Mental toughness

A number of low seeds have been very competitive until the last 5 minutes or so of the game, then collapse. Commentators usually describe this as "running out of gas," as if it were a physical problem. I think more often it's a lack of mental toughness, a loss of focus and concentration, caused less by fatigue than by anxiety and lack of experience of playing under extreme pressure. I think these teams fail more mentally than physically in the closing moments.

Later this afternoon, Portland State plays, a 13 seed against a 4, and we'll see how mentally tough they are. I'd love to see them advance, of course. I don't know squat about Xavier, their opponent. I don't think the PSU team is as good as last year, though.

The PSU women won in the WNIT and play Oregon State Saturday night. Their journey is virtually ignored by the sexist sports media.