Reaction from the NCAA Tournament’s Second Weekend

Note: all images obtained from a Google image search at google.com

The team with the coach with the most fun name to say: SHAKA SMART!

• Virginia Commonwealth’s incredible run to the Final Four as an 11-seed has been examined ad nauseum by the national pundits, so there is probably not a whole lot that hasn’t already been said. But I’m going to add my own two cents anyway.  The biggest thing that stood out to me was in the first 3 or so minutes in the game, where Kansas was flexing its muscle inside.  PF Marcus Morris was being fronted in the post by the VCU defense, without back side help.  As a result, the adept passing of the KU guards got the ball inside to Morris at will, and he scored the first 6 points of the game on 2 free throws and 2 easy lay-ups for an early 6-0 Kansas lead.  At this point I’m thinking, well VCU, it’s been a great ride so far, but you simply don’t have the ammunition to stay with this vastly-superior Kansas team.  And I obviously could not have been more wrong.  Following a timeout, the Rams immediately made the adjustment, switching to a zone defense, and shading an extra defender behind Morris to give the KU guards something to think about before making that pass.  And it worked to perfection.

• The other great strength of VCU is their unflappable confidence in themselves and their teammates.  Despite the 6-0 deficit, they just didn’t get rattled by the pressure of the moment, and this also was evident as the Jayhawks mounted their comeback.  After trailing 39-21 with 4 minutes to play in the 2^nd half, Kansas got all the way back to within 46-44 following a Tyshawn Taylor theft, layup and free throw (caused by VCU PG Joey Rodriguez’s 3^rd personal foul in less than a minute).  But VCU was undaunted, as the MVP of the game, Jamie Skeen, was fouled and made 2 free throws.  Less than 2 minutes later, Skeen drained a 3, and VCU’s lead was extended right back to 9.  Skeen put up an awesome line of 26 points and 10 rebounds, including 4/7 from 3 and 10/12 from the 3-point line.

• The 3-point shot is the great equalizer in March Madness, and that weapon has carried VCU throughout the tournament.  The Rams shot 12/25 (48%) from behind the line, and have shot a combined 53/121 (43.8%) for the tournament after shooting 36% from 3 during the regular season.  However, it can also be the greatest detriment to a team that relies on the shot to win, which Kansas tried to do once VCU made the adjustment defensively against the Morris twins.  Kansas went into the game believing it had a tremendous advantage inside with the Morris brothers, but were thoroughly bottled up by the impressive interior defense of Juvonte Reddic, Toby Veal, and Skeen.  KU normally could compensate with strong 3-point shooting from their guards, but G’s Tyrel Reed and Brady Morningstar shot a combined 2/16 from the field, including 1/10 from 3.  For the game, KU shot an astounding 2/21 from beyond the arc.  VCU needed a cold shooting night from KU’s guards, and they got it.  And now they’re moving on to Houston with a shot to play for the national championship.

To quote the immortal Gus Johnson: "THE SLIPPER STILL FITS!!"

• The Butler Bulldogs, are you KIDDING me?! This team lost 5 games in the HORIZON league for crying out loud, and didn’t seem interested in playing a whole lot of defense as recently as February.  They probably needed to win the Horizon league tournament just to get into the Dance.  And of course, they’re back in the Final Four, on the strength of 4 wins by a combined 13 points.   PG Ronald Nored has been the key, finally returning health and playing excellent perimeter defense against some of the best guards in the country (Ashton Gibbs, Jordan Taylor, Erving Walker).  And F’s Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard have continued to impress, with Howard providing not only impressive post defense but stellar scoring and rebounding as well (a 20 and 12 night against Wisconsin), and Mack delivering ice-in-his-veins shooting (back-to-back go-ahead 3’s in the final minutes against Florida) and displaying the toughness and leadership that have been the driving force behind this team’s consecutive Final Four runs.  They face a tough matchup with VCU in the national semifinal, but with the strong perimeter defense they’ve displayed thus far in the tournament (they held Wisconsin to a season 2^nd-worst 30.4% FG in their regional semi win), it stands to reason Butler could be playing for a national championship on Monday night.

As Bill Raftery likes to say, this kid has "ONIONS!!"

• I’m starting to like Kentucky PG Brandon Knight more and more.  The freshman shook off a terrible shooting performance in the first 39 minutes and 58 seconds in the 1^st round against Princeton, pulling off a gutsy driving go-ahead layup to carry his Wildcats into Round 2 (I refuse to call it round 3).  Did the kid bounce back from the 1/8 effort in their next game against West Virginia?  Well, does 30 points, including 9/10 from the free throw line (6/6 in the final 2 minutes) answer that question?  Knight poured in another 22 in the regional final win over UNC.  His Saturday national semifinal matchup with all-world UConn PG Kemba Walker will likely determine who plays on Monday night for the national title.  It’ll sure be a fun matchup to watch.

Connecticut isn't only the Fightin Kembas.

• Kemba Walker gets the majority of the pub for Connecticut, and rightfully so.  The kid only averaged 23.5 points (4^th in the nation), 4.5 assists and nearly 2 steals per night, and will undoubtedly win this tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award should UConn take the title in Houston.  But the kid I really like is Jeremy Lamb, Walker’s running partner on the wing.  The lanky 6-5, 185-pound freshman has a silky smooth game and an excellent jump shot (48.3 FG%, 37.2 3FG% this season).  He has great length and athleticism, to go with a knack for rising to the occasion the light shines brightest (not unlike Mr. Walker).  Lamb’s dagger 3-pointer  gave the Huskies a 4-point lead with 1:39 to go, and Lamb would cap his 24-point night with 2 emphatic slams to punctuate the regional semi final win for Connecticut.  Lamb made 9 of his 11 attempts from the field, including all 3 3’s.  Walker may seem like a one-man wrecking crew.  But Kemba is not the sole man responsible for UConn’s run to the Final Four.

Just call him the Destroyer of Duke.

• Even though they lost to Connecticut in the West regional final, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention just how electric Arizona PF Derrick Williams had been in this entire NCAA tournament.  He truly has been a man among boys, averaging 23 points and 9 rebounds, including dumping a 32 and 13 on defending champion Duke in their 93-77 romp in the regional semifinal in Anaheim.  This kid has an absolutely relentless motor, getting after it on the glass, and putting his athleticism to work, in particular against the woefully-outmatched Duke front line.  He not only is capable of throwing down some hellacious dunks (including a tip-slam against Duke and an astounding dunk against a UConn double-team), but he shot 56.8% for the SEASON from behind the 3-point line (including 5/6 against Duke)!  Williams has undoubtedly improved his potential NBA Draft stock the most among any player in this tournament, and put himself in the conversation for the number 1 overall pick along with Duke PG Kyrie Irving and UNC F Harrison Barnes.  An absolutely awesome display of tenacity and athleticism, and I would love to get this guy into a Timberwolves uniform after the June 23 draft (although I would take Irving on my PG-starved roster in heartbeat as well).

Jimmah, you will be sorely missed (in college).

• I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention the single-most exciting player and story of the 2010-2011 season, the Jimmer Fredette Experience at BYU.  Predictably, BYU’s incredible run was ended by a more athletic team with far more weapons in Florida, and the Cougars simply could not get by with Fredette taking that many shots, making too few, and not getting enough help (especially following the suspension of PF Brandon Davies).  Now, on to the NBA Draft.  My thoughts: not thought of as more than a 2^nd-round pick at the beginning of the season, Jimmer’s unmatched (in college) scoring ability and parking lot-type range has elevated him into the discussion of a top-20 pick in some NBA circles.  Thoughts on him across league reportedly are quite mixed, however, as Jimmer’s allergy to defense has knocked him down several pegs.  However, through the recent history of the league, if a player has one defined skill (i.e. shooting/rebounding), he can succeed in the NBA.  DeJuan Blair comes to mind, who was devalued so egregiously by his lack of ACL’s to a 2^nd-round pick and now starts for the Western Conference-leading Spurs in his 2^nd season.  Jimmer’s shooting ability will at least give him an 8^th man/bench role; I’d compare him to a Kyle Korver/J.J. Redick type without the size.  But Jimmer’s agility and athleticism will compensate for his lack of size, and if he proves to be a competent PG, he could be a tremendous asset for a winning team.  And don’t give me his lack of defense as a reason he won’t make it; Steph Curry doesn’t play any defense, either, and Derek Fisher still starts for the 2-time defending champion Lakers despite having his performance being described as “Corpse-Like”.