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Memphis UCLA Final Four Predictions
For the first time in history all four number one seeds have advanced
to the Final Four. I had a hunch it might happen this season as those
four teams were clearly better than the rest of the field in my opinion.
Now it's time to analyze the two Final Four matchups. We'll start with
the Memphis/UCLA Final Four predictions in this article.
Memphis versus UCLA pits athleticism versus experience in this college
basketball heavyweight battle to see which side will play for a national
title. Ben Howland has summoned UCLA unmatched tradition to make his
third straight trip to the Final Four. John Calipari will make his
second trip to the Final Four with another team, breaking through after
leading Memphis to the Elite Eight in 2007.
Let's take a closer look at these two teams to see which side might have
the edge.
UCLA Bruins (35-3)
Best Win: 67-64 nailbiter over Stanford in the Pac-10 Conference
Tourney.
Worst loss: 10-point defeat against the Washington Huskies.
Who's the Man? Other than Davidson's Stephen Curry, no player has
been better than freshman sensation Kevin Love in the Big Dance. He's
averaging 21.8 ppg and 11 boards.
X-Factor: Russell Westbrook is a key player for the Bruins,
especially in this matchup as he has the kind of athleticism it takes to
play against Memphis. His athletic ability gives opponents fits on both
ends of the floor. His ability to play defense Chris Douglas-Roberts or
Derrick Rose could be huge. When Westbrook plays well, the Bruins are
nearly impossible to beat.
Clutch Performer: Darren Collison was already one of the most
clutch players in college basketball last season. He picked up where he
left off making a high-arching layup in the closing seconds to complete
a second round comeback over Texas A&M.
Why UCLA? Even up-tempo, high-scoring teams such as the Memphis
Tigers have been stifled by UCLA's disciplined defensive scheme.
Howland's teams rarely do not dictate the tempo of a game.
Memphis Tigers (37-1)
Best Win: Dominant 85-67 performance against Texas to advance to
the Final Four.
Worst Loss: 66-62 loss to Tennessee on its home court to
relinquish its number one ranking. Oh yeah, Memphis' only loss of the
season.
Who's the Man? It's got to be freshman phenom Derrick Rose. While
D.J. Augustin was highly regarded as the best point in college hoops
this season, Derrick Rose outshined him with ease in the Elite Eight. He
is averaging 20.5 ppg in the Big Dance.
X-Factor: Joey Dorsey's explosiveness around the rim, bringing
energy to this Memphis team has been huge. Now he's going to have to use
his strength to battle with UCLA's Kevin Love. If Dorsey can shut Love
down, the Tigers likely march on.
Clutch Performer: Chris Douglas-Roberts has been the player to
take and make the biggest shots for Memphis this season. He led the team
in scoring this season, earning All-American honors. His versatility
makes him a tough cover.
Why Memphis? The Tigers' size and athleticism are unmatched with
the teams remaining in the tourney. Memphis has shown that if a team
doesn't bring it's A-game, it will run them off the court.
Jimmy Boyd is making his 5 Star Final Four Game of the Year on this
matchup. Make sure you sign up for one of his low cost premium package
to get his biggest winner in the round of four. There's just a couple
more opportunities to beat the college basketball odds this season and
Jimmy is going to take full advantage.
April 3rd, 2008
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