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Kentucky’s DeAndre Liggins has gone from little-used role player to the top defender in this year’s Final Four. Coach John Calipari’s more than a little happy about it, too. “You have a 6-6 player with long arms who can guard a point guard, a 2-man, a 3-man, and if I wanted him to, he could…
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Brad Stevens’ glasses may be in demand, but he’s not seeing it. He’s also not seeing them as a good luck charm. He’s wearing them … to see. An eye injury (a corneal edema that caused his eye to swell) during Butler’s regular-season finale prompted the former to wear glasses as a form of protection.…
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The one-and-done stereotype – a guy who spends one year in college barely going to class until he jump to the NBA – doesn’t apply to Kentucky guard Brandon Knight. An honor student in high school, Knight considered six schools along with the Wildcats. One was Yale. And it was only six because he didn’t…
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The easiest way to start an argument among college basketball fans? Debate the best team to never win a title. Trust me, there’s no right answer. My answer usually involves these two teams: 1997 Kansas (Raef LaFrentz, Paul Pierce, Jaque Vaughn) and ’99 Duke (Elton Brand, Shane Battier, Trajan Langdon). Depending on my mood and…
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When N.C. State and Missouri woo VCU coach Shaka Smart next week (or as soon as the Rams lose), it’s not just because Smart’s the hot coaching prospect out there. It’s because he could be the next great coach. Smart turns 34 this summer. He’s the youngest coach at the Final Four (Butler’s Brad Stevens…
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Going with direct route with the question of the day, but with a small expansion: Who wins Saturday’s Final Four games?
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No Kentucky player is more popular among Big Blue Nation than senior center Josh Harrellson. Not Brandon Knight, not Terrence Jones, not DeAndre Liggins. It’s a mix of his work ethic, ever-improving play and easy-going nature. How many people would embrace the nickname Jorts? As a tribute, a Lexington restaurant is giving a free meal…
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Think Butler’s a group of lovable underdogs? The players can’t hold a candle to the school’s mascot, Blue II. His life and times used to be material for a blog. Now he’s so much bigger than that. The 7-year-old English Bulldog will be courtside for Saturday’s Butler-VCU Final Four game, which caps 48 hours worth…
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Oklahoma will reportedly name Lon Kruger its new head coach, according to multiple reports. It’s a seven-year contract worth $16 million. Kruger, who turns 59 in August, has led UNLV to a 161-71 record in seven seasons, including four NCAA tournament appearances and a Sweet 16 spot in 2007. It marks a return to the…
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Calipari asked: ‘How does it feel to coach in your first Final Four?’
Apr 1, 2011, 4:42 PM EDT
Final Four press conferences are usually boring, filled with routine questions from reporters trying to file yet another game preview. Each team brings its coach and a few players, they answer some questions, and it’s over. That wasn’t exactly how John Calipari’s session went. Two of the 10 questions posed to the Kentucky coach dealt…
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Need a Final Four preview? No sweat. How about six? Rob Dauster spent the last three days breaking down the Final Four position-by-position and ranked the teams as such, including benches. In case you missed any of, I compiled them all here. Point guards Shooting guards Small forwards Power forwards Centers Benches Coaches If that’s…
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Jimmer Fredette claimed yet another award, this time winning the AP Player of the Year. The nation’s leading scorer snagged 48 of 65 votes, all of which were tabulated before the NCAA tournament. He’s the first to lead the nation in scoring and win AP player of the year since Glenn Robinson did so for…
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Rick Pitino was on the shortlist for coach of the year this season, but that probably should’ve been expected given his salary. Louisville’s coach will make $7.5 million this season, according to USA Today’s analysis of coaching contracts and other compensation documents. Part of Pitino’s massive deal relates to a $3.6 million bonus for completing…
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It’s easy to lump Butler and VCU together this week. Cast ‘em as two underdogs, plucky mid-majors who knocked off one would-be contender after another en route to the Final Four. But for any casual fan now tuning in, it might come as a surprise to know the team’s styles couldn’t be more different. As…
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Kemba’s supporting cast is just as important as the UConn star
Apr 1, 2011, 11:00 AM EDT
The question of whether this is Kemba Walker’s tournament to lose is an interesting one. He is, in fact, the best player left in the tournament. It isn’t even all that close. When Kemba gets it going, he can flat out take over a game. He’s a nightmare to try and stay in front of,…
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Outlook: In the NCAA Tournament, the importance of a quality bench is greatly diminished. Looking beyond the fact that we are talking about 18-23 year olds that are in peak physical condition, the TV timeouts — of which there are eight during the course of a game that takes about two hours — get extended.…
