The NCAA Championship

[Tammo29@xxxxxxx]

Please forgive me this one time for tooting my KU horn, but I really can't 
help myself this evening.

When KU went 3-3 to begin the season, a long time poster on another Celtic 
board asked me what was wrong with KU.  I responded by saying that they lost 
their best inside scorer (DrewGooden) to the NBA and the best outside shooter 
in Big 12 history (Jeff Boschee) to graduation.  I said they would get things 
turned around when they learned how to play without those guys but that I 
didn't think they were a National Championship caliber team.
I was wrong on the second count but I don't think I've ever been so happy to 
be wrong in my life.
Anyone who follows College basketball knows that the best team doesn't always 
win the whole enchilada.  KU was the best team in '97 but got knocked off by 
a hot Arizona team that went on to win the title.
KU wasn't the best team in '88, but they got some breaks and some outstanding 
play from the College Player of the Year (Danny Manning) to win it all.
This KU team wasn't the best team this year, but they've played with guts and 
determination and had players step up when they needed it the most.

Anything can happen Monday Night.  I'm not making any promises.  

If KU ends up playing Syracuse it could be tough.  We really only have one 
consistent 3pt threat in the starting lineup and one other one on the bench 
who doesn't always see a lot of playing time.
But we also absolutely demolished the Syracuse zone two years ago to get to 
the Sweet Sixteen, so they should remember how to play against it.  

If we end up playing Texas I advise everyone to put a tape in the VCR and get 
ready for a barn burner.
The last two KU/Texas games were the best regular season college basketball 
games of the last two years.  A high scoring, high octane, overtime thriller
at Texas which KU won 110-103 in '02 and a 90-87 wild win in Lawrence this 
season which was the highest rated college basketball game on ESPN in years.

TAM
                                                           
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Collison, Hinrich double Kansas' title chances
By Andy Katz
ESPN.com

NEW ORLEANS -- Eddie Sutton knew Oklahoma State was beaten. Risk a technical 
foul? Sutton saw the bigger picture when it came to recognizing what Nick 
Collison and Kirk Hinrich had meant to not only Kansas, but college 
basketball, the past four years.

So, he walked down in the final minute from his bench to Kansas' to 
congratulate Collison and Hinrich on their remarkable careers. While they 
don't play the same position -- Collison the forward and Hinrich the guard -- 
the Iowa natives are about as similar a pair of college players as any one 
could have put together.

"They epitomize what everyone looks for in a student-athlete," Sutton said 
Friday at the Final Four. "We were already beaten, and if they had given me a 
technical for being out of the box then so be it. (Kansas coach) Roy 
(Williams) said if they had called a technical then he would have had his 
player shoot the shots over his head."

If the Kansas seniors meant that much to an opposing coach, image what 
they've meant to Williams and Lawrence, Kan. Only back-to-back Final Fours 
and being the favorite to win the title Monday night.

The unwritten rule of winning the national title is to have two players on 
the roster who are potential first-round NBA draft picks. Maryland nearly had 
three last year in Chris Wilcox, Juan Dixon and Lonny Baxter -- the first two 
did going in the first round. Duke had four on the roster in 2001 over the 
span of two drafts -- Shane Battier, Jason Williams, Mike Dunleavy and Carlos 
Boozer. Michigan State had Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson in 2000.

"That makes sense," Maryland coach Gary Williams said Friday. "I can't speak 
for Kansas, but Juan and Lonny started getting ready for last season's Final 
Four right after we got back from Minneapolis (the previous Final Four). They 
felt like they deserved to go back and work hard."

That's what Hinrich and Collison did.

These two could have joined Drew Gooden and jumped to the NBA early, but each 
spurned the league and thought only about Kansas' chances for the 2003 
national title. Hinrich spent the summer in Lawrence then at Jordan's camp in 
Santa Barbara, Calif., in August. Collison was at the Nike camp in July in 
Indianapolis with three other starters -- Aaron Miles, Keith Langford and 
Wayne Simien -- and then was the only college player on the U.S. practice 
squad for the World Championships later this past summer.

Hinrich and Collison kept this team together during a rough 3-3 start, 
survived the on-again, off-again wait on Simien, and then willed these 
Jayhawks to the Final Four through the toughest regional -- the West.

"The team that does have two older guys who are that good does put a gap 
between them and the rest of the teams," Gary Williams said.

"They are great leaders and they play with such intensity and have a positive 
effect on the rest of the team," Sutton said. "They play so hard. It's very 
unusual to have two players like that who don't go to the NBA and finish in 
four years instead."

It's even more unlikely to see both have an off night on the same date. 
Against Duke in the Sweet 16, Collison scored 33 points and grabbed 19 
rebounds. Hinrich was in foul trouble and was 1 for 9 for two points. Against 
Arizona in the Elite Eight, Hinrich scored 28 points and made six 3s. 
Collison scored eight and was in foul trouble.

When they are both on, Kansas is nearly unstoppable.

"They both compete and you have to play your butt off every game against 
them," said longtime nemesis Hollis Price of Oklahoma. "It's a major 
advantage for Kansas to be back here a second time with them. They've got the 
advantage over Syracuse, Texas and Marquette because they know what to do in 
these situations. That's what separates Kansas from the other teams."

Both players are two of the most versatile, too.

Hinrich puts up points, averaging 17.3 a game. He passes with ease, second on 
the team in assists with 3.5. He boards with 3.9 a game and he shoots 41.5 
percent on 3s.

NBA scouts have been in love with Hinrich's ability to get from one end to 
another faster than most guards in the country. He can jump as well as any 
guard, as wel. He'll likely be the first senior to be drafted this spring.

Collison won't be too far behind. He had two of the best single-game 
performances this season with the 24 points and 23 rebounds against Texas on 
a Big Monday in January. His 33 points against Duke wasn't too far behind in 
the Sweet 16 -- as far as in terms of overall dominance. He was KU's leading 
scorer and rebounder, averaging 18.6 points and 9.6 rebounds. Shooting 54.9 
percent from the field makes him an even tougher finisher in the post or from 
19 feet in.

"Collison is the best player in terms of skill in the country," said Arizona 
State assistant coach Tony Benford, whose Sun Devils got pummeled by the 
Jayhawks 108-76 in the second round of the NCAAs. Collison scored 22 points, 
while Hinrich led KU with 24 in the rout.

"He's got great feet, can seal and can score with either hand," Benford said. 
"There really is no weakness to his game. Hinrich is such a great defender on 
and off the ball. It's hard to play those guys one-on-one. If you give 
Hinrich an open look then he'll make plays because he's such a great shooter. 
You choose your poison with them."

Collison and Hinrich are like John Stockton and Karl Malone, in as much as 
they are the best tandem in college without a title. They'll get their chance 
Monday night if they take care of business Saturday against Marquette.

And, since they are together in New Orleans, they might as well cut down one 
last net before going their separate ways in the NBA.

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.