March 28, 2013
National Sports
Sports S-5
The Colgate Maroon-News
Final Four Brings an End to March Madness By Matt Washuta Maroon-News Staff
The hoops hysteria of the past couple of weeks has winnowed down to a mere four teams left to contend for the National Championship in Atlanta this weekend. The journey to this year’s Final Four has been marked by many great upsets and several close calls. Florida Gulf Coast University became the lowest seed ever to reach the Sweet Sixteen. No. 13 seed La Salle also made the Sweet Sixteen and a plethora of lower seeds advanced to the round of 32 teams. Out of this madness, four teams emerged victorious so far: Louisville, Michigan, Syracuse and Wichita State. Wichita State booked its trip to Atlanta as the lowest seed in the Final Four. Wichita State’s low seeding should not give anyone pause concerning its strengths. Offensively, the team has threats on the perimeter in senior guard Malcolm Armstead and freshman guard Ron Baker. Its offense in the paint is also dominant with forwards Cleanthony Early and Carl Hall leading the team. Defensively, the Shockers have been lockdown central in the paint. The team has consistently denied scoring opportunities on the inside and forced opponents to take many contested outside shots. The combination of the Shockers’ successful offense and defense has allowed the team to earn a spot in the Final Four. The Shockers should have the confidence to compete with a Goliath in Louisville. Wichita State upended No. 1 seed Gonzaga in the Round of 32, beat upset-minded La Salle in the Sweet Sixteen and defeated the Big 10 Tournament Champions Ohio State in the regional final to earn its trip to the Final Four. However, it faces stiff competition in Louisville. The Cardinals may very well be considered title favorites. Louisville boasts a lightning fast offense with junior guard Russ Smith and senior guard Peyton Siva leading the way. The duo is responsible for one of the fastest offensive transition games in recent college basketball
SUPREME DUO: Peyton Siva, left, and Russ Smith have led the Louisville Cardinals to the final round of the NCAA March Madness Tournament. memory. They also combine for a stellar 4.3 steals per game using their trademark full-court defense. On the inside, the Cardinals have one of the most complete big men in the country in center Gorgui Deng. He has a capable offensive game on the inside but it is his defense that sends opponents home. Deng’s defense in the paint is nearly indomitable with his 2.5 blocks per game. Deng also brings an imposing presence in the paint as his help on defense has created many forced turnovers. In the other Final Four matchup, the Michigan Wolverines will take on the Syracuse Orange. The Wolverines have always had the talent this season, but were inconsistent as some players were unable to reach their potential in each game. But this Michigan team in March has had an entirely
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different dynamic. The Wolverines seem to be firing on all cylinders in the tournament as every player has been playing up to his full potential. Opponents can only wish for some of the talented players on the Michigan team. Sophomore guard Trey Burke has consistently been one of the best performers in the nation and is a favorite to win the coveted Naismith Player of the Year award for his efforts. A deep supporting cast has complemented Burke’s stellar game. Junior guard Tim Hardaway Jr. is one of the best shooters in the game and has consistently banked many of his shot attempts in the tournament, making him even more dangerous. Freshman guard Nik Stauskas is another threat on the perimeter, as he, like Hardaway, possesses a lethal shooting game and has iced many clutch shots in
the tournament. Michigan’s interior game has been phenomenal during the tournament. Center Mitch McGary was one of the most heralded freshmen players going into the season, but had been inconsistent and underperformed in many games during the regular season. His play during the tournament is an entirely different story, however. McGary seems to be reaching his potential throughout the tournament, shutting down opposing offenses in the paint and playing some of the best interior offense one could expect from a big man in the tournament. Freshman forward Glenn Robinson III is another threat on the inside. Robinson possesses a strong inside game as well as a strong shooting game, but his play has been inconsistent during the tournament. The Wolverines face a stiff test against Syracuse and its seemingly unflappable zone defense. The Orange possess a talented, experienced team led by junior forward C.J. Fair, senior forward James Southerland, sophomore forward Rakeem Christmas, senior guard Brandon Triche and sophomore guard Michael Carter-Williams. These five core players provide a deliberate, yet explosive offense and a lights out defense. All of these players can bank shots and play aggressively in the paint as well. The Orange defense has yet to be exposed in this tournament, as opposing teams have consistently struggled to score. Even the stellar Indiana team was held to its lowest point total of the season. This year’s Final Four should be a potent one as all four teams provide a complete game and the talent necessary to win the championship and earn their rings. Louisville should be considered a title favorite as its offense and defense have been nearly invincible throughout the past couple of weeks, but the other three teams in the tournament all possess the capability to earn the rights to the championship, as well. Look for Saturday’s games to be bitterly fought, as teams will battle each other for every single possession. Contact Matt Washuta at mwashuta@colgate.edu.
Which Teams Will Make it to the March Madness Final?
By Kristen Duarte Maroon-News Staff
After five rounds of blood, sweat, tears and broken bones, the NCAA tournament is finally nearing an end. The final four teams remaining are Michigan, Syracuse, Wichita State and Louisville. No. 9 Wichita State must play No. 1 Louisville, while No. 4 Michigan and No 4. Syracuse will also fight for a spot in the finals. Upsetting No. 1 Gonzaga and No. 2 Ohio State, Wichita State has come a long way in this year’s tournament. However, I believe they will be no match for Louisville. After losing Kevin Ware from a heartbreaking injury against Duke, Louisville is more motivated than ever to win it all for their teammate. While attempting to block a three-point shot, Ware landed awkwardly and broke his leg. As he fell to the ground, viewers caught a glimpse of the bone protruding from his leg. Ware, a native of Atlanta by way of the Bronx, said to his teammates, “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be OK. You guys go win this thing.” With Louisville’s explosive offense, tenacious defense and new found extra incentive to win, it seems likely that they will win the championship in Ware’s hometown.
While Michigan and Syracuse are more evenly matched, I believe that Syracuse will make it to the finals. Both teams were triumphant over No. 1 seeds, but Syracuse’s outstanding 2-3 zone defense is a force to be reckoned with. Syracuse’s starting point guard, Michael Carter-Williams, averages in double digits and is anticipated to be the ninth pick in this year’s NBA draft. If Syracuse and Louisville were to face in the finals it would be the first Big East finals match-up since 1985, which would be appropriate for the final season of the Big East conference. While Syracuse has shown their talent throughout the season and the NCAA tournament, I think Louisville will prove to be an unstoppable team and take home the title. After a tournament full of upsets, it will be exciting to find out who the winners will be on April 8. By Jared Accettura Maroon-News Staff
So what if it’s technically April? So what if you tore up your bracket after Florida Gulf Coast (who?) won two games? So what if Kevin Ware’s injury has traumatized you for life? It’s the Final Four. That means we’re two games away from crowning this year’s National Champion and if you don’t like that, you’re not a real American. Yes, I said it. Now let’s take a look at the four remaining teams. This year’s Cinderella, ninth-seeded Wichita State, has played the role of giant-killer to perfection, knocking off both No. 1 Gonzaga and No. 2 Ohio State on their Final Four run. Wichita State is a glowing example that great teams exist throughout college basketball and can play with
anyone in the country. Unfortunately, they are running into a buzz saw in the Louisville Cardinals. This year’s Louisville team boasts one of the most tenacious and pesky defensive units of Rick Pitino’s coaching career (just ask him) and will not let up on that end of the court for 40 minutes. On top of that, Russ Smith and Peyton Siva appear to be on a mission, making Louisville the best bet to win it all. The other side of the bracket boasts a huge, Big East-Big Ten matchup between Syracuse and Michigan. These two 4-seeds are peaking at the right time and have advanced for one reason toughness. Michigan’s Trey Burke, perhaps the premier guard in the country, has proven that he is not ready to lose. It will be up to him to solve Syracuse’s vaunted zone defense, which has smothered its opposition to this point. Syracuse will look to use their size to battle inside and turn the game into a low-scoring affair. Their defense will want to limit Michigan’s ability to run in transition with their athletic wings, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Glen Robinson III. If stud point guard Michael Carter-Williams can control the tempo, then Syracuse has a chance. However, the deadly outside shooting of Michigan’s Nik Stauskas may prove to be the difference in the game. I anticipate a tight Michigan win with some fireworks at the end. By Kevin Mahoney Maroon-News Staff
I concede the fact that Louisville is playing the best basketball in the tournament and is the favorite to win it all. Yet, I have to stick with my
gut and pick Michigan to win March Madness. I think Michigan has serious talent starting with their point guard and Naismith Player of the Year candidate Trey Burke. He has been the best point guard in the tournament (sorry, Peyton Siva), and has the potential to completely dominate the game, even when he’s not scoring. In Michigan’s Elite Eight matchup against the Florida Gators, Burke only scored 15 points on 5-16 shooting, but added eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals in a game where he completely controlled the tempo. Obviously, Michigan’s success relies a lot on the settler play of Burke, but this team has shown that they can win with their depth. Both Tim Hardaway Jr. and Glenn Robinson III, two potential first round draft picks in this year’s upcoming NBA draft, have been steady all year for the Wolverines. They pose significant match-up problems with their length, athleticism and outside shooting. However, Michigan’s recent success has come with the emergence of big man Mitch McGary and unsung heroes Nik Stauskas and Spike Albrecht, providing depth off the bench. This team has shown that they are more than just a one man team, let alone a big three. This Michigan team is the complete package with the skill set that could help bring a title back to Ann Arbor. Next up is Syracuse. Michigan will need to rely on their good ball movement and stellar outside shooting. I think Michigan will be able to grind one out against ‘Cuse and move on to the finals to face Louisville in a highly anticipated finals matchup.