Follow Up

Someone asked me what I thought about Mike Conley Jr. going pro along with Greg Oden. I said during the season that there was no way Conley would leave school. That was based on how much he theoretically could improve by playing another year in college ... improving his jumper, beefing up ... basically becoming "the man" as opposed to one of the "Thad Five."

Well, Conley certainly played himself into a bit more money during the NCAA tournament. He's arguably the top point guard on the board, above Acie Law IV. Selfishly, I love watching Conley play and would like him to stay in college. I don't watch pro basketball nearly as much as Big Ten basketball. If he goes, Wisconsin is going to be in the mix for a Big Ten title again. So, you know, we'd have that going for us ...

If Conley sticks around one more year, Ohio State can be just as good next season simply because Oden was so underutilized (partly due to injury). The Buckeyes only lose Ron Lewis and Ivan Harris in addition to the big guy. Ohio State has more than enough firepower returning, along with more stellar recruits, to offset Lewis and Harris. Defensively, they would not be as intimidating, but with improvement from every other player, the team defense could potentially be just as effective. That's where Thad Matta would really earn his money.

Early entry candidates have until April 29 to declare for the NBA Draft. According to the AP today, Oden and Conley are no closer to making a decision. Which means Oden is waiting for Conley to decide for him. Or was it Conley Sr. who decides? Maybe the dad is going to push Davis Stern to allow the first-ever playground "package deal" on draft day.

Links:
- Discussion on tanking is everywhere: Tom Oates in the Wisconsin State Journal
- At last! Can we finally move on, sports media?

National Champs, Part Deux

Florida repeated as national champion Monday night, thus cementing its position as one of the greatest college basketball teams of modern times. If nothing else, the '05-'07 Gators are certainly one of the most dominant tournament teams ever. Like 11 teams before them, Ohio State fell victim to Florida flipping the "ON" switch and bringing down a devastating combination of talent and unselfishness upon their helpless victims. America ate it up with a spoon.

I was enjoying several polls on ESPN's SportsNation tonight (check out how much Wisconsin hates Barry Bonds). A plurality of the ESPN web-citizens felt that what's latest is greatest when it comes to NCAA repeaters. I never thought I would defend Duke, but the Devils did upset a truly great team (UNLV) during their first title run in 1991 and bested a ferocious title contender (Kentucky) in their repeat bid in 1992. You can't really say the same for Florida's opponents the past two seasons. To be in the conversation is the honor--one that Florida earned at Monday's final horn.

On the home front, Ohio State's offensive drought during the late first-half run by Florida doomed the Big Ten rep. It's a telling point that Greg Oden posted his most dominant performance of the year, but the Buckeyes still could not mount any charge in the second half. Regardless, Oden needs to flee college ball to gets some real competition.

Ohio State shot a poisonous amount of three-pointers and shot them poorly (props to Big Ten Wonk on his last day). Florida contained Mike Conley Jr. for the most part, allowing Greg Oden to rack up his double-double. Ron Lewis came back to earth. Lee Humphrey did not. End of story.

It would be a truly historical feat to three-peat, not that anyone is holding their breath. At least three Gators are NBA-bound next season, maybe more. The amount of hype that would follow Florida around day-to-day would dwarf that of this year and almost certainly disrupt the amazing harmony the team enjoyed when it really mattered. Egos don't get smaller with two-time defending champions.

Not to mention Humphrey, the NCAA tournament's all-time leader in made three-pointers, is a senior this year. Florida has talent to spare and a sick crop of incoming freshmen, which will ultimately keep Donovan in Gainesville. Yet, even if the juniors returned, the Gators might not even be the preseason No. 1 in the fall with Kansas and North Carolina's thoroughbreds all a year older.

So I'll be saying goodbye to Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer. Unless the Bucks draft one of them (please Larry Harris, say 'no' to Noah).

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Seth Davis continues to disappoint me. A few years ago when Davis made his CBS debut, he seemed well-informed, connected and polished. Now he just gets under my skin belittling the Badgers whenever possible and, apparently, lower his standards. How is rational to be pleased by the ridiculous interview Noah gave following the title game? He talks (looks?) like a special education student. I began referring to Noah as "Kim" a while ago, but with the help of this hilariously disrespectful YouTube video, I can never go back. And as one of Bill Simmons' readers brought to his attention, Noah is actually 22 years old already. He should sound more mature than his peers, not exponentially less mature. But let it be known that he is probably still "doing it up real big" 24 hours after Florida's victory.

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Updates:
- Randolph Morris is averaging 0.5 ppg with 3 DNPs!!
- Iowa hires Butler's Lickliter; Michigan buys out Beilein's contract

Links:
- Arkansas gets screwed/Dana Altman might be whipped
- Central Florida head coach Kirk Speraw is my new hero (YouTube)

One Down, One To Go

The Ohio State-Georgetown game was a virtual pick'em in Vegas and I couldn't have agreed more. My instincts told me to pick the one-point favorite, Georgetown, because of experience, their conference, Jeff Green and the precision of John Thompson III's cutting offense.

I'm still waiting for Green to show up. In terms of leadership, he had an abysmal game, going long stretches in both halves before scoring (or even attempting) his first basket. The junior finished with only five field goal attempts. Inexcusable on Green's part, which Billy Packer correctly harped on, but also on JT3's part. Jim Nantz kept fawning over David Lighty's defense, but c'mon Jimbo. The frosh goes 6'6" and 220 pounds--he didn't quite "lock down" Green, who has three inches and 15-20 pounds of muscle on Lighty.

In the regional finals, Georgetown destroyed North Carolina in crunch time by letting the Tar Heels tire themselves out and clamping down on defense. UNC looked undisciplined on offense once Ty Lawson quit attacking the hoop at breakneck speed. The outside shots were open, but rushed.

Credit Ohio State for gaining control of the game and not relinquishing it. Mike Conley Jr. is just a tad slower than Lawson, but smoother and smarter. He posted his typically stellar line: a team-high 15 points on 58% shooting, with 6 assts, 5 rebs and only one turnover. Plus, his Buckeye teammates were free throw-making, turnover-forcing seniors, not freshmen.

The end of the first half and beginning of the second were the only enjoyable moments of the touted match-up of big men, as foul trouble kept both Roy Hibbert and Greg Oden on the bench for long periods of time. I did see a glimpse of Oden's potential when he received a pass as a trailer entering the wide-open lane and tried to jump over Green for the dunk. Gramps got up; Green got the foul. But the best thing about Oden's brief domination was that Clark Kellogg got to comment on the young sensation during the post-game highlight session.

Kellogg's exact quote:

"Greg Oden made the most of his opportunities in the second half and showed me a little more in his package than expected."

Nice.

Photo/UWBadgers.com

If you stuck around between games, you saw officials from Lowe's present Alando Tucker with this year's Lowe's Senior Class Award. Tucker was sporting a brand new shirt with some sort of savanna camouflage design. The presentation and acceptance speeches were equally hilarious. Unintentionally.

BTW, I think UCLA beats Florida. So bet on Florida and the BCS rematch.

Milwaukee Prepares To Tank

The injury news continues to worsen for the Milwaukee Bucks, with both Drew Bogut and Chuck Villanueva officially done for the year.

But on the bright side, I think this team has what it takes to make a late run for a few more ping-pong balls. Too bad Terry Stotts got canned -- the Bucks would have been a shoo-in to catch the Memphis Grizzlies for the worst record in the NBA. I like the new Coach K.

Regardless, currently the Bucks have the fourth-worse winning percentage in the league. Who looks better in red and green, Oden or Durant? I'd say Oden, since those were his high school colors in Lawrence, Indiana. Plus, he's currently wearing red with Ohio State.