The 2009 NCAA Tournament has been a bit of a strange one. There have been a few solid upsets along the way, yet the Sweet Sixteen was chalk-heavy, with 14 of the top 16 seeds advancing. But there were a couple of surprises along the road to the Final Four, such as overall number one seed Louisville falling to Michigan State due to a weak second half and Villanova slipping by Pitt in one of the best games of the season, if not ever. Now it's time for the final reckoning.
The One Seeds
There are two number one seeds in this year's Final Four--North Carolina and Connecticut. Both have had to overcome some distractions this month. For UConn, it was head coach Jim Calhoun's health issues during the Huskie's first-round game--Calhoun left early due to dehydration--followed by a recruiting scandal involving inappropriate telephone and text-message contacts with former player Nate Miles. For North Carolina, most of the talk has been about Ty Lawson's injury and Tyler Hansborough's farewell tour. Either way, both schools have spent a lot of time in the spotlight.
The "Other" Two
Michigan State began the tournament as a number two seed, and Villanova as a three seed. So it's not really a surprise that these two teams have made it this far. Both have been playing really good basketball over the past two weekends. Michigan State won a tough contest versus Kansas before outclassing Louisville in the second half of the two teams' Elite Eight match up. As for 'Nova, the Wildcats were able to wax UCLA and dispatch Duke before using some last-minute heroics to get by Pitt.
The Match Ups
Michigan State versus Connecticut kicks things off on Saturday. The Spartans will have a home-court advantage, since the Final Four is being held in Detroit, and the momentum they gained after the win over Louisville is undeniable. On the other hand, the Huskies have only lost four times all season and they've been cruising through tournament to this point. Should be an interesting match up, with a lot of activity in the paint.
Villanova has also looked very strong through the first two weekends, but so have the Tar Heels. With Lawson in the lineup and Hansborough looking to go out a winner, North Carolina may end the Wildcats run. Except this game to be a pretty back-and-forth affair.
Final Four Final Thoughts
All four teams earned their place here, and all four are formidable opponents. While some teams were challenged more aggressively than others, none got lucky. Also, all four schools are used to playing at a high level of competition during the regular season--two schools are Big East teams, one is from the ACC, and the last is from the Big Ten. None of these teams is a wide-eyed Cinderella that is over-matched against its peers. All four know how to play at this level--and that should make for a great final weekend of college basketball.
Tim Healey - I am a freelance writer specializing in sports and automotive interests. In my spare time, I run, listen to good music, explore my city. ...
