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I was hating life this morning, let me say... Was already tired to begin with, but decided to watch the entirety of last night's college basketball action. Of the four games on, three were great. Or, I should say two were great, and the last five minutes of UCLA-Gonzaga was great too.
Game 1: LSU defeats Duke 62-54
I had picked Duke to lose in the following round against Texas because I didn't think they had enough to win. I was right. I just hadn't anticipated the mismatch they had against LSU. Teams with size and interior depth can kill Duke. And that's what happened. Glen "Big Baby" Davis, ramarkably nimble for a man his size, has gotten a lot of press recently - but I was really impressed with Tyrus Thomas. Long (remember when they used to call players 'tall') and athletic, with excellent shot-blocking instincts. LSU's interior defense and rebounding superiority allowed them to press Redick and took Duke totally out of their offensive game. And they had enough bench to survive major foul problems. If LSU had guards that could get and make their own shots, they'd be a title team. As it is, I think this was their shining moment. They're a sweet frontcourt, but not exactly Patrick Ewing and Michael Graham.
Lasting Image:
Big Baby grabbing rebounded miss free throw after miss free throw. When it's one on four, you really should be getting the boards. Duke has talent at the top, but no depth, and it kills them year after year.
- - - - -
Game 2: Memphis defeats Bradley (A lot - considerably less)
Patrick O'Bryant got love because he's tall and somewhat athletic. However, he's still a stiff, and he got exposed by a Memphis team with superior athleticism.
Lasting Image: None. Me yawning. No drama here. I'm sure Rodney Carney had some awesome dunks, but I must have missed them.
- - - - -
Game 3: Texas over West Virginia (74-71)
Who doesn't love seeing big shots made in the final seconds, and we got two. Kevin Pittsnogle's big three tied the game only to be trumped by Kenton Paulino's buzzer beater. And both were great, cluctch shots. Pittsnogle catching off a curl and falling away. Paulino, adjusting in the air to avoid a defender. As a side note, I cannot remember the last time I saw a team as wholly dependent on the three as WVU. It's half the reason they fell behind (the other half being LaMarcus Aldridge) and the only reason they caught back up.
Lasting Image:
Paulino's three. Shot of the tournament so far. Too bad they don't have a picture of the shot from behind, showing the clock hitting zero and the light coming on.
- - - - -
Game 4: UCLA stuns Gonzaga (73-710
On the one hand, I can't believe UCLA won. Gonzaga was beating their brains out and had them dead. Up 71-62 with three minutes left. OTOH, I'm not at all surpised. Because it's been a long while since I've seen a team with such a lead look so beaten. This wasn't just a great comeback, though it was. it was also a colossal choke. The last time I saw a team choke like this (bad defense, bad passes, bad turnovers, bad fouls, bad shots...) it was my beloved Maryland Terrapins pulling an all-time gag job against Duke in the Final Four.
Lasting Image:
Adam Morrison, with his awful hair and his awful, awful moustache, crying at the end of the game. JJ Redick had a lousy night and was useless to his team. Morrison played reasonably well until he went into the tank and took his team with him in a far more painful way than Redick's ever was.
Game 1: LSU defeats Duke 62-54
I had picked Duke to lose in the following round against Texas because I didn't think they had enough to win. I was right. I just hadn't anticipated the mismatch they had against LSU. Teams with size and interior depth can kill Duke. And that's what happened. Glen "Big Baby" Davis, ramarkably nimble for a man his size, has gotten a lot of press recently - but I was really impressed with Tyrus Thomas. Long (remember when they used to call players 'tall') and athletic, with excellent shot-blocking instincts. LSU's interior defense and rebounding superiority allowed them to press Redick and took Duke totally out of their offensive game. And they had enough bench to survive major foul problems. If LSU had guards that could get and make their own shots, they'd be a title team. As it is, I think this was their shining moment. They're a sweet frontcourt, but not exactly Patrick Ewing and Michael Graham.
Lasting Image:
Big Baby grabbing rebounded miss free throw after miss free throw. When it's one on four, you really should be getting the boards. Duke has talent at the top, but no depth, and it kills them year after year.
- - - - -
Game 2: Memphis defeats Bradley (A lot - considerably less)
Patrick O'Bryant got love because he's tall and somewhat athletic. However, he's still a stiff, and he got exposed by a Memphis team with superior athleticism.
Lasting Image: None. Me yawning. No drama here. I'm sure Rodney Carney had some awesome dunks, but I must have missed them.
- - - - -
Game 3: Texas over West Virginia (74-71)
Who doesn't love seeing big shots made in the final seconds, and we got two. Kevin Pittsnogle's big three tied the game only to be trumped by Kenton Paulino's buzzer beater. And both were great, cluctch shots. Pittsnogle catching off a curl and falling away. Paulino, adjusting in the air to avoid a defender. As a side note, I cannot remember the last time I saw a team as wholly dependent on the three as WVU. It's half the reason they fell behind (the other half being LaMarcus Aldridge) and the only reason they caught back up.
Lasting Image:
Paulino's three. Shot of the tournament so far. Too bad they don't have a picture of the shot from behind, showing the clock hitting zero and the light coming on.
- - - - -
Game 4: UCLA stuns Gonzaga (73-710
On the one hand, I can't believe UCLA won. Gonzaga was beating their brains out and had them dead. Up 71-62 with three minutes left. OTOH, I'm not at all surpised. Because it's been a long while since I've seen a team with such a lead look so beaten. This wasn't just a great comeback, though it was. it was also a colossal choke. The last time I saw a team choke like this (bad defense, bad passes, bad turnovers, bad fouls, bad shots...) it was my beloved Maryland Terrapins pulling an all-time gag job against Duke in the Final Four.
Lasting Image:
Adam Morrison, with his awful hair and his awful, awful moustache, crying at the end of the game. JJ Redick had a lousy night and was useless to his team. Morrison played reasonably well until he went into the tank and took his team with him in a far more painful way than Redick's ever was.