THE LATEST LINE: HOOP JUNKIES WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE FEAST

I don't know about you, but as a college basketball fan(atic), this is definitely one of my favorite weeks of the year.

Actually, the week is a bit longer than that -- nine days to be exact. During a span that began Saturday and runs through March 8 -- Selection Sunday -- ESPN will broadcast 60 games, including more than 20 tournament championships that decide automatic NCAA bids.

We're not quite into true March Madness yet, but in many respects, the frantic final days of February and early March are about as good as it gets for the true college hoops junkie.

For most of the teams across the country who compete in the lower-level leagues -- like the Ohio Valley Conference -- conference tournaments are really like their NCAA tourney.

Although Murray State is something of an exception this year -- the Racers actually have a decent shot at gaining an at-large bid even if they are upset in the OVC tourney -- in just about every case a team only gets in from a small-time conference if it wins its league tournament.

And that makes for some thrilling games, where dreams can be made -- or wiped out -- in the blink of an eye.

Thanks to ESPN, we'll be able to watch some of those teams that otherwise would never get a sniff of national TV. And, as SEMO fans can attest, it's some pretty darned good basketball, featuring players who will likely be in the NBA some day (Murray's De'Teri Mayes to name one).

Now, if I could just figure out a way to get off work all week in order to watch every game, I'd really be set.

* SEMO's basketball season ended in disappointment with a 30-point loss at Austin Peay in the first round of the OVC tourney, but the campaign as a whole was certainly anything but disappointing.

Fans had to love the spirit and enthusiasm the Indians showed all season and also the way they won six of their last eight regular-season games.

Not to knock any of the players, but this was certainly not one of the more physically talented teams in the league overall, yet the Indians were able to beat every OVC squad except Murray State.

There is no question that first-year coach Gary Garner and his staff -- an extremely impressive group -- laid a great foundation for the future.

Considering SEMO loses only one key player -- Calvert White -- and should get Bud Eley back along with two highly-touted transfers in Jeramy Biles and Roderick Johnson, next year's team could really be solid.

Of course, the possibility of NCAA sanctions still looms, which could certainly put a damper on next season. The NCAA is expected to release its findings in the next few weeks.

* Josh Daniel, a 1997 Cape Central High graduate, received a football letter at the University of Mississippi for being a student athletic trainer.

* Another Cape Central graduate, Carrie Robert, is serving as a graduate assistant softball coach for Division II power Delta State, where Robert had a stellar two-year playing career.

Two current Delta State players are senior pitchers Melody Hagans and Jennifer Mathews from Jackson.

~Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian