Let's fall in love with college basketball again, Day 2

Most of us have had the same complaints in recent years. College basketball has gotten slower and less fun. The tempo is down, the whistles are up, and there's a timeout every 45 seconds or so. A given game could produce 40 fouls and 50 free throws, last nearly two and a half hours, and produce a 68-64 final score. The payoff for following the sport isn't as grand as it once seemed to be. And if you're a Missouri fan, that feeling goes double. Triple, maybe.

The relationship has grown stale, in other words.

But if there's ever a chance for us to rediscover that spark, it will be over the next three to four weeks. March Madness is still wild and fun. Three more Dance tickets will get punched tonight. So let's see if we can't fall in love with this sport all over again.

Today's happy link

North Florida Is dancing for the first time. CELEBRATE.

Today's action

Conference Tournament Finals
Southern: Furman vs. Wofford (6:00 p.m. CT, ESPN2)
Colonial: Northeastern vs. William & Mary (6:00 p.m. CT, NBC Sports)
MAAC: Manhattan vs. Iona (8:00 p.m. CT, ESPN2)

Top 25
West Coast Semifinals: No. 7 Gonzaga vs. Pepperdine (8:00 p.m. CT, ESPN)

The Bubble (Or Close to It)
West Coast Semifinals: Portland vs. BYU (10:30 p.m. CT, ESPN2)

Other Conference Tournament Goodness
Summit Semifinals: South Dakota vs. South Dakota State (6:00 p.m. CT, ESPN3)
MAC 1st Round: Ball State at Bowling Green (6:00 p.m. CT, ESPN3)
Summit Semifinals: Oral Roberts vs. North Dakota State (8:30 p.m. CT, ESPN3)

Together, we will learn to love again.