We heard a lot of hyperbole coming into the start of the national semifinals that this would be the BEST FINAL FOUR EVER. A quartet of 1-seeds, a group of teams that had won over 130 combined games, and a boatload of talent for each of the competing squads. The pre-ordained script called for two hard-fought contests, with UCLA prevailing over Memphis in a grinder of a game and UNC eventually running over Kansas due to superior athleticism.
Instead, we got two games where the eventual victor was pretty obvious from the 10-minute mark of the first half. As Bob Knight pointed out on ESPN after the games last night, despite the laudatory comments for the potential greatness of this Final Four, we ended up with two double-digit games, and had two teams (UCLA and UNC) who really didn’t play that well.
So what did we learn from the semifinals? Some thoughts on the contests, and the looming national championship game, after the jump.
LESSON 1: Something is wrong with Ben Howland’s offensive system. This was an incredibly talented UCLA team that he brought to the Final Four this year, moreso than the 2006 and 2007 squads. You could almost excuse the Bruins in those two years for not being able to crack the defense of an athletically superior Florida squad, but UCLA’s inability to get into any sort of offensive rhythm against Memphis really generates some questions in my mind about Howland’s overall approach on the offensive end of the ball.
Let’s be honest — UCLA has been at their best this year offensively when the referees slip into “UCLA cannot commit a foul” mode. For the first time in the tournament, the refs seemed to give a UCLA opponent the same benefit, and it meant that the Bruins’ shots down low were challenged physically. Between that, and Collison’s inability to get untracked on either end of the ball, UCLA’s fate was sealed early. While the game was still technically in doubt up until about the 5 minute mark of the second half, it was obvious from early on that Memphis had figured out exactly how to score on the Bruins, and how to keep them from scoring. The lack of adjustments from Howland was puzzling at best.
LESSON 2: Lost in all the laughing commentary about Bill Self’s inability to win the big game was a point that has been collectively forgotten — Roy Williams is not a particularly good big-game coach. It’s been said that a national title can cover a multitude of sin, and in Roy’s case, it appears that all was forgotten after he won the 2005 championship with UNC.
His team’s performance throughout the most important stage of the game — the first 10 minutes — was maybe the worst I’ve seen in the Final Four in the last 15 years, taking into account the talent that UNC has at their disposal. They just played stupidly, on both sides of the ball, and while they did make it a bit interesting in the second half, the nails were already in the coffin.
Now, Kansas didn’t exactly acquit themselves well in the game either. In fact, I had to chuckle when I heard Nantz and Packer continue to refer to UNC’s resurgence in the game as a “great comeback”. Let’s be honest…it was not a comeback. It was an “allow-back”, as my friend Kyle pointed out. But give Bill Self some credit. He obviously had his team far more ready to play than Roy did, and he did a good job of finally changing the style of play to suit the fatigue level of his squad after UNC cut it to 4.
LESSON 3: Has there ever been a more uncomfortable person to listen to than Tyler Hansbrough?
LESSON 4: Memphis’ win on Saturday night has a great deal of historical significance. It means that, for only the second time in the last 20 years, a team that is not from one of the six BCS conference will have a chance to play for the national title. UNLV won the title in 1990 out of the PCAA, and Utah lost to Kentucky in 1998.
LOOKING AHEAD: I’m not sure what to expect out of this title game, but I do know that the absence of UNC and UCLA ensures that I won’t be disgusted with the outcome. At this point, I tend to favor Memphis, just because they’re playing at such a consistently high level. However, Kansas has better athletes, a better offensive system, and is better-prepared to play against the Tigers than Michigan State, Texas, or UCLA were.
Statistically, these teams are almost dead even. Memphis plays a slightly faster tempo. Kansas is ever-so-slightly better in terms of offensive and defensive efficiency. This SHOULD be a good, close game between two teams that are playing extremely good basketball right now. Of course, given the way the rest of the tournament has gone, don’t be surprised if it’s a 15-point blowout either way.
Solid post… unlike UNC yesterday!
Quick pts:
– Memphis, Calipari’s recruiting and underground economy notwithstanding, deserves this on the court… More athletic, basketball talent, and what is crucial in modern hoops, big guards who can handle, organize, shoot, drive, and perceivably pass. If they can get to the big guy’s head so he can have a party with the Kansas bigs who are now much more confident than when this thing started, we could be confirmed.
– Lesson 2:
Applaud in agreement re: Coach Roy’s ability to handle big games, what an embarrassment yesterday, truly reflected teams’ preparation. If anyone feels that UNC was well prepared for this game, well… it sure didn’t show at any point, incl the “allow back” phase of the game.
As for the 2005 title in St. Louis, well, let’s also attribute this to another outstanding coach, Bruce Weber, who just was not able to get the most talented team to pull it off… Roy didn’t really win that one for them, and Sean May had his moment in time too… Too bad for him in the NBA w/ the injuries… but we are digressing!
Re: Kansas, if anyone watched the Davidson game, it became evident that both teams deserved to lose that game, only Davidson deserved to lose more… The Kansas point guard almost cost them the Final Four, and if it wasn’t for Sasha Kuhn they wouldn’t have made it… Now how the heck did they walk into this UNC game so pumped up… I don’t know… Awesome job by Self preparing them defensively, from the sounds of it in the locker room they were focused and calm, and anyway, the way they played made me think they might have been on the same substances the Greek national weight-lifting team is and has been for the past few years (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/more/04/04/greek.weightlifting.doping.ap/index.html)
Sidenote: If I hear another thing about what a great coach Larry Brown is I’ll press the magic button (mute)… He was duly embarrassed and taken to school in the Olympics, the real coaching test. And the way he handled it in Athens was a disgrace for all American coaches.
I think we all need to look toward the new rising talent in coaching, yeap, Danny Manning! Still remember watching his 88 run sometime in the wee hours overseas!
– Lesson 3:
Give the kid a break! What a show he’s been putting on so far, gotta give it to him… Sad for him, as is the whole state of MO. Oh well, the NBA is waiting, though, the Q is where does he end up (unless he pulls off another miracle and decides to do what no other underclassman this year would fathom, come back… if so, I want UNC to play Koufos — assuming he stays too — and Ohio St. in the final next year, it would be the battle of Titans!)
Even though I think the comparison to MJ’s intensity and hustle at UNC was somewhat perturbing (I think that was brought up in the Elite Eight), he’s definitely one of the greatest hustlers I’ve seen in about 25 years.
– Lesson 4:
Excellent pt… and the Utes should have won that one:( Oh well Majerus will NOT get another chance with St. Lou:)
I really don’t see how Memphis will lose, and Calipari is not Roy, he’ll find a way to deal with Kansas D and he has the guards to lead them through. Regardless of what is going on around the program and any issues that may come up recruiting-wise, what we see on the floor is that they should win this. Hopefully Kansas will keep it a decent game. Enjoy!
I’m still rooting for Cleveland State.
Agreed on Lesson 2 - how many final fours for Roy and how many titles?
Wonder if Kansas will shoot free throws better than what they show in the ’ship game 5 years ago.
Incidentally, word on the street is that Koufos is leaving Ohio State.
Reflections without ACL’s:
I think UCLA’s problem was not coaching or system but committment to defense and team speed & quickness. UCLA could not find an efficient or productive way to get the ball into the front court scoring position. Further on offense UCLA’s front court was trying to get a blow from trying to stay with Memphis’s offense.
As for UNC-KU, the game was over in the first 5 minutes as UNC notoriously has had slow starts this year and they had to use so much emotional and physical energy even getting back into reach of the game score that the final 5 minutes they had little left in the tank….
As for coaching hmmm….I consider all these coaches great stable masters, but Calipari appears to have gotten his players to buy-in to the total defense and the ole’ chip on the shoulder—Dangerfield— get no R-E-S-P-E-C-T.’
Predict….the disrespected team earns its respect because afterall the best player on the court is a kid from Chicago wearing 23….