American Seeks Status Among the 'In' Crowd

Good basketball people of Washington, mid-major peasants everywhere, a small request today:

Please, root for Garrison Carr and his teammates on Friday. It's not just good and right; it's the American thing to do.

For 81 years, often under the very best of coaches, the Eagles of American University have been deprived of playing in the NCAA tournament. As the tournament grew and grew -- from 24 to 32 and now 65 teams -- AU has remained one of just 33 Division I schools to have never participated in either the men's or women's event.

But today, the morning after top-seeded American put away Army and advanced to host Colgate on Friday in the Patriot League tournament championship game, they are 40 minutes away.

One win and AU is in.

"To even think about that is wild right now," said Carr, the diminutive junior guard who scored a game-high 23 points yesterday as Bender Arena buzzed with elation.

"In fact, Coach mentioned in the locker room afterward that it can be very seductive to watch TV this week and see all these other schools dancing and cutting down the nets when we still have a week left."

Seductive? The thought of the tournament on the horizon essentially becomes a temptress this week for coaches, fans and players of a good basketball school on the cusp for so long.

There are more reasons than the past to root for American. The Eagles have two blistering-quick guards in Carr and fellow junior Derrick Mercer, who at maybe 5 feet 11 and definitely not 5-9, respectively, already qualify for the Mighty Mite Hall of Fame, alongside Spud Webb, Muggsy Bogues and Earl Boykins.

Freshman Nick Hendra, the kid who dunked along the baseline and had a career-high 11 points yesterday against Army, is the proud son of a "This Is Spinal Tap" cast member. Honest.

Did we mention the pep band's theme song is only the greatest song in the history of music: Journey's "Don't Stop Believin' "? The staff actually plays Steve Perry over the Bender Arena loudspeakers at the entrance.

And, yes, AU's past counts. American last played in the Division II tournament in 1960, the senior year of Willie Jones -- one of only two American players whose jerseys hang from the rafters and who were named first team all-Americans. The other, Kermit Washington, was in the house yesterday to root on his alma mater.