We are down to the Final Four, and what a strange journey it has been. In the end, though, there are two familiar faces in Duke and Michigan State and two unlikelies in West Virginia and Butler (the latter much more so).
How They Got There.
#5 Butler Bulldogs
Butler completed there improbable run to Indianapolis (their home city) with an impressive win over Kansas State. Gordon Hayward, is the real deal and possibly the Great White Hype. He is a tall, 6'9'' point guard with great range and a sneaky good offensive skill set. He was the conference player of the year, and if Butler can pull this thing off, he may just be tournament MVP.
Kansas State looked like shit, and had I heard this stat before the game I would have picked Butler. The last 9 teams to win a tournament game in overtime (K-State beat Xavier in 2OT) have lost in the next round! What?! WOW! They clearly did not have the same energy, especially in the backourt. Pullen and Clemente managed 1 first half field goal, and that was in the final 10 seconds of the half. To put it plainly, they sucked. As much, as they struggled though, Butler looked very good.
Shelvin Mack, Gordon Hayward and Matt Howard seem on a mission and they will be the decided crowd favorite in Indy.
#2 West Virginia Mountaineers
Some people actually picked this team to get here, and I thought they were fucking crazy. I've thought WVU was a good team all year long, but I thought they had too much working against them. In the tournament I always like guard play, and I just wasn't that impressed with Bryant and Mazzulla. However, Mazzulla was magnificent against Kentucky this weekend and fueled their victory with big baskets when they needed them. I also am not a Huggybear fan, and I think for the most part he's been a terrible disappointment in the tournaments. But, nonetheless he's gotten this team to scrap together some huge wins on their march to the final four.
Kentucky was god-awful shooting the ball on Saturday and didn't impress on defense either. They really just didn't show up to play. The one thing I thought would give them trouble in my preview, came to fruition. They could not get the ball in the paint around the long arms of the WVU perimeter. WVU did an excellent job of forcing the pace, and shot the lights out...no 2 pt field goals in the first half. All threes! I doubt they continue that hot shooting in the next round.
#5 Michigan State Spartans
They should just name the trophy after Tom Izzo. The dude is unreal. In the last 12 years, he's gone to the Final Four 50% of the time. No other basketball program can claim that, and yet when we think of top programs we often leave Michigan State out of the conversation. Perhaps, we are too close to the moment to really appreciate what is happening up in East Lansing, MI. Despite not having Kalin Lucas, their best player, the Spartans played a great game and in the end their lock-down D was too much for Tennessee to handle. UT played a tremendous game as well, under Coach Pearl. They were led by a great effort from Brian Williams who was all over the glass and making plays from the paint all day.
Tennessee got a little sloppy and also committed some dumb fouls late in the 2nd half that eventually doomed them. I've heard some people saying that the foul at the end wasn't actually a foul, but that is pretty absurd. They are definitely going to call that...and you have to foul there. You can't give up a lay-up to win the game. Make him earn 'em! J.P. Prince put up one of the more feeble buzzer-beaters I've ever seen at the end. I'm not even sure if reached the free-throw line.
In the end, Izzo is back in the Final Four, and we never should have doubted him anyway.
#1 Duke Blue Devils
Man, I hate Duke. This game was a perfect microcosm of why I hate the Duke Blue Devils. They just get under your skin. Baylor was looking really good, led by some marvellous play from big-man Epke Udoh and guard LaceDarrius Dunn. They had a lead with under 5 to play, but that is when Duke went to work on the offensive glass. I know Baylor was in a zone, but their front court was 6'10'' 7'0'' and 6'10''. It is really pretty inexcusable to be giving up those 2nd chance opportunities. Those opportunities fueled a late surge by Duke, and then Baylor lost their tempers a bit and Acy picked up a technical foul. I thought it was a pretty weak call, but you have to keep your emotions in check, especially against Duke, those snot-nosed spoiled brats that do nothing but irritate you.
Duke still has not shot the ball particularly well, as evidenced by Kyle Singler going 0-10 from the floor. I really would have loved to seen him be the reason they lost yesterday, but apparently God hates me and wants to make me watch Duke in the Final Four. I don't know what is worse, Yankees in WS or Duke in the Final Four.
Anyway, they're here and unfortunately I like their chances. (I'm just saying that because all my predictions have been buptkus.) I would love to see Izzo give it to Krewserweski in the Championship.
