Let's set the scene. The week started off with a bang, as the Bruin Statue got a cardinal and gold paint job. Fearing retribution, Tommy Trojan received a round-the-clock guard.

The game was uneventful as usual, until the Trojans kneeled with 54 seconds left to run out the clock. That's when Neuheisel inexplicably called a time out. Pete Caroll could have been the bigger man, and simply kneeled again. But no one has ever accused Pete Carroll of having the moral high ground. The next play:

The Trojans celebrated taunted vigorously, and the Bruins sideline cleared. Who says LA needs the NFL? They've already got fans wholly devoted to immature players and asshole coaches.

Sportsmanship Takes A Timeout In USC-UCLA Game [LA Times]

O'Bannon, who won the Wooden Award and the National Championship for the Bruins in 1995, was a lottery pick for the New Jersey Nets, flamed out of the NBA after two years, spent the better part of a decade bouncing around the leagues of Europe, then finally hung up his sneakers and went home. Now he sells cars for a living, not because he needs the money, but because he's a 36-year-old who spent 30 years of his life playing basketball and had no idea what to do with himself once it was over.

Ed admitted that he struggled quite a bit with the idea that a former college basketball great was reduced to hawking Toyotas for a living, but he's actually handled the transition better than most. He didn't blow all his NBA earnings or come down with a drug habit and he's still married to the girlfriend who sat beside him at the NBA Draft. But what does that say about the guys who can't handle it? Or the guys who didn't have four years of college under their belt like he did? Like the co-worker who gave him a wake up call:

Eric Ludwick, who had been at Findlay [Toyota] for two years when O'Bannon showed up, was a former UNLV pitcher who spent parts of four seasons in the major leagues. Like O'Bannon, he entered pro ball as a phenom — he was a second-round draft pick in 1993 and was once traded for Mark McGwire — and like O'Bannon, he had been forced to go overseas, in his case to Japan, to make a living after flaming out in the United States....

Ludwick, 37, said it took him about two years — two dark, depressing years — to make the adjustment, and it came at a steep cost.

"My marriage was pretty much wrecked because of it," he said. "I wasn't fun to be around. You grow up from age 4 or 5, playing T-ball, and you're always the best player in your league, and in Little League you're always the best, and in high school and college. Then you go to the minor leagues, and you're this bonus baby. When it all gets taken away — it really didn't hurt my ego. I just felt like people give up on you. It was almost anger, like, 'How could you do that to me?'

"I've gotten to the point where it's so far in my past I can go about my day-to-day life without thinking about it. But there was a point when it consumed me. It's something I probably should have talked to someone about, because I spent nights just laying there and thinking about it. By losing it all, I figured out how to conduct myself on a daily basis with other human beings."

And these are the guys who made it. (Cautionary tale!) By the way, the Findlay in Findlay Toyota is Cliff Findlay, the former UNLV basketball player who founded Findlay Academy, the non-school basketball school that turns impressionable high school kids into people like Ed O'Bannon. So at least when they burn out ten years, they'll be able to get a job selling cars.

Ed O'Bannon Has Gone From the Hardwood to the Sales Floor [Washington Post]
High School Basketball Without The High Schools

If you're so inclined, here are the tournament previews for the teams involved. I'll be back in a while to set up the other second round matchups.

[Villanova Wildcats]

[UCLA Bruins]

*****

Welcome to our wonderful UCLA-VCU liveblog!

I'm gonna be honest up front: I went to USC. I've been heavily, and successfully, brainwashed into hating the Bruins. A lot.

However, today is the birthday of UCLA alum and current love-of-my-life-whom-I've-never-met Jorma Taccone (probably most recognized as the guy who is not Andy Samberg in the "Jizz In My Pants" video). In honor of the holiday, I'm going to give them a fair shake, and totally refrain from mentioning anything regarding football, USC's beatdown in the Staples Center last Friday night, or, uh, football.

I will try to keep up with your comments as best as I can, so feel free to send questions my way. I will probably answer like, two of them.

For now, we await tip-off. Let the blogging begin!

9:50
Aaaaand, we're off! What? The game hasn't started yet? Oh, some preview information then!

President Obama picked VCU to upset UCLA in this game. However, as of 9:45 tonight, in a poll on VCU fan site vcuramnation.com, more of VCU's own fans (26%) predicted a first-round loss for the Rams than any other possible tournament outcome. Will they follow those presidential orders? Or cave from the pressure?

9:52
Well, folks, we got 15 minutes to go. For your pregame entertainment, this anecdote: I had to explain to my brother what the hell "Deadspin" was. He asked, "Is it like ESPN?" He really liked my explanation, which followed: "It's like ESPN's misbehaving cousin that everybody tries to ignore at family dinners, but can't cause you can't quit staring at the green beans he's shoved up his nose."

10:03
So, as it sits, I'm 10-for-12 in my NCAA Tournament picks. So is Mr. President. Our brackets are the same for the other late games tonight, we only differ on this one. So I think I've got to root for the Bruins, so I can get ahead of him...

10:04
Finally, coverage of the UCLA-VCU game begins!

10:05
And, I realize I mislabeled two of those posts with Pacific Time (now fixed). I better change the clock on my computer so I confuse myself less. Damn you, East-Coasters!

10:07
The game has started! I support black jerseys. Wait, crap! I want those guys to lose! I hate not being able to root for the underdog.

10:09
Is this how this game is going to go? UCLA playing keep-away until VCU stands up to the big bully and irresponsibly fouls, again and again? It has not been a very exciting first 90 seconds.

10:10
If I comment on the CBS commentator bringing up how "flat" UCLA's play was against the Trojans last week in the PAC-10 tournament, that doesn't count as me picking on them.

10:12
More fouls. barely any points scored. Wouldn't it be fun if neither team cracked 40 points this game?

10:15
Yay! People scoring points! Much better. VCU keeping up OK so far.

10:16
Whoa. That guy just took Aboya's shoulder, right in the mouth. Hard. UCLA up 12-8 for our first media break.

10:17
RE: Johninho's comment - yea, I have no idea who or what this Yoni character is. There were a couple of gender-neutral names in the liveblog lineup but I had suspected I was the only chick.

RE: Pornstars-for-Wilbon - deal!

10:19
Aboya hails from Cameroon. Isn't that one of those countries that sends only like, six people to the Olympics?

10:21
Once again, VCU fails to tie it up by turning over the basketball. They led by a point for like, 30 seconds earlier, haven't been able to capitalize on any good opportunities since.

10:22
It's 42 degrees in Philadelphia right now. In VCU's hometown of Richmond, Virginia, they had a high of 62. Here in LA? 71 and sunny, baby.

10:25
Wait, is John Wooden not at the game? I mean he's only 98 and in kinda fragile health, but still! What a bad fan.

10:26
Wow, epic fail on the rebounds there, Rams. Off like three guys' fingertips into the hands of the Bruins. Luckily for them, ended in a failed shot and a foul on the Bruins.

10:29
VCU finally ties it up at 13 with Maynor's free throws.

10:29
NICE denial by Sanders! Still couldn't convert it to points, though.

10:30
My first sighting of the Rams' mascot - looks more like a teddy bear with horns than an intimidating Ram.

10:30
Haha! Missed pass. Must've been distracted by those sparkly, shiny VCU cheerleaders' pom-poms.

10:33
Wow, sad layup attempt, hit the bottom of the rim. UCLA runs off and scores a 3 instead.

10:34
VCU gaining a little momentum on some three's. We'll see where this goes...

10:35
Holiday travels. Rams get even more momentum.

10:36
You know the most challenging part of this liveblog business? Typing the timestamps, and making them bold, quickly enough for the post to still be relevant. The things I do to make this thing beautiful for you people!

10:37
And we're back from commercial break to see... Bruin cheerleaders squatting awkwardly mid-court.

10:39
VCU shooting a free throw again, can they take back that one-point lead??

10:40
YES! But can't make any of those layup attempts a possession later.

10:41
VCU needs to up in the offensive rebounds methinks. Can't keep letting UCLA get away with it.

10:44
Has anybody seen the VCU Pep Band? I saw the Bruin Varsity Band cordoned off in a little box in the corner a few times already. But the internet told me VCU may still have a hot band leader who likes to strip.

10:45
Wow, even Blue Man Group are Duke fans? (Coke Zero commercial)

10:46
And just when I ask for it, I'm given the VCU Band playing the always original "Hey" song...

10:47
UCLA has pulled the lead out to what I believe is a game-high 9 points.

10:49
Yes, that is their biggest lead so far. Well, was, before they brought it up to 12. Don't you hate it when sportscasters steal your lines right after you say/write them? This would make sense had that last comment not taken 30 seconds to post.

10:50
VCU barely holds on to the ball after a steal, can they score any points before the half ends???

10:51
Answer: NO! UCLA up 35-25 following I think 13 unanswered points in the last few minutes of the half.

10:55
All right, kids, it's halftime. Let's hit up Wikipedia and learn about the two schools being represented here tonight.

Some fun facts about VCU:

Their student cheering section is called the "Rowdy Rams", and their alumni include the real Patch Adams, Debbie Matenopoulos (one of the original bitches of "The View"), members of the band GWAR, and the guy who created 4chan!

11:01
Some fun facts about UCLA:

It's finals week, so that means UCLA students will be (or did they last night?) participating in their traditional* "Undie Run". However, seeing UCLA students prance around Westwood in their skivvies really loses its effect when they do it every single quarter; it feels like the last one was only 2 weeks ago.

*This has only been going on for like 6 years max. Does that make it a tradition?

Notable alumni include Judge Joe Brown, Elizabeth Berkeley from Showgirls, George Takei, and a lot of local LA politicians who probably don't matter to most of you reading this liveblog.

11:05
It appears commenter Johninho wants to start some sort of fight with me by criticizing my ability to pay really close attention to lame commercials while typing and holding back the urge to take a piss break. But he's definitely commented more than any other reader of this post. I'm starting to think he's got a crush on me and wants to show it by teasing me, like a 7-year-old.

11:08
Hey! There's that band leader, showing off his mad white-boy dance moves.

11:11
Dick Engberg: "Boathouse Row makes you wanna look for... a good skull, that's what I say." WTF does that even mean!??!

11:12
And we're back again! VCU first to score in the second half.

11:14
RE: Johninho - I actually saw blue and the letter "K" and typed the comment before the commercial even ended. But thanks!! Maybe I'll let you be my date for the Sadie Hawkins dance.

11:15
VCU is on fire! I mean, if you don't count the can't make any baskets thing.

11:18
VCU with a three, narrows UCLA's lead to 6. I'm so glad this game is waaaayyy more entertaining than the blowouts going on in Greensboro and Kansas City.

11:19
That one Rams cheerleader they just showed is gonna be bald in a few years if she keeps perming and peroxiding her hair like that.

11:21
I just realized how bitchy that comment was. The Jezebel girls might get mad at me for the needless girl-on-girl crime. But really, at least I haven't made any judgments on their visible midriffs.

11:25
VCU is still keeping pretty close with the Bruins. I think this is the part where Air Force One lands on the roof and the secret service takes out Holiday and Aboya to preserve Mr. Obama's token upset pick of the day.

11:28
Sanders fouls Shipp, but really, I would too, letting him land a dunk like that would've been a real momentum-killer.

11:33
Key stat provided by CBS: UCLA's scored 14 points off of turnovers, VCU's gotten none. Rams can't capitalize on scoring opportunities, seems to be the running theme of the night.

11:35
Off-topic: I used to have Falco's "Rock Me Amadeus" as a ringtone on my phone, too, just like that creepy kid from the E-Trade commercials.

11:36
RE: That handstand-walking cheerleader moment we just witnessed. Wow. Just, wow. I won't even begin to count the reasons that was just freakin' weird.

11:38
That thing where Nixon tipped in the shot that bounced off the corner of the backboard was pretty cool. All of a sudden the UCLA lead is down to only 4! Too close for comfort for the Bruins. Jorma does not approve.

11:42
Collison's pushing it with 4 fouls, and a quarter of the game to go. If the Rams can keep him riled up and fouling....

11:44
Gwynn is arguing with the ref about that possible elbow-jab. My bracket says he clearly was aiming his elbow at that guy's neck, but my heart wants the refs to go easy on him.

11:45
Haha somehow for like twenty minutes there I managed to accidentally add a capital "W" to the end of this post's title. I am such a clumsy live-blogger.

11:46
Maynor, one of the Ram's senior leaders, needs to cool it. They gotta keep it together if they want a chance to win this.

11:50
All these golf commercials are making me sleepy.

11:51
Seriously, Morgan State guys getting ejected? They're down by thirty in a game no one thought they would win anyhow. Lay off the 'roids, boys.

11:54
A good back-and-forth there. I think the crowd in Philly is the only one still awake.

11:55
Johninho, you gotta start bringin' the funny better or I'm totally gonna dump you for Craig Eshericks Mustache.

11:59
I'm sorry, but I just can't help but laugh when Collison lets the ball just roll between his legs like that.

12:01
VCU with two threes! Listen to those "Rowdy Rams" in the crowd! It's a one-possession game! This is why my friend (whose name I won't mention so as to not embarrass her, she knows who she is) says "the last 5 minutes of a basketball game are the only part that matter."

12:04
UCLA doesn't have any half-naked female fans to compete with VCU's, cause Philadelphia is so "cold" to LA girls, it may as well be the North Pole.

12:06
I really can't decide who to root for. I love an underdog. But, regardless of my bracket, I kind of want UCLA to win just so I can use my "Happy Jorma" picture.

12:08
I've been challenged to try to use 20 F-bombs before the game ends. No fucking way I'm gonna cheat, though, they'll all be fucking awesome and fucking appropriate. No gratuitous cussing.

12:09
FUCK YEA! One-point game! I am glad I live alone so I can yell louder than the fans in the stadium without annoying anyone besides the cat.

12:10
Aboya sinks two free throws. Timeout. That stripping band leader better fucking bring it and not give the crowd in Philly a chance to quiet down.

12:11
I fucking LOVE how he does what I say right after I write it.

12:12
Holy fuck, I totally held my breath while that rolled around the rim before going in.

12:13
Timeouts?!? WHY MORE TIMEOUTS!?? Actually, they're useful, I couldn't type fast enough without them. Damn emboldened timestamps!

12:14
Oh, fuck, I've only got seven fucks. I can do fucking better than this! But it's so hard, I cant take my eyes off OHMYFUCKINGGOD SANDERS KNOCKS IT OUT

12:15
Finally, now that the game's almost over, these posts start saving and publishing more quickly. It's about fucking time! Maybe the other games ended? Really, I can't even take two seconds to check on that right now, this game is fucking awesome.

12:16
13 fucking seconds. This is what it comes down to. VCU's season. UCLA's season. Oh I fucking love this tournament.

12:17
Oh fuck! It's over! It all happened so fast!

12:19
Maynor was the guy who had the game-winning shot a couple years ago when the Rams knocked Duke out of the tournament. Not so lucky this time. Also, I only got in 15 F-bombs, so I lose.

I did, however, do better with my predictions than the President. Barack Obama's bracket can suck it!

12:22
Well, that's it for me, folks. It's been a blast. To celebrate the Bruins' win, I'll leave you with this adorable sight:

Happy Jorma!!!

**Correction: I originally slipped in an extra letter in the spelling of Rams fansite vcuramnation.com. Gotta give proper linkage!**

2) The House That Wooden Built. In many ways, Pauley Pavilion is like old Yankee Stadium. It has been the home to some of the greatest legends in the history of the game, seen more championships than any other franchise ... and is not so secretly kind of a dump. The highest paying donors sit in bleacher seats with very little access to restrooms—there is literally one urinal in the entire lower section—and baseline seating is very far removed from the action relative to modern arenas. While it's pretty widely recognized amongst alumni that Pauley is in need of a major overhaul, it's unlikely that the athletic department will get the large donations required to make that happen in the current economic climate. So in the meantime, UCLA fans will have to think of Pauley's antiquity as part of its charm.

3) The Dream Team returned for one more run Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute were all key parts of last year's Final Four team and all declared early for the NBA draft. While there's been a drop off in talent on the court, the talent on the sidelines is just as strong as ever. All nine members of the 07-08 dance team returned for their senior year. If that isn't a reason to root for UCLA to make it deep into the tournament, I don't know what is. — Derek (insomniacslounge)

VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH RAMS

1) The Circle of Good Genes The Rams were (very) briefly the most popular team in America two springs ago after they upset Duke in the first round of the 2007 tournament. One of the players on that Duke team was Gerald Henderson Jr. and his father, Gerald Henderson Sr., was a star for the Rams in the 1970s before spending 13 years in the NBA. Even more spooky—neither one of them is actually named Gerald.

2) Back for more VCU didn't make it back to the Dance in '08 after getting upset themselves in the Colonial conference tournament, but they managed to pull off the double conference win again this year and find themselves right back where they started—an 11-seed with a chance to take down another team that folks to love hate, the UCLA Bruins. Eric Maynor, now a senior, hit the game-winning shot in that Duke game and the incredible joy of that moment obviously propelled him to become the school's career leader in points and assists.

3) Sounds like socialism to me Technically, Virginia is a Commonwealth and not a state, but there is really no difference politically or legally between the two. In fact, the only effect so far as I can tell is that the school is not called Virginia State University, but that doesn't explain why Pennsylvania (also a commonwealth) has Penn State, but not Penn Commonwealth. That identity confusion is probably why the Nittany Lions are in the NIT. — Dashiell

Join the Deadspin Pants Party Group Pool [ESPN]
Download the Deadspin Bracket [PDF or JPG]

What? Behave at the Undie Run? Then what's the point of going to college? UCLA students have chafed at the interference; occasionally staging an Undie Ride, with presumably more rebel undie events in store. But that diodn't stop school administrators from changing tonight's route.

Students will run east on Strathmore Drive and turn north on Westwood Plaza, headed toward Bruin Plaza. However, instead of then charging up Bruin Walk toward Powell Library, students will be directed west to the Intramural Field. “We chose the IM field because it’s a large, contained, well-lit space,” said Birks, who along with Roth held several meetings with Director of Police Community Services Nancy Greenstein and Robert Naples, associate vice chancellor and dean of students.

"Oh no, we can't go with you Bluto, it's too dangerous! Well you can just kiss my ass from now on! Birks? Dead! Roth? dead! Niedermeyer? ...

Fun Undie Run photo gallery here, courtesy of LAist.

[Daily Bruin]

It seems the two had a little radio show war of words a couple weeks ago before their current teams, Tennessee and Jacksonville went at it. When Jones-Drew was asked what he would do if his son grew up and went to USC he replied, "I'd say, son, do you want your dad to go early to his grave? It would be tough to see my son wearing that ugly red and yellow." (Pete Carroll disagrees.)

Asked the same question two days later on the same show, White responded a little more thoughtfully:

“I probably would ground him until he realized that that’s the worst grief you would ever imagine. You know, powder blue. I guess enough said. Their powder blue uniforms and that ugly mustard color.

UCLA [stinks]. It’s the worst school you could ever go to if you were a football player. ... You got to make your choice. If you want to get dominated by your crosstown rival, where they can come on your campus and take your girlfriends and stuff, then you make that decision."

The girlfriend stealing motif is obviously a favorite of his, because he repeated it yesterday on the "Mason and Ireland" show on ESPN radio. It also included some choice words for his friend Maurice.

For the audio disinclined, highlights include:

Does it feel better to beat UCLA or Notre Dame?

Definitely UCLA, because after you beat them you go on campus and take their girlfriend.

Difference between Bruins and Trojans?

"Heart and winning ... If you want to [not] win and go to the Vegas Bowl or Tangerine Bowl, then that's where you go."

Prediction for Saturday?:

70 to 3.

Final thoughts?:

"If Maurice Jones-Drew is listening to this somewhere ... your team sucks."

Ok, then. See you Saturday!

LenDale White, Maurice Jones-Drew in USC-UCLA smackdown [LA Times]
Mason & Ireland [ESPN Radio]

It's nice that someone is putting tradition and the fun aspect of the sport before winning for a change, but this seems a tad loopy. Besides, did you ever stop to think that some fans may like the white jerseys? Probably not.

"It might (cost us). I don't know. I don't care about that right now," Carroll said. "We'll play without it. I think it's worth it. I think it's a fun thing to do, and I think our fans will appreciate it over time."

Of course as one might expect, Bruins fans are totally on board.

It’s amusing to see the Trojans to go ga ga over this jersey shenanigans, when they showed no interest in doing this while we were beating them up during our 8 game winning streak. Make no mistake about it. What Carroll is doing here is not some kind of grand gesture but a total disrespect of UCLA. This will just complement “own the Rose Bowl” rhetoric coming out of their mouths in coming days. They will use this PR stunt to amplify that rhetoric on the recruiting front.

Carroll made this move because right now he is in a state of mind that is well beyond confidence. He is basically telling the world that his team and his players can wear their home jerseys in our house and beat us with their hands tied behind their back. Whatever. At this point Neuheisel should call Pom Pom's bluff and agree to give up one TO (in each half) and then call on Carroll to do the same next season at the Rose Bowl.

USC Will Pay The Price To Wear Home Jerseys At UCLA [Yahoo Sports]

To say the least, the party was massively huge. It took just under 20 minutes for the thousands of students to get through the Strathmore tunnel. The event was so wild that LAist photographer Tom Andrews' camera came to near death in a water balloon fight (everything is okay now!), people were swinging from trees, the police put on their tactical/riot gear and there was a much more variety of happenings going on this time.

More Undie Run photos, including those from previous events — like the one below — right here.

It Was The Biggest UCLA Undie Run Yet [LAist]

One side of the bracket held the dazzling freshmen, the other side was about upperclassmen. The meeting of the West Champs and the South Champs had the Eye of the Tiger. And the meeting of East Champs vs. Midwest Champs had the Wig of the Jayhawk. Or something like that.

Memphis 78, UCLA 63

I'm sure a headline writer with a schmaltzier sense of humor will make something vomit-inducing out of this one, but I'm just going to say Rose > Love in San Antonio. Memphis guard Derrick Rose is from Chicago, and he pulled out moves reminiscent of a certain Bull in this one. The high-flyer put in 25 points to go with nine rebounds and four assists. Oh, and that included 11-12 FREE THROWS. In fact, the Tigers hit 87 percent last night, but according to the box score, only two players even shot FTs for Memphis.

Chris Douglas-Roberts has the Magna Carta* tattooed on his arm, and he laid down the law in this one with 28 points. Next game, it might behoove the Tigers to get a couple more players involved in the game.

*This is a lie, but I hope my High School History teacher is reading this.

Kansas 84, North Carolina 66

The Jayhawks built a lead in the first half that was so huge even they couldn't choke it away. Still: Give them credit for trying. A 2-2 tie in the opening minute was the closest North Carolina came to a lead, but a flurry of points from Danny Green cut holes in what was once a 40-12 gap. With 11 minutes left in the second half, the Kansas lead was cut to four, but the Tar Heels didn't have enough gas in the tank to seal the deal.

Davidson-killer Sasha Kaun spent much of the game on the bench with foul trouble, allowing Bill Self to introduce his latest hulking white man to the world; freshman Cole Aldrich was impressively cool, scoring eight and grabbing seven rebounds, as well as hitting all four of his free throws. Throw on one of those pencil-thin beards and you got yerself the poor man's Kevin Love.

So, your NCAA Championship game is set. If there were underdogs in this Final Four, these are they; Kansas vs. Memphis for the title. I'll make my official predictions closer to game time, but for now, I think I can confidently say two things. One, John Calipari can get you in a nice Hyundai for no money down, and nobody beats his prices. Two, Bill Self may actually say "Golly!" in a live televised interview. Meanwhile, Roy Williams and Ben Howland will have some time to visit the Alamo.

Getty Images Photo

Joey Dorsey has to play down his embarrassing domination at the hands of Greg Oden last year and Darren Collison needs to shake the specter of last year's performance in the title game. Each will have their hands full dealing with the likes of Kevin Love and Derrick Rose.

I'll be blogging the game from a bar in Adams Morgan in D.C., celebrating the [undisclosed] birthday of some blogger woman. (I hope she enjoys the glass ceiling I got her!) But, anyway, yeah, Adams Morgan. If there's a delay, it just means I've tripped over the mounds of douchebags.

Here's what the kids are predicting on the series of tubes:

Kansas Vs. North Carolina
Jay Bilas: North Carolina.
Seth Davis: Kansas.
Stuart Mandel: North Carolina.
Storming The Floor: North Carolina.
Deadspin: Kansas. Call it a hunch. We're not ready to see Bill Self in a national championship game though.

Memphis vs. UCLA
Jay Bilas: Memphis.
Seth Davis: UCLA.
Stuart Mandel: UCLA.
Storming The Floor: UCLA.
Deadspin: Memphis. No one has looked better the last week. And we were wrong.

So, light 'em up, people.

STF Final Four Capsules

Team: Kansas Jayhawks

How they got here: Beat #16 Portland State, #8 UNLV, #12 Villanova, #10 Davidson

Key player: Pick 'em. Brandon Rush led the scoring against Portland State. Mario Chalmers took over against UNLV. Then it was Rush again vs. Villanova. Sasha Kaun, of all people, saved the Jayhawks' bacon against Davidson. UNC's all-everything Forward Tyler Hansbrough is better individually than any Jayhawk who will check him, so the 'Hawks will have to throw big bodies at him. That means the perimeter defense of Brandon Rush on Danny Green will be crucial. If Rush can limit the long-distance shots and hit a few of his own, Kansas might be able to pull this one off.

Rooting interest: There are no underdogs in this Final Four, so we'll be looking for other reasons to root for these dominant teams. For Kansas players, basketball has been a refuge from personal pain, as illnesses, murdered relatives, car accidents and other difficulties have beset many of the players all season long. It would be nice to see a ray of sunshine. In addition, it's been 20 years since Danny and the Miracles claimed the 1988 crown, and now Mr. Manning is on the Kansas sideline as an assistant coach. That may be just the edge this star-crossed squad needs to get over the hump.

Final Four History: KU's last Final Four appearance came in 2003, when they defeated Marquette by more than 30 points before falling to Syracuse in the championship game. The coach who pulled that off, Roy Williams, is currently sitting on the other sideline. This is the first time Kansas coach Bill Self has made the final weekend with any team.

Team: North Carolina Tar Heels

How they got here: Beat #16 Mount St. Mary's, #9 Arkansas, #4 Washington State, #3 Louisville.

Key Player: Tyler Hansbrough. The Naismith Award winner for player of the year in college basketball has made even the haters give a little grudging respect. He never takes a play off, and he is capable of turning to the jumper when his inside game struggles. However, getting his hand on every rebound in the vicinity gives him ample chances to score, and when he scores, the Tar Heels win.

Rooting Interest: UNC went through a difficult stretch in the mid-season to get here. When guard Bobby Frasor went down with a torn ACL, that was a harsh blow. Then Ty Lawson, who was taking some of Frasor's minutes, was out for seven games with a sprained ankle. Magical leprechaun Roy Williams used all of his pixie dust to keep the dadgum Tar Heels in it, and even a home loss to Duke didn't faze his club. They just went back out and returned the favor in Cameron to end the season. Plus, it's just difficult to root against a head coach who says "Doggone."

Final Four History: Carolina's last Final Four was in 2005, the year they won it all. That was Roy Williams' first championship game win, but he had the benefit of four trips to the final weekend with Kansas before he ever took the Carolina job, including two Championship game losses. And lest we think that Coach Roy owns his opponent, it was Bill Self and the Illini that knocked Williams out in the Sweet 16 in 2001.

PREDICTION: CAROLINA. If this were all about runnin', gunnin' guard play, Kansas might have the edge. But Sasha Kaun, Darnell Jackson, and Darrell Arthur will have their collective hands full trying to pin down Hansbrough. Rush or Chalmers will have to have an out-of-body experience from behind the arc to pull this one off.

Team: Memphis Tigers

How they got here: Beat #16 Texas-Arlington, #8 Mississippi State, #5 Michigan State, #2 Texas

Key player: We love the old-school style of first team All-American CDR as much as the next guy, but point guard Derrick Rose is difference between this team and the two Memphis teams that were stopped in the Elite Eight. Rose has elevated his game late in the season in the scoring department and gives the Tigers not only an elite point guard to control the tempo, but a go-to man down the stretch when the game is on the line.

Rooting interest: Memphis has to be the Cinderella (or Rumpelstiltzkin ) team of the Final Four, right? Well, actually no, any team that goes 37-1 and spends five weeks at #1 can't seriously be considered a Cinderella. The only reason that they are even considered an underdog is fact that everyone and their brother had the Tigers crapping out two weeks ago and that the other three teams in the Final Four have a combined 48 Final Four appearances between them. Want a better reason to root for Memphis? Seeing the reaction of old, white sports reporters having a collective heart-attack while watching a Memphis team that couldn't give two shits about fundamentals or free throws cutting the nets down will be well worth it.

Final Four History: Memphis doesn't have nearly the pedigree of a UCLA or North Carolina, but it has made appearances in two other Final Fours, which is alot more than many teams can claim. In 1985, the Tigers ran into Rollie Massimino's miracle Nova squad and fell in the semifinals. In 1973, the Tigers advanced all the way to the championship game, where they were defeated by the Bill Walton-led Bruins.

Team: UCLA Bruins

How they got here: Beat #16 Mississippi Valley State, #9 Texas A&M, #12 Western Kentucky, #3 Xavier.

Key player: The easy choice here would be to go with Mr. Chest Pass Kevin Love as the key player for the Final Four, as he has no doubt been in first four games, leading the Bruins in scoring each time Thing is, Love is going to get the Bruins at least 20 and 10 as long as he steps on the floor. The key to UCLA advancing to the championship game will whether or not anyone in the recently inconsistent supporting cast steps on the offensive end to help him out. In particular, Josh Shipp can't play with his head inside his ass like he did against Texas A&M and Xavier, scoring a combined five points in those two games. The Bruins will need Shipp to be a viable outside threat if they hope to beat Memphis and UNC/Kansas.

Rooting interest: Sure, UCLA has more champions and Final Four appearances than any team in college basketball, but this UCLA team is fast on its way to becoming the Buffalo Bills of college basketball if they don't win the NCAA Championship this season. The past two seasons, UCLA's season ended after facing the Florida Gators. With Joakim Noah and the rest of that Gators squad scattered around the NBA, the Bruins have no excuses this season. So unless you want Berman picking UCLA to win the national championship for the next 12 seasons like he did with the Bills and the Super Bowl, root for the Bruins to get it done this year.

Final Four History: The Bruins under John Wooden kind of owned the 1960s and 70s, making the Final Four in all but one season from 1962 to 1977, and winning the whole thing 10 times in the process. Want to know the team that stopped that UCLA run? Idaho State, which knocked off the Bruins 76-75 in the Round of 32 in 1977. Bet you didn't see that coming? Bruins also reached the Final Four in 1980, 1995, 2006 and 2007, so you can guess that they Bruins are pretty used to this whole thing by now.

PREDICTION: UCLA. This one is probably going down to the wire thanks to the athleticism of Memphis, but the Bruins are way overdue for a complete game on both offensive and defensive ends, so we'll go with them in a tight one. The Bruins defense will not allow the same kind of easy shots that the Tigers got against Texas and Josh Shipp can't stay in a shooting slump forever. Also give the Bruins the edge in the hunger factor, as the Tigers' season was probably made when they advanced to the Final Four, while the Bruins will be viewed as a colossal failure if they don't cut down the nets this season.

Anyway, we don't understand how any team with Kevin Love could possibly be considered the most hated anything. We don't know what happened after this picture was taken, but we suspect he grabbed the net and rifled it down the court, outlet-style.

It's the third consecutive Final Four for UCLA, but because they haven't won a title yet in that span, they're not necessarily considered that much of a recent powerhouse. Still: They're UCLA. We love Bruins Nation, but already they're touting the "no one believes in us!" card. It is amazing the lengths people will go to in order to still consider themselves underdogs. Somehow we imagine that if Davidson had beat Kansas and gone on to play North Carolina in the Final Four, someone in Chapel Hill would have screamed, "No one thinks we have a chance! Prove 'em wrong, boys!"

Calling Out The Chicken Littles [Bruins Nation]

Naturally, this means we're getting the media ordained championship game we deserve, with Psycho T and KevLuv giving hope to all the big white people who really, really try on every possession.

Guuuuhhhhhh

East Region (Charlotte) Champion: North Carolina
Regional Most Outstanding Player - Tyler Hansbrough
North Carolina 83, Louisville 73

Louisville had this one tied with 10:21 left, and then UNC cranked up the defense again and started to inch ahead until it was all over. Say what you want about the excessive white-boy love (and Bilas love) of Hansbrough, but the guy does what it takes to get Carolina in the win column, and this tournament has been pretty much the same story. Hansbrough had 28 points and 13 rebounds, which included hitting jumpers from the top of the key as well as his usual flailing inside garbage points. Roy Williams now gets to sit back and wonder if he'll be facing fellow Carolinians Davidson in the Final Four, or his old team Kansas.

West Region Champion: UCLA
Regional Most Outstanding Player - Kevin Love
UCLA 76, Xavier 57

The Bruins are in the Final Four for the third straight season, which any perceptive basketball fan knows is a dicey proposition, because it means "shouldn't you have, like, won a championship by now?" This season, Florida no longer stands in their way, so Ben Howland might never have to hear that talk. If the Bruins are going to do it, they might want to hurry up. Phoenix MOP, Kevin Love had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and is making himself a hell of a lot of money right now. He seems completely unfazed by the pressure of this tournament and was seen goofing around shooting (and making) half- and full-court shots during a practice. Xavier was able to trade buckets in the first few minutes, but after that it was all UCLA.

SUNDAY PREVIEW

#2 Texas vs. #1 Memphis 2:40 pm
This is a tough one to call. Both teams will be facing the perception that they come from the weakest bracket if they make the Final Four, but I imagine that provides a lot of motivation. I will say one thing for Memphis - even if they lose this one, at least they avoided the ugly upset most of us predicted for them. Losing to the #2 team in your region is not an embarrassment. Texas relies pretty heavily on D.J. Augustin, but he seems equal to the task, and I'm sure he'd love to play a Final Four in the state of Texas. Memphis saw a lot of production from their big dogs in a rout of Michigan State, and may be ready to make it three #1 seeds in San Antonio.

#10 Davidson vs. #1 Kansas 5:50 pm
You know Davidson's story: Curry shoots the lights out, Richards gets him the ball, and the undersized Lovedale grabs the crucial boards. For Kansas, it's the usual talent and the recent streak of being unable to reach the Final Four under Bill Self. Here's what Self is facing, pressure-wise:

• Facing a hugely popular Cinderella team
• Could get beat by a #10 seed
• Two #1 seeds are in San Antonio already, Memphis could make it three
• He plays the last game of the weekend
• If he wins, he gets to play his predecessor, Roy Williams
• If Mark Mangino can win an Orange Bowl, what's your problem?

That about sums it up. And you wonder why the guy's going bald.

The first of our the regional finals pits the seemingly charmed - sometimes suspiciously so - UCLA Bruins against those nutty Jesuit Musketeers. Is the dunking process of Derrick Brown enough to hold off KevLuv and Co., or is UCLA just an inevitable tournament runner-up? Let's just stay out of the Sports Gods way as they elevate the Bruins to the Final Four.

West (Phoenix) Region

UCLA 88, Western Kentucky 78

When Darren Collison fouled out with 5:30 left, a whole lot of people started to believe that the Hilltoppers could win this thing. Of course, thereafter, the Bruins put a foot on WKU's neck and ended that talk with a quickness. In the moral victory column, the Hilltoppers gutted out a big comeback and had a chance to win at the end. Tyrone Brazelton had 31 for the Toppers, while Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook both notched points/rebounds double-doubles for the Bruins.
Xavier 79, West Virginia 75

Incredible game. WVU was behind by double figures in the first half and gritted its way back into it in the second. Bodies were hitting the ground like a Sopranos marathon. And when regulation ended with a tie and the extra period started, it was perfect March basketball. A shockingly wide-open shot when X inbounded the ball with just two seconds left on the shot clock sealed the deal, but for good measure, the Mountaineers started bricking free throws. Josh Duncan was Xavier's rock once again, scoring 26 and hitting nine of his ten free-throw attempts.

East (Charlotte) Region

North Carolina 68, Washington State 47

I have cast this as Unstoppable Force vs. Immovable Object for several days now, but I conveniently forgot that Roy Williams' teams are always capable of playing some D themselves, and that tipped the balance in this one. That and three-pointers. Not that UNC's 33 percent from the arc was mind-blowing, but in the early going, Tyler Hansbrough couldn't get untracked. As soon as the outside shots started to fall (Danny Green 3-5), Psycho T started doing his thing, and ended up leading the Tar Heels with 18 points and 9 rebounds.

Louisville 77, Tennessee 60

David Padgett is everything that is right about College Basketball, people. At least, that's what Jay Bilas would have us believe. What I can't figure out is, when he meets our other dorky white savior in the next round, who do we root for/genuflect in awe of? Anyway. Bruce Pearl threw Smiths at the Cards all night long, and it didn't make much difference in the outcome. Louisville's Jerry Smith had 13, as did Andre McGee. And Terrence Williams brought the oohs and aaahs with his athletic 12. By the way, Derrick Caracter (9 points, 5 rebounds) says he's going pro. Good luck with that, Chief.

Western Kentucky tried to sneak up on UCLA last night and darned near pulled it off, but the real news was Louisville, which blasted Tennessee and looked like a team that couldn't possibly have lost to Seton Hall. The only team that looked better than them was ... well, North Carolina, which, by their standards in this tournament, slacked off by only winning by 21.

We are sad, however, to see Joe Alexander and West Virginia gone. With a little more eccentricity and Jamiroquai style, he coulda been the next Pittsnogle.