MBB: Midwest Region Final - Kansas 80, UNC 67

[Newton_14]

Finally the evil empire goes down. Discuss.

[moonpie23]

no title for the black pigeon...too worried about his "brand"

[Troublemaker]

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.

[cruxer]

and the one ring remains hidden from Sauron for yet another year, but we must stay ever vigilant and redouble our efforts next season!

-c

[pamtar]

and the one ring remains hidden from Sauron for yet another year, but we must stay ever vigilant and redouble our efforts next season!

-c

One does not simply walk in to St. Louis and beat Kansas!

[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.

[ncexnyc]

no title for the black pigeon...too worried about his "brand"

Time for a nickname change. Inferior products are normally called, BRAND X.

[wsb3]

Love the thread title....So well put. I could only glimpse at the game from time to time. Last glimpse was a good one. My son and I began to celebrate madly. I raised him correctly.

[sagegrouse]

UNC -- offensive juggernaut!


0 pts. in last 3:58

1 pt. in last 5:43

3 pts. in last 8:15

sagegrouse

[Reilly]

UNC -- offensive juggernaut!


0 pts. in last 3:58...

So that means the Heels played 39:46 @ FSU and 36:02 today?

[Wander]

no title for the black pigeon...too worried about his "brand"

Or Final Four. I usually don't like when people play this card, but the kid really doesn't put a whole lot of effort into the game outside of shooting. The difference between his work ethic and that of a Tyler Zeller or Austin Rivers or Jared Sullinger or any number of other guys is obvious.

Great coaching by Self.

[SoCalDukeFan]

I hope somebody steps up and beats UK.

Barnes is really overrated.

Zeller is one class act. Congrats to him on a great career.

Always nice to see the Heels go down.

It was just too big a stage for White.

SoCal

[DesertDevil]

Went out to walk the dogs with the score tied. Nice to see the final right as I walked back in the house.

[Greg_Newton]

I'm elated. Feel like Duke just won number 5.

I'm telling you, getting through that recruiting cycle without a championship is HUGE. I'm so happy I never have to see Tyler Zeller in a UNC uniform again.

[MChambers]

I thought UNC played remarkably well without Marshall. Part of the closeness was some boneheaded play by KU (anyone see Young's pulling guard pick on White?), but UNC deserves some credit.

Zeller was great and McAdoo looked really good, like a young Worthy. Barnes had a good first half, but really has his limitations. I'm guessing he leaves UNC with fewer NCAA titles than Lance Thomas.

[DUKIE V(A)]

I thought UNC played remarkably well without Marshall. Part of the closeness was some boneheaded play by KU (anyone see Young's pulling guard pick on White?), but UNC deserves some credit.

Zeller was great and McAdoo looked really good, like a young Worthy. Barnes had a good first half, but really has his limitations. I'm guessing he leaves UNC with fewer NCAA titles than Lance Thomas.

And will even if he stays two more years.

[Wheat/"/"/"]

KS made the big plays when the game was on the line in the last 4 mins to earn the win in a hard fought game.

I thought the keys that decided the game were KS being strong on the boards, and UNC's inability to create and shoot from the outside, a problem they never solved all season and it caught up with them.

I also thought that Henson was playing soft and settling for too many jumpers the whole game because of his injuries. Defensively he didn't get inside and mix it up on the boards like he usually does. That hurt.

KS was just too good for UNC to win without being at full strength, and maybe even if UNC was healthy.

All in all the team competed hard through some serious adversity, great job from Roy this season keeping the team moving forward to the elite 8 with all the injuries.

[hurleyfor3]

There was a basketball game today? And unc played in it? And lost? Well, yay.

Ky/Loovul is the first game on Saturday? That makes absolutely no sense.

[gumbomoop]

KS made the big plays when the game was on the line in the last 4 mins to earn the win in a hard fought game.

I thought the keys that decided the game were KS being strong on the boards, and UNC's inability to create and shoot from the outside, a problem they never solved all season and it caught up with them.

I also thought that Henson was playing soft and settling for too many jumpers the whole game because of his injuries. Defensively he didn't get inside and mix it up on the boards like he usually does. That hurt.

KS was just too good for UNC to win without being at full strength, and maybe even if UNC was healthy.

All in all the team competed hard through some serious adversity, great job from Roy this season keeping the team moving forward to the elite 8 with all the injuries.

Every point here looks about right to me. I do want to acknowledge that you have pointed out for some weeks, and maybe all season, that UNC just can't hit the 3s. I wasn't persuaded, as I was fooled by how smooth Barnes and Bullock look when they shoot it. Hairston, I don't know. In this regard, losing MCDonald didn't help, either.

So injuries - lots of injuries, not really fair - finally took the toll: no Strickland as PG and D, no McDonald, and especially no Marshall. And your point re Henson is spot on, as well. Henson was hurting today, obviously. Only 1 block. Tentative.

Barnes is a mystery. For one described by Roy at beginning of last season as the most driven player he'd ever seen, well, something happened. Barnes certainly looks passive, frequently. Mystery.

I thought at beginning of this season that McAdoo was 2d best frosh, after Anthony Davis. MK-G at UK maybe is 2d, but McAdoo is next great Heel, if he stays.

Heels could lose 4 to early entry, or none. I'll predict none, or maybe one. I'd think Marshall wants his chance, and McAdoo, whose stock has skyrocketed [Charles Barkley said repeatedly he's the Heels' best player] will stay. Henson? No clue. Barnes has a tough decision, as he might improve his lottery spot if he gets a handle; but he could slide if he stays and doesn't prove to be consistent, better handle, D, rebounder, more aggressiveness.

Heels could be overwhelming #1 preseason. If at least 2 of the 4 stay, top 3-4 preseason.

[elvis14]

Kentucky fans are horrible.

Kentucky fans are basically UNC fans (and you are right about them being horrible - for the most part there are a very small percentage of individual exceptions).

Very happy too see UNC@CH properly evicted and now that they are gone, I'd like to see UK lose. Before UNC@CH lost I wanted UK to keep winning to prevent the worst case scenario.