Oakland Basketball: Tournament without Kay Felder wouldn’t seem right
We must pray to the basketball gods that Kay Felder and the Oakland basketball team get in the NCAA Tournament. The Big Dance would be lacking without them.
Let’s be real, when it comes to the game of basketball what moves the attention meter is star power. Why do you think there is such a big deal being made about whether or not the LSU Tigers are going to make the NCAA Tournament?
Related Story: Who Wins the Pac-12 Regular Season Crown?
Everyone knows that Ben Simmons is the talk of the town these days and seeing his talents displayed in the NCAA tournament would be an attraction for viewers.
It does help that Simmons plays in one of the power conferences and gets a lot of airplay on television. But in the end, despite the fact that the Bayou Bengals are 16-11 overall, the NCAA and networks are probably on bended knee to the basketball gods hoping that Ben Simmons makes the tournament for the love of ratings.
Regardless of what happens going forward with Ben Simmons, he is going to here his named called first in the NBA Draft and make millions of dollars playing for the Los Angeles Lakers (probably) next season.
The little guys in the mid-major conferences will not receive that luxury, and quite frankly, those teams need the NCAA Tournament to bring light to the talents and achievements they have accumulated during the grueling NCAA season.
Kahlil Felder is the embodiment of that little guy. He goes to a little mid-major school in the Horizon league named Oakland University that is currently 20-10 this season and 12-5 in conference play.
Sadly, Felder and the Oakland Golden Grizzlies do not have a tournament resume that is strong enough to warrant an at-large NCAA Tournament bid with an RPI of 120 and a strength of schedule that ranks 91st. But we can surely pray to the basketball gods that they figure out a way to steal a bid by winning their conference tournament.
That way we would get to see the special talent that is the 5-foot-9, 176 pound, junior leader Kahlil Felder take the No.2 offense in the nation at 86.6 points per contest into the tournament field.
Felder has been spectacular all season, and under different circumstances, he would be in the running for National Player of the Year, with averages of 24.3 points and 9.2 assists.
He has accumulated 16 double-double this season with points and assists, 12 of which saw him log at least 20 points and 10 assists in the contest which has him in the running for the Bob Cousy award which is given to the best point guard in the nation.
Felder is every bit as exciting as Ben Simmons, he just is not playing in a big time conference like Simmons that will give him major airplay.
The 37 points and nine assists that he amassed against Michigan State on December 22nd in a 99-93 overtime loss more than showed that Kay Felder is capable of bringing his best in a neutral court, big stage event. His team rose to the occasion accordingly.
As things stand right now in the Horizon League, Valparaiso appears to be the only school that is standing in the way of Oakland when it comes to conference tournament play, not to say that none of the other schools in the conference aren’t capable of pulling off the upset.
But none of those schools have a player that is must see TV like Kay Felder is for Oakland.
In the end, if hoop junkies and talking heads feel that the tournament would be missing out on something special if Ben Simmons is not part of the NCAA field, that sentiment should be the same for arguably one of the best point guards in the country.
So when you say a prayer to the basketball gods about your favorite player or favorite squad, send one up for Kay Felder to make the NCAA tournament.
More busting brackets: 20 Best Home Court Advantages in College Hoops
He is must see TV with must see talent. Hopefully the tournament selection committee will find a way to get him in front of the nation.