MBB: Midwest Region Final - Kansas 80, UNC 67

[Devilsfan]

Excuses, excuses, excuses. I am just glad Kansas won. A wonderful moment in triangle sport. Sad that KU had to do it for the pack but whatever it takes.

[Wheat/"/"/"]

My take on that play (I sm assuming we are talking about the same play - there were very few plays in which Henson attacked) was that Henson jumped into Withey. Withey maintained his verticality, thus it was a no-call. That's not to say that officials don't sometimes call the foul there. Just that I think no call was correct. Withey had the right to that space on the floor.

You may very well be right, I didn't get a good look at the play.

[Bojangles4Eva]

Obviously the ending of this season was not ideal, and the whole Kyrie injury was pretty brutal combined with the AZ loss, but take a moment to think what Carolina has accomplished in the last two seasons....0 Tourney championships. Not early season, ACC, regional, or NCAA title (they didn't even get to hang an NIT banner 2 years ago). Yes they got two regular season ACC's, but they don't make banners or trophies for those.

[Newton_14]

Geez...all I said was I'd like to see the play again. CBS never showed it and I like to look at key plays in a game with the benefit if replay.

KS outplayed UNC today in the elite eight game. I'm not making any excuses.

UNC panicked shortly after that sequence and started losing their composure, down six. That's what "mental pressing" meant. To me it was a big play and I'd just like to see it again. That's not gonna change anything, you know, they don't review a call, call everyone out of the locker rooms, because Wheat/"/"/" would like to see it again.

As for White out front at the presser, Roy was proud of him and wanted to acknowledge his excellent play under trying circumstances. The kid stepped up with 13 assists and 0 TO's in sweet sixteen and elite 8 tourney games. That's impressive for any PG, much less a third string freshman forced into the limelight after playing about 4 minutes a game all season.

Good for Roy, and I'm sure he wants fans of the game to start respecting Stillman White as a player. Like I said earlier, kids got some game. I hope he uses his two year mission to physically mature and comes back hungry, because he will see some minutes in the future.

They just showed the replay you are referring to on the local news here. Withey had all ball at the top, but he and Henson went chest to chest at the body level. Henson kind of took it up weakly there imo. Had he taken it up a little stronger he may have drawn a whistle. As it was, blowing the whistle there would have been a bit of a bailout call.

Even with that, you can't go almost the final 6 minutes without scoring in a championship game and expect to win. UNC got rattled in the last 5 minutes and could not score. That doomed them imo.

[Wheat/"/"/"]

They just showed the replay you are referring to on the local news here. Withey had all ball at the top, but he and Henson went chest to chest at the body level. Henson kind of took it up weakly there imo. Had he taken it up a little stronger he may have drawn a whistle. As it was, blowing the whistle there would have been a bit of a bailout call.

Even with that, you can't go almost the final 6 minutes without scoring in a championship game and expect to win. UNC got rattled in the last 5 minutes and could not score. That doomed them imo.

No question UNC lost their composure and deserved to lose.

Maybe somebody can YouTube it?

[FerryFor50]

No question UNC lost their composure and deserved to lose.

Maybe somebody can YouTube it?

Knowing Carolina fans, someone will.

[Greg_Newton]

I'd like to see the play again at about the 4 minute mark where Henson was driving from top of the key and was blocked, resulting in a fast break basket to take KS up 6, I think. I thought he was fouled, but they never showed the play again, so I'm not sure?

Not whinning about a missed call, if it was, but it was a key play in the game that gave KS separation and started the mental pressing by UNC.

FWIW, the SC highlight narrator agreed with you, but I thought it was the correct call (shocker). There was significant contact, but as CDu said, Withey completely maintained verticality, even got bumped back. If anything, I think it should have been a rarely-seen interpretation of the charge rule, but I thought it was a good no-call in that situation.

I'm impressed you're even here, though. If the tables were turned, I would be as far away as I could possibly get from any UNC fans right now.

ETA: You can see the replay if you turn on SC, it's in all the highlights.

[uh_no]

Obviously the ending of this season was not ideal, and the whole Kyrie injury was pretty brutal combined with the AZ loss, but take a moment to think what Carolina has accomplished in the last two seasons....0 Tourney championships. Not early season, ACC, regional, or NCAA title (they didn't even get to hang an NIT banner 2 years ago). Yes they got two regular season ACC's, but they don't make banners or trophies for those.

Take a look in cameron (or the dean dome) there are absolutely banners for those.

[El_Diablo]

So apparently Roy didn't realize what defense Kansas was playing for much of the second half:

I asked Williams what impact the triangle-and-two had on his team. His answer was stunning.

“I know they did for one possession, and they may have for another possession,” Williams said. “I’m not sure about that.”

Williams clearly was unsure because from press row it looked like the Jayhawks played the triangle-and-two for nearly half of the final 20 minutes. The Jayhawks confirmed that they played the combo defense for the final eight or nine minutes.

“It put their guys who are not used to scoring the ball in position to score,” Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor said. “It confused them a little bit. … We just switched our defense up a little bit, and it kind of took them out of what they wanted to run.”

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketb...sas_win_032512

[ncexnyc]

wonder if this is a ploy to help his "brand"

then he can sell his rookie NBA season as a quest for redemption

I really don't care what it is. All I know is that it's going to be the latest addition to my screensaver at work.

[gofurman]

Roy is still a great recruiter

Sigh, there is no such animal. There are records, school standing, national exposure, perceived minutes available ( who a player is competing against for his spot ), program reputation, etc. etc. but there is no such thing as a "good recruiter".
No such thing as a silver tongued devil that is able to hypnotize young recruits into a poor program with a poor record and poor reputation. Doesn't happen... ever.
A school, ANY school, gets top recruits based on record and program, not on a coach waving a gold watch in their face while chanting " You will play for ....... ".

I would disagree there is "no such thing as a great recruiter". Ex: See 'Calipari, John' - ethics? dont know on that front and have my doubts but I know the guy can recruit - and dont say UK recruited the same under Gillespie or Tubby Smith (who I respected more)... they didnt. Only Calipari right now can cherry-pick the 3 or 4 guys he wants each year. I fear seeing UK the most on the list of schools any guy we want is interested in. You almost know they can win the title this year and - more than any other school - totally reload with nasty talent... more than UNC, Duke, KU.. anywhere

[fan345678]

I'd like to see the play again at about the 4 minute mark where Henson was driving from top of the key and was blocked, resulting in a fast break basket to take KS up 6, I think. I thought he was fouled, but they never showed the play again, so I'm not sure?

Not whinning about a missed call, if it was, but it was a key play in the game that gave KS separation and started the mental pressing by UNC.

watched that over and over...looked like a textbook "principle of verticality" example

[Wheat/"/"/"]

...
I'm impressed you're even here, though. If the tables were turned, I would be as far away as I could possibly get from any UNC fans right now.

Like I told my friend weezie, it's only a game. And I'm a glutton for punishment...(with a new iPad that the new hasn't worn off yet).

I missed it on SC, will look for it.

[jipops]

So apparently Roy didn't realize what defense Kansas was playing for much of the second half:



http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketb...sas_win_032512

Pat Forde plays this tired card after almost every game between two high profile coaches. I don't buy the out-coaching bit, rarely ever.

[IBleedBlue]

Assuming Rivers and Mason leave Duke and HB, Henson, KM, JMM leave UNC, ACC will be a three team race next year. Duke, UNC and NCSU will be playing some back and forth battles next year. With the incoming class at NCSU, I wouldn't be surprised of state wins ACC next year.

[Furniture]

Coach K is so immensely graceful and much more accomplished than ole Roy.
Ole Roy is a sore loser. He must be a real motivator (no). I would not want to play for that guy....

[uh_no]

Pat Forde plays this tired card after almost every game between two high profile coaches. I don't buy the out-coaching bit, rarely ever.

While he certainly overplays it, do you not find it astounding that roy failed to realize they switched defenses for the entire last 8 minutes of the game? that he failed to make an offensive adjustment while his team was busy scoring 3 points in 8 minutes because he failed to notice the change?

that's about as close to the definition of "outcoached" as you can get

[75Crazie]

I'm thinking back to my thoughts at the beginning of the season. I was horribly dreading this year, seeing Carolina as head-and-shoulders above everybody else. And now, looking back, I see Duke split in two games with them, they didn't win the ACC Tournament, and they didn't even make the Final Four. The heck with the Lehigh game, this was quite a good year!

[moonpie23]

how do you like my new avatar?

[NYC Duke Fan]

I think this finally gives some Duke fans peace about the Kyrie Irving situation.

Get well soon Kendall. May you do well on your pre-draft workouts.

The difference was that Irving played against Arizona and I believe he was the high scorer. Marshall did not.