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Home > Mark Bradley > Archives > 2008 > March > 30 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USFinal Four features fearsome foursome
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It was bound to happen someday, and someday just arrived. The 2008 Final Four will offer the first congregation of just No. 1 seeds, and it’s not as if any of the four got hot in mid-February: These were the top four teams in both preseason men’s basketball polls (and also in the AJC’s rankings). These four, in sum, are really good.
How good? Last season’s Florida Gators were widely regarded as one of the greatest teams ever. Well, Florida finished 35-5. None of these Final Four qualifiers has lost more than three games. Memphis lost only to Tennessee; North Carolina to Maryland and Duke; UCLA to Texas, Southern Cal and Washington; Kansas to Kansas State, Texas and Oklahoma State.
Aggregate record of this Final Four: 143-9.
Average NCAA tournament margin of victory for these four teams: 18.5 points.
So fearsome has this foursome been that it has rendered this Big Dance a relative bore. If not for Davidson’s dead-on impersonation of George Mason, Rounds 3 and 4 would have been memorable for creating almost no March memories. Only two Week 2 games — the first (Xavier-West Virginia) and last (Kansas-Davidson) — were decided in the final minute.
This time a year ago we regarded the 2007 Final Four as a star-spangled collection of equals, but Florida proved peerless. It’s hard to imagine any of these four lapping the other three. None has done anything to make us believe it doesn’t belong: Each won its conference title (Kansas shared the Big 12 regular-season crown with Texas), and each won its league tournament. Not one has had even a two-game losing streak.
Only one has lost a game since Valentine’s Day, and the one — Memphis — hadn’t lost before that. There were no January slumps for this bunch, no moment of real crisis. All four started hot and kept going, and now they’re bound for San Antonio.
There’s no clear favorite, no possible Cinderella. There are only four superb teams, each skillfully coached, each brimming with talent. If there’s an edge in either semifinal, it’s a hairline thing. But somebody has to win, and the guess here is that Saturday’s winners will be UCLA and North Carolina.
UCLA came the closest of the four to elimination, needing clutch shots by Kevin Love and Darren Collison and a key non-call to nose past Texas A&M in Round 2, and UCLA also had the softest regional to negotiate. But the Bruins have something none of the other three possess: The bulk of their players have been to a Final Four. (Two, to be precise.)
The Bruins defend too well to be overrun by Memphis’ depth of talent the way Michigan State and Texas were, and playing in the Pac-10 has steeled UCLA. The Tigers have proved they can beat just about anybody from anywhere, but in Conference USA they simply weren’t asked to prove it twice weekly.
Carolina will beat Kansas because it has Tyler Hansbrough, who wants every big shot, and the Jayhawks, for all their blessings, still haven’t found such a man. They nearly squandered a late lead against Davidson because Brandon Rush kept passing instead of shooting. The Roy-Williams-versus-his-old-school subplot will be beaten to death, but the real story in the second semi will be the indomitable Psycho T.
As good as Carolina has been in this tournament, one tiny flaw continues to nip at its, uh, heels. Louisville made 52.7 percent of its shots in the East Regional final, and that’s an awfully high number. The belief here is that UCLA’s defense — the staple that powered these Bruins to those two Final Fours before Love arrived — will give them the tiniest of edges against Carolina in the final.
The schools that will convene in the Alamodome carry 17 national championships among them, the most ever for a Final Four quartet. What could be more fitting than the 2008 championship being taken by the school that has won more titles than any other? What could be more fitting in this season of few surprises than that least surprising of results — UCLA winning it all?
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Comments
By heeldawg
March 30, 2008 9:42 PM | Link to this
The Heels will win in San Antonio because of Ty Lawson, who gives them an X-Factor that no one can match when he is healthy, and because of Tyler Hansbrough, a leader who simply wills his team to greatness by his tremendous competitive drive. No one in that tournament has anyone who can overcome the sheer force of that duo (although the Bruins come the closest, with the Love factor being the key ingredient to their return to the Big Dance this year).
By Hudsucker
March 30, 2008 10:05 PM | Link to this
I watched the games this weekend, and I gotta say that the other teams have to play awfully good to beat NC. Granted, UCLA and Memphis didn’t have to play that hard since they were pretty well in control of their games. But man, NC was going strong in every facet of their game. Good luck to ‘em. I don’t see any other team beating them.
By Carl Conger
March 30, 2008 10:31 PM | Link to this
Coach Wooden’s approach was to win the conference first, then play one game at a time, through the tournament. It seems that the current coach has that same focus. Fundamentals of the team approach with ball-handling, good passing, high free-throw percentage, and pressure defense will take them to the finals.
By John Galt
March 31, 2008 7:05 AM | Link to this
Mark knows something about basketball; it’s his business to know. But the Tar Heels know something too…and have lived through an ACC schedule to arrive at the final dance in the Big Dance. That ACC experience - about the same in intensity as a season-long Final Four is what should propel them to the championship. But all four teams still must play at least one more game. The downside, for Carolina fans, is that if the win it all, they will probably lose Psycho T. But I’d bet they don’t care that much. They’ll just re-load and be right there again next year. As usual.
By Shamrock Shooter
March 31, 2008 7:48 AM | Link to this
UCLA. Not flashy, not pretty, but effective. Hate the gold “C” on the jersey, but love the way they play.
Bruins over Heels in finals by 5.
By Rob
March 31, 2008 8:16 AM | Link to this
MB, how many did you have right in your Final 4 picks? I am 4 for 4 baby! And I don’t even get paid to cover college basketball.
By ready for football
March 31, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this
You might think I’m crazy but I feel an upset coming on. UM beats UCLA. Their big men down low are hard to defend and as UCLA has strong guys down there, UMs has more talent. UCLA will not be able to run the court like UM and will get beat in the final minutes. UNC wins it all!
By wes
March 31, 2008 9:27 AM | Link to this
The notion that Memphis “hasn’t played anyone” is overplayed, imo.
They just DESTROYED the great Tom Izzo’s Michigan State team and Texas (who shared the reg season title with Kansas).
I am NO big fan of Calipari or Memphis for that matter but as a basketball fan, sometimes you can just tell who is superior. And that team is Memphis.
Mark, I know you want to stick to your “prognostications” and all but somewhere deep down you probably know UCLA is not going to win this game…or much less, win TWO.
By bdixon
March 31, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this
WHY CAN’T I VIEW MY BRACKET THAT I FILLED OUT ON THE AJC TO WIN BRAVES TICKETS???
By jim
March 31, 2008 11:26 AM | Link to this
Memphis will beat ucla just like they beat mich. st. and texas ….they will then dismantle n.c…. this is the greatest team in college history ..deal with it morons
By scooter11
March 31, 2008 11:54 AM | Link to this
Jim, I’m with you on Memphis. If it happens, the wife wins a big pool. She can really pick ‘em; got all 4 semifinalists. She’d be up for Bradley’s job next.
By scooter11
March 31, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this
Also, I think we’re past Bradley’s point that just because some team played in the PAC-10, ACC, Big 10, whatever, all season, they are somehow better equipped to win the championship. That’s bs. Each semifinalist won its conference tournament and 4 Madness games to get to San Antonio. It’s been one-and-done for awhile; the regular season is now irrelevant, and no conference was that great anyway.
By John
March 31, 2008 3:05 PM | Link to this
Thanks Mark….you have not jinxed my bracket….I didn’t take Kansas b/c you did, and I could shoot myself….but you picked UCLA over UNC…which I need to win….I’M DOOMED!!!!
By AG
March 31, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this
Mark Bradley: Just keeping picking against Memphis! It may be next season before you get it right! I am not a Memphis fan but I enjoy great performances when I see them and I have seen them dismantle people in this tournament like no one else including UNC. Their athleticism reminds me of some of Nolan Richardson’s Arkansas teams. Their guards make the difference. Kevin Love will be a tough match-up for them, but UCLA’s guards will have to contend with Memphis’ guards the way Texas and Michigan State could not. It has been a great tournament so far even though it has lacked the nail-biters everyone loves.
By JAMES TILLMAN
March 31, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this
DO WE WIN A TEE SHIRT IF WE GOT THE FINAL FOUR RIGHT?
By Mark Bradley
March 31, 2008 5:54 PM | Link to this
It’s a sweatshirt, actually, and no, I’m afraid to say, you don’t. Only the Final Fiasco winner gets the sweatshirt: Ties are broken by going backward round by round (number of correct regional finalists, et cetera) until there’s a winner. And I’m told we have a winner this year.
By Tiger_Dan
March 31, 2008 9:07 PM | Link to this
UNC ALL THE WAY
They waited all year for this upcoming weekend! If you think they are going to roll over now, you are sadly mistaken!
UNC over UCLA in Championship game…should be a classic!
By west coast techie
April 1, 2008 12:09 AM | Link to this
I’ve watched UCLA all year. They have a solid, talented team that plays GREAT defense. Kevin Love is a hourse, and they may have the best guard tandum in the final four. However, they do have a weakness. They really only go seven deep. They have trouble playing teams who have penetrating guards who are not over whelmed by the double team defense. These types of guards will get them into foul trouble and expose their shourt bench. I believe UM’s Rose is just the type of gusrd who will cause UCLA trouble. Therefore, I’m going with Memphis in this semi-final match.
By Cary
April 1, 2008 2:59 AM | Link to this
Can anyone really stop Memphis? The have dominated over Texas and Michigan State. Has Memphis been tested? They have the deepest bench, the best freshman in the country, one of the best defensive teams…..Dorsey with rebounding and blocked shots, Anderson shutting down any guard he has played against and the swarming attack of the overall defense. UNC and Memphis have demonstrated that they have the best shot but Memphis has too many weapons UNC can’t stop. Memphis all the way.
By Robin
April 1, 2008 10:33 AM | Link to this
Can anyone really stop Carolina? the only losses this year coming after a no-sleep team lost by 2 points to Maryland and then post-lawson injury game against Dook. Memphis lost to tennessee of all people..that in itself is laughable.
By Nickey
April 1, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this
They should fire all the sportcasters except Digger Phelps who predicted Memphis to win it all…They are like the NBA playing against college kids…They are too athletic, too talented,and too deep to be beat…Go Tigers!
By Nickey
April 1, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this
They should fire all the sportcasters except Digger Phelps who predicted Memphis to win it all…They are like the NBA playing against college kids…They are too athletic, too talented,and too deep to be beat…Go Tigers!
By Peerless Mama
April 1, 2008 12:07 PM | Link to this
Thank you Mark for mentioning Bill Keightley in your last column.
By Chiefs fan
April 1, 2008 4:00 PM | Link to this
Rock Chalk Jayhawk Baby!
By Mark Bradley
April 1, 2008 9:12 PM | Link to this
For those who missed it, Bill Keightley — the Kentucky equipment manager since 1962 — died Monday in Cincinnati. He’d gone with a group of friends to see the Reds’ opener and fell getting off the bus. He was taken to the hospital and died, apparently from internal bleeding caused by a previously undetected tumor near his spine. I saw him last Thursday in Charlotte, where he sat in the front row of the Louisville section, rooting for his friend Rick Pitino (but not for the Cardinals, as even Pitino conceded). I met Bill Keightley and did a story on him in 1977, when I was still a student at UK and was writing for The Cats’ Pause. I can’t say we remained on friendly terms — he thought I was too negative toward his beloved ‘Cats — but I’m saddened by his passing.
By Kevin
April 2, 2008 7:03 AM | Link to this
TRy again Be Kansas Vs memphis for championship n Memphis will win it 87-80
By Tommy
April 2, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this
Memphis & UNC in the final. UCLA is over-rated, and they look shaky.
By Phyllis B.
April 2, 2008 7:28 PM | Link to this
Learn to spell, morons. I am for Memphis all the way.