Michigan survives late Syracuse surge to reach championship game
If you told me Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr, and Nik Stauskas would be a combined 5-29 from the field and Caris LeVert would outscore Burke, I would think Michigan lost by double digits. But that wasn't the case because the Wolverines used defense and offensive rebounding to overcome Syracuse 61-56. In the first half Michigan was down 17-15 before ending the half on a 21-8 run spurred by the bench. In the second, Syracuse slowly fought back and made it close in the waning minutes. Cuse started pressing late and the pressure seemed to be getting to the Wolverines. With less than a minute left the Orange started fouling and Michigan only made 4-8 free throws down the stretch to keep the game undecided. But the controversy came on a questionable call with 19 seconds left and Cuse down two, after Burke split a pair at the line. Brandon Triche drove the lane and Jordan Morgan stepped in for a charge. The block/charge is the hardest call to make in basketball and refs like to swallow their whistles late. But with how much contact there was, something had to be called and the ref went with a charge. After another split at the stripe, this time by Jon Horford, Syracuse was down three but turned the ball over and Morgan finished the game with a breakaway dunk. The two main stories leading up to this game was how will Michigan handle the Orange 2-3 zone and who will win the point guard matchup between Trey Burke and Michael Carter-Williams. Let's talk about the zone first and in the first half Michigan was tearing it apart. Mitch McGary became a play maker from the high post with a career high six assists. Reserves Spike Albrecht and LeVert came in to hit two huge 3s each to provide a much needed lift from the bench. Stauskas was looked at to be a key part to beating the zone after he went
6-6 in the Elite 8 from beyond arc but last night he missed all four of
his attempts. When the 3-point shot wasn't on, McGary and Glenn Robinson III where able to keep possessions alive with five offensive rebounds apiece. As for the great PG matchup, neither was impressive. Burke was 1-8 from the field with seven points and four assists, while MCW went 1-6 with two points and two assists. Not only did MCW account for six total points, but he also had five turnovers and fouled out. It was a night he'd much rather forget. The one player that kept Syracuse in the game the whole night was C.J. Fair. He realized he had a height and athletic advantage over anybody that Michigan put on him as he put up 22 and got the Orange back in the game in the second half. Triche played good down the stretch as well, finishing with 11 points and 8 assists. But, again for Michigan it was McGary, who might be having the best tournament of anybody so far. He had his third double-double with 10 and 12 boards. They now head to National Championship game 20 years after the Fab Five last did it for U of M. This was only the second game of the year Burke scored single-digits and if Michigan wants its second national title, they will need more out of the National Player of the Year. On a side note, Michigan called its last timeout with 1:51 to go in a very tight game. I started having flashbacks of 20 years ago and Chris Webber's fatal timeout when they didn't have any. I just pictured in my head Mitch McGary (who wears #4 like Webber) finding himself trapped in a corner and calling one more TO.
Louisville uses their bench to rally past the Shockers
Wichita State was ready to continue shocking the world for about 30 of the 40 minutes in their Final Four game against top seed Louisville. That was until the pressure ramped up and Luke Hancock took over. In the first half Wichita State did exactly what they needed to, handle the Louisville pressure and limit turnovers. While doing so the Shockers were able to hold a 26-25 lead and only had four turnovers. Louisville has owned the second half of games in the tournament but WSU came out ready to play and opened up a 47-35 with about 13 minutes left. The dominate Cardinals now look vulnerable but an unsuspecting player stepped up, Luke Hancock. Just like coming to the aid of Kevin Ware after his injury, Hancock did not shy away from the big moment and carried his team. The junior captain averages seven points a game but scored 14 of his 20 in the second half to bring Louisville back on a 21-8 run to take a 56-55 lead with 6:30 left. It seemed like this was the run we were all waiting for Louisville to make and they were going to close it out easily. But Cleanthony Early didn't stop fighting. Down five with less than two minutes left, Early scored six straight for the Shockers as they were extending the game with fouls. This game had its share of controversy as well when it was Hancock at the line with a two point lead and eight seconds to go. He makes the first but misses the second and Wichita State's Ron Baker grabs the long rebound but Hancock ties him up for the jumpball. The possession arrow favored Louisville and Russ Smith hit a free throw to give us our final score 72-68. Now some think the whistle was blown too early and Baker had actually wrestled the ball away, but my problem is with the alternating possession rule of jumpballs. You are telling me that refs are that bad in throwing the ball straight up in the air that we can't have an actual jumpball after tie-ups? Nonetheless, Louisville gets the win and a chance to play for a championship even with their starters being out played by the bench. The starters were 10-33 from the field for 38 points, the bench was 12-16 for 34 points. Smith scored 21 but on 6-17 shooting and only 5-12 from the line, Peyton Siva was 1-9 for seven points and three assists, while Gorgui Dieng was almost non-existent missing the only shot he took but grabbing six rebounds. Along with Hancock's 20, Montrezl Harrell had eight and Tim Henderson (who only had 16 points all year) hit two back-to-back 3s when Louisville was down 12. For the Shockers, Early finished with 24 and 10 rebounds and Carl Hall added 13 points. Malcolm Armstead was the MOP of the West region but only managed 1-10 shooting with seven assists. Louisville looked shaky for 3/4s of the game but when they needed it, their defense created turnovers and their bench became the scoring threats. They move on to play Michigan, a team that commits the fewest turnovers in the country, which should make for a great matchup.
Showing posts with label Wichita State Shockers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wichita State Shockers. Show all posts
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
What To Watch: Louisville Cardinals vs Wichita State Shockers
The first game in the Final Four is a matchup between a team most picked to win a championship against a team some picked to lose in the first round. Louisville, the #1 overall seed, is here by no surprise as they are the only team left to win their conference tournament and have rode that momentum in the Big Dance. The also have a little extra motivation after the terrible injury suffered by backup point guard Kevin Ware against Duke. The Cardinals will sport "Win It For Kevin" t-shirts during warmups. The Wichita State Shockers on the other hand are this years Cinderella, becoming the 5th team seeded 9th or lower to reach the Final Four. However, none of those previous teams made it to the championship game. If the Shockers hope to do that they will have to slow down a team nobody has been able to in the Cardinals last 14 games.
How They Got Here
Louisville - North Carolina A&T 79-48, Colorado State 82-56, Oregon 77-69, Duke 85-63.
The Cardinals have ran through every opponent they've faced and have lived up to their #1 overall seed. The nine point win over Oregon was the slimmest margin but it was not that close.
Wichita State - Pittsburgh 73-55, Gonzaga 76-70, LaSalle 72-58, Ohio State 70-66.
The Shockers upset the #1 and #2 seeds in their region to reach the Final Four but even won those games in impressive fashion. They led the entire first half against 1-seed Gonzaga before needing to comeback from seven down with less than six minutes to play. Against Ohio State they led for all but 42 seconds when OSU was up 9-7 early.
Player To Watch
Russ Smith is the hottest player in the tournament averaging 26 a game on 54% shooting and scoring in ever way. In transition, jumpers, 3s, and from the line. Smith is a catalyst on defense as well with over two steals a game and a season high eight against UNC A&T in the round of 64. Basically, Smith is the barometer for how Louisville will play as he's their leader on both ends of the court.
Key Matchup
Malcolm Armstead held his own going up against Aaron Craft, the best on-ball defender in the country, only turning the ball over three times. Armstead now gets to face even more pressure from the Louisville press, spear headed by Smith and Peyton Siva, that has forced over 60 turnovers in four games. Being able to get the Shockers into their offense is going to be key to them staying in the game. Cleanthony Early and Carl Hall will only be able to do damage if Armstead can get them the ball. He's made a name for himself in the tournament as a solid PG but if he has trouble getting passed half court it's going to be a long night for the senior.
Prediction
Louisville was already going to be a tough out for any team in the tournament but now are on a mission playing for Kevin Ware. They are playing the best basketball of anybody left and want to bring a championship to their fallen teammate. Wichita State has made a great run but I don't think they can handle what Smith and Siva will bring in terms of pressure and Gorgui Dieng will negate anything Early tries to do inside. The Cardinals defense has been suffocating teams and Wichita State has seen nothing like them. They will treat Cinderella poorly and send her home from the tournament.
Game: Louisville
Bet: Louisville -9.5
How They Got Here
Louisville - North Carolina A&T 79-48, Colorado State 82-56, Oregon 77-69, Duke 85-63.
The Cardinals have ran through every opponent they've faced and have lived up to their #1 overall seed. The nine point win over Oregon was the slimmest margin but it was not that close.
Wichita State - Pittsburgh 73-55, Gonzaga 76-70, LaSalle 72-58, Ohio State 70-66.
The Shockers upset the #1 and #2 seeds in their region to reach the Final Four but even won those games in impressive fashion. They led the entire first half against 1-seed Gonzaga before needing to comeback from seven down with less than six minutes to play. Against Ohio State they led for all but 42 seconds when OSU was up 9-7 early.
Player To Watch
Russ Smith is the hottest player in the tournament averaging 26 a game on 54% shooting and scoring in ever way. In transition, jumpers, 3s, and from the line. Smith is a catalyst on defense as well with over two steals a game and a season high eight against UNC A&T in the round of 64. Basically, Smith is the barometer for how Louisville will play as he's their leader on both ends of the court.
Key Matchup
Malcolm Armstead held his own going up against Aaron Craft, the best on-ball defender in the country, only turning the ball over three times. Armstead now gets to face even more pressure from the Louisville press, spear headed by Smith and Peyton Siva, that has forced over 60 turnovers in four games. Being able to get the Shockers into their offense is going to be key to them staying in the game. Cleanthony Early and Carl Hall will only be able to do damage if Armstead can get them the ball. He's made a name for himself in the tournament as a solid PG but if he has trouble getting passed half court it's going to be a long night for the senior.
Prediction
Louisville was already going to be a tough out for any team in the tournament but now are on a mission playing for Kevin Ware. They are playing the best basketball of anybody left and want to bring a championship to their fallen teammate. Wichita State has made a great run but I don't think they can handle what Smith and Siva will bring in terms of pressure and Gorgui Dieng will negate anything Early tries to do inside. The Cardinals defense has been suffocating teams and Wichita State has seen nothing like them. They will treat Cinderella poorly and send her home from the tournament.
Game: Louisville
Bet: Louisville -9.5
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Elite 8 Day 1 Recap
Wichita State shocks another top seed to earn a trip to Atlanta
Cinderella is still dancing as Wichita State took down the 2-seed Ohio State 70-66. The Buckeyes couldn't hit anything in the first half as the Shockers built a 35-22 halftime lead as Cleanthony Early led the way. In the second it was more of the same for the first nine minutes as WSU pushed the lead to 56-36 with 11:01 left. But Ohio State wasn't about to give up yet. After seeing Michigan erase a 14-point deficit with less than seven minutes to go against Kansas the night before, OSU started to chip away. The Buckeyes went on a 23-6 run to make it 62-59 with 2:49 remaining. In a spot where most thought the 9-seed Shockers would continue to wilt, they came up big. First it was Tekele Cotton who hit a 3-pointer on their next possession. Then after Deshaun Thomas scored, Fred Vanvleet made a shot in the lane that bounced at least six times on the rim before finally dropping. From then on it was a foul fest and OSU wasn't able to complete their comeback. Wichita State had great balance on offense as six players scored at least eight, led by Malcolm Armstead with 14 and Early with 12. The Shockers also played great defense holding the Buckeyes to only 31% from the field and 5-25 on 3-pointers (OSU was 50% in the tournament prior). On the outside, Armstead held Aaron Craft to only 2-12 shooting while Carl Hall controlled the paint with six blocks. OSU star Deshaun Thomas finished with 23 and LaQuinton Ross played well for the third consecutive game adding 19 but it wasn't enough. Wichita State only won by four but pretty much dominated for 3/4's of the game and earned their ticket to the Final Four. Their region was decimated with upsets but they managed to get past the #1 and #2 seeded teams in the West. The Shockers might be a mid-major 9-seed but they have proven themselves worthy and should not be taken lightly by either Louisville or Duke.
Syracuse continues its strong defense, knocking off Big East foe
It wasn't the prettiest game but that's how Syracuse is making their opponents look on offense, ugly. The Orange held Marquette to only 18 points in the first half and 39 for the game as they smothered their Big East counterpart for the 55-39 victory. Marquette's 39 points was the fewest ever scored in an Elite Eight game in the shot clock era. The Syracuse 2-3 zone has been dominating opponents all tournament with their length and athleticism. To have a guy like Michael Carter-Williams (6'6) at the top of the zone is what causes trouble for other teams. His length makes it difficult to find passing lanes and he's able to challenge 3-point attempts. MCW had 12 points, eight rebound, six assists, and five steals with only one turnover against Marquette. Speaking of turnovers, Marquette is now the third team to have more turnovers than field goals made against the Orange in this years tournament, joining Montana and Indiana. The Golden Eagles had 14 TOs but only 12 shots made on 22% shooting. Cuse's defense is unbelievable right now, they are holding teams to 14 less points than in the regular season (45.8 per game), 29% from the field and 15% from long range. James Southerland was a big spark in the scoring department, putting in 16 and can be a killer from deep. The remaining teams should be fearful of Syracuse and their zone, nobody seems to be able to figure it out. If defense wins championships, the Orange are in prime position to cut down the nets.
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Cinderella is still dancing as Wichita State took down the 2-seed Ohio State 70-66. The Buckeyes couldn't hit anything in the first half as the Shockers built a 35-22 halftime lead as Cleanthony Early led the way. In the second it was more of the same for the first nine minutes as WSU pushed the lead to 56-36 with 11:01 left. But Ohio State wasn't about to give up yet. After seeing Michigan erase a 14-point deficit with less than seven minutes to go against Kansas the night before, OSU started to chip away. The Buckeyes went on a 23-6 run to make it 62-59 with 2:49 remaining. In a spot where most thought the 9-seed Shockers would continue to wilt, they came up big. First it was Tekele Cotton who hit a 3-pointer on their next possession. Then after Deshaun Thomas scored, Fred Vanvleet made a shot in the lane that bounced at least six times on the rim before finally dropping. From then on it was a foul fest and OSU wasn't able to complete their comeback. Wichita State had great balance on offense as six players scored at least eight, led by Malcolm Armstead with 14 and Early with 12. The Shockers also played great defense holding the Buckeyes to only 31% from the field and 5-25 on 3-pointers (OSU was 50% in the tournament prior). On the outside, Armstead held Aaron Craft to only 2-12 shooting while Carl Hall controlled the paint with six blocks. OSU star Deshaun Thomas finished with 23 and LaQuinton Ross played well for the third consecutive game adding 19 but it wasn't enough. Wichita State only won by four but pretty much dominated for 3/4's of the game and earned their ticket to the Final Four. Their region was decimated with upsets but they managed to get past the #1 and #2 seeded teams in the West. The Shockers might be a mid-major 9-seed but they have proven themselves worthy and should not be taken lightly by either Louisville or Duke.
Syracuse continues its strong defense, knocking off Big East foe
It wasn't the prettiest game but that's how Syracuse is making their opponents look on offense, ugly. The Orange held Marquette to only 18 points in the first half and 39 for the game as they smothered their Big East counterpart for the 55-39 victory. Marquette's 39 points was the fewest ever scored in an Elite Eight game in the shot clock era. The Syracuse 2-3 zone has been dominating opponents all tournament with their length and athleticism. To have a guy like Michael Carter-Williams (6'6) at the top of the zone is what causes trouble for other teams. His length makes it difficult to find passing lanes and he's able to challenge 3-point attempts. MCW had 12 points, eight rebound, six assists, and five steals with only one turnover against Marquette. Speaking of turnovers, Marquette is now the third team to have more turnovers than field goals made against the Orange in this years tournament, joining Montana and Indiana. The Golden Eagles had 14 TOs but only 12 shots made on 22% shooting. Cuse's defense is unbelievable right now, they are holding teams to 14 less points than in the regular season (45.8 per game), 29% from the field and 15% from long range. James Southerland was a big spark in the scoring department, putting in 16 and can be a killer from deep. The remaining teams should be fearful of Syracuse and their zone, nobody seems to be able to figure it out. If defense wins championships, the Orange are in prime position to cut down the nets.
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Saturday, March 30, 2013
What To Watch For In The Elite 8
Marquette vs Syracuse
Player To Watch - Vander Blue has done whatever this team has needed during their run in the tournament and he will have to continue that against Syracuse. Marquette is not a good 3-point shooting team (30%) but Blue has gone 5-10 in his first three games. That coupled with his penetration ability is what the Golden Eagles are going to need to breakdown the Syracuse 2-3 zone, which caused Indiana fits.
Key Matchup - These two Big East teams only played once in the regular season, a game Marquette won 74-71. This is more of a team thing than individual as it's Marquette's offense against the Syracuse 2-3 zone. In their game against Indiana, the Orange befuddled the Hoosiers because they rarely had to play against a 2-3 but Marquette sees it every year. In their first game Davante Gardner had 26 points and eight boards but everybody else struggled, especially from the 3-point line. There are multiple ways to beat the zone but hitting outside shots helps a lot and if Marquette is cold again from beyond the arc they might not be as fortunate to escape with a win.
Deciding Factor - Rebounding. Can Syracuse rebound out of their zone and can Marquette keep the bigger Orange off the offensive glass. Playing a zone makes it difficult to find a man and box out especially against hustle guys like Gardner and Jamil Wilson. But the Orange have the size to attack the offensive boards as well with Baye Keita, Rakeem Christmas, James Southerland and C.J. Fair. Marquette and Syracuse had 13 and 14 offensive rebounds respectively in their first game and the team that can limit the other has a great chance of winning.
Ohio State vs Wichita State
Player To Watch - Aaron Craft has been playing great offensively and defensively in Ohio State's first three games, including hitting a game winner against Iowa State. All year he's been the x-factor for this team. We know what to expect out of Deshaun Thomas but when Craft plays like he has been this team can beat anybody in the country. He's averaging six assists and just over 11 points in the tournament. He's going up against a senior in Malcolm Armstead that's been playing well himself so it will be interesting to see if Craft's pressure will get to him.
Key Matchup - Deshaun Thomas vs Carl Hall. Thomas led the Big Ten in scoring at almost 20 a game and hasn't slowed down in the tournament. Hall played great against LaSalle, 16 and 8, but containing Thomas is a difficult task. It's tough to say that Hall can neutralize Thomas but if he keeps their matchup somewhat close Wichita State has a better chance of pulling the upset.
Deciding Factor - These teams are basically mirror images of each other if you look at stats across the board. Points, rebounds, assists, steals, and turnovers are all pretty even. To me it's going to come down to if Deshaun Thomas continues to get help on the offensive end. Whether is Craft, LaQuinton Ross, or Lezelle Smith Jr, somebody else has to score. Ross has put up 17 in the each of the last two games but if that stops OSU will struggle. Wichita State is a deeper team so if they have multiple guys contributing, as they have so far, look for them to stay with the Buckeyes until the end.
Michigan vs Florida
Player To Watch - Obviously Trey Burke. But I'm going with Mitch McGary. John Beilein finally decided to start the big freshman and it's paying off. McGary is averaging just under 20 points and a little over 12 rebounds in the tournament. All of a sudden this guy is playing like one of the best big men in the country.
Key Matchup - Trey Burke against the Gators pressure. Burke had 23 points and a huge game-tying 3-pointer from super long range against Kansas but has turned the ball over uncharacteristically in the tournament. During the regular season Burke had the best assist to turnover ratio in the country but has 13 in three games in the tournament, including seven against VCU. The Gators forced 20 turnovers against Florida Gulf Coast and have three guards that bring pressure. Burke will be the likely Player of the Year but if he continues to struggle with turnovers it can put Michigan in a bad spot.
Deciding Factor - Offense vs Defense. The Gators have won by double digits in every victory this year but when they've lost they've had a hard time scoring. Even in their win against FGCU they only shot 38%. Michigan on the other hand has hovered around 50% all tournament but their defense has been shaky all year. If Michigan can limit Florida on offense they will likely win. But Florida is ranked in the top ten in Ken Pomeroy's offense and defense and has the ability to run with the Wolverines. If it's a shooting match, the Gators defense is better and will help them prevail.
Louisville vs Duke
Player To Watch - Gorgui Dieng. In their first matchup he didn't play and Mason Plumlee had 16 and seven rebounds to help Duke get a 76-71 win. With Dieng back in the lineup he's one player that can stop Plumlee on offense and the glass. Dieng is averaging a double-double on the year with 2.5 blocks and is the inside presence Louisville needs to make a title run.
Key Matchup - Russ Smith vs Seth Curry. These are the two hottest shooters in the country as Smith is averaging 27 and Curry with 24. Both of these guys have the ability to go for 30 and very well might. If you like scoring then this is the best matchup for it from here on out.
Deciding Factor - Can Duke stop Louisville? The Cardinals entire offense has been on point as they've shot at least 54% in every game in the tourney so far. If Duke wants to win this game they have to figure out a way to slow them down because so far nobody has been able to. I expect this to be a classic game between these two teams and coaches, Rick Pitino and Mike Krzyzewski.
Follow @JasonShusteric on Twitter
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Player To Watch - Vander Blue has done whatever this team has needed during their run in the tournament and he will have to continue that against Syracuse. Marquette is not a good 3-point shooting team (30%) but Blue has gone 5-10 in his first three games. That coupled with his penetration ability is what the Golden Eagles are going to need to breakdown the Syracuse 2-3 zone, which caused Indiana fits.
Key Matchup - These two Big East teams only played once in the regular season, a game Marquette won 74-71. This is more of a team thing than individual as it's Marquette's offense against the Syracuse 2-3 zone. In their game against Indiana, the Orange befuddled the Hoosiers because they rarely had to play against a 2-3 but Marquette sees it every year. In their first game Davante Gardner had 26 points and eight boards but everybody else struggled, especially from the 3-point line. There are multiple ways to beat the zone but hitting outside shots helps a lot and if Marquette is cold again from beyond the arc they might not be as fortunate to escape with a win.
Deciding Factor - Rebounding. Can Syracuse rebound out of their zone and can Marquette keep the bigger Orange off the offensive glass. Playing a zone makes it difficult to find a man and box out especially against hustle guys like Gardner and Jamil Wilson. But the Orange have the size to attack the offensive boards as well with Baye Keita, Rakeem Christmas, James Southerland and C.J. Fair. Marquette and Syracuse had 13 and 14 offensive rebounds respectively in their first game and the team that can limit the other has a great chance of winning.
Ohio State vs Wichita State
Player To Watch - Aaron Craft has been playing great offensively and defensively in Ohio State's first three games, including hitting a game winner against Iowa State. All year he's been the x-factor for this team. We know what to expect out of Deshaun Thomas but when Craft plays like he has been this team can beat anybody in the country. He's averaging six assists and just over 11 points in the tournament. He's going up against a senior in Malcolm Armstead that's been playing well himself so it will be interesting to see if Craft's pressure will get to him.
Key Matchup - Deshaun Thomas vs Carl Hall. Thomas led the Big Ten in scoring at almost 20 a game and hasn't slowed down in the tournament. Hall played great against LaSalle, 16 and 8, but containing Thomas is a difficult task. It's tough to say that Hall can neutralize Thomas but if he keeps their matchup somewhat close Wichita State has a better chance of pulling the upset.
Deciding Factor - These teams are basically mirror images of each other if you look at stats across the board. Points, rebounds, assists, steals, and turnovers are all pretty even. To me it's going to come down to if Deshaun Thomas continues to get help on the offensive end. Whether is Craft, LaQuinton Ross, or Lezelle Smith Jr, somebody else has to score. Ross has put up 17 in the each of the last two games but if that stops OSU will struggle. Wichita State is a deeper team so if they have multiple guys contributing, as they have so far, look for them to stay with the Buckeyes until the end.
Michigan vs Florida
Player To Watch - Obviously Trey Burke. But I'm going with Mitch McGary. John Beilein finally decided to start the big freshman and it's paying off. McGary is averaging just under 20 points and a little over 12 rebounds in the tournament. All of a sudden this guy is playing like one of the best big men in the country.
Key Matchup - Trey Burke against the Gators pressure. Burke had 23 points and a huge game-tying 3-pointer from super long range against Kansas but has turned the ball over uncharacteristically in the tournament. During the regular season Burke had the best assist to turnover ratio in the country but has 13 in three games in the tournament, including seven against VCU. The Gators forced 20 turnovers against Florida Gulf Coast and have three guards that bring pressure. Burke will be the likely Player of the Year but if he continues to struggle with turnovers it can put Michigan in a bad spot.
Deciding Factor - Offense vs Defense. The Gators have won by double digits in every victory this year but when they've lost they've had a hard time scoring. Even in their win against FGCU they only shot 38%. Michigan on the other hand has hovered around 50% all tournament but their defense has been shaky all year. If Michigan can limit Florida on offense they will likely win. But Florida is ranked in the top ten in Ken Pomeroy's offense and defense and has the ability to run with the Wolverines. If it's a shooting match, the Gators defense is better and will help them prevail.
Louisville vs Duke
Player To Watch - Gorgui Dieng. In their first matchup he didn't play and Mason Plumlee had 16 and seven rebounds to help Duke get a 76-71 win. With Dieng back in the lineup he's one player that can stop Plumlee on offense and the glass. Dieng is averaging a double-double on the year with 2.5 blocks and is the inside presence Louisville needs to make a title run.
Key Matchup - Russ Smith vs Seth Curry. These are the two hottest shooters in the country as Smith is averaging 27 and Curry with 24. Both of these guys have the ability to go for 30 and very well might. If you like scoring then this is the best matchup for it from here on out.
Deciding Factor - Can Duke stop Louisville? The Cardinals entire offense has been on point as they've shot at least 54% in every game in the tourney so far. If Duke wants to win this game they have to figure out a way to slow them down because so far nobody has been able to. I expect this to be a classic game between these two teams and coaches, Rick Pitino and Mike Krzyzewski.
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Friday, March 29, 2013
Sweet 16 Day 1 Recap
Ohio State does it again, downing Arizona in the final seconds
For the second straight game Ohio State was tied with its opponent and had the ball for the last shot. Against Iowa State it was Aaron Craft who hit the dagger 3-pointer, tonight against Arizona it was LaQuinton Ross. This game was back and forth all night, with each team controlling a half. In the first it was all Arizona who held an 11 point lead before the Buckeyes cut it to four, 38-34, at the break. OSU opened the second stanza with a 10-0 run to take a six point lead, which later grew to ten. But the Wildcats weren't done as Solomon Hill and Mark Lyons kept them in it during OSU's run. At one point Hill scored nine straight and finished with 16 on 7-11 shooting. In the last 1:20 Arizona was down 69-63 when Lyons scored the last nine for the Cats and he tied the game at 70 with 21 seconds left. So again OSU can take the last shot and the ball is in Craft's hands. This time he gives it up to Ross who nails the triple with only two seconds remaining and Ohio State finishes off Arizona 73-70. Ross was on fire in the second half as he scored 14 of his 17 after the intermission. For Arizona, Lyons had a great tournament scoring no less than 23 in each of his three games. In the 2012 NCAA tournament, players were 0-12 in the last ten seconds on potential game-tying or go-ahead field goal attempts. This year we've already had four made field goals by Vander Blue, Tyrone Garland, Aaron Craft, and now LaQuinton Ross.
Syracuse and the 2-3 zone slows down Indiana
That sound you hear are thousands of people ripping up their brackets. If Gonzaga and Miami going down wasn't enough, we lost a very popular pick to win it all when Indiana fell to Syracuse 61-50. The Orange controlled the pace of the game and slowed down Indiana with their 2-3 zone. The Hoosiers scored a season low 50 points while shooting 33% from the field (3-15 on 3's) and committed 18 turnovers. Syracuse was disruptive all night with their length blocking ten shots and creating 12 steals as Michael Carter-Williams led the way. MCW had 24 points and 4 steals because nobody on Indiana could contain him, not even Victor Oladipo. But, Oladipo was the lone bright spot for IU scoring 16 on 5-6 from the field. Cody Zeller posted 10 and 10 but was 3-11, and Christian Watford and Jordan Hulls combined for 4-17 (Hulls 0-6). Syracuse is a tough team to prepare for if you don't play against a lot of zone during the regular season and they are a very dangerous team that seems to be clicking on both sides of the ball.
Marquette breezes past Miami FL to get to Elite 8
The Marquette Golden Eagles were a bad in-bounds pass away from being bounced early by Davidson and are now heading to the Elite 8 after routing Miami. Marquette won its first two games of the tournament by a total of three points but against the Hurricanes their largest lead was 22 before the game finished at 71-61. It was definitely a total team effort as the six players that scored all had at least eight points and Jamil Wilson led with 16. Marquette shot 54% from the field and held Miami to only 35% and 8-26 on 3-pointers. The Hurricanes had a terrible start to the game, only scoring 16 in the first half and were never able to recover. The Golden Eagles reach the Elite 8 for the first time since 2003 when Dwyane Wade was running the show. This year it's been Vander Blue leading this team hitting the game-winner against Davidson, putting in 29 in a 74-72 win over Butler and last night scoring 14 on 7-12 shooting. Marquette had an early exit in the Big East tournament but are now showing signs of the surprise team that shared a regular season title with Louisville and Georgetown. They epitomize the word "team" and now have to face a familiar foe in Syracuse for a chance to go to Atlanta for the Final Four.
The Shockers continue their post season run
For the first time in this tournament Wichita State was the favorite in their matchup with LaSalle and they played like it. The Shockers started the game on a 17-3 run and the game was basically over from then on as they cruised to a 72-58 win. Carl Hall scored ten of his 16 points during that run and also added eight boards. In the second half it was Malcolm Armstead that paced the Shockers scoring nine straight at one point en route to leading the team with 18. Wichita State also played great defensively holding LaSalle to only 35% shooting and continued their trend of keeping their first three opponents to that same percentage. For the Explorers, Ramon Galloway and Tyrone Garland were a combined 9-30 from the field. Wichita State has a date with Ohio State on Sunday and earlier in the tournament Thad Matta told reporters teams that a good at rebounding scare him. Well, the Shockers outrebounded LaSalle 44-23.
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For the second straight game Ohio State was tied with its opponent and had the ball for the last shot. Against Iowa State it was Aaron Craft who hit the dagger 3-pointer, tonight against Arizona it was LaQuinton Ross. This game was back and forth all night, with each team controlling a half. In the first it was all Arizona who held an 11 point lead before the Buckeyes cut it to four, 38-34, at the break. OSU opened the second stanza with a 10-0 run to take a six point lead, which later grew to ten. But the Wildcats weren't done as Solomon Hill and Mark Lyons kept them in it during OSU's run. At one point Hill scored nine straight and finished with 16 on 7-11 shooting. In the last 1:20 Arizona was down 69-63 when Lyons scored the last nine for the Cats and he tied the game at 70 with 21 seconds left. So again OSU can take the last shot and the ball is in Craft's hands. This time he gives it up to Ross who nails the triple with only two seconds remaining and Ohio State finishes off Arizona 73-70. Ross was on fire in the second half as he scored 14 of his 17 after the intermission. For Arizona, Lyons had a great tournament scoring no less than 23 in each of his three games. In the 2012 NCAA tournament, players were 0-12 in the last ten seconds on potential game-tying or go-ahead field goal attempts. This year we've already had four made field goals by Vander Blue, Tyrone Garland, Aaron Craft, and now LaQuinton Ross.
Syracuse and the 2-3 zone slows down Indiana
That sound you hear are thousands of people ripping up their brackets. If Gonzaga and Miami going down wasn't enough, we lost a very popular pick to win it all when Indiana fell to Syracuse 61-50. The Orange controlled the pace of the game and slowed down Indiana with their 2-3 zone. The Hoosiers scored a season low 50 points while shooting 33% from the field (3-15 on 3's) and committed 18 turnovers. Syracuse was disruptive all night with their length blocking ten shots and creating 12 steals as Michael Carter-Williams led the way. MCW had 24 points and 4 steals because nobody on Indiana could contain him, not even Victor Oladipo. But, Oladipo was the lone bright spot for IU scoring 16 on 5-6 from the field. Cody Zeller posted 10 and 10 but was 3-11, and Christian Watford and Jordan Hulls combined for 4-17 (Hulls 0-6). Syracuse is a tough team to prepare for if you don't play against a lot of zone during the regular season and they are a very dangerous team that seems to be clicking on both sides of the ball.
Marquette breezes past Miami FL to get to Elite 8
The Marquette Golden Eagles were a bad in-bounds pass away from being bounced early by Davidson and are now heading to the Elite 8 after routing Miami. Marquette won its first two games of the tournament by a total of three points but against the Hurricanes their largest lead was 22 before the game finished at 71-61. It was definitely a total team effort as the six players that scored all had at least eight points and Jamil Wilson led with 16. Marquette shot 54% from the field and held Miami to only 35% and 8-26 on 3-pointers. The Hurricanes had a terrible start to the game, only scoring 16 in the first half and were never able to recover. The Golden Eagles reach the Elite 8 for the first time since 2003 when Dwyane Wade was running the show. This year it's been Vander Blue leading this team hitting the game-winner against Davidson, putting in 29 in a 74-72 win over Butler and last night scoring 14 on 7-12 shooting. Marquette had an early exit in the Big East tournament but are now showing signs of the surprise team that shared a regular season title with Louisville and Georgetown. They epitomize the word "team" and now have to face a familiar foe in Syracuse for a chance to go to Atlanta for the Final Four.
The Shockers continue their post season run
For the first time in this tournament Wichita State was the favorite in their matchup with LaSalle and they played like it. The Shockers started the game on a 17-3 run and the game was basically over from then on as they cruised to a 72-58 win. Carl Hall scored ten of his 16 points during that run and also added eight boards. In the second half it was Malcolm Armstead that paced the Shockers scoring nine straight at one point en route to leading the team with 18. Wichita State also played great defensively holding LaSalle to only 35% shooting and continued their trend of keeping their first three opponents to that same percentage. For the Explorers, Ramon Galloway and Tyrone Garland were a combined 9-30 from the field. Wichita State has a date with Ohio State on Sunday and earlier in the tournament Thad Matta told reporters teams that a good at rebounding scare him. Well, the Shockers outrebounded LaSalle 44-23.
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Thursday, March 28, 2013
NCAA Tournament Day 3 Recap
Wichita State shocks the Zags
Gonzaga was pushed by Southern in their first game and they were thought of by many to be the first 1-seed to out of the tournament. Tonight they proved those people right as 9-seed Wichita State took out the top team, 76-70, in the crazy West Region. The Shockers jumped out early going up 26-13 and leading 36-31 at the half. Gonzaga came out in the second half blazing on an 18-5 run to take an eight point lead 49-41. At this point you figured the Bulldogs have found their groove and will continue their run to closeout the Shockers. But it was Rob Baker who scored eight points in 1:38 to give Wichita State the lead back at 67-63 with just under three minutes to play. Baker finished with 16 points on 4-6 from deep and Cleanthony Early also chipped in 16 with seven boards. The Shockers went 50% from the field including 14-28 on 3-pointers. On the other hand the Zags couldn't find their offense down the stretch going only 4-12 in the last 6:05. Kelly Olynyk finished with 26 points and nine rebounds.
Marquette seeks revenge on Butler
This was a rematch of a game from November in Maui that Butler won on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Rotnei Clarke for the 72-71 win. Marquette wanted to come out and get revenge for that heartbreaking loss but it was the Bulldogs that had the 35-27 lead at the break. Marquette managed to fight back in the second half and tie the game late with 1:29 left after Vander Blue hit a 3 to make it 69-69. After three free throws by the Golden Eagles, Butler's Roosevelt Jones found himself on the line with 15 seconds left. Jones made the first and The Bulldogs were down two. He missed the second and these two teams found themselves in the same position they were in at Maui. Butler got the rebound off the miss and Rotnei Clarke hoisted the potential game-winning 3 but he was off. Marquette finished off the late rally to win 74-72 behind Blue's 29 points. Clarke added 24 for Butler. The closest margin of the day before this game was Oregon over Saint Louis by 17, so this was the type of nail-biter we all expect to see in the tournament.
Michigan and Michigan State cruise to the Sweet 16
The state of Michigan sent the first two teams in the Sweet 16. Michigan led the way as the Wolverines reached the second weekend of the tournament for the first time since 1994. Coming into their game against the VCU Rams, Michigan was said to be on upset alert for the second straight game. The biggest reason is VCU's "havoc" defense and the fact that they just beat a short-handed Akron team 88-42, but Michigan had a few surprises for the Rams. The first was that to handle their press the Wolverines decided to have Tim Hardaway Jr. bring the ball up to help Trey Burke. VCU leads the nation in steals, led by Darius Theus (2.4 spg, who was on Burke), but the Wolverines took care of the ball well in the first half as Burke and Hardaway only had three turnovers combined and led 38-23 at the break. The other surprise was the play of Mitch McGary who played his most minutes of the season and rewarded John Beilein with 21 points on 10-11 shooting and 14 rebounds, both career highs. An inside presence has been UM's most glaring weakness all year, if McGary can keep this up it makes the Wolverines an even tougher out. Michigan's largest lead was 31 and the highlight of the night went to Spike Albrecht's left handed bounce pass between defenders to Glenn Robinson III for the dunk. Michigan held VCU to only 3-16 on 3-pointers and the Wolverines now gear up for Kansas.
March is the month of Tom Izzo and Michigan State. Memphis was able to keep it close in the first half (32-29) but the Spartans pulled away in the second to earn the 70-48 victory and move on to the sweet 16. Gary Harris was hitting early and often as he poured in 23 points on 4-7 from beyond the arc and Adreian Payne controlled the paint with 14 points, ten boards and a career high five blocks. MSU turned the ball over 18 times but a stifling defense held Memphis to only 29.7% from the floor. The Spartans also are going to have to check the status of Keith Appling as he left the game with a right shoulder injury. The starting point guard said he could have gone back in if needed but it will be interesting to see how it will affect him next weekend. MSU now awaits the winner of Creighton and Duke, if the Blue Devils prevail it will be a matchup between two of the best coaches in the country.
Oregon shows they are for real
Oregon felt disrespected by receiving a 12-seed and they are taking it out on their opponents. After dismantling Oklahoma State 68-55 in their first game, Saint Louis was the next victim 74-57. The Billikens were a sexy pick by a few analysts to possibly upset #1 Louisville but they never reached that matchup because the Ducks weren't having it. The game was tight for the first seven minutes when Saint Louis held an 11-10 lead. After that, Oregon finished the half on a 25-8 run and never looked back. Saint Louis had one of the best defenses in the country but the Ducks ran their offense with great efficiency as they shot 53% from the field and were 8-11 from distance. Freshman Damyean Dotson led the way for Oregon with 23 points and 5-6 on 3-pointers. Also, Arsalan Kazemi controlled the paint with eight points and 16 rebounds, including seven offense. Oregon faces Louisville next weekend and shouldn't be taken lightly by the top seed in the Midwest.
Arizona is looking like the team that started the season 14-0
Another Pac-12 team that didn't get much respect when the tournament began was Arizona. The Wildcats were once ranked as high as #4 in the country after starting 14-0 with wins over Florida, Miami FL, and San Diego State. In conference play (Oregon gave them their first loss) Arizona struggled against the top teams in the Pac-12 and ended up a 4-seed in the conference tournament, then ousted by UCLA. However, they seem to be rejuvenated in the big dance as they've won their first two games by an average of 20 points. Belmont was a popular upset pick by many but they were no match for Arizona and neither was Harvard after pulling off its major upset over New Mexico. In both games the Wildcats have been over 55% from the floor and their leading scorer Mark Lyons has been on fire. In two games Lyons has 50 points on 20-32 shooting. Arizona is back to being a team that has Final Four hopes as they seem to be hitting on all cylinders at the right time.
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Gonzaga was pushed by Southern in their first game and they were thought of by many to be the first 1-seed to out of the tournament. Tonight they proved those people right as 9-seed Wichita State took out the top team, 76-70, in the crazy West Region. The Shockers jumped out early going up 26-13 and leading 36-31 at the half. Gonzaga came out in the second half blazing on an 18-5 run to take an eight point lead 49-41. At this point you figured the Bulldogs have found their groove and will continue their run to closeout the Shockers. But it was Rob Baker who scored eight points in 1:38 to give Wichita State the lead back at 67-63 with just under three minutes to play. Baker finished with 16 points on 4-6 from deep and Cleanthony Early also chipped in 16 with seven boards. The Shockers went 50% from the field including 14-28 on 3-pointers. On the other hand the Zags couldn't find their offense down the stretch going only 4-12 in the last 6:05. Kelly Olynyk finished with 26 points and nine rebounds.
Marquette seeks revenge on Butler
This was a rematch of a game from November in Maui that Butler won on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Rotnei Clarke for the 72-71 win. Marquette wanted to come out and get revenge for that heartbreaking loss but it was the Bulldogs that had the 35-27 lead at the break. Marquette managed to fight back in the second half and tie the game late with 1:29 left after Vander Blue hit a 3 to make it 69-69. After three free throws by the Golden Eagles, Butler's Roosevelt Jones found himself on the line with 15 seconds left. Jones made the first and The Bulldogs were down two. He missed the second and these two teams found themselves in the same position they were in at Maui. Butler got the rebound off the miss and Rotnei Clarke hoisted the potential game-winning 3 but he was off. Marquette finished off the late rally to win 74-72 behind Blue's 29 points. Clarke added 24 for Butler. The closest margin of the day before this game was Oregon over Saint Louis by 17, so this was the type of nail-biter we all expect to see in the tournament.
Michigan and Michigan State cruise to the Sweet 16
The state of Michigan sent the first two teams in the Sweet 16. Michigan led the way as the Wolverines reached the second weekend of the tournament for the first time since 1994. Coming into their game against the VCU Rams, Michigan was said to be on upset alert for the second straight game. The biggest reason is VCU's "havoc" defense and the fact that they just beat a short-handed Akron team 88-42, but Michigan had a few surprises for the Rams. The first was that to handle their press the Wolverines decided to have Tim Hardaway Jr. bring the ball up to help Trey Burke. VCU leads the nation in steals, led by Darius Theus (2.4 spg, who was on Burke), but the Wolverines took care of the ball well in the first half as Burke and Hardaway only had three turnovers combined and led 38-23 at the break. The other surprise was the play of Mitch McGary who played his most minutes of the season and rewarded John Beilein with 21 points on 10-11 shooting and 14 rebounds, both career highs. An inside presence has been UM's most glaring weakness all year, if McGary can keep this up it makes the Wolverines an even tougher out. Michigan's largest lead was 31 and the highlight of the night went to Spike Albrecht's left handed bounce pass between defenders to Glenn Robinson III for the dunk. Michigan held VCU to only 3-16 on 3-pointers and the Wolverines now gear up for Kansas.
March is the month of Tom Izzo and Michigan State. Memphis was able to keep it close in the first half (32-29) but the Spartans pulled away in the second to earn the 70-48 victory and move on to the sweet 16. Gary Harris was hitting early and often as he poured in 23 points on 4-7 from beyond the arc and Adreian Payne controlled the paint with 14 points, ten boards and a career high five blocks. MSU turned the ball over 18 times but a stifling defense held Memphis to only 29.7% from the floor. The Spartans also are going to have to check the status of Keith Appling as he left the game with a right shoulder injury. The starting point guard said he could have gone back in if needed but it will be interesting to see how it will affect him next weekend. MSU now awaits the winner of Creighton and Duke, if the Blue Devils prevail it will be a matchup between two of the best coaches in the country.
Oregon shows they are for real
Oregon felt disrespected by receiving a 12-seed and they are taking it out on their opponents. After dismantling Oklahoma State 68-55 in their first game, Saint Louis was the next victim 74-57. The Billikens were a sexy pick by a few analysts to possibly upset #1 Louisville but they never reached that matchup because the Ducks weren't having it. The game was tight for the first seven minutes when Saint Louis held an 11-10 lead. After that, Oregon finished the half on a 25-8 run and never looked back. Saint Louis had one of the best defenses in the country but the Ducks ran their offense with great efficiency as they shot 53% from the field and were 8-11 from distance. Freshman Damyean Dotson led the way for Oregon with 23 points and 5-6 on 3-pointers. Also, Arsalan Kazemi controlled the paint with eight points and 16 rebounds, including seven offense. Oregon faces Louisville next weekend and shouldn't be taken lightly by the top seed in the Midwest.
Arizona is looking like the team that started the season 14-0
Another Pac-12 team that didn't get much respect when the tournament began was Arizona. The Wildcats were once ranked as high as #4 in the country after starting 14-0 with wins over Florida, Miami FL, and San Diego State. In conference play (Oregon gave them their first loss) Arizona struggled against the top teams in the Pac-12 and ended up a 4-seed in the conference tournament, then ousted by UCLA. However, they seem to be rejuvenated in the big dance as they've won their first two games by an average of 20 points. Belmont was a popular upset pick by many but they were no match for Arizona and neither was Harvard after pulling off its major upset over New Mexico. In both games the Wildcats have been over 55% from the floor and their leading scorer Mark Lyons has been on fire. In two games Lyons has 50 points on 20-32 shooting. Arizona is back to being a team that has Final Four hopes as they seem to be hitting on all cylinders at the right time.
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