- Butler topples another giant... I've been on record against this K-State team and they finally (2 rounds late) came through for me.... Butler's half-court defense was a clinic on how to shut down perimeter scoring despite having an athletic disadvantage... They made plays down the stretch and bottled up Pullen for 40 minutes... On the K-State side, props to Curtis Kelly, who I thoroughly enjoy and thought he played well each time I saw him through the tourney.... Butler is going home to the Final 4 and they have a very winnable game....
- Kentucky folds up the tent... Goodbye to John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Patrick Patterson (and maybe Bledsoe and Orton for good measure).... they just couldn't make a jump-shot all night (4 of 32 threes for starters), and it felt like they were pressing from the jump... maybe it's youth, maybe it's just bad execution... Props to Bob Huggins (wow, I just said that) for putting together a game plan to slow them down, and Joe Mazzulla for playing the game of his life (career-high 17 after averaging 2 ppg this year)...
- Izzo does it again... I can't overstate how ridiculous it is that Michigan State is in the Final 4 despite losing last year's Big 10 player of the year (and their best player by far) in Kalin Lucas for the year 2 games ago...factor in that 3rd guard Chris Allen is still hobbled, and they weren't the most talented team to begin with.... and you get the Izzo factor... Granted, there was some luck involved...namely their draw opening up when Kansas and Ohio State went down... but despite them being the higher seed in both of their last 2 games, they were definitely not the favorites (as Vegas would attest) in either one... For Tennessee, a valiant effort especially when you consider what they lost in January, but they couldn't make the plays at the end... Izzo...
- And Duke saves CBS.... can you imagine the "ratings bonanza" that a Final 4 of Butler, Michigan State, West Virginia, and Baylor would've been!??!? laughter ensues... Even WITH Duke, this will feel like a letdown to some people, but behind Nolan Smith's 29, Duke was able to beat a team with better athletes, and beat them despite Kyle Singler shooting 0 for 10... 0 for 10! Duke is now the default favorite... but an imminently beatable one....
The 4 is set... Saturday will match Michigan State and Butler at 6:07, and Duke/West Virginia to follow 30 minutes after... For the picks? I'll put them up Friday....
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