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Final Four Preview And Open Thread

The Final Four is upon us at last, so let's enjoy the final weekend of college hoops for seven months and preview tonight's action.

Georgetown vs Ohio State

The battle of the nation's two top collegiate centers is an interesting one, and though too often the national storyline is not the most interesting one of the game, in this case, I think it is. Ken Pomeroy has done an oustanding job of illustrating how much better Ohio State is when Greg Oden is on the floor. The numbers are so significant that it's impossible to explain away the difference any other way: Ohio State needs Oden on the floor to win.

Of course, the same is true of Georgetown and their center. The offense runs so much smoother when their own seven footer is out there that center foul trouble is probably the most important aspect of the game. The Hoyas' offense is ridiculously efficient when Hibbert is out there, both because of his ability to score in the paint, as well as his underrated ability to pass from the free throw line.

I'll be curious to see how effective Ohio State point guard Mike Conley is against a team like Georgetown. Few players have shown any ability to stay in front of Conley so far this season, so you wonder what Georgetown will do to try to contain his playmaking ability. The Hoyas have been vulnerable at times when they've allowed penetration into the paint, so if they're unable to keep Conley out on the perimeter, Ohio State may score enough to win.

Frankly, I don't see it. I think the Hoyas match up well with Ohio State, think they're more balanced offensively, and far better coached. The Hoyas can be defeated when they're not shooting the ball well, but barring a subpar performance from their guards, or severe foul trouble for Hibbert and Green, I think we'll see Georgetown in the finals Monday night.

The Line: Georgetown -1
PB's Pick: Georgetown 70 Ohio State 66
AW's Pick: Georgetown 64 Ohio State 61

Florida vs UCLA

UCLA boasts the nation's best defense, but the Gators are the most balanced team in the tournament. They can score from the perimeter, can pound the interior, can score in transition, can work the halfcourt... there's simply not much they can't do.

On the flipside, despite their very impressive performance against Kansas, the Bruins remain an offensively challenged club. To beat Florida this evening, they'll need a truly monstrous evening from point guard Darren Collison, who may be the only matchup problem for the Gators. UCLA will need Collison to be a scorer tonight, because even as good as the Bruins are on defense, it's going to be difficult to keep Florida off the board. UCLA is able to wear down opponents with their suffocating defense, but Florida has too many different ways to score.

Can the Bruins keep up? I find it hard to imagine they will, but I've been underestimating the Bruins throughout March. If I'm a UCLA fan, I'm probably happy to see me pick against the Bruins one more time...

The Line: Florida -3.5
PB's Pick: Florida 69 UCLA 67
AW's Pick: Florida 70 UCLA 65

0 recs  |  Comment 31 comments

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I HATE Thad Matta

I cannot believe he chews gum on the sidelines, for one thing. For another, he flaps about and whines more than Chicken Wings McWhinypants himself...

--PB--

by Peter Bean on Mar 31, 2007 5:07 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Wow!

2 on Oden. gtown getting their wish.

Conquest Chronicles

by Paragon SC on Mar 31, 2007 5:13 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Georgetown

just playing sloppy.

Conquest Chronicles

by Paragon SC on Mar 31, 2007 5:20 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

By the way

If you get bored with the game, or need to flip during timeouts, Fletch is on Spike TV right now.

--PB--

by Peter Bean on Mar 31, 2007 5:31 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

you mean...

like now? games alittle slow right now.

Conquest Chronicles

by Paragon SC on Mar 31, 2007 5:36 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

CBS

Has not shown a SINGLE important replay. Endless advertisements for their TV shows, and not a single replay of critical calls.

--PB--

by Peter Bean on Mar 31, 2007 5:38 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

not really sure

what gtown is trying to do with all the bounce passes. really sloppy play.

Conquest Chronicles

by Paragon SC on Mar 31, 2007 5:42 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Hoyas

This is the worst I've seen Georgetown play all year, and I've seen them play a LOT. Ohio State doing a decent job, but it's more of Georgetown just not showing up yet.

Time for them to wake up...

--PB--

by Peter Bean on Mar 31, 2007 5:43 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

WRONG...

...see below.

by matsut on Mar 31, 2007 9:16 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

god that was ugly

just terrible to watch. is that really to top teams on the floor?

Conquest Chronicles

by Paragon SC on Mar 31, 2007 5:52 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Heh!
Conquest Chronicles

by Paragon SC on Mar 31, 2007 5:54 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

AWFUL call

Oden =clearly= charges Jeff Green, and the ref calls a f-cking block. Would have been Oden's fourth.

Wow. Terrible, terrible call.

--PB--

by Peter Bean on Mar 31, 2007 6:42 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

WRONG...

...as much as I hate Billy Packer, he's right: Green would have to have been set before Greg left his feet, and the review showed pretty clearly he wasn't. Karmically, his  comical flop on another (should have been) blocking foul in the game's second minute, which sent Greg to the bench, may have come back to haunt him here.

Also wrong: JT3 was decisively outcoached by Thad

Also wrong: Ohio State is far more balanced offensively than G'town was.

Also wrong: Green was, in fact, shut down by Ohio State - more specifically, by David Lighty, a player four inches shorter but superior athletically.

Jeez...nice try, fellas.

by matsut on Mar 31, 2007 9:15 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Ohio State homerism

Congrats on the win, but you're kidding yourself.

--PB--

by Peter Bean on Mar 31, 2007 9:17 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Re: Coaching...

Matta going w/ the 2-3 zone was a no-brainer, but the semi-press, the matchup zone w/out Oden in the game, the substitution patterns, the TOTAL denial of back-door cuts, etc...that was a SUPERBLY coached game by Thad. You've already made it clear, repeatedly, that you "hate" him, but at some point we all have to stop using the "except for THIS game" excuse.

by matsut on Mar 31, 2007 9:25 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Thoughts

*I thought Matta coached a good game. I hate him because he chews gum, sweats profusely, and flaps around the sideline like a fish out of water, but he had a good gameplan today.

*You can believe what you want, but I've watched almost every Hoya game (and probably half of Ohio State's games) this year, and I can assure you that Jeff Green was not taken out of the game so much as he never asserted himself into it. For that, I blame both Green and John Thompson, who (as noted in a comment below) I thought coached a lousy game. The Hoyas were ill-prepared, and the necessary adjustments - all of them obvious - never came.

*Citing Billy Packer as backup for your claim that Greg Oden didn't charge is not helpful. Packer misses obvious calls constantly. I stand by my opinion that it was a terrible call. I don't think there was any conspiracy by the refs, and I don't think they had a bad game overall, but that call in particular - a HUGE call - was botched. Green was set in plenty of time. Nine times out of ten that's called a charge. Oden was damn fortunate not to get his fourth. Instead he got to go to the free throw line. I texted AW that I thought it was an awful call, and he texted back, "Agreed. Maybe game changing." I think Andrew was right.

*Bottom line is that Ohio State played better and deserved to win. I'm not making excuses for anybody. I absolutely believe, though, that the Hoya team they beat today was a pretty substandard version of the team I've seen all year. They were flat from the get-go. Congratulations to the Buckeyes for taking advantage and earning another huge win.

--PB--

by Peter Bean on Mar 31, 2007 11:02 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I hate to say it

Because I'm a big fan of JT3, but he's not coached a good game today. Allowing Green to disappear like he has is criminal.

--PB--

by Peter Bean on Mar 31, 2007 6:51 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

just an ugly game

by GT. just couldn't get anything going.

Conquest Chronicles

by Paragon SC on Mar 31, 2007 7:09 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

WRONG...

...see above.

by matsut on Mar 31, 2007 9:17 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Barf

Conley was the difference in the first half, Oden in the second.

Jeff Green not showing up to play was the ultimate difference, though. It wasn't a matter of Ohio State shutting him down; it was a matter of him being too passive.

What a disappointing end to the season for Georgetown.

--PB--

by Peter Bean on Mar 31, 2007 7:11 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

WRONG...

...see above.

by matsut on Mar 31, 2007 9:18 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I don't think

the next game is going to be much different on the defensive side of the ball. This could be a long one too.

Conquest Chronicles

by Paragon SC on Mar 31, 2007 7:12 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

UCLA UF

is pretty god-awful as well.

by BrooklynHorn on Mar 31, 2007 8:39 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

this one

is sloppy too.

Conquest Chronicles

by Paragon SC on Mar 31, 2007 8:46 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

I really must say

On a good night, the Longhorns would beat any of these teams. What a sorry lot.

by Caradoc on Mar 31, 2007 9:05 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Florida

turning it on.

their size is starting to come through.

Conquest Chronicles

by Paragon SC on Mar 31, 2007 9:17 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Calvin Miles

Not totally related to the thread, but i was thinking of Calvin Miles who decided to go pro out of high school.  If he had come to college (aka UT) and stayed for his sophomore year, we would have had a very good chance of playing in Monday.  We really did need a elite shooting guard.

Too many "if"s, but for god's sake, after two years he is still playing in D-league.  Stupid move on his part to bypass college.

by Cyrus on Mar 31, 2007 10:30 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

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