- UConn outlasts Missouri....Missouri hung tough throughout but just too much down the stretch...Freshman Kemba Walker was everywhere (7-9 FG, 23 points, 5 boards, 5 dimes) and he, along with AJ Price, was enough to offset Thabeet's foul trouble and lack of production....Missouri did what they had to do (go right at Thabeet and take him away, etc.) and just came up a little short....Well played on both accounts but in the end....the 45-26 rebounding advantage (patently absurd btw) is what propelled UConn...just too many second shots...
- Game of the tourney: Nova over Pitt.... Big-time ending featuring a stupid inbounds pass by Nova for a TO....2 huge FTs by Mr. Clutch Levance Fields to tie it....then a beautiful play design/execution by Jay Wright and Scottie Reynolds for the win.... big-time performance and a well-played back-and-forth game.... I'll quickly throw Jamie Dixon under the bus for only getting DaJuan Blair 9 shot attempts (he went 9-9 btw) but other than that, the reason Pitt faltered was simply a lack of wing production outside of Sam Young.... Biggs, Dixon, Wanamaker, and Gibbs combined for 10 points...that's not going to cut it in this type of game against the plethora of guards Nova throws at you.... Key stat of the game? Villanova goes 22-23 at the line.... When you win by 2? That's even more magnified....
- Overall? I thoroughly enjoyed the slate... 2 well-fought games by teams that didn't lay eggs...and this sort of saved this year's tournament for me...I had been losing a bit of that fire from underwhelming performances...I'm back
Now....to the Sunday Preview..... First of all, THE PICKS....Now 12-10-1 after the UConn cover....
- Michigan State +7
- Oklahoma +7
As you can see I like both underdogs...here's why
- Mich State/Louisville....2 big factors here.....it's a virtual MSU homegame in Minneapolis....and Louisville has been told how great they are for 2 straight days....there will be a slight letdown if nothing else but b/c they can't possibly shoot that well 2 games in a row....Michigan State will grind the game down, defend, and not be rattled by the pressure b/c their lead guard play is exceptional.... I still like Louisville in the game (Too much Terrance Williams IMO), but look for it to come down to the last 5 minutes....
- UNC/Oklahoma.....Once and for all, we'll all put to rest any of the hangers-on who think Psycho T is the best player in the nation.... Blake Griffin will go nuts here if they single him up (which they shouldn't)....the key to the game? How do Willie Warren and Austin Johnson respond to the biggest game of their lives against veterans Lawson and Ellington? If they can hold their own, Oklahoma wins....I don't necessarily think Warren will get battered...but with how Lawson looked on Friday, I have no choice but to think Roy Williams will be basically forced to double Blake Griffin.... Tony Crocker CANNOT disappear for Oklahoma to have a chance either....UNC already has the depth advantage...I like UNC b/c Lawson looks 100% and this entire team has been here before from Roy Williams on down, whereas Oklahoma doesn't have one guy who's been this far....
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