Issue date: 4/1/08 Section: Sports

It was only about a decade ago, back in the year 1999, when three out of the four number one seeds were in the Final Four. We saw one of the greatest Duke teams of all-time, led by Elton Brand and company, face a Rip Hamilton-led Connecticut Huskies team. Michigan State was the third number one seed and the fourth-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes rounded out the Final Four. Now we move ahead to 2008 and for the first time in the history of the NCAA Tournament, we will see all the number one seeds play in the final weekend of the college basketball season.

The top overall seeded UNC will face a Kansas team that had to fend off quite possibly the best player in the tournament in Stephen Curry of Davidson. Bill Self has finally gotten to the main stage and will look to try and slow down the high scoring 'Heels.

People thought that Memphis would find their troubles throughout the tourney, not having played in a competitive conference and with the ongoing issue of free throws, having missed 45 thus far in the tourney. John Calapari and his players rose above all the criticism and will look to defeat the UCLA Bruins, who are making their third consecutive Final Four appearance. The committee picked them to be the top dogs in the tourney, and they were right. These four teams were without a doubt the four best teams in college basketball this season. The difference between these four and the rest of the pack was obviously seen this past weekend with blowout wins for most of them.

Curry was one of the best storylines of the tourney, but now two freshmen will look to steal the spotlight, like they have so many times this season. Kevin Love of UCLA and Derrick Rose of Memphis have been two of the top three freshman all season, along with Michael Beasley of Kansas State, and both of them will look to knock each other off next weekend.

Love is easily one of the most fundamentally sound players in all of college basketball. He isn't the fastest, but he uses his size and versatility to score on all spots on the floor. He will have his hands full with Memphis forward Joe Dorsey, who loves to play a physical above the rim game. The guard situation is very even for both teams, but UCLA will need to do a better job of slowing down Rose than the Longhorns did. I like the Tigers moving on to the title game.

As for UNC and Kansas? Tyler Hansbrough and Darrell Arthur will no doubt be a greatly expected match up to watch, and both these transition loving teams will look to keep a fast pace throughout the 40 minutes. Look for the final score to be in the 80s. As for a winner, I like the Jayhawks. I have Kansas in a Sweet 16 pool, and I hate UNC. Not much reasoning there, but anything can happen. This Final Four will no doubt be a must watch with all four number one seeds in it, but the true thing we will all be looking forward to is the greatness that Bob Knight will bring to the analyst table and of course, CBS's One Shining Moment.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools