March On!

Rock, Chalk Jayhawk

So John Calipari coaches the worst game of his life, nearly gets away with it for a national title, but loses when his two best players miss three of their last four free throws in the final seconds of regulation. This after Calipari spends March Madness chastising us for questioning how poorly his team shoots free throws, insisting that strong-minded players make free throws in important situations. That weak-minded players find their knees knocking when the game is on the line and miss. Can you spell I-R-O-N-Y?

Cal will go to his grave regretting this one, just as Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts will never forget missing those free throws, knowing just one more would have made Mario Chalmers' three-point heave with 2.1 to go meaningless.

In eht end, howeer, we got one of the most exciting title games in recent memory, a reward for all the blowouts we watched in the tournament's opening rounds.

All tournament team: Chalmers most outstanding player. Joined by Kansas' Darrell Arthur, Kansas' Brandon Rush and Rose and Douglas-Roberts.

Quick reaction from Kansas, since newspaper deadlines couldn't et them in the paper.

Chalmers: "When it left my hand it felt good and I was jut glad it went in."

Rush: "It was tough defense against CDR and he might have gotten the best of me but we still got the win."

Coach Bill Self: "We made so many plays down the stretch and got the ball into our most cluth player's hands. And he delivered."

By the way, the 'Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk' chant is a singular Kansas phenomenon, sung like a Gregorian chant, slow and drawn out in a monotone. Totaly cool moment after the game, when all the Kansas fans stayed and filled the Alamodome to its rafters with a happy chorus.

I feel his pain

Without question, the most poignant image of Saturday's Kansas victory over North Carolina was Jayhawks reserve Rodrick Stewart, sitting behind the Kansas bench with his fractured kneecap propped up on a chair. Still, he was in his warmups and was cheering as much as he could for his teammates. I felt badly for him, as did my colleague, Tara Sullivan.

He spoke with reporters yesterday and said the pain when the injury happened Friday was excruciating, adding 'you can't imagine' it.

I have to disagree, Rod, because I've been there myself. In 1986, I fractured my left patella, aka kneecap, while playing touch football. Like Stewart, I wasn't even hit. I even showed him the scar, and told him what the operation would be like.

He asked me how it felt when it happened, and I said it felt like there was a 'miniature mountain range' where my kneecap was. He looked at me and said, 'that's EXACTLY what it felt like.'

Like I said, Rod, I know. I was up and walking in 3 1/2 weeks after the surgery. Best of luck with your recovery, and I give you credit for answering all the questions despite your physical and emotional pain.   

Prediction

Memphis 75, Kansas 69

Just can't see Kansas coming up with two outstanding performances back-to-back, and the Jayhawks will need another to stop Derrick Rose and Memphis' offense. Carolina didn't handle adversity well, but I don't think Memphis would get as rattled if it fell behind. Carolina's impatience once it was behind contributed to it becoming a 28-point deficit in the semis.

Upset stomach for Rose

Derrick Rose walked into the large interview room, and the Memphis point guard quickly walked out. 'He said his stomach was bothering him,' coach John Calipari said, 'so I told him to go back and see the trainer.'

Ouch. Obviously Rose will play tomorrow, but Memphis needs him to be 100 percent tomorrow against Kansas. He was the driving force behind the Tigers' easy semifinal win over UCLA.

My brush with fame

So Memphis coach John Calipari made his stand for women sportswriters Saturday. More likely, he just wanted to prove (again) how charming he thinks he can be and I became his unwitting accomplice. Here's what happened.

We're in the post-game media conference with Calipari and three of his starters from  Memphis' easy semifinal win over UCLA, Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Joey Dorsey. After Cal's opening statement, we were asked to direct questions to the players so they could leave first. In the very organized NCAA world where players are termed 'student-athletes' and questions must be asked with a microphone passed around by a volunteer who takes direction from an NCAA official on the podium with the coach and players, you raise your hand and wait to be picked. I waited a while when I decided I wanted to ask the senior Dorsey about how good Rose has been as a freshman point guard. (The kid is scary good).

But once I raised my hand, the NCAA official said there would be two more questions and he pointed to two reporters  (apparently both  male) on the other side of the room. No sweat, since I could still follow players to the locker room and get what I needed. After male reporter one asked his question, Calipari interrupted the move to male reporter two and told the NCAA guy that so many men had asked their question, and to give this woman a chance to ask hers, as she'd been raising her hand all day. I hadn't actually been doing that, but no matter. Cal looked at me, asked where I was from, I took the mike, introduced myself, and asked my question.

Not sure what it was all about, but there it is.

Oh, and the NCAA guy allowed one more question and gave male reporter two his time.

Memphis-UCLA first-half thoughts

Bad sign for Memphis that the Tigers clearly outplayed UCLA in the first half, yet wound up with only a three-point lead. Memphis shut down Kevin Love for much of the first half, but he still finished with 10 points.

Fittingly, during one timeout, the UCLA band played 'California Girls.' Love's uncle Mike, of course, was/is one of the Beach Boys. Other interesting timeout entertainment was provided by the NCAA, which showed UConn's long-ago Sweet 16 buzzer-beater against Clemson. Jim Calhoun looked a lot younger in 1990, but then again, didn't we all.

Predictions

UCLA vs. Memphis

I’m not saying this game will be a track meet, but it can’t be worse than

the taffy pull of two years ago when UCLA won a bricklayers’ convention 50-45 in the West Regional final. As I wrote in today’s editions of The Record, both teams are much different, especially because of each one’s super freshman. Plus, Memphis runs its offense much better than it did two years ago, mainly because of point guard Derrick Rose’s ability and creativity. As for the Bruins, Ben Howland finally took his team out of the straitjacket on offense [too bad C. Vivian Stringer didn’t do the same for the Rutgers women against UConn on Tuesday]. Anyway, UCLA averaged 82 points last weekend. Still, Memphis is clicking on all cylinders and wins a close one. Memphis, 67-63

Kansas vs. North Carolina

North Carolina is the overall No. 1 seed and was my original choice to win the whole thing, so I’m not going to change now. The Tar Heels’ depth will be too much in this one, even for a very deep Kansas team to cope with. Certainly the Jayhawks have the athletes to get up and down the court with Carolina. But will they finish as often on the fast break? Don’t think so. And as much as Kansas tries to wear down Tyler Hansbrough with its depth inside, the national Player of the Year will get his points. North Carolina, 81-73

Freak injury for Kansas

Kansas reserve Rodrick Stewart's Final Four ended before it began, as he fractured his right kneecap when he went up for a dunk during open practice and landed awkwardly. Kansas coach Bill Self said Stewart slipped on a wet spot.

Stewart, a USC transfer, averaged 2.8 points in 11.6 minutes this season, although he had played only nine minutes in the Jayhawks' four NCAA tournament games.

Perhaps not wanting to tempt fate, Memphis' open practice was much more subdued. The Tigers practiced after Kansas, and in fact, ended their allotted 50-minute session 13 minutes early. They spent much time working on free throws, perhaps a nod to the critics who have constantly questioned that aspect of their game.

Open-door policy

One of the most fun aspects of Final Four Friday is that fans are admitted free to open practices in the Dome du Jour. These practices are more like glorified workouts, as obviously coaches won't run any actual plays in front of prying eyes. However, it leads to some fun, as they invariably turn into dunking and shot-making exhibitions, kind of like the old fast-food spot with Jordan and Bird playing H-O-R-S-E.

For UCLA, Kevin Love worked on his length-of-the-court shot, and finally banked one in [two-handed, no less] to the admiration of the crowd. He also swished one.

Here in San Antonio

Greetings from San Antonio. I arrived very late last night after a connecting flight through Houston, but passed my time at Newark airport haveing a great conversationg with Bob Hurley, the fantastic coach of St. Anthony High School in Jersey City. Hurley's team just won another state title and a tournament of champions title, and the legendary hard worker insists he hasn't yet started working toward next year's title. He's actualy enjoying this one for a while. To that end, he and his wife Chris are planning a few days vacation in San Antonio, where a cloudy morning today is supposed to give way to some warm, sunny weather.