Final Four Open Game Thread: Fashionably Late as Always

by David Hooper on Apr 5, 2009 6:04 PM EDT in College Basketball

So, yeah, I thought the first game started at 6:45 for some reason. Imagine my surprise when I saw it was already a full minute into the game. But enough of that. Enjoy the games as much as you can (since we're not in them), and leave any thoughts here!

--We'll go ahead and use this thread for the Women's Final Four as well. --hooper

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And with the MSU win, one UConn is out of the books.

At least it matches the “Spartan” decor of my F4 post…

by David Hooper on Apr 4, 2009 8:36 PM EDT reply actions

Which reminds me:

Are we going to have an open thread for the women’s games?

by Chris Pendley on Apr 4, 2009 8:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Sure.

I doubt it’ll be more than this, but I’ll add one in.

by David Hooper on Apr 4, 2009 8:55 PM EDT up reply actions

It could probably go in here as well.

I just want one in case ….um, Oklahoma plays well. Yeah, that’s it.

by Chris Pendley on Apr 4, 2009 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm pulling for them.

I like the moxie. That, and any program that owes their existence to Pat is alright by me.

by David Hooper on Apr 4, 2009 9:02 PM EDT up reply actions

I just don't want Courtney Paris to owe her scholarship back.

That’s the only reason I have for wanting them to win. Yup, that’s it.

by Chris Pendley on Apr 4, 2009 9:02 PM EDT up reply actions

What other teams are there, anyway?

I haven’t heard anything about the other teams there. Certainly not from ESPN.

by Chris Pendley on Apr 4, 2009 9:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Besides Okie and ESPN,

the other two teams are Stanford and Louisville.

by David Hooper on Apr 4, 2009 9:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Sorry, that was tongue-in-cheek.

I keep on forgetting dry humor isn’t well conveyed. ;)

by Chris Pendley on Apr 4, 2009 9:07 PM EDT up reply actions

The only reason I had to cheer for UConn was that it would have helped my bracket.

If UNC had beaten UConn in the final game I would have won. I think I can live without that.

by David Hooper on Apr 4, 2009 8:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Shame on you.

I stop rooting for my bracket the minute the first game tips off. ;)

by Chris Pendley on Apr 4, 2009 9:03 PM EDT up reply actions

I said that's the only reason I had.

It doesn’t mean I actually cheered for them.

by David Hooper on Apr 4, 2009 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Hey...

The ‘net player for the UNC game isn’t working.

by David Hooper on Apr 4, 2009 8:57 PM EDT reply actions

No TV available where you are?

by Chris Pendley on Apr 4, 2009 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions

No. I'm in the Library.

Again. I live there.

by David Hooper on Apr 4, 2009 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions

I knew that.

Really.

by Chris Pendley on Apr 4, 2009 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions

When in doubt...

by David Hooper on Apr 4, 2009 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Hey, you going to the O&W?

by David Hooper on Apr 4, 2009 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Nah, I'm not flying back for it.

I’m debating going back for a game this season, but certainly not the O&W.

by Chris Pendley on Apr 4, 2009 9:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Cool.

by David Hooper on Apr 4, 2009 9:07 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm glad to see everyone excited for football, but

I’ve been staying out of most of those threads because they remind me of Spring Training. Everyone looks good, feels good, is playing the best ball in years, etc. I want to see results in-game before getting too excited.

I didn’t try to go to any O&W games when I was there, either.

by Chris Pendley on Apr 4, 2009 9:15 PM EDT up reply actions

That's not a bad way to approach it, really.

Me, I just enjoy it all too much. I’m enough of an optimist that I might as well go along for the ride; it’s not like I didn’t hold out hope for the Clawfense way too late last year or anything…

by David Hooper on Apr 4, 2009 9:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh, now I get it.

The UNC game was moved back to 9:18. Makes sense now.

by David Hooper on Apr 4, 2009 9:08 PM EDT reply actions

Someone needs to tell 'Nova that's not 9:18 tomorrow.

by Chris Pendley on Apr 4, 2009 9:56 PM EDT up reply actions

What? And risk Hansbrough's awesome, dramatic, totally righteous journey to the top?

;-)

by David Hooper on Apr 4, 2009 9:58 PM EDT up reply actions

I thought it was preordained.

by Chris Pendley on Apr 4, 2009 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Cut on Hansbrough's left wrist.

It’s on the back-of-the-hand side of the wrist. When Villanova tried to point it out to the refs, he held out his hand, palm side up, and was basically saying, “What cut?” The ‘Nova player had to physically turn Hansbrough’s wrist over for the ref to see it.

Funny stuff, that.

by David Hooper on Apr 4, 2009 10:46 PM EDT reply actions

Got OU/Louey on in the background.

FWIW, OU is getting the jump on Louisville in the fast breaks. They’re also clearly trying to establish Courtney Paris in the halfcourt offense. Wise plan.

by David Hooper on Apr 5, 2009 7:13 PM EDT reply actions

Just over halfway through the first half, and C. Paris has 10 rebounds already.

Yikes.

by David Hooper on Apr 5, 2009 7:36 PM EDT reply actions

Just think:

We could have our very own Courtney Paris in a year or two.

by Chris Pendley on Apr 5, 2009 7:38 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm anticipating that very thing.

by David Hooper on Apr 5, 2009 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions

UL's counterstrategy seems to be to try to get Courtney in foul trouble.

Can’t say that I blame them.

by David Hooper on Apr 5, 2009 7:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Get used to that, too.

That’s going to be the tough part of our budding interior redesigner.

by Chris Pendley on Apr 5, 2009 7:48 PM EDT up reply actions

If her knee rebuilds strongly enough to take a pounding, she's going to be a frightening force inside.

Otherwise opponents will bump her a lot to try to slow her down.

by David Hooper on Apr 5, 2009 7:52 PM EDT up reply actions

I know, it's going to come down to how her knee rebuilds.

Here’s hoping for the best, or at the very least we get her for the last nine games of the season (if you get my drift).

by Chris Pendley on Apr 5, 2009 7:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh, yeah.

Man, you’re getting me excited for next season already. :-D

The trainers seem very optimistic right now, though. Of course, there’s no real way of knowing yet and the trainers aren’t going to go all pessimistic on her, but I keep getting good vibes about it all.

by David Hooper on Apr 5, 2009 8:03 PM EDT up reply actions

See, the difference between the women's team and the football team for me is this:

We know the women’s team can come back. That, coupled with the neophyte players that quite frankly can only get more consistent as they get older, is why I’m already excited. (It also helps it’s the same players on offense and defense.)

by Chris Pendley on Apr 5, 2009 8:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Good points.

It’s a lot easier to get to know the whole team in basketball. And Pat will get them back, for sure. There’s no doubting that.

Really, the biggest difference between this year’s UT and this year’s Oklahoma is their cohesiveness on offense. OU is really passing the ball around well. They’re not dominating UL on offense, but they’re consistently finding open looks and gaining a long-term edge.

by David Hooper on Apr 5, 2009 8:08 PM EDT up reply actions