The Swamp

I see no way that it isn't Michigan-UL in the final. Sorry, Dsafe.

The one way to consistently beat the Syracuse zone is to have guards who can make it past the first line of defense to give options to the passer. Michigan can do that. They then have shooters who can knock down the three on the kickout and insiade guys to get layins and Burke can score as well on his own. If Beilein was smart, he pulled the tape of all three UL-Syracuse games and has used a fine-toothed comb. Because, here's the rub...Siva isn't great against the zone so it gives them a chance to see where his errors are. Trey Burke is better than Siva from what I have seen (though I have admittedly seen more UL than UM). So if Beilein is looking at the tape of those games, he can see three halves of what works and three halves of what didn't and gameplan accordingly.

As for Wichita, I just don't think they can beat UL unless they dominate the tempo - not just control, but dominate. They need the game to be in the 50s, and Pitino's teams usually are pretty good at dictating the tempo.

Louisville/Michigan earns me a cool $118 in a Sweet Sixteen pool.

I suspect AB might be right on paper, but Syracuse has taken their defense to another level in the tournament. That game should be one hell of a game. I'd be nervous facing Beilein when he has 6 days to prepare for a game. And it isn't exactly Boeheim's first trip around the block either.

Two things, AB.

1. Is Glenn Robinson III as good of a passer as Chane Behanan? The real key is getting the high-post passer down to the low post. McGary is probably a better low post scorer than Dieng, but Dieng gets a ton of help from Behanan making those entry passes. Triche and Carter-Williams (as well as the wings who will be playing up toward the elbow) will be stressed to pinch the driving lanes on Burke.

2. The thing that killed Syracuse was Louisville's pressure defense (literally their press in the Big East Tournament) and Big East officials who don't call fouls on contact. A defender putting two hands on the ballhandler is an automatic foul... except in that game. Michigan is a much more different defensive style.

Syracuse also has recently seen a team with an excellent post player and a ton of three-point shooters. Yeah, Indiana's starting guards were both short and Burke is a much better player than either of them, but I don't see Michigan as a shoo-in.

DSafetyGuy wrote: 2. The thing that killed Syracuse was Louisville's pressure defense (literally their press in the Big East Tournament) and Big East officials who don't call fouls on contact. A defender putting two hands on the ballhandler is an automatic foul... except in that game.

Good point. I think the only way Louisville loses this weekend is if they get into foul trouble. Kentucky almost beat Louisville at Freedom Hall, because the refs actually called reach-in fouls, and a bunch of Louisville players got into foul trouble. Louisville plays so aggressively on defense that if the refs swallow their whistles on non-shooting fouls, their press will eat you alive.

Doing the color commentary on the overseas TV coverage of the Final Four? DICK FUCKING VITALE! Gah....this is beyond awful.

Yeah, I just turned it on here and Vifuckgtale was throating his way through saying some thing. Thank F we also get a CBSHD channel here with the non-Vitale feed.

Scottie wrote:Yeah, I just turned it on here and Vifuckgtale was throating his way through saying some thing. Thank F we also get a CBSHD channel here with the non-Vitale feed.

The US feed has Clark Kellogg.

Brontoburglar wrote:

Scottie wrote:Yeah, I just turned it on here and Vifuckgtale was throating his way through saying some thing. Thank F we also get a CBSHD channel here with the non-Vitale feed.

The US feed has Clark Kellogg.

"Bouncing to ecstasy!"

Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg are like a soothing symphony compared to Dick Vitale and, well, anybody.

Louisville advances with the help of some sketchy officiating.

Looks like Wichita State just got a taste of the Karl Hess Experience.

Greg Anthony was about as convincing as Phil Simms during the Super Bowl in saying that jump ball was the right call.

The last ten minutes were officiated exactly opposite from how they called the first ten if the second half. That's piss poor but unsurprising.

Ooooh, I hadn't realized the huge Capital One Cup implications for this second semi. Wait, didn't Swansea already win that shit?

That held ball call was particularly atrocious. It should have been a reach in or a no-call.

At least they only let Vitale only do the first game. Jay Bilas on the second.

I had no idea Michigan was that young. 3 Frosh, a sophomore, and a junior starting?

Do NOT expect good looking people when they cut to the Syracuse and Michigan fans.

I see "LeVert" but my mind sees RuPaul.

Mcgary first half Mvp. Refs 2nd half mvp

Syracuse has a bigger beef with the refs than Wichita State does. The Triche charge could have gone either way but the 4th foul on MCW was a terrible call, and LeVert got away with an obvious travel when he got that rebound with 10 seconds left.

ETA: After watching the post-game replays, I think the Triche charge was a bad call. But college refs love to call charges, so I'm not surprised that it was called the way it was.

Syracuse played an amazingly flat first half and got a load of stupid play on offense from the guards, particularly when they went away from Fair when he was rolling in the first half. I never thought McGary would have played in the high post, much less slaughtered the Orange in the first half with his passing (career high in assists in the game's first 17 minutes, some of which he was on the bench).

I suspect Rick Pitino watched the last few minutes of that game and started wondering how much fun it will be to selectively deploy his press on Monday night. Syracuse only gets positives out of their press with the element of surprise on their side. I can only imagine how much a very good pressing team can bother the Wolverines, even with Trey Burke, who looked like he would have fit in perfectly with Indiana's guards a little over a week ago.

This is funny and awful at the same time. Well, unless it was a Syracuse fan - then it was just funny.

That kid looks like a Vladimir Putin love-child.

Has Putin every been to upstate New York? Hmmmmmm.

I have a feeling Louisville wins comfortably tonight. Maybe close early, (maybe even trail in the first half). But exert control through most of the second half, win by double digits. Siva and Smith, the quick little guys.

Oh, and Behennen returns from the milk carton.

It's important for Louisville to get physical and maybe borderline dirty early on. Michigan's weakness is that they are young and averse to really physical play.

Well, it's good to see the refs suck again.

Its white boy day.

That happened quick.

I find the halftime score hard to comprehend.

wow. Need a break.

That was the most entertaining first half I remember seeing

So apparently Albrecht's highest scoring month was 20. (March, if you care)

penetrating insight there by barkley there re: hancock's 3's getting louisville back in the game.

If the second half is anything like the first probably the best NCAA title game in history.

brian wrote:If the second half is anything like the first probably the best NCAA title game in history.

unless the officiating mars it.

Why is Albrecht still in there? This is like if the Braves started Frankie Cabrera in the '92 Series.

cerrano wrote:

brian wrote:If the second half is anything like the first probably the best NCAA title game in history.

unless the officiating mars it.

the game has pivoted on that horrible foul call on Burke's block