Since Ohio State is the first team to qualify, I thought it appropriate to start a new topic. What had been a pretty close game with Memphis, turned out to be a breeze for the Buckeyes with 18 straight points at the charity stripe. Memphis was very solid from the outside, but we did well in the paint. A lot of people contributed, but Conley and Lewis did a terrific job. I think Conley is as good as any point guard in the country and he is only a freshman. Oden sat out a good portion of the first half, but it really did not deter the outcome. Don
This seems to be a year where the top seeds are moving forward. It looks like UCLA may beat Kansas, but they are a number two I believe. Nice win by the Buckeye's today. This sets up the possibilty of a rematch of Florida and Ohio State for the Basketball Championship. A rematch of the football Championship as well as a rematch of an eariler matchup in the regular basketball season. Has their ever been a time the same two teams played for both Basketball and Football Championships? I don't think so. Gator Bill
UCLA is in as expected. If there was any doubt about which team has the greatest defense in the nation, there shouldn't be after this. As good as Kansas was, UCLA was better. There were 32 steals in the game; 16 by each side. Wowza! The Bruins held the Jayhawks to 55 points and continue to ride Afflalo and Collison to the Final Four. BTW- Kansas has never beaten UCLA in the NCAA playoffs. the count is now 0-6... BTW-BTW... Neither team has a senior on their rosters. Those two teams will see each other again somewhere. For now... UCLA 68 Kansas 55
I'm eating crow. I said earlier that I did not think UCLA would make it to the Final Four. Boy was I wrong! I never doubted JO'Co's accuracy when he described the the UCLA-IU game as a defensive classic. Where I was wrong was underestimating the level of IU's play. Today's game was at least a notch higher in defensive intensity, especially by UCLA. Kansas has great athletes, but they were completely neutered inside by UCLA's defensive quickness. UCLA certainly has the ability to win it all......as does Ohio State. It's getting very interesting.
:idea: I've felt all along that UCLA had the best team in the country. They're very young and that means depth problems if they're forced to substitute and they lose focus on defense when the games don't matter. (See their final game loss after they had clinched the Pac10 title and their loss in the Pac10 Tourney.) Their youth also shows up in their tendency to play to the level of their competition, which you saw again today. On the postgame show, Ben Howland said, "Kansas is the best team that we saw all year." I agree with that statement.
I see where Mike Conley, Jr. has been named the South Regional MVP and most deservedly. Defense wins a lot of games and titles, UCLA fits the mold well. Gator Bill, where did Donavon coach prior to arriving at Florida? Don
Don, I see Sid did his homework. I'll add one thing though, while an assistant at Kentucky e was an assistant along with Tubby Smith who is his good friend. I don't know how that might play into any feelings he may have about going to Kentucky. Kentucky fans think it's a slam dunk he goes there if they want him and the fans do want him. They feel like he would want to go to Kentucky where basketball is king. I don't feel that is true and there is an advantage to being at a place like Florida, or Ohio State, where the overall all sports program is storng and that Billy Donovan has always gotten along very well with the football coaches and they have assisted each other. I hope I am not deluding myself. Gator Bill
Certainly looks like it could be 3 #1 seeds and 1 #2 seed. Have all 4 #1 seeds ever made it to the Final Four?
No. That has never happened. All four #1's have never made the Final Four at the same time. It almost happened this year, but the committee blew it with UCLA. Maybe conference tournaments are important back east, but nobody out here gives a damn about them. The Bruins were the best in the west all along... Tournament Trends #1 seeds Since Kentucky won their championship in 1978 as the #1 team going into the tournament, only four teams have won the National Championship while being ranked #1 in the polls going into the tournament: 1982 North Carolina, 1992 Duke, 1995 UCLA and 2001 Duke. Since the NCAA started seeding teams (1979), only four times has the championship matched two #1 seeds: 1982 North Carolina vs. Georgetown 1993 North Carolina vs. Michigan 1999 Duke vs. UConn 2005 North Carolina vs. Illinois Only twice since full seeding of all tournament teams began in 1979 have no #1 seeds made the Final Four: 1980: Louisville - 2 Iowa - 5 Purdue - 6 UCLA - 8 2006: UCLA - 2 Florida - 3 LSU - 4 George Mason - 11 Since the expansion to 64 teams in 1985, there has never been a case where all four #1 seeds made it to the Final Four. The closest it has ever come to this was in 1993 when three #1 seeds (Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina) and a #2 seed (Kansas) made it. On two other occasions, three #1 seeds made it to the Final Four accompanied by a #4 seed: 1997 (#1 seeds: Kentucky, Minnesota, North Carolina; #4 seed: Arizona) 1999 (#1 seeds: Connecticut, Duke, Michigan State; #4 seed: Ohio State). The only team to beat three #1 seeds in a single tournament was #4 seed Arizona in 1997 (it's impossible to beat all four #1 seeds in a single tournament). A #1 seed has never lost in the first round to a #16 seed.
Sid, Bill and Jo'Co. Thanks! I did not realize we has so many basketball scholars! :lol: I would compare the head coaching job at Kentucky similar to ND in football It will take a special talent to take the job. Whether Donovan is the man, remains to be seen. I know we would hate to see Matta leave Ohio State with his success in recruiting. Don
Thanks Don, but I have to admit that usually, other than the Triva Questions last week, I'm usually going by memory. I'm not sure I know where JO'Co comes up with all his facts, but like you, I enjoy them. Gator Bill
Unlike the Notre Dame football coaching search, I am neutral on the Kentucky opening. I would be shocked if coaches like Donovan and Matta and Barnes even considered the job. Each has brought excellence to a program that is second to fooball. They don't have anywhere near the kind of pressure that exists at KY, where basketball reigns far above any other sport. IMO the difference maker for a coach would be the recruiting base. Donovan and Matta have proven they can recruit the best of the best, and look where it's gotten them. That's where the job might appeal more to a Tom Izzo or a Tom Crean or other coaches in a similar situation where the recruiting competition is tough. Unfortunately Scott, I think your coach falls into that category. We'll see.
Well for the most part all the "traditional" powers in football have failed in their attempts to get high profile coaches at other big programs to take the jobs. A case could be made that the Gators did when Urban Meyer left Utah, but even though Urban was the hottest name in coaching at the time he still was at a non-BCS school in Utah so that's not really the same as getting a high profile coach at another high profile school. Now if Nick Saban had moved to Alabama from LSU, that would have been the first instance in a long long time of a coach moving from one high profile program to another maybe even higher profile program. But the intermediat stop in Miami changes things. Although you have to say that basketball is a little different. Roy Williams moved from Kansas to UNC, but you could say alma mater. Both Tubby Smith and Eddie Sutton moved from very successfull jobs at high profile football schools, to Kentucky. People at Texas are worried about Rick Barnes, but I'm not. Barnes lives in Austin one of the great places to live, and at Texas he has great facilities, terrific ability to recruit the top talent in Texas and the nation, and he's paid a lot of money. The guy over at TAMU, has to live in College Station, nuff said!! Terry
This article makes some valid points and offers very interesting insight from Steve Spurrier before he left Florida for the NFL: http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070325/COLUMNISTS0306/703250334/1065/sports I used to think Billy D would never leave for the miserable pressure cooker of Ky and now I wonder.
MGC, Very interesting article. Someone is going to be disappointed. Question is Florida or Kentucky? Don
Thanks for the article MCG and I have to admit that I am also concerned about Donovan possibly leaving. However here's a three other views on the topic, from Florida newspapters which admittedly may not be the most unbiased. Time For Tubby To Go No Way Donovan Leaves Step Back From The Edge Gator Fans And if most of would rather the Donovan Topic carry it's own Topic rather than probably taking a lot of space in the Final Four Topic, we could do that.
The "Step back from the edge" article is extremely convincing and especially when it brings Billy D's family into it. Thanks for that one Bill....I feel better about it. I think Foley will give Billy serious dollars but he can't match Ky because of the resultant need to keep Meyer on the same plane financially. Consequnetly Donovan stays at Fla because of emotional issues rather than financial ones. .
It's not going like last year, but the Gators are in the Final Four for the 2nd straight year. A rematch with UCLA is up next for the Gators.
MCG, I would disagree as to what the Gators can afford to pay. I'm not sure what we would be willing to pay but I think we can afford to pay both coaches at a high level as well as Kentucky can afford to pay the one coach. That's because we are one of the teams with the most income. I hope it doesn't come to just money though. Gator Bill