NCAA Tournament: All-Final Four Team

Andrew Kneeland by Senior Writer Written on April 06, 2008
Douglas-roberts

Well, neither of the teams that I picked to reach the Championship game won last night.

My predicted champion by 13 points, UCLA, looked awful in their loss to Memphis. The hated 'Heels didn't look great either, but made something resembling a come-back in the second half.

Then the most deadly thing for come-backs happened; Memphis ended the game on a 13-0 run. Ouch.

Before the dust actually settles and before the Championship game starts Monday night, here is my All-Final Four team.

 
Guards

 
Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis

Obviously the most under-rated player in the tournament. He is overshadowed by teammate Derrick Rose, yet he scored 28 points and grabbed four rebounds on Saturday night.

He led the Tigers to a 15 point victory, and played all but five minutes in the game.

 
Derrick Rose, Memphis

Rose played 37 minutes in his Memphis team's victory over the UCLA Bruins. Rose scored 25 points, had nine rebounds, four assists, and went eleven for twelve from the free-throw line.

One thing that can't be measured by statistics, however, was the numerous times that Rose sped past his defender and forced you to use your TiVo to make sure you saw it correctly.

 

Brandon Rush, Kansas 

Rush led the balanced Jayhawk attack on Saturday night as he scored a game-high 25 points in 32 minutes. He snagged seven rebounds, and went eleven for seventeen from the free-throw line.

The Jayhawks absolutely dismantled the Tar Heels, forcing them to a 40-12 deficit late in the first half. Rush helped to shut down NCAA Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough in route to a 84-66 victory.

Despite a huge comeback in the second half, 'Heels guard Marcus Ginyard was humiliated: 

"I've never been so embarrassed in my life."

 

Forwards 

Luc Richard Mbah A Moute, UCLA 

Mbah a Moute put up 12 points in a losing effort to Memphis. He got a lot of the touches that teammate Kevin Love should have had because of the lack of post play from UCLA.

Mbah A Moute also grabbed a team-high 13 rebounds, and blocked one shot. He didn't have one foul in the game.

 
Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina

Hansbrough put up 17 points in the loss to Kansas, but was out-played for the most part by Cole Aldrich. Aldrich out-rebounded, out-hustled, and even forced the Player of the Year to the floor at some points in the game.

Despite that, Hansbrough also had nine rebounds, one assist, and went five of six from the free-throw line.

 

Honorable Mentions 

Mario Chalmers, Kansas

Darnell Jackson, Kansas

Wayne Ellington, North Carolina

Danny Green, North Carolina

Russell Westbrook, UCLA

Kevin Love, UCLA

Antonio Anderson, Memphis 

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written on April 06, 2008 Rankings/List


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