NCAA Tournament Thoughts: Elite 8 Saturday

You really have to love Butler. In most games they are against more athletic, bigger teams, but they stay in the games with good shooting and smart basketball. And heart, tons of heart. They also have the confidence that if it's a close game they are going to win. And they didn't quit, or get desperate (that's important) when they fell behind big. And when the game is close late they never rush, they never get rattled, they don't take bad shots. They knoow how to win these games.

That's the exact opposite of what happened to Florida. They built a lead pounding the ball inside and driving to the lane, but when the game was on the line the relied on jump shooting.

Shelvin Mack is a heck of a player. He really took this game over. He hit his first three shots, then made 2 of his next 11. But when it was 57-53 with 4 minutes to go he hit two driving layups to tie the game.

Len Elmore is absolutely right about Vernon Macklin. Billy Donovan had to take him out on offense. And he's right they should have fouled him when he got the ball about to dunk it. 46% shooter, you have to put him on the line. Reggie Miller is a moron.

What the fuck was that at the end of regulation? Why the fuck do teams do this? Not even try to get a good shot. Why are they so afraid of giving the ball back? I'd rather get the best shot possible and risk playing defense than to just play for overtime.

I really am so impressed with Butler and Brad Stevens. They never get rattled and I think it comes from him.

I also appreciate Billy Donovan. Last year they got scorched by Jimmer Fredette. This year they had a good game plan for him. He also had a perfect strategy for beating Butler, pound it inside, drive the ball on them and press. Exploiting all their advantages, but when it came down to winning time Butler just executed better than Florida did. And Florida made some key mental mistakes, which I guess you can blame Donovan for.

When Matt Howard and Chandler Parsons got piled up on top of each other it was the worst two heads of hair I've seen that close since Nelson.

It was great to send Gus Johnson out of this tournament with that game. He was really getting into full Gusmode.

Silly third foul by Derrick Williams. Just cannot reach in like that. Even if you swat the ball away there's a chance the ref will call a foul wrongly.

Him going to the bench helped UConn come back from an early 8-point deficit and end the first half on a 29-14 run.

When will teams learn? Arizona down by 2 chucks up 2 three pointers? Do they honestly think those shots have a 50% chance of going in? Or that they have a less than 50% chance to win if the game goes to overtime. You should always take a 2 when down 2, I couldn't believe they were doing that.

Sick move by Kemba Walker. He broke out the move he used on Pitt to make the game 65-60, which turned out to be the crucial play in the game.

For me the best part of the Arizona-UConn game was a story Verne Lundquist told about him and Bill Raftery being introduced to Sean Miller's kids. They said the kids were unimpressed until Miller said "Boys, remember when daddy threw that pass in to Jerome Lane. This is Mr. Raftery. He said 'Send it in, Jerome.'"



What a fantastic couple games today, on top of those two great games late last night.