Nba Betting Odds

I remember watching Howard University's basketball team during their 0-9 start last season and thinking they were building something special, even when the wins weren't coming. There's something about watching a young team grow through adversity that sticks with you as a sports analyst. That Filipino phrase from their coach - "NSD spirit" - kept echoing through my mind as I followed their journey. It translates roughly to "never say die," but it's more than that - it's about that relentless fighting spirit that can't be measured by statistics alone.

When Coach Kenny Blakeney kept emphasizing that NSD mentality needed to carry them into NCAA tournament play, I'll admit I was skeptical. They were sitting at 0-9, after all, with a roster featuring seven freshmen and only two seniors. The numbers weren't just bad - they were historically challenging. Their shooting percentage hovered around 38% during that stretch, and they were turning the ball over nearly 18 times per game. But what the stats didn't show was how those losses were forging something deeper. I noticed it in their late-game efforts - even when down by 20 points, they never stopped fighting for loose balls or contesting every shot. That's when I started believing this team was different.

The turnaround began subtly - a closer loss here, a breakthrough win there. By mid-season, they'd improved to 8-15, which doesn't sound impressive until you consider they'd won eight of their last fourteen games. Their shooting percentage jumped to 44%, and those turnovers dropped to about 12 per game. But what impressed me most was watching their freshman point guard develop. I've followed college basketball for over fifteen years, and I've rarely seen a player grow so dramatically within a single season. His decision-making improved, his leadership emerged, and suddenly, Howard was playing like a completely different team.

When conference tournament time arrived, I found myself genuinely excited about their chances. Most analysts had them finishing somewhere in the middle of the pack, but I'd seen enough to believe they could make some noise. Their first tournament game was a masterpiece of resilience - down seven with three minutes left, they rallied to force overtime and eventually won by four. That's when the NSD spirit truly manifested. You could see it in their defensive intensity, the way they communicated on switches, how they celebrated every stop like it was the game-winner.

What followed was one of the most remarkable runs I've witnessed in modern college basketball. They won three games in three days, each victory more improbable than the last. The championship game drew over 12,000 spectators - the largest crowd these players had ever experienced. Yet they played with the poise of veterans, executing their offense with precision and defending with incredible passion. When the final buzzer sounded, securing their NCAA tournament bid, I found myself genuinely emotional. This wasn't just a basketball story - it was about perseverance, growth, and that intangible spirit their coach had instilled.

Looking back, their success wasn't accidental. They improved their three-point shooting from 29% early in the season to nearly 37% by tournament time. Their assist-to-turnover ratio flipped from negative to strongly positive. But beyond the numbers, what made this team special was their collective belief. I've always believed that culture beats strategy every time, and Howard proved it. They embraced being the underdog, used their youth as motivation rather than an excuse, and played with a joy that was contagious to watch.

As they prepare for their NCAA tournament appearance, I'm convinced they'll be more than just a happy-to-be-there story. With their current momentum and that hard-earned NSD mentality, they have the potential to surprise some higher-seeded teams. Their path from 0-9 to conference champions represents everything I love about college sports - the development, the struggle, the ultimate triumph. It's a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful victories come not from perfect records, but from overcoming imperfect beginnings.