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VCU Rams Basketball Shows It Belongs After Earning NCAA Final Four Bid

Anyone who says that they had VCU in the Final Four of their bracket is a liar. I don’t even think Shaka Smart’s mom had the Rams getting past the second round. But that’s why they play the games right?

I think you have to be impressed with the run that VCU has gone on to get to the Final Four. The NCAA Selection Committee got a lot of flack for putting the Rams in the tournament but their pick has been validated ten times over for their journey to Houston.

Not many people gave VCU even a puncher’s chance against Kansas but Smart believed in his team and they rewarded him for it.

I don’t think anyone was expecting the barrage of three pointers that propelled the Rams to an 18 point lead in the first half. Obviously Kansas did their best to come back and they almost were able to climb the mountain all the way back but after failing to come all the way back I think that took a lot out of the Jayhawks.

I am really excited to see the matchup between Butler and VCU now. Two teams that no one thought would be here but somehow look like they really belong with the big boys.

If the Rams play anything like they did against Kansas you have to like their chances.

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VCU Basketball Hanging On to Upset Bid over Kansas in NCAA Tournament

After jumping out to a huge lead in the first half the VCU Rams are doing their best to hang onto a lead from the surging Kansas Jayhawks.

Surprisingly enough the Jayhawks have not put on a press to cut into the lead but they have picked up the defensive intensity to prevent the Rams from getting the same open three pointers that they were knocking down with regularity in the first half.

In the first half Shaka Smart of VCU put out a lineup where the Rams have two point guards on the floor at the same time. That lineup gave the Rams the ability to hold onto the ball really well and it allowed Joey Rodriguez to play off the ball and kept him from getting into foul trouble.

They haven’t go to the lineup as much in the second half but really it hasn’t seemed to matter too much because the Rams have found their range again from the three-point range.

The Jayhawks are still killing the Rams on the offensive glass and that could end up being their Achilles heel going forward.

For the final minute of the game the Rams have to hang onto the ball and hit free throws. If they can do that they will be headed to Houston for the Final Four.

Head over to out March Madness Hub for the latest updates on the NCAA Tournament.

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Kansas Basketball Doesn't Give Up After Tough Start

Whatever Kansas head coach Bill Self said to his team at halftime should be bottled and given to cancer patients because the Jayhawks look like a completely different team in the second half.

In fact after giving up the opening bucket of the second half, the Jayhawks went on a 12-0 run to nearly erase what was at one point an 18-point Ram lead.

As I said at halftime the Jayhawks would need more production from the backcourt in order to get back into this one and Tyshawn Taylor responded. He has poured in nine points so far in the second half.

The Rams also haven’t hit a three pointer since about mid-way through the first half but they aren’t even getting a chance to take many threes as they have turned the ball over a lot in the second half.

However, the Rams are still clinging to a lead and with both Morris twins picking up their third fouls now is the time for VCU to make their run to put the game away.

Bradford Burgess has also been very quiet for the Rams. He has just six points but he appears to be attacking a little bit more now that VCU needs a leader to step up. If he gets hot then he could be the guy to lead them to the Final Four.

Stay tuned because this one has all the makings of a classic.  

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NCAA Elite 8 Has an Upset Brewing in San Antonio Between VCU and Kansas

Well, I don’t think anyone saw this coming. At the half Virginia Commonwealth holds a 41-27 lead over the only remaining No. 1 seed in the tournament. While I am sure the Rams feel great about their half Kansas can lean on two things going forward: 1. It is doubtful that the Rams shoot this well from the perimeter in the second half and 2. The Jayhawks are winning the battle of the boards.

The Rams hit nine of their 16 threes in the first half en route to an 18-point lead. However Kansas did seem to play better down the stretch. They held VCU to just two points over the final three minutes and 51 seconds and those points came on free throws.

Also the Jayhawks didn’t get an favors from their backcourt. Tyrel Reed, Brady Morningstar, Tyshawn Taylor and Josh Selby are a combined two of 13 for just seven points. I would think that those guys would all have better second halves but won’t be easy.

VCU’s defense has been almost as much of a story as their three point shooting. The Rams have forced nine turnovers including six by Markieff Morris alone. However they need to keep both the Morris twins off the offensive boards. Those two have seven offensive rebounds and you can’t give up second chance points if you want to pull an upset of this magnitude.

In the second half if Kansas can get any amount of consistent shooting from their backcourt and if VCU cools off from deep then I like their chances to come back. However if the Rams can match their intensity from the first half we will have a VCU and Butler matchup for a spot in the championship game.

Head over to out March Madness Hub for the latest updates on the NCAA Tournament.

To see the top performances of March Madness, check out this slideshow by our own Matt King.

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NCAA Elite 8 Could Be Treated to a VCU Upset

So in my pre-game preview of the matchup between VCU and Kansas I mentioned that for the Rams to have a chance against the Jayhawks they would have to come out of the gates hot and even then I wasn’t sure if they would have enough.

Well the Rams have lived up to their end of the bargain and it has really improved their chances in this game.

Leading scorer for the Rams Jamie Skeen has been outstanding for his team. He has 13 points part of the way through the first half and he has been hot shooting from the perimeter hitting three of his four attempts from beyond the arc.

Meanwhile for the Jayhawks no one without the last named Morris has scored and that spells trouble for the only No. 1 seed remaining. If they hope to erase the 14-point VCU lead then they need someone other than the Morris twins to step up.

The Rams are also forcing Kansas to be cavalier with the basketball. The Jayhawks have nine turnovers already and are just shooting one of seven from the perimeter. Compare that to seven for 12 by the Rams.

My one wonder is if they can keep going at this pace. They are playing extremely hard but I do worry that they will suffer a lull if Kansas starts to cut into this lead.

Head over to out March Madness Hub for the latest updates on the NCAA Tournament.

To see the top performances of March Madness, check out this slideshow by our own Matt King.

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NCAA Tournament Gives Shaka Smart an Opportunity on the National Stage

Prior to the start of the NCAA tournament the name Shaka Smart was not widely known. Actually probably not even until the Sweet 16 did Smart become a known commodity. But now that Smart has the VCU Rams in the Elite Eight for the first time in school history, it seems like this won’t be the last time a team coached by the Madison, Wisconsin native will make a run deep into the tournament.

Smart is just 33 years old and after playing his college ball at Kenyon College in Ohio, the youngster bounced around some mid-major schools as an assistant coach before landing in Clemson as an assistant.

His big break came when Florida head coach Billy Donovan hired him to be an assistant for the 2008-09 season. That was the job that gave him a springboard to being hired at VCU to replace Anthony Grant who left to take a job as the head coach at Alabama.

It is impressive to see just how quickly Smart has grown the Rams into a consistent winner.

With many marquee jobs possibly coming open during this offseason I think Smart’s name will be thrown around a lot as a possible hire.

In fact the one school that I think has a big chance to land the second-year head coach is Tennessee. The Vols fired Bruce Pearl amid NCAA violations and I think they will be looking for s new coach to come in and guide the team back to prominence and Smart seems like a good fit.

If Smart did get hired by a marquee school he would be the third straight Ram coach to land a big name job following in the footsteps of Grant who is at Alabama and Jeff Capel who was just fired after a few solid years at Oklahoma.

Head over to out March Madness Hub for the latest updates on the NCAA Tournament.

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NCAA Elite 8 Gives Harrison Barnes a Chance to Live Up to All-American Status

Prior to the start of the season Harrison Barnes made waves by becoming the first true freshman to be voted as a first team AP All-American. With all of those expectations placed on a guy who had not yet played a minute of college basketball seemed a little surprising to say the least.

Well many say that Barnes had a rocky start to his season but I think most of that was because the expectations for him were so high. The freshman had 19 points in his second game ever and he scored in double figures in all but seven games this year.

Barnes has really started to assert himself since the end of January. In fact in his last 17 games he is averaging nearly 20 points per game including an impressive 40-point performance against Clemson in the ACC tournament.

While he still has a ways to go to live up to the All-American selection he has shown flashes of the skill that caused voters to think he deserved the honor.

I think it will be interesting to watch Barnes going forward. He seems like the type of kid that would chose to come back to North Carolina if the Tar Heels come up short of a National Championship this year.

Maybe then he will get voted to an All-America team for his success on the college court.

Head over to out March Madness Hub for the latest updates on the NCAA Tournament.

To see the top performances of March Madness, check out this slideshow by our own Matt King.

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NCAA Elite 8 Is Where Bradford Burgess Hopes to Make a Name for Himself

VCU is in the midst of an outstanding Elite Eight run through a balanced attack and solid defense but the chances that they get past Kansas are slim. So the question is if the Jayhawks are going to pull off the upset of the tournament, who is going to lead the way for the Rams?

The Rams have gotten some great performances so far in the tournament from the likes of Brandon Rozzell and Jamie Skeen but the Rams’ MVP thus far has been Bradford Burgess.

The junior guard has been averaging over 17 points per game over the coarse of the tournament but he has passed the 20-point mark in each of the last two games. He has really caught fire from behind the arc too. He is hitting nearly 60 percent of his threes including an impressive six of seven against Florida State in the last game.

If the Rams have a prayer against the Jayhawks they will need to get a career performance from Burgess.

I do wonder how the Jayhawks hope to matchup with Burgess. He has an impressive 6-foot-6 frame and he has the ability to shoot over much smaller defenders.

If the Rams don’t get a solid performance from the Virginia native then I think all hope is lost for their Final Four run.

Head over to out March Madness Hub for the latest updates on the NCAA Tournament.

To see the top performances of March Madness, check out this slideshow by our own Matt King.

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NCAA Tournament is the Opportunity UConn Needs to Reach Full Potential

Prior to the start of Big East tournament, the UConn Huskies were in the lower half of the conference and were probably looking at a double-digit seed in the NCAA tournament. However, the Huskies five wins in five days has now reached legendary status and they have built on that to run into the Final Four.

Now the easy answer for why the Huskies suddenly are the team to beat is that Kemba Walker has stepped up but that isn’t really the case. He has been pretty consistent all season.

Instead I think the real answer is in two main areas. First, the Huskies only lost nine games this year and all of them came within conference play. So I would say that the grueling Big East schedule is was made the Huskies look worse then they actually were.

Secondly, this is a young UConn team. Only Walker has much experience, so guys like Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier have needed some seasoning before making their full impact this season.

However, both Lamb and Napier have really progressed towards the second half of the season, and they both look to be on the verge of stardom now that the postseason has started.

Head over to out March Madness Hub for the latest updates on the NCAA Tournament.

To see the top performances of March Madness, check out this slideshow by our own Matt King.

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NCAA Tournament Gives Butler a Chance to Get Over the Underdog Status

The Butler Bulldogs are the lowest seed to reach the Final Four since George Mason made their historical run a few years ago. However the Bulldogs are making their second straight appearance on college basketball’s biggest stage. Does that mean it’s time to drop the “underdog” moniker that the media has thrown their way for the last year?

Honestly I think anyone who has paid attention to Butler would tell you that last year’s team was not an underdog. They started the season ranked in the top 10 of some polls and although they were a five seed by NCAA standards they were among the best teams in the tournament coming off a perfect conference season.

This season is different. They lost their best player Gordon Hayward to the NBA draft and their best perimeter defender to graduation yet somehow they are back in the Final Four.

I think a lot of credit can be given to Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard. The two of them led the Bulldogs all season and have really given Butler an identity as a tough team that won’t back down. I am especially impressed with Howard. Last year he was a complimentary player to say the least but now he is their leading scorer and best post defender.

Head coach Brad Stevens has also become one of the marquee coaches in college hoops. He may look like a 14–year-old but he is wise beyond his years. I look forward to a long and successful career for him.

Head over to out March Madness Hub for the latest updates on the NCAA Tournament.

To see the top performances of March Madness, check out this slideshow by our own Matt King.

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No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 2 North Carolina

Region: East

Time: 5:05 PM

Channel: CBS

Location: The Prudential Center (Newark, New Jersey)

Announcers: Jim Nantz, Clark Kellogg

The Kentucky Wildcats have been one of the better looking teams in this tournament even though they haven’t had a dominating or defining win yet.

In their opening win over Princeton is seemed like the Wildcats stay in the tournament would be short-lived. However they followed it up with a gritty win over West Virginia and a gutsy win over Ohio State and now they have a chance to advance to the Final Four if they can get past North Carolina.

Typically freshmen don’t lead their teams deep in the tournament but somehow the duo of Brandon Knight and Terrence Jones has broken the mold. They have been able to mature over the course of the tournament and get Kentucky farther than many thought they would come.

Despite their recent success the young Wildcats will be tested against a talented North Carolina team.

Speaking of the Tar Heels they have made an impressive improvement since struggling to win even easy games. I think they have John Henson to thank for their run through the tournament. He has shown a ton of athleticism and he has been downright dominant at times.

Prediction: The key matchup in this one is between Kentucky’s Jones and Carolina’s Henson. If Jones can’t slow down Henson in the post then I think North Carolina wins. But if the freshman is able to take advantage of the Tar Heel forward on the offensive end then I think Kentucky has a shot.

Ultimately my money is on the Tar Heels.

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No. 11 VCU vs. No. 1 Kansas

Region: Southwest

Time: 2:20 PM

Channel: CBS

Location: The Alamodome (San Antonio, Texas)

Announcers: Marv Albert, Steve Kerr

Virginia Commonwealth has gone on a very memorable run this year. I know the NCAA wants to try and fool you into thinking that the Rams won their game against USC in the first round but in actuality the Rams won a play-in game and now they are the first team to get to the Elite Eight after being a play-in team.

I guess the toughest question to consider when thinking about the Rams is do they really have a chance against Kansas or are we looking at a blow out by the Jayhawks?

VCU may be in the Elite Eight but they haven’t really been tested yet. They knocked off a USC team that lacks depth, an average Georgetown team, an inconsistent Purdue team and an upstart Florida State team. However, now they are faced with a real juggernaut in Kansas.

The Jayhawks have been a top-10 team all season and they are a popular National Championship pick. Honestly if VCU can knock off Kansas it would go down as one of the all-time upsets in NCAA history.

How the Rams pull the upset: I think the only way VCU is Final Four bound is if they shoot the lights out of the Alamodome and if Kansas thinks they can just show up to win this one.

Okay, stranger things in the world have happened than VCU upsetting Kansas but I don’t know if stranger things have happened in the NCAA tournament. I think the Jayhawks win this one.

Head over to out March Madness Hub for the latest updates on the NCAA Tournament.

To see the top performances of March Madness, check out this slideshow by our own Matt King.