DUKE WINS!!!
Two games today --
(#5) Michigan State def (#6) Tennessee -- Michigan State played in the national championship game last year and was preseason #2. But they struggled during the year and then their star player, Kalin Lucas tore his acl. Now they have a chance to play (#5) Baylor for a second straight shot at the national championship.
And the big game, the important one, the one that made it hard to sleep and kept my stomach so nervous I couldn't eat all day --
(#1) DUKE def (#3) Baylor -- wow. How the he** did they win this game? Baylor is big, athletic with quick guards. They got in the lane, they blocked shots, the had fast break points...they did just about everything and looked awesome doing it. There was one point early int he first half where Duke really seemed to have the Baylor zone figured out and were scoring each trip down and Duke built a lead. But Baylor battled back, got turnovers and fast break points and took a lead into halftime. The second half seemed more of the same. The Duke turnovers stopped, but Baylor was getting into the defense for easy shots while the Duke team was struggling. Zoubeck was in foul trouble. Singler didn't hit a shot from the field (he finished 0-10 for the game). More blocked shots for fast points for Baylor. But then Duke hit the offensive glass -- on three consecutive possessions they got offensive rebounds and kicked them out for 3's. Zoubek got an O and put it in with a foul. Lance Thomas got an O and put back with a foul. And suddenly with 3 minutes left Duke had an 8 point lead and Duke was able tot hold on for the big, big win. Duke ended up with 17 offensive rebounds (11 in the second half) and shot 11-23 (.478) from 3.
Duke 79, Baylor 71
Duke goes back to the Final Four!!!!
Now let's look at the Final Four--
(#1) Duke vs (#2) West Virginia
(#5) Michigan State vs (#5) Butler
On paper it looks like Duke/W. Va is almost the game for the championship. I don't think a seed lower than #4 has even won the title, so history would put the big, big odds against the #5's. Except these aren't normal #5 seeds. Michigan State played in the championship game last year and was preseaon #2 (although that was with top player Kalin Lucas) and Baylor is a big, athletic team on a 22-game win streak that includes beating Syracuse and Kansas State. Baylor might be from the Horizon League, but they are big league now!
I don't know much about West Virginia, except that game against Kentucky was crazy -- WVa bombed from 3 and Kentucky could hit one to save their season. WVa doesn't seem like a big team, but they have that Bob Huggins toughness. Still, I like Duke in the match-up and am just grateful that Duke won't have to play Kentucky.
Next stop Indianapolis, where Duke won their first national championship in 1991 (a game I was at!).
Next stop, the Final Four!
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