National Championship Game: North Carolina vs. Michigan State -- Open Thread
by Glenn Logan on Apr 6, 2009 7:30 PM EDT
in Open Thread
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PrintI'm not sure, but I think there is a game on tonight that might mean something to college basketball fans. Tom Izzo and Roy Williams, pictured to the right, will be hoping for a little celebratory libation after the encounter between their respective teams tonight at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. Obviously, I don't really want Carolina getting any closer to Kentucky's total victories number, nor do I want them to win their fifth national championship. But I wouldn't mind seeing Michigan State win their third.
Right now, the line for the game is Carolina -8, which I think is about right. Make no mistake, if MSU wins this thing, it will be an upset, although not a particularly big one. Michigan State has certainly saved their best basketball for last, and right now I wouldn't bet against the Spartans if they were taking on the Boston Celtics, and they do have a significant home-court advantage.
But Carolina is the more talented and deeper team, and they have arguably been the best team in college basketball the last two years running, so their hunger is very, very real. Michigan State was expected to be good this year, but I don't think anyone expected them to wind up in the final game. Most people have had UNC penciled into this spot since the day after Hansbrough, Lawson and Co. decided to forego the NBA for one last shot at college glory.
Earlier this year, the Tarheels dismantled the Spartans at Ford Field in a surprisingly under-attended affair, 98-63. UNC put the contest away with fully 10 minutes left in the game, which in the vernacular of our recently departed coach, represents a butt-whipping of epic proportions. In that tilt, Michigan state couldn't defend their own shadow, couldn't shoot it into the ocean from the beach, and turned the ball over at a Kentuckyesque 26.2% rate. On the other hand, Carolina was hitting on all cylinders and dominated the glass.
I expect this game to be different, and much closer. But Ty Lawson has simply dominated opponents this entire year, and if Michigan State can't find a way to contain him, it's hard to figure how they can stop Carolina from getting good shots. I'm sure Tom Izzo knows that, but then again, so has every other coach who has faced the Tarheels, and it hasn't done most of them a bit of good.
I'm opening up this thread early, so chat all you want. If it gets to long, I'll make another one. Enjoy the game (at least, as much as you can while being forced to look at that hideous powder blue) and check out the SB Nation North Carolina blog, Carolina March, for the Tarheel perspective. We don't have a Michigan State blog yet (but we sure are looking for candidates to take that spot!)
Discuss.
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I'm actually excited to watch this...
I’m going to my brother house to watch. I hope it is a good game.
Several asterisks on that first meeting
Michigan St was playing their 4th game in 7 days, Suton didn’t play, and Morgan was still recovering from knee surgery. I watchedit, and the Spartans stuck right with UNC for the first 15 minutes or so before the Tarheels started to edge away.
It’ll be interesting to see if Izzo tries to run again. Against UConn it proved to be an effective way to limit the shot blocking and excellent defense of the Huskies. Against a much weaker defense, we might see the Spartans slow it down a bit, although it should be said that in their first meeting they ran with Carolina to start the game.
I like important stuff just as much as the next guy, but please, for a little while, deliver us from meaning, baseball. That's your greatest glory, and we thank you for it very, very much. -- Craig Calcaterra
Not...
related to the game, but does anyone here hate ticketmaster as much as I do? You are at their mercy and every time you do a search it seems like the same crappy seats come up. Its like sticking your hand into a hat and drawing or something, Stubhub all the way. Trying to get tickets to the Derby City Classic, but if I can’t get anything better than what they keep throwing at me, I doubt I will. :(
Thats what
I thought. The had a live feed of every Kentucky game they broadcasted this year so maybe?
I agree that having Suton will make a big difference...
on both ends of the floor. His ability to knock down jumpers will test the Tar Heels defense. I will definitely be cheering for the Spartans! Go State!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what were they thinking?
those were my thoughts exactly, we know the real truth here in KY
Blue, there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Still can't find the game online for free.
Stinks to be away from home. I’d really like to watch but I’m not gonna pay to look at that powder blue bunch.
Scratch that!
How dumb I feel. Here’s the link for anyone interested.
http://mmod.ncaa.com/?source=mktg_09MMOD_GArosBK&refcode=09MMOD_GArosBK
Grudging Respect
You know I wish UNC wasn’t the team that was close on the heels of UK in total victories and in a race to 2,000 in that category. If that and other such factors weren’t as they are I could rather easily be a Tar Heels fan and for the simple reason that I have always admired excellence. There is something noble and estimable about achieving at a high level over an extended period and make no mistake about it the folks in Chapel Hill have done that and done it with class and dignity. I know a few UK fans and alums who reside in NC and they regularly comment on the arrogance of Heel fans and the negativity and condescension they have toward UK, yet, not having experienced that, I still value their achievements. Nine trips to The Final Four in the last nineteen years is quite illustrative of that excellence and puts them at the very peak of college basketball. Alas, for the reasons given, I can not pull for them in tonight’s game but they do have my grudging respect. My greatest hope is that Calipari can return UK to an equal or greater level of performance over the next two decades. UNC as recently and currently configured provides a worthy role model.
Refs
Am I the only one who’s getting tired of watching the refs in UNC games allowing them to get away with muggings?
eckkk
this is going to be ugly for MSU if they don’t start hitting shots
UL Football Fan/UK Basketball Fan ~ Shreveport Louisiana
by The White Mandingo on Apr 6, 2009 9:39 PM EDT up reply actions
UNC on pace for like 120 points
of course they wont get there but they are blistering the nets
Slower Traffic Keep Right!
The pace
of this game is nuts- I understand the kids are excited- but I figured it would have settled by now.
this is awful
Michigan state is so rattled they couldnt find there way back to the locker room. Mistake after mistake. No one is looking for the opening and its a bunch of one on one. = LOSS
This could be...........
the largest margin of loss every in a championship game………….anyone know what it is?
Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage...
aged for 10 years. Should be saved for celebrating, but I think this situation warrants it just as much. Cheers.
Big East most overrated
MSU takes down 2 1 seeds,and UNC toys with the spartans.Big East is a Big JOKE.
I sure don't like UNC
But I have to admit that this seems to be one of the best college teams there’s been in quite some time.
I turned it off
I don’t even want to watch UNC win this game, what a dud for an NC game I was hoping for a close game. I think the only people enjoying this game in the entire country is the UNC fans.
UL Football Fan/UK Basketball Fan ~ Shreveport Louisiana
by The White Mandingo on Apr 6, 2009 10:41 PM EDT reply actions
I can see that, but...
…I hate Duke so much that I can’t quite agree.
by WildcatFanInDC on Apr 6, 2009 10:51 PM EDT up reply actions
So if unc wins
we will only have 4 more wins alltime? is that correct?
The game
seems to be over, but does anyone else, really lol, at the Guitar Hero Metallica commercial. I think it is so funny!!! And I cannot believe they talked those guys into wearing those white boxers on national TV.
Blue, there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Talking them into it
Huge sums of money presumably played a part in convincing them.
by WildcatFanInDC on Apr 6, 2009 11:01 PM EDT up reply actions
I heard none of the coaches were ever together when they filmed it
it was green screened at a studio
Slower Traffic Keep Right!
I believe
both comments, and I can see that they are not really all together, by their expressions. Probably wouldn’t do it together. lol
Blue, there is no other color to Bleed !!!
There was the earlier one with Kobe, ARod, michael phelps and someone else
It was also clear that none of them were in the same place at the same time.
by WildcatFanInDC on Apr 6, 2009 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions
ok
what is the all time win list yall? What is UNC/Kentucky
Kentucky bretheren united once again! Thanks Cal!
Yahoo Sports...
reporting that Meeks will enter NBA draft without an agent. Without an agent is the key phrase as I believe he will fall somewhere in the second round and return.
True, but...
…it worked out fine for Prince and Bogans.
by WildcatFanInDC on Apr 7, 2009 9:24 AM EDT up reply actions
And Magloire
He put his name in draft back in 1999 but withdrew it.
by FortyYearCatFan on Apr 7, 2009 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions
True also.
I suppose Meeks doesn’t have anything to lose by putting his name in and not hiring an agent. If/when he doesn’t get drafted, he still has his ‘day job’.
Maybe he’s just doing it partly to see where he stands and what he can improve on.
Here's a link
http://www.insidehoops.com/calendar.shtml
April 26 NBA Early Entry Eligibility Deadline (11:59 p.m. ET)
June 15 NBA Draft Early Entry Entrant Withdrawal Deadline (5:00 p.m. ET)
June 25 2009 NBA Draft (WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY)
by WildcatFanInDC on Apr 7, 2009 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions
So we likely won't know about Meeks and Patterson until as late as June 15? Ug.
My birthday is right around then. . .give me a present Jodie and Pat.
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
--O.W.
Thanks...
…for the information on the NBA draft deadline. I had originally thought that the deadline was April 26, but now I see that that is just the early entry date.
Since I misread the date and the actual deadline is June 15, I’m totally with blbskue — Ugh, is right. That seems like a lifetime away. But, to look on the bright side, I suppose the extra time will probably be beneficial for Jodie and will give him a chance to take his time, participate in the various camps and make the best informed decision for him and his family.
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