The unmistakable sounds of basketballs bouncing, nets swishing and sneakers squeaking will be even more pronounced this week, with conference tournaments on display from coast to coast.

Several champions have already been crowned, while many more will earn their trip to the dance throughout what ESPN calls “Champ Week.” The family of ESPN networks and several other outlets will undoubtedly be featuring buzzer beaters and tears being shed from upset victims who unexpectedly see their seasons come to an abrupt conclusion.

There will be certain teams that catch fire during March and provide hoops fans who pull for the underdog an opportunity for an unexpected but satisfying result. Teams on the proverbial NCAA tournament bubble that need a win or two or more will be vying for their chance to participate on a national scale and fulfill a lifelong dream.

A pair of teams we’ve been following closely during the season will be in action this week, and according to some bracketologists have them meeting in the opening round. That is merely an educated guess at this point, but it would certainly make for an interesting storyline if Kentucky earns a 6-seed, and the Miami RedHawks receive an 11, and the two could potentially square off in the opening round.

Cats likely need a pair of wins to get seeded sixth

Kentucky heads to Nashville to open the Southeastern Conference tournament hoping to avoid an upset to an LSU squad that has had more than its share of issues during the season. The Tigers did give the Wildcats a run for their money however back on January 24 in Baton Rouge. You may recall that UK was on the ropes but pulled out a 75-74 victory on a perfect pass from “quarterback” Collin Chandler to Malachi Moreno, who promptly sank a jumper at the buzzer to lift Kentucky to the improbable win.

If the Cats can tame the Bayou Bengals – aka the conference cellar dwellers at 3-15 — this afternoon, they will meet Missouri on Thursday.

That bunch of Tigers defeated Kentucky one week before the LSU game at Rupp Arena 73-68. If UK wins that one, they would have a rematch against a streaking – winners of 11 in a row — Florida Gators team in the quarterfinals on Friday afternoon.

If that occurs, it could turn into “must watch TV” for college basketball aficionados. Florida swept the season series and would be a solid favorite again, but even if the Cats falter to the talented Gators for a third time, they could still get a respectable bid to the dance with a decent showing. After all, Florida is likely heading into the NCAA fray with a No. 1 seed as they attempt to go back-to-back as national champions.

There is always the other side of the coin for Kentucky however, especially considering the failings of this particular bunch of Wildcats. They could also stumble right out of the gate to LSU, and if so, it’s anyone’s guess where they will land. The dreaded 8-seed could be their fate, matching them with a 9-seed in an almost certain battle to face a No. 1.

Miami will get tested in MAC tourney

One of, if not the most, intriguing stories of the entire college basketball season involves the school just 35 or miles up the road from Cincinnati. That would of course be the undefeated Miami RedHawks, who enter the Mid-American Conference tourney in Cleveland with a 31-0 record.

Some so-called experts still claim that Miami needs to win the MAC tournament to qualify for the dance, which I still say is pure poppycock. It will not be a cakewalk, with every opponent they face giving it their best shot at upending the unbeaten team from Oxford. So far, the RedHawks have answered every challenge, with several games going to the wire and being won in overtime.

Miami opens play against 8th-seeded UMass, a team that the Hawks had trouble putting away in both regular season matchups. If the expected results play out – and we know that is usually not the case in

March – Miami would meet Akron in the MAC title clash on Saturday night at 8 p.m. on ESPN2.

Loyal readers – all five or six of y’all – already know I am unabashedly pulling for the RedHawks to quiet the folks who haven’t given this team their due. If both teams advance to the MAC championship game, it could be pure hoops theater. Akron is coached by John Groce, the half brother of Miami bench boss Travis Steele, and in the only meeting this season, the RedHawks escaped with a 76-73 win in Millett Hall on the picturesque Miami University campus.

GRC will be tough to topple

Shifting gears for a moment to high school hoops in the commonwealth, the 2026 Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Girls Basketball Sweet 16 begins this morning at Rupp Arena.

The 10th Region champions are considered by many pundits to capture their first ever state title this week, and it will be interesting to see just what commences in Lexington over the course of the next few days. We’re talking about the George Rogers Clark Lady Cardinals, winners of 20 consecutive games heading into its opening round matchup against North Laurel tomorrow night. Coach Robbie Graham’s squad breezed through the 10th Region get together at the Fieldhouse, winning three games by a combined total of an astounding 151 points.

The Winchester school has seen its share of dominating girls’ teams for years, but capturing that elusive championship ring is their lone focus this week. GRC and Assumption could be on a collision course to meet in Saturday evening’s title tilt, and the Lady Cards would have even extra incentive to knock off the Rockets, who won the 7th Region with a 69-51 win over Sacred Heart, which has claimed the state title for five years in a row.

GRC heads into the Sweet 16 with a 29-2 record, and one of those defeats came at the hands of Assumption, in a triple overtime thriller in Louisville on January 8 by the score of 61-56. Another hard-fought nail biter would likely ensue if the teams meet on the big stage seeking a

championship ring, and many folks around this area are pulling for GRC to get it done,

Reds to open on sour note

As I was beginning to bang this thing out on the keyboard on this overcast Tuesday morning, a bit of disheartening news emanated from Goodyear, Arizona, the spring home of the Cincinnati Reds. It was announced that the presumptive ace of the team’s pitching staff, Hunter Greene, will miss at least four months due to a scope surgery to address bone spurs and something called “loose bodies” in his right elbow. The often-injured right-hander will undergo the knife today in Los Angeles.

It was announced several days ago that lefty Andrew Abbott will start Opening Day on March 26 against the Boston Red Sox, when it became apparent that Greene would unable to go. His absence also means that a pair of young pitchers, Chase Burns and Rhett Lowder, will be counted on even more heavily than they would’ve been with a healthy Greene leading the rotation.

Injuries, especially to hard-throwing pitchers, are commonplace in baseball these days, and the Reds will be hoping against hope that the remainder of the staff can stay heathy as they embark on the 2026 campaign. The team may regret not hanging onto veteran Zach Littell with the recent development; the veteran righty could’ve been a valuable part of the Reds staff, but signed a one-year contract with the Washington Nationals yesterday. The 30-year-old Littell started 10 games for the Reds last season after coming over from Tampa Bay. He was 2-0 for Cincy and 10-8 overall with a 3.81 ERA while tossing 186 2/3 innings.

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“The man who is a pessimist before 48 knows too much; if he is an optimist after it, he knows too little.” – Mark Twain