One of the more unusual foursomes to win their respective NCAA regionals have made their way to Houston this week to determine the champion.
The chaos it took to create these four winners has resulted in busted office pools everywhere, sent scores of heavy favorites home early, and given hope to all mid-majors hoping to make their mark.
Meanwhile, TV executives are surely disappointed over being teased with what looked like a probable Kansas/Florida matchup (three of the last five titles between them have resulted in a ratings bonanza) only to end up with VCU/Butler (a ratings nightmare, as those teams didn’t even win their own mildly-hard conferences).
In any case, you still have an intriguing Connecticut/Kentucky matchup that should prove to be fast-paced and exciting while the ‘other’ game will guarantee that we have a major underdog in the title game for the second straight year. Onto the predictions:
Virginia Commonwealth, 28–11, versus Butler, 27–9: As an avid Jayhawk fan, writing this preview is a little difficult as I wrestle with the question of how much KU choked versus how good VCU really was.
Judging by their regular season, VCU doesn’t look very good. The Rams finished an underwhelming fourth in the not-so-powerful Colonial League/Conference.
One of VCU’s whopping 11 losses was to little known Georgia State, yet they somehow made it into the tournament via an at-large bid. How they made it as an at-large bid is a wonder, but even they didn’t think they’d make it, as evidenced by their not watching the selection show as a team.
Even so, after improbably reeling off four straight high-quality wins (three by double-digit margins) over USC, Georgetown, Purdue, and Florida State, there were few people who voiced any prediction of Shaka Smart’s team defeating 35-win Kansas. Yet somehow, some way, they took them down.
Of course, it probably didn’t hurt that one of the Morris twins inspired them, pre-tipoff, by reportedly telling them that “their run would end today.” So, unless Butler thinks they too can pull off a Muhammad Ali, I’m going to say that they best keep quiet before tipoff.
The Bulldogs shouldn’t have the Jayhawk’s problem of overconfidence coming into the game, though. This is a team that was once an NIT-bound 14–9 and looking like another mid-major one-hit wonder á la George Mason (’06 Final Four).
But last year’s runner-ups clearly refocused and are playing carefree basketball again. Their comeback against Florida (down 53–44 late in 2nd half) was all after a Brad Stevens-called timeout, in which he must have known which buttons to push, because they played like champs the last 12 minutes. Prediction: Butler 68, Virginia Commonwealth 62
Connecticut, 30–9, versus Kentucky, 29–8: Two of the youngest teams in the country square off in the nightcap as Kemba Walker’s Huskies battle Brandon Knight’s Wildcats.
UConn’s run is well-documented. They reeled off an incredible five wins in as many days to win the Big East tourney. The next week they took down Bucknell and then conference-foe Cincinnati to advance to the Sweet 16. But the tough part then was beating San Diego State (in Anaheim) and then hyped-up Arizona, two days later, to advance to their second Final Four in the last three years.
During UConn’s four-game NCAA tourney-stretch, star-guard Kemba Walker has averaged a very-impressive 26.8 points and 6.8 assists per game. The lightning-quick junior has made life difficult for opponents by constantly finding his way into the paint, attracting a double-team, and then either hitting a spectacular shot or passing it out to a teammate (usually freshmen forwards Jeremy Lamb or Roscoe Smith) for a wide open 3-pointer.
The Huskies’ speed and shooting is balanced by the inside presence of sophomore center Alex Oriakhi. The 6-foot-9-inch big man averages just less than 10 points and 9 rebounds per game and requires just enough attention to keep defenders honest.
If there’s anyone out there who can match up against him though, it’s definitely Kentucky’s Josh Harrelson.
The 6-foot-10-inch 275-pound senior center has come out of nowhere this year and been a pleasant surprise, averaging 14.8 points, 9 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game in the NCAA tourney. His play against Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger, as well as the front line of North Carolina, was a big reason the Cats took down the East region’s top two seeds.
Perhaps the biggest reason for Kentucky’s success though is the East Region’s Most Outstanding Player, Brandon Knight. The freshman guard has hit game-winners in two of their last four wins, while averaging a team-leading 17.2 points per game on the season. Prediction: Kentucky 78, Connecticut 74
The chaos it took to create these four winners has resulted in busted office pools everywhere, sent scores of heavy favorites home early, and given hope to all mid-majors hoping to make their mark.
Meanwhile, TV executives are surely disappointed over being teased with what looked like a probable Kansas/Florida matchup (three of the last five titles between them have resulted in a ratings bonanza) only to end up with VCU/Butler (a ratings nightmare, as those teams didn’t even win their own mildly-hard conferences).
In any case, you still have an intriguing Connecticut/Kentucky matchup that should prove to be fast-paced and exciting while the ‘other’ game will guarantee that we have a major underdog in the title game for the second straight year. Onto the predictions:
The Underdogs
Virginia Commonwealth, 28–11, versus Butler, 27–9: As an avid Jayhawk fan, writing this preview is a little difficult as I wrestle with the question of how much KU choked versus how good VCU really was.
Judging by their regular season, VCU doesn’t look very good. The Rams finished an underwhelming fourth in the not-so-powerful Colonial League/Conference.
One of VCU’s whopping 11 losses was to little known Georgia State, yet they somehow made it into the tournament via an at-large bid. How they made it as an at-large bid is a wonder, but even they didn’t think they’d make it, as evidenced by their not watching the selection show as a team.
Even so, after improbably reeling off four straight high-quality wins (three by double-digit margins) over USC, Georgetown, Purdue, and Florida State, there were few people who voiced any prediction of Shaka Smart’s team defeating 35-win Kansas. Yet somehow, some way, they took them down.
Of course, it probably didn’t hurt that one of the Morris twins inspired them, pre-tipoff, by reportedly telling them that “their run would end today.” So, unless Butler thinks they too can pull off a Muhammad Ali, I’m going to say that they best keep quiet before tipoff.
The Bulldogs shouldn’t have the Jayhawk’s problem of overconfidence coming into the game, though. This is a team that was once an NIT-bound 14–9 and looking like another mid-major one-hit wonder á la George Mason (’06 Final Four).
But last year’s runner-ups clearly refocused and are playing carefree basketball again. Their comeback against Florida (down 53–44 late in 2nd half) was all after a Brad Stevens-called timeout, in which he must have known which buttons to push, because they played like champs the last 12 minutes. Prediction: Butler 68, Virginia Commonwealth 62
The Veterans
Connecticut, 30–9, versus Kentucky, 29–8: Two of the youngest teams in the country square off in the nightcap as Kemba Walker’s Huskies battle Brandon Knight’s Wildcats.
UConn’s run is well-documented. They reeled off an incredible five wins in as many days to win the Big East tourney. The next week they took down Bucknell and then conference-foe Cincinnati to advance to the Sweet 16. But the tough part then was beating San Diego State (in Anaheim) and then hyped-up Arizona, two days later, to advance to their second Final Four in the last three years.
During UConn’s four-game NCAA tourney-stretch, star-guard Kemba Walker has averaged a very-impressive 26.8 points and 6.8 assists per game. The lightning-quick junior has made life difficult for opponents by constantly finding his way into the paint, attracting a double-team, and then either hitting a spectacular shot or passing it out to a teammate (usually freshmen forwards Jeremy Lamb or Roscoe Smith) for a wide open 3-pointer.
The Huskies’ speed and shooting is balanced by the inside presence of sophomore center Alex Oriakhi. The 6-foot-9-inch big man averages just less than 10 points and 9 rebounds per game and requires just enough attention to keep defenders honest.
If there’s anyone out there who can match up against him though, it’s definitely Kentucky’s Josh Harrelson.
The 6-foot-10-inch 275-pound senior center has come out of nowhere this year and been a pleasant surprise, averaging 14.8 points, 9 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game in the NCAA tourney. His play against Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger, as well as the front line of North Carolina, was a big reason the Cats took down the East region’s top two seeds.
Perhaps the biggest reason for Kentucky’s success though is the East Region’s Most Outstanding Player, Brandon Knight. The freshman guard has hit game-winners in two of their last four wins, while averaging a team-leading 17.2 points per game on the season. Prediction: Kentucky 78, Connecticut 74
