 |
 |
 |
|
Is this the best Final Four ever?
Honestly, I'm not sure.
|
|
| One of the biggest storylines of the week is Roy Williams facing his former team. (Getty Images) |
We have four No. 1 seeds for the first time, any of which can reasonably expect to win the national title. It's the Conference USA champion (Memphis), Pac-10 champion (UCLA), ACC champion (North Carolina) and co-Big 12 champion (Kansas). From that group, the NCAA tournament champion will emerge, and if somebody asks for a prediction just relax and mumble a school because there is no stupid answer this week.
Anyway, it's time to look ahead.
But first, let me take you back to October.
My preseason Top 25 (and one)
1. Memphis
2. UCLA
3. North Carolina
4. Kansas
(Pretty good, huh?)
And the Final Four matchups are ...
First semifinal: Memphis vs. UCLA
Tip-off: Saturday, 6:07 p.m. ET
The opening line: Memphis minus-1
The obvious storyline: Memphis and UCLA have NCAA tournament history, none of which is good for Memphis. Bill Walton went bananas on the Tigers in the 1973 championship game and led UCLA to the title. Then in 2006, Ben Howland studied film for 1,394 hours (in just two days) and developed a scheme that completely baffled John Calipari's dribble-drive motion offense in the Elite Eight. The Tigers averaged 80 points that season. UCLA beat them 50-45. That'll be mentioned more than once this week, I promise.
Second semifinal: North Carolina vs. Kansas
Tip-off: Saturday, 8:47 p.m. ET
The opening line: North Carolina minus-3
The obvious storyline: Roy Williams lost the 2003 NCAA tournament title game to conclude his 15th season at Kansas, then immediately told Bonnie Bernstein live on CBS that he "could give a sh-t about North Carolina right now" when she asked about the speculation that he could be the Tar Heels' next coach. Predictably, Williams took the UNC job 10 days later, once he decided to give a sh-t about North Carolina. Some Kansas fans were upset. That'll be mentioned more than once this week, I promise.
They all have enough pros
There's a rule I live by, one that prevents me from ever picking a national champion unless it has at least three future NBA players on the roster. Without them, a school can't win it all. For proof, look at the past four national champions -- the 2004 Connecticut Huskies (Emeka Okafor, Ben Gordon, Josh Boone), the 2005 North Carolina Tar Heels (Sean May, Raymond Felton, Marvin Williams) and the 2006/2007 Florida Gators (Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer).
So how do these Final Four participants measure up?
Quite well, actually.
All four fit the criteria.
Kansas has Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush and Darrell Arthur. UCLA has Darren Collison, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love. Memphis has Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Joey Dorsey. North Carolina has Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Tyler Hansbrough.
So regardless of the winner, the three-pro criteria streak will continue into 2009.
My pre-Final Four All-Final Four Team (using only Final Four players)
G: Derrick Rose (Memphis)
G: Chris Douglas-Roberts (Memphis)
G: Brandon Rush (Kansas)
F: Kevin Love (UCLA)
F: Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina)
Three random notes
1. The combined record of Memphis, UCLA, North Carolina and Kansas is 143-9. Memphis is 37-1 (with a loss to Tennessee). UCLA is 35-3 (with losses to Texas, Southern California and Washington). North Carolina is 36-2 (with losses to Maryland and Duke). Kansas is 35-3 (with losses to Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Texas).
2. Kansas' Bill Self is the only first-time Final Four coach. UCLA's Ben Howland is making his third appearance, North Carolina's Roy Williams is making his sixth appearance and Memphis' John Calipari is making his second appearance.
3. There's a poll on the college basketball page here at CBSSports.com. The question is simple: Who will be in the NCAA title game? When I filed this, voters believed the most likely scenario is North Carolina vs. UCLA, then Memphis vs. North Carolina, then UCLA vs. Kansas, then Memphis vs. Kansas. So take that for what it's worth, which could obviously be nothing.
Final thought
I happen to live just outside Memphis and happened to land at Memphis International Airport on Sunday around the same time the Tigers were landing across the street at Wilson Air Center. Let me tell you, it was a wild scene.
The lot at Wilson Air was full and folks had taken to parking on the street. Cops had to direct traffic. And when the Tigers got off the plane they seemed genuinely stunned by the reception, all wide-eyed and big-grinned while signing autographs, taking pictures and interacting with fans.
Meantime, Chris Douglas-Roberts gave a quick interview to the local TV stations. The chip on his shoulder remained present despite he and his teammates easily running through Michigan State and Texas this weekend to lead Memphis to its first Final Four since 1985.
"Keep doubting us," Douglas-Roberts said. "Keep doubting us."
Then he clapped his hands and walked away.
