The college basketball season is an eight-month grind spanning almost the entire school year.
Tempers are bound to flare throughout the ups and downs of a campaign, and the 2015-16 season is no different.
In honor of National Hug Day on Thursday, here are five guys who could use a hug, accompanied by the type that'll get them through a tough period:
The Deadlock: a body-crushing hug that borders on fear of letting go
This is the type of hug Syracuse assistant coach Mike Hopkins needs to give head coach Jim Boeheim. Last summer it was announced Hopkins would take over after Boehiem retires following the 2017-2018 season. The Orange got a taste of what life without their legendary coach would be like this season, when Hopkins took over during Boeheim's nine-game suspension. The results weren't pretty as the school went 4-5 over that stretch, losing three conference games to open the ACC season.
The Back Stroke: a hug all about reassurance in which each person rubs the back of the other
This is needed between Michigan State coach Tom Izzo and star swingman Denzel Valentine. The Wooden Award candidate returned from a four-game injury absence to a Spartan team that was 16-1. Four games later, they're 17-4 and on a three-game losing streak. Valentine scored 24 points on 16 shots in the latest loss to Nebraska, showing signs he's back to his old self. Everything will be okay in Spartanland, but a reassuring hug between player and coach could go a long way.
The London Bridge: a hug that features distance between both parties, indicating disagreement and lack of comfort
Monmouth's King Rice and Iona's Tim Cluess probably don't want to hug each other, but if they had to, they'd likely opt for the "London Bridge." The MAAC combatants got into a verbal confrontation last year, and this season Cluess did his best "get off my lawn" impression by trashing the beloved Hawks bench prior to their matchup last week. That game, won by Monmouth, ended with a ridiculous slapping incident between the teams. This is a growing mid-major rivalry that'll see the schools meet again in February, when you can bet you'll see this type of hug in the postgame handshake line.
The Rag Doll: one hugs tightly while the other is limp, indicating a one-way-street relationship
People who approached Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski after Monday's loss to Syracuse received this hug:
The home loss to the Orange was the Blue Devils' third straight, and the beloved Coach K was in no mood for postgame pleasantries. If the season ended today, Duke would likely be in line for its lowest tournament ranking since 1996.
The Quickie Hug: one quickly squeezes the other and moves on in a different direction, indicating more excitement elsewhere while not leaving anyone out
No matter how hard LSU tries, Ben Simmons is keeping the school in the friend zone and will move on to bigger and better things in the very near future. The star freshman continues to put up ridiculous performances on a weekly basis, further cementing his status as the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NBA draft. His year with the Tigers is essentially a six-month Quickie Hug. Unless they somehow win the SEC tournament, LSU will likely miss out on the NCAA tournament. Enjoy the man while you have him, Tigers fans.
