Louisville vs Michigan for the College Basketball Championship

So now we got our match up setup for Monday night, Louisville vs Michigan.  We got an exciting match up of 2 exciting backcourts.  Louisville has an outstanding backcourt duo of Russ Smith and Peyton Siva while Michigan has a good trio backcourt led by Trey Burke who won the national player of the year award is teamed with Tim Hardaway Jr and Nick Stauskas in the backcourt.  I think this game will come down to which backcourt plays well, and Michigan's offense vs Louisville's defense.  Louisville loves to pressure the opposing offense and force a lot of turnovers.  I think a key match up to watch in frontcourt is Mitch McGary of Michigan against Gorgui Dieng of Louisville.  I like Louisville to win this game because of there outstanding defense and there experience of being in the final four last season, they lost to eventual champion Kentucky.  I will call it Louisville 68 Michigan 65.   

Kevin Ware's Sad Injury

         

Kevin Ware is a backup guard on the Louisville mens basketball team.  On Sunday in a regional final game in the NCAA Tournament against Duke, he suffered a really devastating leg injury as his leg broke awkwardly.  There was about a nine minute about delay during the game.  Louisville did win the basketball game on Sunday to advance to the final 4.  It was on of the saddest injuries I have ever seen watching sports.  He was taken on a stretcher to a near by hospital in downtown Indianapolis.  These last couple of days have been positive for him because he got the bones correctly put back into the leg and is now on crutches.  He is back at the campus of Louisville and everyone there including me is proud he will be okay and will have a good rehab.  He will get to travel with the team this weekend in Atlanta which is by the way his hometown where this years final four will be.  Louisville will play Wichita State in the first game, followed by Michigan Syracuse.  I will preview these game in another post on this blog.  I am so glad he will get to travel with the team and he will be able to see the game with his team.  Best wishes to a successful recovery Kevin Ware!!!

2013 Final Four Preview

 

Well, here we are, the Final Four is almost here.  I am so excited not only because I get to see two exciting match ups in Louisville-Wichita State and Michigan-Syracuse but I am so proud that Kevin Ware one of the backup guards on Louisville will get to see the game with his team after suffering a devastating leg injury in Sundays regional final against Duke on Sunday.  I bet him being there will give Louisville a big lift because they want to win it all for him. So I will preview each match up and give my predictions.

I will start with the first game Louisville Wichita State.  I think this will be a defensive battle, both teams right now are excelling on defense.  Louisville loves to pressure the offense both in the full court and the half court game while Wichita State is an excellent rebounding team which averages about 43 rebounds a game during this tournament.  There is no hotter player in this match up than Guard Russ Smith of Louisville who is averaging 26 points a game during this NCAA Tournament. For Wichita State to have a chance to upset Louisville is Malcolm Armstead of the shockers must contiune to rebound the basketball well, take good quality shots against an excellent Louisville defense and they must play good defense on the good duo of Russ Smith and Peyton Siva.  I think it will be a close game but in the end I like Louisville. I will call it Louisville 70 Wichita State 59.

Now lets go to the second match up, Michigan-Syracuse.  I think this game will come down to the match up of Syracuse's 2-3 zone defense against Michigan's potent offense.  Michigan loves to shoot from the perimeter, while Syracuse in this tournament is forcing a lot of turnovers.  I really like the Michigan back court of  Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr and Glenn Robinson III.  Syracuse has a good trio of defenders in C.J. Fair, Michael Carter-Williams and James Southerland.  Syracuse in this NCAA Tournament has allowed opponents to shoot only 17.2% from three point range. I really like this Michigan team right now and forward Mitch McGary in this is averaging 17.5 points and 11.5 rebounds a game in this tournament and I think he is the x factor.  I will say Michigan 69 Syracuse 63.  I will give my predictions for Mondays game sometime on Sunday, enjoy the Final Four on Sunday.