The NCAA Final Four

While the two Final Four games on Saturday night seem like boring blowouts, it was anything but boring. The score may indicate there were two games easily won by Memphis and Kansas, but the games were highly entertaining. Kansas, in the first half, came out ready to play and played at a level like North Carolina has never seen this year. They were absolutely punched in the mouth by Kansas, and for the first time this year, looked like they didn't have confidence. Fact is, they didn't start the game with the same intensity that Kansas came with. Before UNC knew what hit them, they were down by 28 points! I was in disbelief at what I was seeing. UNC finally woke up and started punching back. Midway through the second half, UNC had Kansas doubting themselves and had the momentum. They climbed to within 4 points. You may see a team down by 28 points climb back into it in the NBA, but in college, it is unheard of. Kansas showed some serious character by withstanding the UNC run and finishing the game strong. I honestly thought they were going to fold under the pressure and the momentum that UNC had.

Memphis has played as well as any team I've ever watched at the NCAA tournament. They have played with confidence and consistency. At no point during any of their games did it feel like they were in jeopardy of losing. They just look like they are the better team when matching up against the opponent. Their talent is just overwhelming. They cause mismatches at just about every position. Coach Cal has these kids playing with the confidence it takes to win a championship. They believe they are better than everyone else, and the most remarkable thing is they are making their opponents believe that too. I see the look of fear and intimidation in every team they've played so far. Even fellow number 1 seed UCLA had the look of being over matched during the Final Four game. They knew they didn't have a shot at winning. They were playing like underdogs and played with a bit of desperation in their eyes.

Now it's Memphis and Kansas in the Championship game. Kansas likes to run and play a frantic pace. The problem for Kansas is so does Memphis. This game is going to be fun to watch. The pace will make you tired from watching on the couch. I don't think that Kansas has the talent to beat Memphis, and I think given the pace of the game, Memphis will be cutting down the nets in the end. I think that Kansas played a little over their heads in the UNC game. I don't think they have another one of those games in them. When it's all said and done, Memphis is this year's NCAA champion.

I want to make one small point about Tyler Hansbrough. Even though his numbers say he had a decent game with 17 ponits and 9 rebounds, he truly was over matched. He was playing a team with some inside presence and couldn't perform at his usual self. I think it's a sign of what you can expect of him in the NBA. If you dominate in college, it doesn't mean you can dominate in the NBA. Hansbrough is going to be an average player at best in the NBA. His motor is the one thing he has going for him. He hustles and is tenacious but he isn't going to be able to score like he did in college among the giant super athletes that the NBA has. He does have a future in the league but don't expect the 20 points and 10 rebounds to be what you see from him.

The other player I'd like to talk about is the man they call CDR. Chris Douglas-Roberts is a remarkable player. His style of basketball is very unique. In college basketball, he can take over a game and he's quite refreshing to watch. Some of the moves he makes attacking the rim I haven't seen since the Magic Johnson days. Those 1980's moves combined with the moves of the modern day player is what makes CDR the effective player has been. I can say w/o hesitation that there is no other player in college with that unique package. Unfortunately for CDR, he plays a position that is a dime or dozen in the NBA. He's a wing player. For those who don't understand the basketball lingo, a wing player is a guy who is basically a G or F who can drive to the basket and be able to score from the outside. It is generally a position that guys are anywhere from 6'5" to 6'9". The NBA is filled with those kind of players. Every year there tons of wing players entering the NBA draft and end up being busts or not even getting drafted. These guys have to match up against players like Josh Smith, Shawn Marion, Josh Howard, Tracy McGrady, and even LeBron James. Those are just a few examples. If you know the NBA and those players I've mentioned, you can see why wing players often struggle to take their college success to the NBA. I think CDR will stick around in the NBA and will be a decent player, but he isn't going to have anywhere near the career he's had in college at the next level. This is one evaluation I make that I hope I'm wrong about because I love CDR. But, looking at this from a unbiased point of view, that is my assessment.