And Then There Were Four!

With four teams left in the NCAA Men's Tournament, one thing is for sure; this Final Four will be worth watching.  With two No. 1 seeds and two No. 2 seeds, it looks like the NCAA Selection Committee did their job and the best of the best will be playing for the national title next Monday night in Hotlanta.  Let's preview the two national semifinals.

#2 Georgetown vs #1 Ohio State (Sat. 5:07pm CT) -- This game will be the battle of the big men.  The Hoyas have the vastly improved 7'2 center Roy Hibbert and the Buckeyes have All-World Greg Oden.  The big talk of the tournament with Oden has been his foul trouble.  The reason is this.  The teams OSU have faced in the past few rounds have had smaller centers that Oden has had to guard which moved him out of the lane and he's been getting ticky-tack fouls.  Expect Oden to be a force this Saturday.  He will not be in foul trouble.  On the perimeter, both teams have solid shooters and great ball handlers.  Buckeye's point Mike Conley, Jr. has stepped out of the shadow of his high school teammate, Oden, and runs the point better than almost any other guard left in the tourney.  Where this game might hinge on is with the Hoyas 6'9 Big East player of the year Jeff Green.  Georgetown would be out of the tourney (and probably should be) if Green hadn't hit the game winner vs Vanderbilt with four seconds left.  Prediction:  I have Georgetown winning the title.  I'm not changing my pick now.  Hoyas 78-75.

 Georgetown's Jeff Green has been unstoppable all year for the Hoyas, can he be for two more games?

#1 Florida vs #2 UCLA (Sat. 7:47 pm CT) -- What more can you say about the Gators?  They have four first round picks, they won the title last year, they rolled through the SEC Tournament and now are back to repeat.  Joaquim Noah and Al Horford are dominating in the paint and Taurean Green and Lee Humphrey keep knocking down shots.  UCLA's All-American guard Arron Afflalo has put UCLA on his back in the past couple games and the Bruins have scooted straight back into the Final Four.  Last year's matchup betweens the Gators and Bruins was one-sided with the Gators completely rolling over the Bruins.  The inside-outside punch of the Gators was too much last year.  The Gators' Corey Brewer can take over a game with his offense and his defense.  Expect the Gators to be playing Monday night.  Prediction:  Gators win 81-72.

 Corey Brewer and the Gators rolled right into the Final Four.  Can they be stopped?

Odds & Ends

** I love Tyler Hansbrough and think he is an outstanding athlete and an extremely hard worker, but seeing him shake his had with 1:30 left on the clock in overtime was not right.  Hansbrough is supposed to the heart and soul of the Tarheels.  That's not right.  Keep your head up next year, Tyler.  Your 'heels are young and need a better leader.

** I've heard enough of Jeff Green's 'travel' vs Vanderbilt.  It wasn't called, life goes on.  Cold Pizza's Skip Bayliss (a Vandy grad) can't leave it alone.  'Georgetown should be at home,' 'My Commodore's got screwed,' Bayliss said.  It's over.  Georgetown won.  Move on.

** ESPN's Bill Simmons wrote a great article on CBS commentator Billy Packer.  How many more people, on top of the millions already, will it take for CBS to replace Packer with somebody who is passionate, in a positive light, about college basketball.  It's almost painful listening to Packer moan and complain about everything in college basketball.  With the 6 second delay, listening to the radio is out of the question.  Like Simmons, I'd almost rather mute the tv.  Hey, I'm not asking for Dick Vitale.  I just want Bill Raftery or Jay Bilas.  Both absolutely love college basketball and actually enjoy it.  Packer has to go. 

 

The Sweet Sixteen!

The NCAA Tournament continues Thursday night with sixteen teams all vying for a place in the Final Four in Atlanta.  What upsets might take place?  Can all four No. 1 seeds push through to Atlanta?  Let's break down the Sweet Sixteen.

Midwest.  St. Louis.  Friday/Sunday.

Florida vs Butler -- On paper, this should be all Gators.  Billy Donovan's team slipped a little through February, but won the SEC Championship by demolishing every team in it's way and has done the same to Jackson State and Purdue.  It's hard to cheer against Butler and A.J. Graves.  They are scrappy and have beaten some good teams this year winning the preseason NIT.  Joaquim Noah, Corey Brewer, Taurean Green and the Gators roll over Butler.  Florida wins 77-63.

 Corey Brewer and the Gators should roll to Atlanta and into the Final Four.

UNLV vs Oregon -- The Runnin' Rebels were upset with their 7 seed before the tournament and we Badger fans can understand why.  Wendell White and Kevin Kruger were fantastic as the Rebels upset Wisconsin in Chicago.  Wink Adams is the defensive specialist that might take UNLV to the Elite Eight but his bruised tailbone might not be healthy enough to stop Aaron Brooks, Tajuan Porter and the Ducks.  UNLV moves into the Elite Eight, 87-83.

West.  San Jose, CA.  Thursday/Saturday.

Kansas vs Southern Illinois -- Before the tourney started, I wasn't the only person to think Kansas would be the first No. 1 seed to fall.  I've changed my tune on the Jayhawks.  They look unstoppable at the moment with Julian Wright, Brandon Rush and company running over everybody in their way.  The Salukis of Southern Illinois are defensive minded and could slow Kansas down.  Bill Self's Jayhawks have far too many weapons for Southern Illinois, 81-71.

 Julian Wright and the Jayhawks will ride the wave past Southern Illinois on Thursday.

UCLA vs Pittsburgh -- The Bruins have looked beatable in the first couple games and after losing in the first round of the Pac-10 Tournament, UCLA fans would have hoped for more than what they are providing on the court.  All-Everything guard Aaron Afflalo, who was terrible (2 of 11 shooting) versus Indiana, and Darren Collison are going to have to turn it on for the Bruins to move on.  Panthers center Aaron Gray has been invisible which is hard for a 7-footer to do and if the Panthers want another game this season Gray will have to dominate inside.  The Bruins move on to face Kansas, 73-76.

East.  East Rutherford, N.J. Friday/Sunday.

North Carolina vs Southern California -- The mask came off Tyler Hansbrough and he looked like the All-American center we are so used to seeing.  USC guard Gabe Pruitt completely shut down Texas point D.J. Augustin and Tywon Lawson could be next.  The Tarheels are young but Brandan Wright, Lawson and the other frosh aren't exactly freshman anymore.  Hansbrough and company move on to the Elight Eight, 74-67.

 The mask might be gone, but his game is back. 

Georgetown vs Vanderbilt -- The Commodores and SEC Player of the Year Derrick Byars have looked great beating George Washington and No. 3 seed Washington State.  I'm sorry to say this Vandy fans, the 'dores are closing Friday night (came up with that one on my own, not bad huh?).  Vandy doesn't have a center to stop the Hoyas Roy Hibbert, they don't have a small forward to stop Big East Player of the Year Jeff Green and they just flat out don't have the depth, athleticism and talent to stop Georgetown from moving on to face UNC.  Hoyas win, 78-69.

South.  San Antonio. Thursday/Saturday.

Ohio State vs Tennessee -- If Xavier can knock down one more free throw with five seconds left, Ohio State is back home watching the tourney in Columbus.  The Buckeyes Ron Lewis sent the game to overtime and OSU dominated from there.  Chris Lofton and the Vols lost to the Buckeyes earlier this year, but only by two and in Columbus.  The Buckeyes have grown up in the last few months, but also looked very vulnerable vs Xavier.  With Greg Odeninside and Lewis and Mike Conley outside, expect the Buckeyes to wake up in time to beat Tennessee, 73-70.

 Don't fight the Law Memphis, you can't win.

Texas A&M vs Memphis -- The best matchup of the last sixteen will hinge on Memphis' fantastic forward and leading scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts' injured ankle which he landed on awkwardly with eight minutes left in the victory over Nevada.  If he can't go expect a talented Aggie team led by All-American Acie Law to march on to the Elite Eight.  If Douglas-Roberts can go, this will be a war that will go down to the last second.  A&M will be helped by playing in San Antonio, not far from their campus.  Acie Law and company move on to the Elite Eight, 81-77.

** If you are looking for an upset, look at the Tennessee vs Ohio State game.  If Chris Loften can get hot, his Vols can most definitely stop the Buckeyes. 

** Can all No. 1 seeds march on to Atlanta and the Final Four?  Most definitely.  Will they?  Probably not.  Ohio State, if they get past Tennessee, will have a very hard time stopping Acie Law and A&M. 

I Hate Duke!

On Sunday afternoon, Duke forward Gerald Henderson gave me yet another reason to hate Duke men's basketball.  Let me lay the ground work because I do have good reasons. 

 Laettner says "I'M A FRUIT-LOOP EVERYBODY!!!!"

#1.  Duke All-American center Christian Laettner stomping on Kentucky forward Aminu Timberlake during a game on March 28, 1992.  Every college basketball fan remembers this game.  Duke won the game on a last second shot, 104-103, by Laettner.  Personally, and searching the net I've found out I am not the only person who will remember the game for Laettner not being called for a technical for going out of his way to stomp on Timberlake's chest.

#2  Duke always has won.  Always.  Two straight titles in 1991 and 1992.  Also doesn't help that they were beating my Larry Johnson-led UNLV Running Rebels and Michigan's great Fab Five (Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, etc) for the titles.  Hate Duke was my phrase of the 1990's. 

#3.  Duke has an arrogance about them that they are the greatest.  Winning is one thing.  Good for them, but they act as if everybody should just bow to them and give them games.  I think we are finding out what kind of a coach Mike Krzyzewski is by not winning with a team that doesn't have a ton of talent on it.  He doesn't have 12 McDonald's All-American's on his team and his team is middle of the pack in the ACC.  Win with mediocre talent Coach K and we'll give you some props (i.e. Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan, had to throw that in there....).

 If Psycho T would have gotten the chance, he would have popped Henderson in the jaw...I would have too.

#4.  Sunday.  Duke freshman forward Gerald Henderson, with 14 seconds left on the clock, intentionally throwing an elbow at  North Carolina All-America center Tyler Hansbrough in UNC's 86-72 victory, breaking his nose.  This started with Duke calling a timeout with 53 seconds left in the game.  UNC was up by 13 points; the game was over.  Why was Duke calling a timeout exactly?  Basketball commentators were saying this morning they called it so Duke Coach Krzyzewski could prove a point.  UNC still had their starters in the game and he wanted to send a message.  If Coach K was trying to 'send a message' it's a complete joke.  Duke has come back from 10 points with a minute left to win a game (beating Maryland a couple years ago).  Second, Henderson made no effort to help Hansbrough up after sending an elbow to Hansbrough's nose which is gives me tingles when I see it. 

"If it were intentional then his hand would have been closed and he would have met him head on. To me that's what happened. It's unfortunate that the kid got hurt and all the blood. That's the way I see it. If I thought he did that intentionally, then I would suspend him for longer than a game. That's my take on it," Krzyzewski said.

That comment makes no sense Coach K.  Just because it wasn't a fist doesn't make it intentional?  Does he think we are stupid?  Figure it out.  You told him to do that. 

The Duke/North Carolina rivalry just added another notch, not that it needed anymore.  If you are a college basketball fan, you either love Duke or hate Duke.  My hatred runs deep for Duke and Gerald Henderson just made it a little deeper on Sunday. 

** I'm not the only one that hates Duke, read this.

** Also, ESPN senior writer writes that Duke's image has suffered a black eye.