OPEN SHOT: Final Four

by Truzenzuzex on Apr 5, 2008 6:38 PM EDT in Open Thread Comment 42 comments

Sorry I didn't get this up sooner, but I just got back from a workout and was a little late to the game.

Here is your open thread for the Final Four. First game is Memphis vs. UCLA, and the second is Kansas vs. UNC.

Go Tigers! Go Jayhawks!

Your thoughts?

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Game's Over But

Memphis set a record with 38 W (so far). No Div I Men's team ever had more than 37 W in a season.

by FortyYearCatFan on Apr 5, 2008 8:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Memphis

Was ahead most of the game and kept a comfortable lead. Glad to see them win!

And now the Jayhawks! I know BCG is rooting for his friend, Self.

UCLA is gone, and hopefully, UNC next.

by kykat51 on Apr 5, 2008 8:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't think I've ever pulled for a Memphis team before, and didn't realize that I would tonight. But, after the first tip I knew, for one night anyway, I was a Tiger's fan! Over halftime I thought about it and decided my feelings about this game must be based on holding UCLA to no more championships until UK can pass them on the all time wins list. Of course, I'm for anyone who plays UNC unless its Duke, so GO JAYHAWKS!!

by bluegrassgal on Apr 5, 2008 8:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

My reasoning ...

exactly. I actually like UCLA fans, I think they are pretty classy. I like Ben Howland. He is a fine coach and his players play the right way.

But I don't want them within shouting distance of a championship until we leave them in the dust ... which might be a while.

by Truzenzuzex on Apr 6, 2008 5:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

UNC v. KU

Am I the only one in need of an in-home defib kit?

I cannot believe Kansas is punishing Carolina like they are.

Kansas looks like they have fresh legs, while Carolina looks as if this is their third game of the day.

by Ken Howlett on Apr 5, 2008 9:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

HELL YES!!

UNC looks like they haven't seen anything quite like this before. The Jayhawks are giving Hansbrough the "what for"....Yippeeee!

O'l Roy looks to be the one in need of the defib. : )

I am a very, very, very happy girl right now!

by BigSkyCat on Apr 5, 2008 9:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

pretty unbelievable

They are killing them so far--I am utterly shocked. Of course I would think UNC is talented enough and can score quickly enough to possibly launch a comeback even from this big deficit (I don't want to jinx it by being overconfident...) I do hope this keeps up though. I was afraid a Carolina championship was imminent, and that is hard to take. UCLA's out of the mix. I can live with either Kansas or Memphis winning it.

by blue kentucky girl on Apr 5, 2008 9:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Saw Kansas Beat UK Last March

Margin was 12 but game not really that close.

KU has oodles of talent (mostly same team back).

by FortyYearCatFan on Apr 5, 2008 9:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Isn't it funny...

that once we're out of the tournament it suddenly becomes all about who we DON'T want to see win it. The true UK fans root for whoever is playing Puke, Carolina, and UCLA.

You know the Kansas fans have to be loving this -- beating up on their ex-coach who left them for what he thought was greener pastures.

by ReverendBlue on Apr 5, 2008 10:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You got it Rev

Go Jayhawks!

by kykat51 on Apr 5, 2008 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah, go Jayhawks...

and quit trying to give this game away!! Making me nervous...can you imagine the grossness we'll have to endure in media fawning if UNC were able to come back and win this?

Not gonna happen though...come on, think positive...

by blue kentucky girl on Apr 5, 2008 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kansas has it!

Dang what a game!

by kykat51 on Apr 5, 2008 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

woo-hoo!!

Well, these games tonight went according to plan, did they not? I'm a little disappointed that neither came down to the very end, but you can't argue with the results. Neither Memphis nor Kansas winning it all will cause me to have to throw up all over myself, as I would have done uncontrollably with a UNC or UCLA championship.

I guess I'm rooting for Kansas in the final b/c of the Self/Gillispie connection. Just so, so relieved I don't have to choose between UNC and UCLA (shudder).

by blue kentucky girl on Apr 5, 2008 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

JayHawks Win!

I am very happy for Bill Self and BCG...he probably needed a little something in his life this week to give him a BIG lift!

by kykat51 on Apr 5, 2008 11:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Shot Selection

Talent is one thing, but I have never seen so many BS shots made in my life.

Hansborough just threw up a prayer and it went in.

by gacatfan on Apr 5, 2008 10:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I might be wrong

but I think the all time wins after this season

Kentucky 1966
North Carolina 1950

by String Music on Apr 5, 2008 11:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think you are right...

...and if not, you're very close.

I know it's under 20. Waaaaay too close for comfort.

by Ken Howlett on Apr 5, 2008 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

still a very, very, very happy girl!

I did some research on this a week or so ago. Slow day, had some time to kill..
By my VERY elementary calculations I now have UNC at 1951 wins.

If there is NO UK, then I am very damn ecstatic that there is NO UCLA and NO UNC either!

One more Jayhawks win and I can actually win some cash!! : )

by BigSkyCat on Apr 5, 2008 11:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

UNC And KU Both 36-3 This Year

(Going into 2008)

# School First Season Years Won Lost Tied Win %
1 Kentucky 1903 104 1,948 608 1 76.2
2 North Carolina 1911 97 1,914 696 0 73.3
3 Kansas 1899 109 1,906 782 0 70.9

(Now)

UK is 1966 W and 621 L (note 2 W and 1 L from 1988 don't count).

UNC is 1950 W and 699 L.

KU is 1942 W and 785 L.

by FortyYearCatFan on Apr 5, 2008 11:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

my mistake.

Crap, thanks alot 40, I guess I should have paid more attention in math class, huh? : )

I know you have all kinds of stats "up there", but I have a favor to ask,

Can you PLEASE share some of your knowledge with us too, instead of JUST stats? You have been a fan for 40 years for goodness sake.....

I'm sure there is all kinds of crazy, useful and helpful information in that head of yours!

by BigSkyCat on Apr 5, 2008 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I Try To Do Both

The stats fit the situation in this case.

by FortyYearCatFan on Apr 6, 2008 12:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Congrats Jayhawks

Self might as well have headed straight to Stillwater if Kansas would have lost that game after being up 28.

They certainly looked to be a far superior team.

by Ken Howlett on Apr 5, 2008 11:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yep

I was thinking the same thing when UNC cut it to 6. Self would not have been able to get out of Lawrence fast enough.

by gacatfan on Apr 5, 2008 11:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Linked

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8laAlpFy57Y

Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk, K-U!

by FortyYearCatFan on Apr 5, 2008 11:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Maybe

Self gets a Championship on Monday night and then leaves for OSU and they leave BCG alone. :)

by String Music on Apr 5, 2008 11:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Here is

where I got the numbers....I just added 18 wins for UK and 36 for UNC

Which NCAA Division 1 basketball team has the most all-time wins?
In: College Basketball

NCAA All-Time Winningest Team � The Kentucky Wildcats...
As of the beginning of the 2007-2008 season, Kentucky is the all-time winningest team in Division I Men's Basketball with 1,948 victories. The top 5 programs are:
1 - Kentucky - 1,948
2 - North Carolina - 1,914
3 - Kansas - 1,906
4 - Duke - 1,818
5 - St. John's - 1,705

In one season, the winningest are Illinois, Duke, and UNLV with 37 wins each.

by String Music on Apr 5, 2008 11:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Memphis 38-1 Now

37 W no longer the record.

UK has 3 different coaches reach 35 (or more) W.

by FortyYearCatFan on Apr 6, 2008 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow

Kansas is really nipping at their Tarheels...

by String Music on Apr 5, 2008 11:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes they are...

Don't worry, you won't catch me trying to math again anytime soon! ; )

by BigSkyCat on Apr 5, 2008 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

In one easy lesson...

...how to make a complete fool of oneself in front of the entire world.

Check out the Bill Plaschke breakdown of the coaching matchup between Calipare and Howland. Of course this was written prior to Saturday nights demolition.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-plaschke5apr05,1,2397233.column

by Ken Howlett on Apr 6, 2008 2:06 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

D ROSE

who can we trade to get d rose? lol

sorry i was staring at all our titles and barely noticed your teams wall of 8th place ribbons

by JAXWILDCAT on Apr 6, 2008 3:05 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

That guy ...

was a man among boys.

He won't be back next year.

by Truzenzuzex on Apr 6, 2008 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rose

My bet is that he makes a pile of green...very shortly.

For a freshman, on that stage, under so much pressure...what a performance.

I'd trade....naw, better not mention any names :)

by Ken Howlett on Apr 6, 2008 3:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Saw Rose Play Here In Chicago (Simeon)

A man among boys. NBA star very soon. Most talented Chicago HS player since Kevin Garnett (1995).

by FortyYearCatFan on Apr 6, 2008 9:02 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

did anyone notice....

that right before a commercial break with about 8min left in the first half in the UNC Kansas game, Kansas had just hit a three to put the lead at like 35-10 or somewhere in that ball park and right as the ball went through the net Billy pACCker says with disgust, "This game is over!" To which the other announcer replies inquisitively, "Is it?" and then they cut to commericial. (How is that for a run on sentence?) I couldn't help but laugh out loud... Billy P. had given up on his favorite thing on earth before they even made their magnificent run in the second half.

I need a Sea of Blue because I am surrounded by Tennessee orange and Vandy gold!

by sleepytimetea on Apr 6, 2008 10:31 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Packer

Sounded like a fan instead of an analyst at that particular point.

by Ken Howlett on Apr 6, 2008 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Heard that too!

I had to ask mu hubby if I had heard that correctly. Pretty funny, I thought.

by kentuckygirl0724 on Apr 7, 2008 8:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Go Tigers!

As a c/o '01 alum, I am pleased as punch to see Memphis in the final game! I am doubly excited that UNC lost, besides the obvious reason, because I think Memphis will have an easier time beating Kansas than they would UNC. Go Tigers!!!

by BlueInNash on Apr 7, 2008 9:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Dribble Drive Motion Offense

The AP had an interesting story on Calipari's offense at Memphis:

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/preview?gid=200804070349&prov=ap

Basically, it seems to break down into a very pro-style offense that spreads the floor and uses the athleticism of your guards to create offense. The article talks about how it got its start in California high school ball and smaller colleges and is now becoming the new "hot" offense with the success Memphis has had. I think the obvious weakness is that you need to have better athletes than your opponent to run it to full potential... but of course Memphis seems to have that.

With the kind of athletes we will have next year, I would be intrigued to see us experiment with some of this next year. Actually... as I think about it, in many ways this is what we were running with Ramel and Joe at the end of the season after PPat went out.

by chirop1 on Apr 7, 2008 12:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

offense

Thanks for providing the link...good article.

Strictly from a "fun to watch" standpoint I do enjoy the "Princeton on steroids" offense. I haven't watched Memphis play a ton this year--not a huge priority for me personally, but what little I have seen is pretty exciting to watch. It seems to me that particular style will only work with superior athletes and a deep bench.

I also enjoy the "Princeton off steroids" offense. Since ESPN is enamored with the Big East, I have had plenty of opportunities to watch Georgetown play. When they were able to run their offense efficiently, all the cutting and slashing combined with crisp, sharp passing, it was a thing of beauty to watch. I would think it would take a ton of good practices and players that were in sync with one another to run it without fail.

As for our offensive future, I don't think we will see the "Princeton on steroids". The talent that BCG left behind at TAMU was pretty athletic and I don't recall any of their games being played that way. He also had very deep benches, 19, 20 and still no run and gun style offense. I can't image he would change his style completely, but you never know. He has said he will play whatever style he has to in order to fit the players.

My guess would be that out of the two teams we will see tonight, UK fans would be most likely to see something closer to the Kansas offensive style - for obvious reasons.

by BigSkyCat on Apr 7, 2008 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

UK Fans Prefer W No Matter What Style

Just W 4 out of 5 (Rupp, Pitino) and nobody cares.

Only W 3 out of 4 (Hall, Tubby) then people care.

If W 7 of 10 (Sutton) gone, no matter what.

by FortyYearCatFan on Apr 7, 2008 6:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

style

"UK Fans Prefer W No Matter What Style" -- I am definetly one of those fans! For me, where UK is concerned winning trumps style of play EVERY time.
However, when there are no UK games available and I have no vested interest in the team or game, I will usually choose to watch the one with the faster style of play.
; )

by BigSkyCat on Apr 7, 2008 7:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs