Despite Kansas' non-inclusion, the Final Four is (surprisingly) still taking place in Atlanta this weekend. I'm not sure which games and how much I will watch, but should at least turn on the tube on Saturday and check them out. There isn't going to be a whole lot of depth behind these predictions, I knew who I was going to pick as soon as the Georgetown game was over.
Florida vs. UCLA 8:30 EST
Florida is the common pick around the internet, because that fun little saying we have heard all freakin' year long, "They've been there before." I don't care if they've been there before. I don't care that they won the Title last season, that means absolutely nothing for this year's Final Four. This year is a new year, and if the Committee hadn't looked at last year (there is no way they didn't, how else would Florida inexplicably get the #1 overall seed....don't get me started, we could have waited until NOW to play UCLA in the Final Four if we switch places with Florida, which should have happened) they wouldn't even have reached the Final Four. The one thing that does worry me about this pick is Al Horford dominating the Bruins front line, but I trust Mata to shut him down enough to let Afflalo take the game over.
Rock Chalk Talk Says: UCLA 72 Florida 63
Georgetown vs. Ohio State 6:00 EST
This game is also a rematch of a Tournament game last season, with Georgetown prevailing in the second round. Don't worry, that game means absolutely nothing to me. Just wanted to give you a factoid to chew on while you read this. I think the decider in who wins this game is the play of the centers. We all have heard about Greg Oden and how he is the best thing to hit college basketball courts since ever and is going to run away with all of the awards imaginable. Well guess what MSM (namely ESPN), the only awards he won were Big 11 awards which don't mean much because besides Ohio State there isn't a real good team in it. Wisconsin was in the Top 5 for much of the season but they turned out to be overrated (Losing to Texas A&M Corpus Christi?!?!? By 15 at one point?!?!? I don't care that you came back and won, that is just embarassing) and while other Big 11 schools (Indiana, Purdue, Michigan State and almost Illinois) advanced to the next round, I don't care. So, now that I have ranted about the Big 11's weakness let's get back to the game. Roy Hibbert is every bit as good as the freshman in Columbus, and if he plays that way then they will win the game. Simple as that. Jeff Green will explode because besides Oden Ohio State's frontcourt is W-E-A-K, but on the other hand Conley, Lewis and Lighty will score a ton from the perimeter. Georgetown's lone 3 point threat, something Wallace, will knock down a couple after the defense collapses on Jeff Green, and the game will be tied with 5 minutes left with equal production from both Hibbert and Oden. Their teams will look to them to lead them down the stretch, get a key block here, a huge rebound there. And in the end, the freshman will lose to a just-as-talented Hibbert and Georgetown will prevail.
Rock Chalk Talk Says: Georgetown 75 Ohio State 70
No preview or anything for this National Championship shindig, just a prediction:
Rock Chalk Talk Says: Georgetown 62 UCLA 54
Post your predictions here. I think they will both be good games, worthy of watching definately.
ROCK CHALK BABY!