Hello, I think the Duke/Kansas matchup this Thursday is the most exciting in the Sweet 16. I've grown up as a Duke fan because my Father was classmates w/ Coach K at West Point. I've always rooted for the Blue Devils and hope they will beat Kansas this week although its going to be a real tough game. My little brother used to watch Aaron Miles (Kansas) play in high school in Portland, OR so he's rooting for Kansas... Any predictions on this or any of the other Sweet 16 matchups? My prediction: Duke wins 90-82. Daniel Ewing scores 25 and JJ Redick has 20 in the Duke victory!
I'm a huge Duke fan too, who has absolutely no affiliation with the University. I just got into them when I was a tiny point guard on my junior high basketball team, and Bobby Hurley was playing for Duke. He was pretty much my "sports idol" for a couple years, and over that period I became such a big Duke fan that it still continues. If you asked me a couple of weeks ago, I would have said Kansas all the way, but since then both Shelden Williams and Casey Sanders have really started playing well. Williams is in the same mold as Boozer and Brand at Duke, and Sanders has really become a defensive force. I think they'll be able to do a decent job against Kansas down low. Duke's success, like always, depends on their outside shooting, and they seem to be confident right now. I give Duke the edge in a very close game.
If one of Duke's star players intentionally steps on a KU player while that player is defenseless on the floor and doesn't get ejected, then I say Duke wins. Wait, maybe that'll be against UK in the Final Four.
This game will be embarassing. See Michigan State-Florida? Kansas-Duke is a similar matchup, except Duke has a better coach and "has been here before" Nick Collison will make the Flukies his b****, and Hinrich will do his part from long range. Kansas doesn't choke here, they win easily. Graves-Collison will eat the Duke big men up for lunch. And no I'm not a fan of either team, my team would be Texas.
Basically what DV said....although I don't think it'll be as bad as MSU-UF.... More than OU-Butler??!?!? Really?
MDuke, Who here has tickets for next weekend's regional? Also I personally think the best sweet 16 game is UT-UConn, or Kentucky-Consin .
Kentucky-Wisconsin, are you kidding me? Wisconsin is the biggest joke of a Sweet 16 team in the Sweet 16...(well, Butler can give them a good run for their money I'd have tickets but I'm not going to NY....Who went to last weekends subregional though?
Though the Dorkies suck donkey balls, they played a good game versus Central Michigan. Colorado State had a real chance to knock them off though--I was at both games in SLC as they followed the Arizona games. However I don't think the Dorkies pressure game that dismantled CMU will work on Kansas with Miles and Hinrich, and Kansas will beat them in a 1/2 court affair. Nick Collison will be the difference, I don't think Duke will have an answer for them. Personally, I hope Duke and Kansas wears each other out for Arizona. Of course after witnessing that epic game versus Zaga, Arizona should be ready for a war with ND. Here is my tip though, I'd take Arizona with the points versus ND. ND would have to stay as hot as they were against a much younger and more inexperienced Illini team to stay with Arizona, I think Arizona is focused and it is very unlikely ND can mainstain that kind of roll again. Here is another tip, assuming Stepp and Turief stay at Zaga next year that is a legit top 10, maybe top 5, team. After seeing them beat Natti and lose to Arizona on essentially a coin flip, and seeing all their key players are underclassmen, that team is going to be a force next year. I also think Turief and Stepp have great chances to play in the pros, honestly probably better chances than any players in Arizona uniforms.
On other games. Wisc is the type of team that could give UK a run. Slow it down, play physical, keep it half court with a reduced number of possessions. Remember IU beat Duke last year doing this. As a Tx fan, I am really concerned about Uconn. That is a tough, dangerous team, more dangerous than Maryland IMO. If they get by the Huskies (big maybe) pencil them in the final 4. I honestly don't think Butler will give the Sooners much a battle. The Cuse could in Albany though--but I have watched them a fair number and honestly they are not as tough as OU is--at least as long as Price is 85% or better and can render Cuse's zone ineffective with long bombs. I hate to admit it, but all but pencil OU in the final 4. The unfolding of the turney really shows the NCAA comm. really screwed UK and Zona. IMO the trully elite teams are UK, Zona, OU, Texas, Pitt and Kansas, with Duke, Marquette, Cuse, Uconn, ND, Wisc, Maryland, being possible final 4 quality teams. Thus 4 of the 6 true elite teams left (including the overall #1 and #2) are all in one side of the championship brackett, with 8 of the 13 quality-to-elite teams also in one side of the brackett. I will be really surprised if either OU or Texas doesn't make the finals based on their bracketts--both UK and Zona are much more questionable at this point because of the quality of comp--especially with Kansas and Pitt lingering in their brackett.
I like Maryland a lot, i like Blake, like the way he leads his team and how much composure he has in big ball games (Duke/Maryland games @ Duke).
God, I really hope the OU players feel the same way. Actually I don't. I'm in contention for a $2,800 pool, and I need OU to win.
Kansas will win... There too good to lose and match up well against Duke, whom me thinks are overated this year...
I think an event that has a much greater impact on this game, in Duke's favour, is the fact that KU lost Simean...He made a huge difference, not just in terms of his pretty impressive numbers, but in being the only inside guy who took the heat off of Collison. Still...Rock...Chalk...etc...
I forgot to mention though that the most impressive thing for me about KU this year is their coaching...I'm in no way saying Coach K is a stiff, far from it, but I don't know that I've seen a better coached team than Kansas is right now in terms of running the break, secondary break, decisions of when to pusj and when to go 1/2 court, etc...It's something to behold..I honestly think that they are the most impressive breaking team, not so much athletically as mentally, that I have ever seen, even more than the old UNLV or Arkansas teams...Anyone who's seen them have thoughts about this?
