Delbert Mccray: Breakfast Buffet: Text from his mother inspired John Jenkins

Friday, February 18, 2011

Breakfast Buffet: Text from his mother inspired John Jenkins

1. The inspiration for Vanderbilt guard John Jenkins' 32-point barrage against Kentucky on Saturday was a pregame text message from his mother that read: "Game-high 25 to 30 points. It has now been spoken." "He did what I asked him to do -- over and beyond," Jenkins' proud mother told the Nashville Tennessean.

2. Was Saint Mary's 86-68 victory over second-place San Francisco the most significant WCC game in a decade that didn't involve Gonzaga? Maybe so. Either way, the Gaels took a huge step toward locking up the WCC regular-season championship and moved a little closer to an at-large berth.

3. Oregon State's Joe Burton sat out Saturday's loss at UCLA because of a team rules violation, bad news made worse by the fact that 250-300 Native American youngsters had made the trip to see him play. To make up for it, Burton and Oregon State coach Craig Robinson spoke to the kids after the game, drawing enthusiastic applause.

4. Florida guard Erving Walker's go-ahead layup in the final 15 seconds condemned Tennessee to a heart-wrenching 62-61 loss that may serve as a convenient symbol of the Vols' up-and-down season. Tennessee started strong, hit a lull, then recovered only to experience more heartbreak at the finish.

5. The best piece I read from Wisconsin's victory over Ohio State was this story from SI.com's Luke Winn on Wisconsin guard Jordan Taylor. Winn provides the back story for how the lightly recruited Taylor persuaded Wisconsin to offer him a scholarship and then how he's made that decision look smart ever since.

East Tennessee State doesn't make SportsCenter's Top Plays all that often, but the Pirates landed there twice in one night on Friday. First, Micah Williams checked in at No. 4 for his alley-oop dunk. Then, Justin Tubbs pulled off another 360 dunk for his second No. 1 play of the day.

"Their best two shooters made all their 3s and that's the game. We knew that. Once again, we dug ourselves into a big hole and couldn't climb out." -- Syracuse guard Scoop Jardine lamenting a loss to Louisville, the Orange's sixth loss in eight games. (Syracuse Post Standard)