Four Bytes for the Final Four

College Basketball Media15

Home cooking in 1974
It is always nice to be remembered. (Link)

1974 – NC State (@ Greensboro) – 80 miles. This NC State team led by David Thompson was really, really good, but make no mistake, UCLA in the semis and Marquette in the finals were playing road games. There was a serious pride of basketball in the ACC at that time and they were intent on showing how good their league was by packing the house with NC State partisans and cheering the Wolfpack home to victory. NCSU was good enough to win those games without fan support, but old-timers still like to talk about how great their local support was there.

Vegas Odds
Link

Las Vegas Sports Consultants made Duke a 7-5 favorite to win the title and a 2.5-point favorite to beat West Virginia in the semifinals on Saturday night, oddsmaker Kenny White said.

White said either Duke or West Virginia would likely be favored over Butler or Michigan State in the finals.

The Las Vegas-based firm that recommends betting lines to 90 percent of sports books in Nevada said Butler had a 5-2 chance of winning the title and put West Virginia’s chances at 2-1 and Michigan State’s at 17-5.

The firm said Butler is favored by 1.5 points in its game against Michigan State.

[snip]

The Las Vegas Hilton, which listed Duke as a 6-5 favorite and Michigan State as an 11-2 underdog, saw bettors flocking to Butler at 7-2 odds to win the title, said Chris Graham, race and sports coordinator.

Five Final Four Storylines you will be sick of by Saturday
Link includes bonus of five storylines that won’t get the kind of attention they deserve.

# The comparison of Butler and the movie Hoosiers: Yeah, yeah, yeah, we’re guilty of it already, I know. But it is just too easy! I mean, the connections between Butler and both Hickory High — the fake state champion — and Milan High — the real state champion — are uncanny. Small schools, Hinkle Fieldhouse, etc.

# Duke’s return to the Final Four is a conspiracy: The Blue Devils ran through the weakest region of the tournament, advancing as the only #1 seed in the Final Four. They were on the receiving end of a couple of beneficial calls in their Elite 8 game as well. Connect the dots, and it can only be a conspiracy to get Duke back to the Final Four for the first time in six years. Right?

# Tom Izzo is god: Never bet against Tom Izzo in the tournament! Six Final Fours in 12 years! Greatest coach ever!? Yes, Tom Izzo is a fantastic coach. I’m not denying that. But come Saturday you are going to be done reading about it.

# Parity and madness: When a mid-major is involved in a Final Four with two five seeds, of course the “parity” of college basketball and the “madness” of March is going to be discussed at length. But keep in mind, Duke and West Virginia are two of the five best teams in the country. Michigan State and Butler were both top 10-15 teams in the preseason. Michigan State’s seed no longer matters in March, and Butler was underseeded as a five and has won 24 straight games and 32 on the season. You can’t do that if you are not a very good team.

# Butler is hosting the Final Four: Yup, Butler is in Indianapolis. The Final Four is in Indianapolis. Not only is Butler the first school to play in the Final Four in its home city since UCLA in 1972, they are also hosting it. Not hosting in the sense that the games are being played in Hinkle, but hosting in the sense that they are throwing the party; Butler is responsible for coordinating a lot of the behind the scenes stuff that happens.

You vs the Media in Final Four picks originally posted on March 29th
Thanks to the Big Lead for tracking how the know-it-alls did when it is time to put their expertise on the line. Link to article.

FWIW, I had the exact same Final Four as The Big Lead – Kansas, Syracuse, Duke & West Virginia. I was fortunate enough to get both regional finals correct with Duke’s win over Baylor and West Virginia’s win over Kentucky. But, I took a beating on the other side of the bracket.

Dick Vitale, ESPN (KSU, Kentucky, Kansas, Villanova)

George Dohrmann, Sports Illustrated (Syracuse, Kentucky, Ohio State, Texas A&M)

Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports (Syracuse, Kentucky, Kansas, Villanova)

Gary Parrish, CBSSports (Syracuse, Kentucky, Kansas, Baylor)

Jason King, Yahoo! Sports (Syracuse, Kentucky, Kansas, Baylor)

Mike Huguenin, Yahoo! Sports (Syracuse, Kentucky, Kansas, Villanova)

Gerry Ahern, Yahoo! Sports (KSU, Kentucky, Kansas, Villanova)

Mike Golic, ESPN Radio (Syracuse, Kentucky, Kansas, Baylor)

Scott Van Pelt, ESPN (Syracuse, Kentucky, Kansas, Baylor)

All others with at least one team in included some combination of Duke and West Virginia, although few had both (Bill Simmons, Seth Davis, Joe Lunardi, Mike Greenberg, Gregg Doyel, Jason McIntyre, Tim Layden, Andy Staples,). John Smoltz, whose brackets we suggested you pay close attention to a couple weeks ago, was the only one to pick Michigan State to advance from the Midwest Region. Smoltz is a Spartan alum and picks them every year, so does that mean he’s just a lucky homer or knows something we don’t?

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15 Responses to Four Bytes for the Final Four

  1. BJD95 03/29/2010 at 4:19 PM #

    Yay, people who get paid to analyze did as shitty as me (zero correct on EITHER bracket).

    My ex-wife, on the other hand, is in first in her office pool. She picked each game based on which location has better mountains. Knows absolutely nothing about basketball – in fact, can’t stand it (but likes to gamble). As long as the ‘eers beat Duke on Saturday, she wins the cash.

    To answer the obvious follow-up – yes, I will still cheer for WVU Saturday night. I would be happy for her to win, and I want Huggy Bear to win a title if Butler and their 14-year old coach can’t.

  2. WV Wolf 03/29/2010 at 4:55 PM #

    I only got one Final Four pick right but at least it was the most important pick!

    It does seem like the so-called “experts” on TV, whether it’s sports or politics or whatever, really don’t know all that much.

    Every year for my women’s picks I always put UConn and the Lady Vols in the Final Four, I may have to start doing that for Michigan St in the men’s bracket.

  3. 61Packer 03/29/2010 at 6:52 PM #

    I didn’t care who won this thing as long as UK and Calipari didn’t win it. Thank God he’s out.

    Bob Huggins is my least favorite of the remaining coaches in the tourney, and I hope Duke wins it, but if not and if WVU plays Michigan State, I’ll root for the long-suffering Mountaineers to win Monday night. I’d sure be happy for Jerry West.

  4. BassPacker 03/29/2010 at 7:01 PM #

    I got Duke as my only pick left. It was a hard pick in the beginning as I had Duke vs Kentucky in regional finals. I went ACC as I was hoping Kentucky got ousted. Now if CJL will just shun Kentucky for us…

    edit: my gravatar must be holding out

  5. Wolfy__79 03/29/2010 at 7:58 PM #

    i’ve got duke and wvu. but the other half is screwed. i don’t know if we are going to land cj. he’s known raleigh for his entire life.. kentucky might look better to a young guy. he’ll be gone in a year anyway? i still would like to see him here though..

  6. PackerInRussia 03/29/2010 at 8:29 PM #

    WV Wolf, I’ve been a Mountaineers fan for the past few weeks and will be for at least one more game. They’re the only team I have left in the stupid thing and I have them going to the championship. Does that mean I know more than the “experts?”

  7. Wolfy__79 03/29/2010 at 10:10 PM #

    i’m kind of torn whether i want wvu to take it all or if i’d like duke to win it all. my first instinct of cheering for wvu comes pretty natural, but then again the shared hate for the tarheels makes the blue devils something to root for. i don’t really think duke will beat wvu, but its certainly possible. the “experts” get lucky half the time.. this years upsets just proves how much they know. unlimited access to team info and bias still gets into the way. the next thing the “experts” have to go on and on about are the diaper dandies how good the tarholes are going to be next year…

  8. SoUrTellinMeTheresAChance 03/29/2010 at 11:12 PM #

    My bracket started off pretty bad but I did wind up with 7 of the Elite eight correct. Now all I have left is Michigan State and Duke. Really need Michigan state to go to the final game to bring home A LOT of money.

  9. MrPlywood 03/30/2010 at 12:54 AM #

    Kansas, Syracuse, WV and Dook – Dook to go to the final. Funny how they were saying that Dook got the easy bracket yet no one picked them to come out of it.

  10. tjfoose2 03/30/2010 at 1:33 AM #

    Kansas, K State, WV, and Duke.

    WV Wolf – I’m with you… If the ‘Neers beat Duke, I win the cash. Family is from WV though (Fairmont area), so it was kinda a homer pick.

    Get the couches ready!

  11. wolfonthehill 03/30/2010 at 12:23 PM #

    Count me as another who picked WVa and Duke, with Duke winning it all. I’ll take 2 out of 4 in this tourney.

    (I had 4 Elite 8 teams, 8 Sweet 16 teams… got half all the way thru…)

  12. bradleyb123 03/30/2010 at 2:41 PM #

    I actually picked Duke and West Virginia in the Final Four, too. But I have Duke losing to Kansas in the championship game.

    In other words, the REST of my brackets blew chunks!

  13. durhamwolf19 03/30/2010 at 3:24 PM #

    My final 4 were WV, Baylor, Kansas and Kansas State. I finish at least 2nd in 2 pools if WV beats Duke. In my big money pool the best I can do is 6th and they payout 1-5.

  14. Tim Alvine 03/31/2010 at 12:37 PM #

    This has been one of the best NCAA tournaments in history! When the favourite Kansas was knocked out, everyone locked to the future-NBA-filled roster in Kentucky but now that West Virginia has sent them packing… who knows what’s going to happen. And the fact WVU won against Kentucky without even getting a two-point basket in the first half in crazy and absolutely unheard of. Didn’t hurt that the WildCats went 0-of-20 to start the game the beyond the arc.

    If you want an in depth write up, preview and prediction for West Virginia vs. Duke go to: http://www.lionsdenu.com/march-madness-2010-final-four-west-virginia-vs-duke/ Weigh in and vote on who you think is going to the national championship!

    The Blue Devils had a scare against Baylor but now with a week to focus on WVU .. watch out.. Scheyer, Singler and Smith weren’t on their game and the bench stepped up.. if the Mountaineers have to worry about Duke’s bench.. could be a lonnng day

  15. 61Packer 03/31/2010 at 10:31 PM #

    Don’t put the “god” label on Izzo in the NCAA tourney. I well remember Herb’s team blowing them out early in the tourney a few seasons ago. And as far as Milan High being a real underdog like Butler, neither were or are.

    Milan went to the state semis the year before winning it all in ’54, I believe, just like Butler has been ranked high all year. I believe Butler won at Ohio State this season as well.

    Butler may not win Saturday, but if they do, get ready. I remember when Hoosiers was out in early ’87, and it was still in the theatres the day Indiana played Syracuse for the title. I saw the movie that afternoon, and then watched the game that night on tv, listening to the play-by-play from IU’s Don Fischer on WOWO rather than from Billy Packer. I had a feeling then, and I’m beginning to get that feeling again that this one could be special.

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