Final Four Fun: Let’s Get Those Picks In
College Basketball April 4th. 2008, 5:30pm
In case you aren’t tracking the games Saturday night like we will be - at home, with the computer nearby, chiming in on the comments section - now seems like a fine time to make your Final Four picks. UCLA-Memphis is up first at six, and the other game will probably start around 9:40. Just a couple matchups to consider in that first one: Derrick Rose and Antonio Anderson of Memphis against Darren Collison and Russell Westbrook of UCLA.
Anderson and Rose harassed the famed Texas backcourt into 10-for-34 shooting last Sunday, and even though Augustin and Abrams tallied 33 points, most of it came late, when the game was decided. In the Sweet 16, MSU’s Neitzel and Lucas were complete non-factors against the Memphis pair, shooting 5-for-15 (a week after having their way with a defensive-minded Pittsburgh team). Now here’s why we don’t like Memphis, and wouldn’t wager on them - a) ability to shoot free throws in a close game, and b) shot-selection against a defensive-minded team like UCLA. (If you watched the hideously ugly Memphis-USC game earlier this year, you know what we’re talking about.)
Also, the 2006 Regional Final shitshow (31 percent, 2-for-17 on 3’s) is still fresh in our minds. Plus, watching Dozier and Taggart and those clowns force bad shots - and clang them - is just too much for our stomach to take. All that being said … Josh Shipp is playing timid and hasn’t shown up in weeks, and unless he or Luc Richard can play Kevin Love’s wingman, the Bruins are going down. Memphis 68, UCLA 63.
A game we will have more interest in - Kansas/UNC. Depending where you go, the Jayhawks are 3 or 3.5-point underdogs, and everyone likes Carolina. Fine by us, we’ll take Kansas, but to win outright. We’ve already let it be known that we like Russell Robinson to do a superb job on Ty Lawson, and we think Brandon Rush is a difficult matchup for UNC, and the Kahn/Arthur combo may bring Hansbrough back to earth a bit. That being said, we have already lost three times in the tourney picking against the Heels: Arkansas, Washington State, and that massive tease from Louisville. We’ll make one last observation and brace ourselves for the criticism - you know CBS would love a Hansbrough-Love showdown Monday, so expect the refs let Hansbrough continue to get away with all those overly-aggressive reach-ins on the perimeter (like he did last week). Kansas 77, UNC 75.
26 Responses to “Final Four Fun: Let’s Get Those Picks In”
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April 4th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
What’s the money line on Kansas? Anything above +150, you should probably take it.
April 4th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
I picked 3/4 of the final four teams (Memphis) and I have UCLA winning it all against Kansas.
I still like Kansas but as Memphis has played on they have impressed me more and more, I don’t feel too comfortable with the UCLA pick anymore but I can’t go against my picks. (gotta win that pool!)
UCLA-Memphis: 75-71
Kansas-UNC: 86-80
April 4th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
UNC 85 Kansas 79
Memphis 62 UCLA 59
UNC 82 Memphis 74
April 4th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Memphis 68, Texas A&M 60…oh wait, i forgot, i support a team that chokes all the freaking time. i hope memphis pounds the poo out of ucla.
kansas 70, unc 65
kansas 75, memphis 71
April 4th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
They do the River Dance at UCLA?
April 4th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Memphis 74 - UCLA 68
UNC 88 - Kansas 74
UNC 83 - Memphis 71
Damn, my picks in the pool suck pretty bad.
April 4th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
“so expect the refs let Hansbrough continue to get away with all those overly-aggressive reach-ins on the perimeter (like he did last week).”
That is exactly what I’m worried about. Arthur doesn’t even have to be guarding Hansbrough and he’ll reach out and slap at him on a shot.
Since it is a meaningless prediction…
UCLA 65 Memphis 55
KU 85 UNC 80
UCLA 65 KU 58 (KU gets flusted in a half court game. Love is all of the sudden the #2 pick in the draft.)
I feel like Peter King writing a Thursday NFL picks column. No rhyme or reason for the exact scores. Just that UCLA will dictate tempo throughout.
April 4th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
UCLA 70 Memphis 68
Kansas 84 UNC 76
April 4th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
KU is +140.
TBL, you should have ran this thread earlier. Everyone has left work already or is on their way out.
Anyway, I cannot remember a college game I’ve anticipated more than KU/UNC. I want to see Roy win another one, but I think we’re gonna see KU beating Memphis for the title.
Anyone see the SI picks? Didn’t realize they all loved UCLA so much.
April 4th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
ESPNews: Kansas G Rodrick Stewart fractures a kneecap slipping on a wet spot while practicing a slam dunk in practice.
Bad break for KU, and I’m sorry for the guy, but I just knew that something like this would happen sooner or later. Half the players can’t hit key free throws, but they’re practicing their slams in practice.
April 4th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
UCLA 70-62
UNC 86-70
UCLA 75 UNC 72
April 4th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Jay -
They were practicing their slams after practice.
Ku is deep, but Stewart was a key spark guy. Now, it’s Jeremey Case. Last holdover from Roy. Make it happen, son.
April 4th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
I have no earthly idea. I had UCLA winning it all from the beginning, and them beating Memphis in the Final Four, so I’m staying with that. My other half is a trainwreck, so I’ll just guess again.
UCLA 67 Memphis 65
Kansas 88 UNC 81
UCLA 75 Kansas 74
April 4th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
UCLA keeps Memphis in a half court game, which the Tigers despise. UCLA wins 69-60.
UNC makes KU long for the days of Droopy Dog on their sidelines. Self self-implodes and Carolina wins going away, 84-68.
I’ll stick with my pre-tourney pick. Kevin Love sticks it to Travel T. UCLA wins 78-72.
April 4th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
unc 86 kansas 85
memphis 72 ucla 69
unc over memphis
85-81
Ginyard is going to pull Rush’ fraud card
April 4th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
UNC 82 Kansas 75
UCLA 69 memphis 66
UNC 78 UCLA 72
April 4th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Hey Nick. What’s up with that big ass puddle in left field? Your ground crew sucks. Take a cue from the Phillies here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNK9L9kLZa8
April 4th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
That’s, like, your opinion, man.
April 4th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Memphis 73 UCLA 65
UNC 81 Kansas 78
Memphis 75 UNC 69
April 4th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
nice choke job tonight hurricanes. the southeast division, its faaaantastic
April 5th, 2008 at 12:04 am
Flyers are in baby! I’m Flyered up.
April 5th, 2008 at 1:24 am
Stewart leaving his knee in San Antonio isn’t a big deal for KU. I don’t think he’s even seen the court since his brother was killed. And Jeremy Case is the best shooter Kansas has… in practice anyway. And the last remaining Roy recruit.
April 5th, 2008 at 1:44 am
Looks like K. Love is doing the chicken dance in that pic.
April 5th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Josh Shipp is gonna go off today… and Darren Collison will hold Rose to 10 or 12 points. UCLA beats Memphis. Hansbrough handles Kaun and the committee of guys trying to stop him despite a great game from Sherron Collins and Russell Robinson guarding Lawson. North Carolina in a nail biter.
April 5th, 2008 at 9:44 am
@ Nick Papageorgio: Nice Lebowski line!
April 5th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Oh that old gag…