An historic Final Four filled with four number 1 seeds is about to take place in San Antonio. North Carolina, Kansas, Memphis, and UCLA are all plausible national champions, but only one will cut down the nets in reality. With these four heavyweights in the Final Four, we could have three classic games in the waiting- or just as easily have three lopsided blowouts. But here’s what’s in store for the first two Final Four games.
Memphis Tigers vs. UCLA Bruins
The Final Four has several big stars ready to go, but few have had as big an impact as the two freshmen in the crowd. The Tigers Derrick Rose rose up big to the occasion in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8, while the Bruins Kevin Love has constantly come through in every aspect. Both teams have outstanding secondary weapons in the Tigers Chris Douglas-Roberts and the Bruins Darren Collison. Still, Rose and Love are the x-factors that can take over the entire game for either team if they aren’t held in check.
The Tigers Joey Dorsey will have to contain Love in a way that few teams have been able to do this season. Collison’s match up with Rose may be the most exciting showdown of the game. Bruins banged up star Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is due for a breakout game. The Tigers guards completely shut down Texas’s D.J Augustine, and can seal a victory with a repeat performance against Collison and Russell Westbrook.
The Bruins and Tigers last met in an ugly regional final two years ago, yet they did not have the scorers and athletic prowess they both have now. The Tigers even made a good showing with free throws in the last two games- even though they hardly needed them in blowout victories.
Both the Tigers and Bruins have faced questions and struggles throughout the year, but seem to have finally peaked at the right time. The Tigers completed their mission to finally get to the Final Four, although the Bruins mission to finally win it all isn’t done yet. Bruins coach Ben Howland may never have a better chance to finish the job, and the Bruins have been able to get nearly every type of win there is in the last month. This time, their luck will last in the Final Four.
Prediction: UCLA 68, Memphis 61.
North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Kansas Jayhawks
Tar Heels coach Roy Williams is coaching against the Jayhawks for the first time since he left Lawrence in 2003. Now on to the actual basketball.
Tyler Hansbrough is the biggest clutch player in the Final Four other than Kevin Love. The job of limiting his damage goes to the Jayhawks Sasha Khan, who was the difference maker against Davidson. But if the Jayhawks take the Tar Heels down to the final minutes, Khan may be the only thing standing between Hansbrough and another late game conquest. It may be too much to ask, since Hansbrough can exploit even the slightest weakness.
To get that close, however, the Jayhawks need Brandon Rush back on his game after his poor performance in the Elite 8. Defensively, Rush and Mario Chalmers will have to cover Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson. If they are kept in check like Stephen Curry was in the second half, the Tar Heels will have a harder time keeping up with the Jayhawks. Both the Tar Heels and Jayhawks can run up the score or win in defensive struggles, so it almost doesn’t matter which type of pace is set.
Like the Tigers, the Jayhawks finally got over a big hump to get to the Final Four. But like the Bruins, the Tar Heels big hump is to win the championship. The Tar Heels road to the Final Four consisted of three blowouts and one close game that they comfortably won. At this point, the Tar Heels may have just one or two more cylinders firing than the Jayhawks.
Prediction: North Carolina 79, Kansas 75.
Sources
FOX Sports- “A first look at the Final Four” msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/7970188/A-first-look-at-the-Final-Four
Sporting News- “Final Four Matchup: UCLA vs. Memphis” www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php
Sporting News- “Final Four Matchup: North Carolina vs. Kansas” www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php
