NCAA Tournament

There's a few thoughts I've had about some of the matchups and results to this point:

All four number one seeds in the Final Four for the first time. In UNC, Kansas, and UCLA, you have three of the top programs of all time. UCLA is probably #1, UNC can make a strong claim to #2, though I don't know that you could put them ahead of Kentucky, which has three more titles than UNC. Despite having "only" two titles, Kansas has enough history and tradition to claim a place in the top five. That's a big threesome to start with, and Memphis is no joke. Their tradition is pretty good as well, and they came into the tournament with a single loss, to a Tennessee team that was angling for a #1 seed themselves.

Speaking of Tennessee, I like Bruce Pearl and I think they can be fun to watch, but sometimes I think they're a bit of a head case team as well. They do some really strange things at times.

I watched the UNC/Louisville game last night, and kept thinking that each team plays fast, but they're different kinds of fast. Carolina plays with a fast tempo, pushing the ball up the floor and trying to score on the fast break. They try to catch you off guard and tire you out. Louisville plays a hectic style, one that makes you uncomfortable and forces a lot of turnovers. They press full court and pressure in the half court. Pitino did some of the same things at Kentucky, but those teams seemed like they had players with a bit more basketball skill than his current squad. This team seems like it relies a bit more on athleticism than skill and execution. Not that they don't have the latter, of course.

Carolina pulled off the win with some big late shots from Tyler Hansborough. Deep 2-point jumpers that you wouldn't expect an inside player like him to take. His game is something else to watch. He takes and makes some of the most unorthodox shots I've ever seen. He initiates contact constantly, then sort of fling-heaves (technical term) the ball towards the goal. And it goes in like that! There just doesn't seem to be a way that shots like that go in.

UCLA note: On Kornheiser's show, Hoops Weiss noted that Kevin Love's middle name is Wesley, after Wes Unseld, with whom his father played in the pros.

I'll be pulling for the winner of the UNC/Kansas game in the finals.