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The Secondary Break: Thursday’s Links

Temple v SMU

DALLAS, TX - FEBRUARY 6: SMU Mustangs head coach Larry Brown has words with his team against the Temple Owls on February 6, 2014 at Moody Coliseum in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Cooper Neill

Bret Stretlow’s on-foot attempt to reach Chapel Hill cut short by postponement of Duke-North Carolina (Fayetteville Observer)
With No. 8 Duke scheduled to play North Carolina on Wednesday night, more than a few people abandoned their cars on Highway 54 when it became clear that driving to Chapel Hill would be too much of a test. And then there was Bret Stretlow of the Fayetteville Observer, who attempted to walk from his home to the Dean Dome, only to learn during his trek that the game had been postponed.

Retirement not an option for SMU coach Larry Brown (New York Post)
No. 23 SMU is in the Top 25 for the first time in nearly three decades, and they have their head coach to thank for it. During a time when most 73-year olds would be enjoying retirement, Larry Brown’s having the time of his life on the sidelines in Dallas.

Low-key front court sparks Iowa (Dubuque Telegraph Herald)
No. 16 Iowa picked up one of its biggest wins of the season last Saturday, beating then-No. 10 Michigan 85-67 in Iowa City. Roy Devyn Marble, who scored 26 points in the game, was the star for the Hawkeyes but he had plenty of help. Some of the helpers play in the front court, with Melsahn Basabe, Gabe Olaseni and Adam Woodbury all chipping in.

Loss shines spotlight on deficiencies of Buckeyes (Columbus Dispatch)
After winning two consecutive games, Ohio State seemed to be headed back in the right direction entering their game against Michigan on Tuesday night. But those problems that sprouted up during the stretch in which the Buckeyes lost five of six games were once again an issue in the 80-70 defeat. The biggest problem: the lack of an NBA-caliber go-to guy on the offensive end.

Fans cross line too often in college basketball venues (Statesman Journal)
With the events of this past Saturday, fan decorum has received an increased amount of attention in college basketball. While there’s certainly a need for schools to do a better job of policing fans, there also remains the need for players to do their best to ignore taunts that cross the line, although that can be hard to do at times.

Virginia rides humble approach to basketball success (USA Today)
No. 17 Virginia is the biggest threat to No. 1 Syracuse’s run to win the ACC in its debut season, with the Cavaliers boasting an 11-1 record in conference play after beating Maryland on Monday. And after missing out on the NCAA tournament last season, humility and solid team leadership has led to a resurgence in Charlottesville.

Near his father, Kentucky transfer Ryan Harrow finds peace, success at Georgia State (Sports Illustrated)
After a frustrating 2012-13 season, guard Ryan Harrow made the decision to leave the Kentucky basketball program. And the move had more to do with the health of his father, who had suffered a stroke, than anything that had taken place on the court. Now closer to his father at Georgia State, Harrow’s been a key figure for the Panthers.

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