UMKCfan22

Yesterday was teams 25-19, here are teams 18-11:

18.  USC Trojans-  OJ Mayo is gone, but Davon Jefferson is back.  Along with Taj Gibson, those two will form one heckuva a 1-2 punch down low.  Oh, and I heard that Demar DeRozan isn't that bad either.

17.  Gonzaga Bulldogs-  The 'Zags return every major component from last year's WCC regular season champion.  Now all they have to do is lock up a top 4 seed.  If the Bulldogs are a top 4 seed come March, they could potentially make a run.

16.  UCLA Bruins-  Kevin Love is gone, Darren Collison will be, but everyone is back.  Not to mention they are bringing in Jrue Holiday and Drew Gordon.  The Bruins are going to be just fine next year.

15.  Georgetown Hoyas-  Two words:  Greg Monroe.  Thanks to the best recruit in the '08 class, the Hoyas should be able to absorb of Roy Hibbert, Patrick Ewing Jr., and Jonathan Wallace.

14.  Wake Forest Deamon Deacons-  The Deacs return everyone from last year's team.  They also bring in one of the best recruiting classes in the country.  Sounds like a recipe for success if you ask me.

13.  Miami Hurricanes-  The 'Canes lose Anthony King and Raymond Hicks, but return just about everyone else. Jack McClinton should be a POY candidate... at least in the ACC.

12.  Villanova Wildcats-  Nova returns EVERY SINGLE PLAYER from last year's Sweet Sixteen team.  Noticing a trend here?  A lot of the teams on this list return many players, and Villanova is no exception.  The Wildcats should be a top 3 team in the Big East.

11.  Duke Blue Devils-  I really struggled with this one.  They didn't play well at the end of the year, but they did finish 26-4.  And they return everyone except DeMarcus Nelson and Taylor King.  Imagine how could they will be next year.

Since everyone seems to be making a top 25 list already, I wanted to get my two cents in.  I will do this top 25 in three parts:

1. April 16th:  Teams 25-19
2. April 17th:  Teams 18-11
3. April 18th:  Teams 10-1
4. April 19th:  Teams that could suprise everyone

So, here are the teams I haved ranked 25-19:

25.  Davidson Wildcats-  Davidson is all over the board from the top 25's I have looked at.  Some have them unranked, while others have them in the Top 10.  So, I will put them in the middle.  They lose Jason Richards, but they still have Stephen Curry.

24.  Kansas Jayhawks-  Probably a little lower than a lot of people might expect, but I have a feeling they are going to lose not just the five seniors, but also Chalmers, Arthur, and Rush on top of that.  Self has a nice class coming in next year, but don't expect them to repeat.

23.  Florida Gators-  The Gators return a lot from last year's team, and they should be right back in the thick of things.  Speights should be coming back, and they also bring in two big name big men in Eloy Vargas and Kenneth Kadji.  I don't know if they compete for a title, but they will be very good.

22.  Mississippi St. Bulldogs-  Jamont Gordon and Jarvis Varnado returning is enough to convince me this team can compete with the best of them.

21. Michigan St. Spartans-  They lose Drew Neitzel, but everyone else is back and then some.  The Spartans welcome in a great class of recruits and this team could sneak up on some people. 

20.  Syracuse Orange-  The Orange lose Donte Greene, but they welcome back Eric Devendorf.  Whether or not the Orange can win the Big East though, depends on how well Devendorf has recovered from that injury.

19.  Tennessee Volunteers-  The Vols return just enough to get consideration, but not enough to warrant anything beyond that. 

     The Kansas Jayhawks won an overtime thriller on Monday night to win the 2008 National Championship.  A lot has been said of Memphis' "choke," but I am going to focus more on the incredible comeback by the Jayhawks.  Sure, they were helped by some missed free throws and a crucial turnover, but if Kansas misses just one shot down the stretch, they still don't win.  So, let me just say, I was there, and it was Awesome!  I am not a fan of either team, but what a game!  You first had the sense something could happen after Sherron Collins stole the inbounds and drilled a three to cut it to 4.  Then, Coach Self rolled the dice and sent the Tigers to the line.  It didn't work the first time as Douglas-Roberts hit his first two.  However, a couple of missed CDR free throws and a couple of buckets by the Jayhawks later, Kansas had cut it to two.  When Derrick Rose missed the first free throw, you could sense it.  The Memphis people went quiet, while the Jayhawk faithful became very, very loud.  You really had to be in the dome for Chalmers' shot to get the full experience.  Kansas brought it up in almost dead silence, then everyone inhaled at the same time when he went up for the shot, and finally the place exploded when it went in.  My jaw dropped and I fell back into my seat shaking with excitement.  Well, once Kansas scored first in OT it was over.  So, with that, a few congratulations are in order:

Congratulations to Bill Self on winning your first championship.  Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

Congratulations to Mario Chalmers on hitting the shot of your life.  Have fun being a Kansas hero, the Jayhawk fans won't forget it.

Congratulations to Brandon Rush on finally coming through in a big game.  You were clearly the best on the floor against UNC.

Congratulations to Cole Aldrich on your coming-out party against UNC.  You dominated the POY Tyler Hansbrough.

Congratulations to the rest of the Jayhawks on one of the great title game comebacks.  I'm still not a fan, but you guy's deserve this one.

Congratulations to Derrick Rose on a great tournament.  Whether you come back or not, you had a great run and convinced me you are  the #1 pick in the draft.

Congratulations to Joey Dorsey on a great senior year.  It's dissapointing that you couldn't finish the game, one can only wonder how things would have gone.

Congratulations to the Memphis Tigers on one of the great seasons in basketball history.  38-2 is nothing short of extraordinary.

And finally, a big THANK YOU to Cole Aldrich, Darnell Jackson, Darrell Arthur, and Sasha Kaun for showing us who Tyler Hansbrough really is.  An above-average offensive player who can't play a lick of defense.  So, again, thanks. 

It was a great season, here's looking for another next year.

Finally, a good game!  After watching all the blowouts this weekend, you had to get the feeling the game between Davidson and Kansas would be a good one, and it was.  I don't know about anyone else, but I couldn't shake the feeling that Davidson was somehow going to pull this one off.  Curry was fantastic again, despite the fact that he started missing a couple in the second half.  You could tell, just by watching the game, that Kansas was very tight.  At the end of the day, you have to feel good for Bill Self, even if it means the underdog doesn't win.  As for my picks, I am 40-20, after correctly calling all of the regional final games.  Here are my picks for Final Four weekend:

1. North Carolina over 1. Kansas-  With the giant monkey off their backs, the Jayhawks should come out loose for this one.  After all, none of them should be worried that Kansas' former coach, Roy Williams is on the other sideline.  None of the players for Kansas, that play at least, were recruited by, or had anything to do with Williams.  And, for the first time this year, North Carolina will be playing against a team with superior talent.  Kansas has the talent and players to match-up with Carolina.  Kansas is one scary team.  Potent on offense, stingy on defense, and North Carolina has yet to see a team this good.  Darrell Arthur, Darnell Jackson, and Sasha Kaun will give Hansbrough fits down low.  However, despite all of that, I have to go with North Carolina.  I don't know why, but I just think the Tar Heels are going to make the title game.

1. UCLA over 1. Memphis-  Wow.  Memphis just destroyed Texas.  So much for being the most vulnerable #1 seed huh?  If anything, they look like the most dominant, maybe even more so than North Carolina.  Plus, 30-36 from the foul line against the Longhorns.  Not bad.  Derrick Rose has been phenomenal.  Joey Dorsey has been the gamechanger they have needed.  And Chris Douglas-Roberts continues to get his points, scoring 25 today.  UCLA, on the other hand, looked ordinary up until their massacre of Xavier.  Memphis has shown all year long they can play, and beat, top competition, but UCLA is a different animal.  No team that Memphis has played, plays defense as well as these Bruins.  And no other team has a player down low like Kevin Love.  No, I think UCLA wins and sets up a Love vs. Hansbrough showdown for all the marbles.