TV pretty easily.

Thanks CBS...