everything that's on my mind
(as if there's not already enough people doing this)Sunday, April 02, 2006
Dance : day nine - final four
I did not get to sit and watch the final four games as I usually do. A family event took precedence, so I had set my DVR to record them and planned to watch them on Sunday. It turned out that I saw part of the Florida-GMU game, then managed to make it home in time to see the second half of the late game between LSU and UCLA, which was already pretty much over.
It seemed most everyone not from LSU, UCLA or Florida wanted to see GMU win it all. But Florida has been playing really well and they seemed to be shooting the 3 well, at least during the time I was watching. The game seemed to get away from them late in the first half, and after that I think maybe they never really could recover. It was, however, a great run, and I think it's not going to be a long time before we see something like that again. It may happen again very soon.
As for UCLA and LSU, I actually felt like UCLA would win this game, but I didn't think they'd blow LSU out like they did. What was up with Glen Davis? He looked like he'd run from Baton Rouge to Indianapolis before the game. He appeared to be winded from the opening tip. I could understand if they were playing in Salt Lake City, maybe, but why did he suddenly appear to be horribly out of shape? And did Thomas even play in this game? I don't even remember hearing his name. Anyway, UCLA embarrassed LSU, who looked more like the team that played Iona and Texas A&M than the one that played Duke and Texas. I think LSU was a good team who had 2 great games, but were not really a serious contender to win it all.
A lot of people are picking Florida, but I think UCLA may just have enough to do it one more time. Of course, if you saw my bracket, you'd know how little that means.
Female four
Speaking of LSU getting embarrassed in the final four, not only did it happen to their men, but also to their women. Duke's Lady Blue Devils hammered LSU's Lady Tigers by 19 points tonight for the chance at the championship on Tuesday night. Both teams were #1 seeds. LSU's Seimone Augustus was the nation's leading scorer this season, and in an ironic twist, Duke's defense held her scoreless for the first 22 minutes of the game, and to 14 points overall (although about 6 of them came in the late minutes of the game when it was already decided.) I say ironic because that's what LSU's men's team did to one of the top men's scorers, Duke's J.J. Redick (who continues to rack up player of the year awards, and rightfully so.) LSU appeared to depend far too much on Augustus (sounds familiar...) and Duke's balance won the game for them.
Duke's opponent was decided in the early game, when the other two ACC schools in the final four squared off. Maryland, who finished 3rd in the ACC, would play North Carolina, who finished 1st and was #1 coming into the game (Duke finished 2nd in the ACC). Maryland has had UNC's number of late, including having an early February win that was UNC's only loss of the season coming into the game. Now, Maryland has given them their other loss of the year as well, a nine-point win. UNC losing is good enough, but seeing coach Sylvia Hatchell and point guard Ivory Latta - perhaps the most annoying player ever to play college basketball - just made it that much better.
So, Duke and Maryland will play Tuesday night and Maryland has had UNC's number, Duke has had Maryland's, having won, I believe, more than 10 in a row agains Maryland prior to the ACC tournament, where Maryland finally beat them. It's certainly not a given, and both are great teams, but Duke is in it's fourth final four since 1999, and I think this time they get it done.
It seemed most everyone not from LSU, UCLA or Florida wanted to see GMU win it all. But Florida has been playing really well and they seemed to be shooting the 3 well, at least during the time I was watching. The game seemed to get away from them late in the first half, and after that I think maybe they never really could recover. It was, however, a great run, and I think it's not going to be a long time before we see something like that again. It may happen again very soon.
As for UCLA and LSU, I actually felt like UCLA would win this game, but I didn't think they'd blow LSU out like they did. What was up with Glen Davis? He looked like he'd run from Baton Rouge to Indianapolis before the game. He appeared to be winded from the opening tip. I could understand if they were playing in Salt Lake City, maybe, but why did he suddenly appear to be horribly out of shape? And did Thomas even play in this game? I don't even remember hearing his name. Anyway, UCLA embarrassed LSU, who looked more like the team that played Iona and Texas A&M than the one that played Duke and Texas. I think LSU was a good team who had 2 great games, but were not really a serious contender to win it all.
A lot of people are picking Florida, but I think UCLA may just have enough to do it one more time. Of course, if you saw my bracket, you'd know how little that means.
Female four
Speaking of LSU getting embarrassed in the final four, not only did it happen to their men, but also to their women. Duke's Lady Blue Devils hammered LSU's Lady Tigers by 19 points tonight for the chance at the championship on Tuesday night. Both teams were #1 seeds. LSU's Seimone Augustus was the nation's leading scorer this season, and in an ironic twist, Duke's defense held her scoreless for the first 22 minutes of the game, and to 14 points overall (although about 6 of them came in the late minutes of the game when it was already decided.) I say ironic because that's what LSU's men's team did to one of the top men's scorers, Duke's J.J. Redick (who continues to rack up player of the year awards, and rightfully so.) LSU appeared to depend far too much on Augustus (sounds familiar...) and Duke's balance won the game for them.
Duke's opponent was decided in the early game, when the other two ACC schools in the final four squared off. Maryland, who finished 3rd in the ACC, would play North Carolina, who finished 1st and was #1 coming into the game (Duke finished 2nd in the ACC). Maryland has had UNC's number of late, including having an early February win that was UNC's only loss of the season coming into the game. Now, Maryland has given them their other loss of the year as well, a nine-point win. UNC losing is good enough, but seeing coach Sylvia Hatchell and point guard Ivory Latta - perhaps the most annoying player ever to play college basketball - just made it that much better.
So, Duke and Maryland will play Tuesday night and Maryland has had UNC's number, Duke has had Maryland's, having won, I believe, more than 10 in a row agains Maryland prior to the ACC tournament, where Maryland finally beat them. It's certainly not a given, and both are great teams, but Duke is in it's fourth final four since 1999, and I think this time they get it done.
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