The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

2015 Second Round Results

After an opening round dominated by party crashers, the second round of this year's NCAA Tournament restored some order. But only some. There were surprises, there were dominating performances, and there was a lot of entertaining basketball to be had. Some teams showed they were ready to answer the bell and move to the Sweet Sixteen, and this weekend's games featured a numerous down-to-the-wire finishes.

East Regional
#1 Kansas 97 #9 Georgia 60
#5 Texas Tech 74 #4 Arizona 77
#11 Missouri St. 89 #3 Oklahoma 82
#10 Arkansas 70 #15 Detroit 62

Bear Nation is roaring as Missouri State dominated Oklahoma on the boards to pull away with a victory. The "Last Team In" to the field will survive to play another weekend. Arkansas needed to muster up all of their energy to put away the Detroit Titans, and Arizona stole Texas Tech's in bound pass in the closing seconds to secure a 3 point victory. With all the wild action, Kansas methodically put away Georgia and still looks like the favorite to take the whole thing.

West Regional
#1 Ohio State 97 #9 Villanova 78
#5 Fairfield 62 #4 West Virginia 79
#6 Syracuse 84 #3 North Carolina 91
#7 Oregon State 76 #2 Utah State 78

The West is the only regional to have all four top seeds advance, and the game of the Tournament may go to Utah State in their last-gasp win over Oregon State. The Aggies overcame a 12 point deficit but needed two stunning three point shots by Super Soph Arzelle Hammond to close out the Beavers. North Carolina went wire-to-wire against Syracuse, but the Orangemen kept it close until the end. Otherwise, it was West Virginia and Ohio State taking care of business to carry the Power Conference Torch into the Sweet Sixteen.

South Regional
#1 Drexel 84 #8 Stanford 51
#12 Stetson 75 #4 Washington 93
#11 Florida 55 #14 Brigham Young 74
#7 Texas 99 #2 Missouri 76

A week ago Missouri blew out the Texas Longhorns in the Second Round of the Big 12 Tournament. Consider that favor returned, as Texas, the former #1 team in the country blew out its conference rival to go to Houston for the Sweet Sixteen. Brigham Young dominated Florida behind the sharp shooting of Matt Carlino, while Washington and Drexel manhandled their opponents. If one were to take the seed numbers out of the picture, most would say the four best teams from this regional will be facing off next week.

Midwest Regional
#1 Louisville 73 #9 Arizona State 74
#5 Notre Dame 74 #4 Seton Hall 78
#6 Purdue 89 #14 San Francisco 63
#10 USC 81 #2 NC State 82

Another year, another #1 seed failing to make it to the second weekend of the tournament. This time it was Arizona State whose hot shooting did in a star studded Louisville team -- although the Cardinals had the last shot but clanged it off the rim as time expired. NC State managed to escape USC by scoring 14 of the final 20 points. Seton Hall out shot Notre Dame to build an insurmountable lead in the first half, and Purdue put the breaks on San Francisco's Cinderella Story. With Louisville out of the picture, this regional is completely wide open.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

2015 Tournament Sweet Sixteen

Last week Houston was the desination of choice for all 16 teams in the South regional. But with the field whittled down to four, the bar gets set a little higher. Sure, ask any coach in this situation and they will say they are not looking ahead but instead focusing on the game at hand.

But trust me, everyone has dreams of hoisting the national championship trophy in their head. And the road to the Final Four goes through Houston. Every team will be doing everything in the power to make their dream a reality, starting with the Drexel Dragons' match up against the Washington Huskies.

Drexel Keys to the Game

1) Keep the Pressure Going: Drexel's defense has been top notch so far this tournament. Players have constantly gotten in defenders faces, and it has been a rare affair when opponents got an open look at the basket from anywhere on the floor. If Drexel defenders can keep staying tight on their marks while staying between opponents and the basket, Washington will have trouble generating offense. Pressure is going to be key for West's squad.
2) Overwhelm Boyd: There are a number of similarities between Washington and Drexel, including relying on a dominant low post presence both on offense and defense. Milos Boyd has All-American talent, but does not get the recognition he deserves because the Huskies are not often on the national radar. Drexel will need to use their big bodies to keep him doing damage inside on offense and work on backdoor passes and cuts to get him out of position to make a play on defense.

The Washington Huskies are riding high into the Sweet Sixteen after a disappointing run in the PAC-10 Tournament. Led by PF Milos Boyd, the regular season PAC-10 champs are one of three teams from their conference still alive but are by far the most talented of the bunch. To get to this point, Washington had one of the easier paths in the tournament by defeating Holy Cross and Stetson. But don't let the field fool you, Washington toyed with their opponents and gave no reason to indicate they will not be up to the challenge of facing the undefeated Dragons.

The Huskies game plan is similar to Drexel, which in a way makes them stand out from their more perimeter oriented PAC-10 competition. Washington relies on Boyd and reserve C Darrall Ward to beat up opponents on the inside before looking for shots around the perimeter. Boyd and Ward were the two biggest contributors in their wins so far in the Tournament, but Washington is most susceptible when their outside game off the mark. So far this tournament it has been sufficient -- but the Huskies have not been tested like they will be today.

Washington Keys to the Game

1) Turn Drexel into Jump Shooters: The Huskies, much like the Dragons, primarily work from a 1-3-1 set in order to control the middle of the floor. If the Dragons can't make entry passes to their bigs, they will need to rely on shots from the wings and the baseline. Washington will take that any day of the week over watching Femi Ramsey posterize their defense like he with Stanford and McNesse State so far this tournament.
2) Rise to the Challenge: March is an intense time for college basketball. But the last time Washington played an opponent of Drexel's caliber, they came out flat and were chased out of the PAC-10 Tournament by Oregon State. All year there have been suspicions of Washington being a team that plays down to its competition. I don't think they will see Drexel as just another mid-major, but in order to win this game the Huskies will need to rise up to the pressure and the challenge and give 100% effort from the opening tip.

This game will be the warm up before tonight's game between BYU and Texas. And even though that game is hours away, the arena is already filling with orange shirts pouring in from across the state.

#1 Drexel vs #4 Washington

With less than 30 seconds left, Duncan Sow leapt higher than anyone on Drexel had ever seen him go up to corral a missed three pointer by Washington's Stephon Bazin. The whistle blew just as Sow's feet hit the ground. It would be up to the sophomore from Detroit, MI to step out of Femi Ramsey's shadow. With teammates giving encouragement but keeping their distance, Sow alone carried the burden of pulling Drexel out of what can only be characterized as a catastrophic collapse.

This was Delaware in the CAAs all over again. Or worse, this was against Washington with the season on the line.

Drexel started hot early and made a mockery of Washington's attempt to run the 1-3-1. Any time the Dragons wanted a shot or drive on the baseline, it was there. Any time the Dragons wanted to isolate a post player on Boyd or Ward down low, it was available. And with Dallas Marsh's three from the corner as time expired in the first half, Drexel was well on its way to a blow out with a 23 point halftime lead.

Sow slams it home by running past the entire Husky defense.

The size of the lead doesn't give the whole picture. No scorer on Washington had more than 4 points at the half. No one was able to match up with Tracy Cottrill or shoot past Femi Ramsey. Largely due to quality of shot selection, the Dragons had a 62 to 23 field goal percentage advantage in the first half. And when Drexel scored the first five points of the second half to extend their lead to 28, Washington looked dead in the water. Looked too much like the beneficiaries of a soft bracket and not enough like worthy conference champion competitors. They were flat on offense. Flat on defense. Just losers.

With 14 minutes left in the half, Washington needed a spark. The Huskies' Stephon Bazin is normally more of a distributor than a scorer, often deferring to others even when he has an open shot. The Senior Point guard entered the game averaging a career best 6.2 points per game. But when Bazin began to take matters into his own hands, the Dragons were completely blindsided. With the lead at 28, there was no way Washington could ever have time to come back.

In reality, the Huskies only needed another 12 minutes and 37 seconds to come all the way back and tie the game. The onus falls entirely on Coach West and the Dragons. Woody Morandias had by far his worst game as a freshman by contributing more turnovers (4) than points (0). The empty possessions were compounded by Joshua Payton. The Senior Captain is normally the rock that keeps Drexel grounded even when everything else is falling apart around him.

Tonight, he was responsible for two terrible turnovers down the stretch that gave Washington heaps of momentum. The first was on an attempted pass to a blanketed Femi Ramsey in the paint that was quickly tipped and taken back by the Huskies. The second was even worse, with Perry McCarthy cherry picking on the fast break with Drexel clinging to a three point lead, Payton threw the fast break pass down the court. Not only did Payton miss McCarthy, but he threw the ball so hard and so wide left that it ended up bouncing into the tunnel before being recovered by a fan.

One more Bazin three point jumper later, and the Huskies had come all the way back from being 28 points down with little over a minute to play.

West took a time out but did not make any substitutions. Cameras captured him walking straight up to Payton as the time out commenced and asking him "Can you do this?" Payton nodded, and West drew up a play to try and get some points, any points on the board to stop Washington's 13-2 run.

For better or worse, the play was for Payton. He ran through screens to get the ball at his favorite spot. But this was not his game. Payton had an open shot, but he hesitated too long and suddenly the shot was not there. Washington converged on the ball, and Payton dribbled left around the defense before passing the ball in to Femi Ramsey in the low post. The play was busted, and with the shot clock winding down it was now or never. Ramsey backed Ward into the paint and Boyd converged just as Ramsey took a pivot step for a fade away jumper. Last year, this was a shot Ramsey would have never attempted. This year, it silenced the pro-Husky crowd and gave Drexel a precious 76-74 lead.

Washington's time out allowed everyone on the floor to catch their breath and get their hearts back in their chest. The pressure was clearly getting to some players, but not Bazin. The man of the moment took up the ball, passed it off to Franklin Hunter before drifting to the corner. Duncan Richard was a step away when Bazin received the ball and immediately hoisted a wide open three.

For the first time all half, Bazin missed, and Sow reached into the sky and hauled in the rebound despite being blanketed by Huskies.

Duncan Sow is a serviceable free throw shooter, but not who the Dragons normally turn to in crunch time to hit shots from the line. But with the Huskeis in the penalty the clock was stopped with 28 seconds left. Drexel nursed a two point lead after surrendering 50 points in the 2nd half to Washington.

With the nation watching, Sow stepped up to the line with the same focused scowl he carries everywhere else on the court. The Texas fans in attendance, not forgetting Drexel ended their national title defense in last year's second round, booed lustily as Sow hit the first free throw. Sow's second free throw brought more ire and Washington's final time out. With not event a hint of a smile, Sow walked back to the Drexel bench after making it a two possession game: 78-74.

Washington worked quickly to get another shot, but this time it was Boyd missing an open jump shot from the baseline. Sow once again powered over the Huskies to grab the rebound. And once again, despite the Longhorn fans chanting "Sow Sucks" as he approached the line for the double-bonus, Duncan Sow made both free throws and gave Drexel a six point cushion 80-74.

Trying to immediately force the issue, Washington botched the inbounds pass. Dallas Marsh made the Huskies pay with a layup off the steal with only 6 seconds left. As a result, the Dragons return to the Elite Eight by a final score of 82-74 after an improbable come from ahead victory.

Washington Huskies at Drexel Dragons
Mar 23, 2015	1ST	2ND	SCORE
#4 Washington (23-11)	24	50	74
#1 Drexel (34-0)	47	35	82

Washington Huskies (RPI: 15 OVR: 89)
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
S. Bazin	25	7-11	2-4	4-4	2	6	1	0	3	20
F. Hunter	26	2-10	0-6	2-2	1	3	2	0	0	6
D. Simmons	25	5-14	1-5	0-0	1	1	1	0	1	11
M. Boyd	16	5-11	1-4	0-0	7	1	0	0	0	11
M. Southall	23	4-9	0-1	3-4	7	0	2	0	1	11
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
D. Ward	14	1-3	0-0	2-4	4	1	3	1	0	4
C. Ramsey	8	2-3	0-0	0-0	2	0	1	0	1	4
A. Spaulding	8	1-3	1-2	2-2	0	1	1	0	0	5
R. Mrozik	5	1-2	0-1	0-0	1	3	0	0	0	2
L. Capron	-- DID NOT PLAY --
M. Hollins	-- DID NOT PLAY --
T. Swoger	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		28-66	5-23	13-16	25	16	11	1	6	74

Drexel Dragons (RPI: 1 OVR: 83)
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
P. McCarthy	23	1-3	0-1	4-4	1	7	0	0	2	6
J. Payton	21	2-3	0-1	0-0	5	2	0	0	2	4
D. Richard	18	1-5	1-5	0-0	1	1	0	0	2	3
D. Sow	18	5-6	0-0	6-6	5	2	1	0	1	16
F. Ramsey	18	9-17	0-0	6-7	9	0	3	3	2	24
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
T. Cottrill	14	9-12	0-0	2-2	8	1	0	0	1	20
W. Morandais	17	0-2	0-2	0-0	1	0	1	0	4	0
D. Marsh	10	2-3	1-1	0-0	1	6	1	1	1	5
G. McLaughlin	10	1-2	0-0	2-2	2	1	0	0	0	4
J. Vassallo	-- DID NOT PLAY --
D. Wilson	-- DID NOT PLAY --
R. Burnette	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		30-53	2-10	20-21	33	20	6	4	15	82

Coach's Take: We lost focus in the second half. That starts and ends with me. Our shots were falling, and then they weren't. Our players were making smart passes, and then they stopped. Femi, Duncan, and Tracey were able to control the paint and the 1-3-1, and then they weren't. We are very fortunate to escape tonight to fight another day, and is in large part it is because we maintained our focus at the line. We had an incredible performance there. We have to control the ball better and make good decisions -- I think our players know what to expect going into practice tomorrow.

Press Pool: Do you have any comments of fans starting a chant against one of your players? Would you say that is unsportsmanlike?

Coach West: Fans are going to be fans, and I thought Duncan handled it appropriately by not acknowledging it. He has a tough skin. Heckling is part of the game.

Press Pool: So you are okay with that kind of behavior?

Coach West: No. It's terrible and it's rude. But I can only control my team on the court, and I applaud Duncan for being a man about it and not letting it get to his head.

What's Next: Drexel faces the winner of tonight's BYU Texas game in the Elite Eight.

[HarkTheSound]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Wow that would've been an awful way to lose your undefeated season. Congrats on holding on to that lead. I probably would've had a panic attack before the game was even tied, lol.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Wow that would've been an awful way to lost your undefeated season. Congrats on holding on to that lead. I probably would've had a panic attack before the game was even tied, lol.

Oh don't worry, I was. I try my best not to pause and walk away from a tight game to calm down, so yeah it was intense.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

2015 Sweet Sixteen Results

If the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament are about drama, the Sweet Sixteen has to be about separation. It's easy for a team to catch fire and momentum in the opening games, but after a 4 or 5 day layoff talent has to rise up from mere emotion. This year's Sweet Sixteen was no different. Don't despair, there was plenty of drama that makes March the greatest month in sports. But with everything on the line, contenders are beginning to expose the sheep in wolves' clothing.

East Regional
#1 Kansas 89 #4 Arizona 97
#11 Missouri State 85 #10 Arkansas 69

Kansas played quite possibly their best game of their tournament, but it was not enough against Arizona. The Wildcats were just better. They fought hard on defense. They got production out of their stars. And when the shots mattered the most, Arizona kept hitting them. Kansas had no answers and will be disappointed to exit without a National Championship. On the complete other end of the spectrum, Missouri State clobbered Arkansas to advance to the first Elite Eight in school history. Where in the world did these Bears come from? They did not look this good in the Missouri Valley Conference even though they won the regular season title. But here they are, ready to face Arizona for a shot at the Final Four.

West Regional
#1 Ohio State 79 #4 West Virginia 74
#3 North Carolina 89 #2 Utah State 92

Call it an aberration compared to the rest of the field, but the West is the only regional to advance its top two seeds to the Elite Eight. Both games were close until the final seconds. Ohio State made four three point shots in the closing minutes to take their final lead against West Virginia. From there it was a matter of team defense. Meanwhile, the other game in the regional was a match up of individual performances -- and Utah State's Arzelle Hammond has arrived. The Aggies went to Hammond again and again, and no one on North Carolina could stop him. In the end, it would be Hammond who made a go ahead floater from the foul line with seconds left to bury the Tar Heels. The question now is whether Ohio State can stop him.

South Regional
#1 Drexel 82 #4 Washington 74
#14 Brigham Young 61 #7 Texas 75

Oh the fireworks have already started in Houston. Drexel built a gigantic lead in the first half against Washington but needed to close out the Huskies at the free throw line in the final minutes. As for Texas, they controlled their game against BYU from start to finish. The Longhorns enjoyed a significant home court advantage, but truth be told they were just too good against an over matched BYU team that could not keep up its hot shooting from last week. After the game, fans were already shouting, "Drexel sucks!" Do you think they have been waiting for this match up for a long time?

Midwest Regional
#9 Arizona State 49 #4 Seton Hall 73
#6 Purdue 62 #2 NC State 78

The layoff between the first and second week of games hurt no team worse than Arizona State. Their momentum gone, they were no match for Big East runner-up Seton Hall. On the other hand, Purdue put up a rousing fight against NC State that was wrecked by the Boilermaker's Star SF T.J. Simmons tearing up his knee in the second half. Not only is his draft stock now in jeopardy, but the injury ended any chance Purdue had of overtaking the Wolfpack.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Grudge Match

"This is why I came back. Beating Drexel will only make it sweeter."

"Smackey" Ruffin called a press conference last year to surprise the Nation with an announcement. He was shunning the NBA to return to Austin one more year to shoot for a second National Championship. The Longhorns came into the season Ranked #1 and ready to pursue their second title in three years with most of their core intact. But after a number of stumbles during the season including going 8-8 in Big 12 play, Texas is showing what everyone had been buzzing about at the beginning of the year.

The Longhorns are on fire, and revenge is in the air in Houston. Fans have not forgotten the last meeting between these two teams. And just to add salt in the wound, Drexel Coach Guy West went out of his way to call Texas fans "rude" and "terrible" after defeating the Washington Huskies in the Sweet Sixteen. Merchants out to make a quick buck are already hawking orange shirts emblazoned with West's words, and apparently they're selling like hot cakes. But the question is whether there will be on court implications to his post game remarks.

"Everyone's gonna come out fired up," continued Ruffin, "and then West had to go and stir the pot. Maybe he doesn't know, but there's a saying we have around here about Texas."

Will Coach West and the Dragons have a mess on their hands? For them this is a road game where they do not need any added pressure. Both teams return most of the same lineup from last year, but the Dragons have additional concerns. They want to break through to the Elite Eight after failing last year and the question of whether they can keep up their perfect record is always floating around their performance. Texas is still the most talented team and have the accolades and Championships to show for it. The Dragons? Who knows.

West is going to need to cook up another miracle to overcome the Longhorns, and the Dragons have their full attention this time. This game could get ugly in a hurry.

Drexel (RPI: 1) at a Glance: The Dragons rely on star center Femi Ramsey to carry the team with a supporting cast built to complement his talent. Drexel likes to attack inside first then make teams pay from outside. To get here, the Dragons defeated #16 McNesse State, #8 Stanford, and #4 Washington.

Texas (RPI: 36) at a Glance: The Longhorns are a team full of future NBA Talent. Led by Taylor Meyers, Elliah Winter, and Smackey Ruffin, Texas dominates most opponents on sheer talent alone but are capable of scoring from anywhere on the floor either in transition or through the half-court. To get here, the Longhorns defeated #10 Richmond, #2 Missouri, and #14 Brigham Young.

Crunch Time: Who Advances
to the Final Four?

Each regional final includes games with a number of question marks. We could be in for one of the most mid-major dominated Final Fours in history, or power conferences could power through and advance. The East features a team that surprised the Tournament favorite versus the team that has surprised everybody. The South has an undefeated mid-major facing off against a streaking preseason favorite. The Midwest is a star-studded affair pitting the ACC Champ and Big East runner up. Finally, only the West advanced its top two seeds, but it will be a battle between a transcendent star and top recruits working together playing classic team basketball.

Who do you think breaks through to the Final Four?

[HarkTheSound]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

You're killin us with the suspense, man!

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

You're killin us with the suspense, man!

Ha, thanks. It has been a fun transition going from underemployment to self employment as a lawyer hanging my own shingle, so I haven't had as many opportunities to post.

But don't fret, I'm in the middle of the write up now as I type this and eat dinner.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

2015 Tournament Elite Eight

As the saying goes, it all comes down to this. The second game slated for tonight is a match up between a #1 Seed who is firing on all cylinders versus a #7 seed that is finally using its talent after struggling with consistency throughout the season. Both teams are peaking at the right time, so fan should be excited for a good game.

But with the game being played in Houston, Texas has a decided advantage. Both teams have been here before, with Drexel reaching the Elite Eight last year and Texas winning the whole thing two years ago. Both teams play very up tempo, so offense should be on full display. This game could come down to one or two key plays, and whether Drexel can keep its focus and not be swallowed up by the road crowd.

Keys to the Game

1) Team Power Over Star Power: When half of their games are against overwhelmed Colonial Athletic Association foes, it is no wonder the Dragons have been able to rattle off a perfect record. But the team's performance in the Tournament has been telling. Drexel leans heavily on Femi Ramsey, but so far Coach West has shown he can get more than the sum of his parts. Texas is a star studded squad with known names that will soon be playing in the NBA, but for Drexel to make history and advance to the Final Four they will need to be better as a team on the court.
2) Don't Get Burned: Basketball is a game of runs and momentum, and nothing gets a crowd going like putting up a lot of points all at once. Last year Drexel learned it the hard way when they let Texas back into the game after taking a huge lead. This time, the stakes are not only higher, but the game is being played in front of a predominantly Pro-Texas crowd. Coach West cannot allow the Longhorns to get hot, or it could set off a fire storm.

The Texas Longhorns had a long, bumpy journey to the South Regional Final. After started the season ranked #1 and strutting their stuff in non-conference play, the Longhorns survived shaky play and key injuries to eek out an 8-8 and finish 6th in the Big 12. Their reward was to face Missouri in the second round of the Conference Tournament, which they promptly lost.

But according to Coach Barnes, the team took its time after the loss to refocus and recommit themselves to pursuing the biggest prize in the country. It paid off. Led by big hitters like Smakey Ruffin and Elliah Winter, Texas has pushed through tournament opponents like perennial favorites -- not as a 7 seed. By far their biggest contributor will be Taylor Meyers, who has used his Senior season to take on a much larger leadership role and has been been devastating in the paint all tournament. NBA Scouts have to be drooling at the Meyers-Ramsey match up with the stakes so high.

Keys to the Game

1) Revenge But Not Anger: A lot has been made of Texas not liking Drexel. It's an unusual relationship given the stature of the programs, but it's rare for a team to get revenge for an early exit in the NCAA Tournament just one year later. At the same time, Texas must maintain focus -- something they have struggled with all season. Emotions can be a huge lift this late in the tournament, but too much could derail the Longhorn's run.
2) Control the Individual Match Ups: Up and down and across the board, Texas has higher quality talent. Scouts know it. Surely Coach West knows it. If the Longhorns can bust the zone and force Drexel out of their 1-3-1, then Texas' talent will really begin to shine. Femi Ramsey will be a tough match up, and Josh Payton and Duncan Sow are excellent defenders. However, few other Drexel players can create their own shots and fewer will be able to keep up with Texas on defense.

The stakes are high. Both Coach Barnes and Coach West had aspirations of reaching the Final Four at the beginning of the season. Just one step away...

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

#1 Drexel vs #7 Texas

It wasn't the perfect game. It wasn't a heart-stopping rematch of last year's Tournament battle. But what makes the result of this game so fascinating is how much it relied on taking everything we know about these two teams and throwing out nearly all conventional wisdom. Understanding the South Regional Final takes an analysis that goes well beyond the box score.

The South Regional Final had been hyped for the past two days as being full of bad blood between the Texas Longhorns and Drexel Dragons. Although the seeds may not say it, the Longhorns come in as the big boy power conference team while the upstart Dragons are an efficient mid-major looking to break through to their first ever Final Four.

It did not take Drexel long to break the game open.

Duncan Richard, who seems to save his best for Texas, made an immediate statement by hitting two open three pointers in two straight possessions to spot Drexel an 8-0 lead. Ramsey and Sow destroyed Texas' interior offense and left Taylor Meyers totally flustered. Drexel began the first four minutes of the game shooting 100% from the field and scoring from everywhere. Texas netted only one Elliah Winter jump shot.

It would have looked more like a repeat of last year's script if Drexel had not been so dominant in smacking around Texas. The "home" crowd rained down boos as Smackey Ruffin picked up his second foul. Meanwhile, Coach West's squad put together a 18-2 lead to start the game.

Of course, the Longhorns were not going make it to the Elite Eight only to throw up their hands in defeat, were they? This was the kind of letdown fans had thought Texas had gotten out of their system after a number of Big 12 disasters, and Coach Barnes did his best to fire up his team to get back into the game.

With all of the stars on the Texas roster, it was Super Freshman Kinley Crites (82 OVR) who provided the spark that got the Longhorns on their feet. He hustled on defense and fought Drexel hard in the post and for rebounds. He set vicious screens and attacked the basket. Soon the rest of the Longhorns followed suit in getting on track, especially Eliah Winter and Chaz Jordan.

But the Dragons were ready for Texas' counter punch. Duncan Sow showed how he has blossomed into the Dragon's top rebounder. Ramsey dominated the Texas front line by dropping 15 points in the first half, and Drexel's vicious perimeter defense held the hot-handed Longhorns to 0-9 from beyond the arc in the first half. No matter how hard Texas tried to claw back into the game, Drexel pushed ahead and ended the half with a hard fought 16 point lead.

Despite the lead, the second half was an entirely different story. Texas re-tuned their defense in a way few teams in the country can. They switched to man-to-man and swarmed the ball any time it went into Femi Ramsey's hands. With Smackey Ruffin back on the floor, Texas' offense began to show the flash and flare fans were accustomed to seeing. The home crowd started to come alive -- the Longhorns were not out of the game yet.

"We knew we had to take out Ramsey," Coach Barnes commented at the half. And that is exactly what they did in the second half.

Texas dared other people to shoot. West decided to move to the half-court and play slow-down ball to preserve the lead. For awhile it looked like the inevitable Longhorn comeback would turn into a tight, close lead or maybe overtake the Dragons.

Josh Payton's hustle on both ends of the floor is rewarded (ed note: pardon shakiness).

In the face of losing their lead Drexel got the spark they needed, but not from Femi Ramsey. Instead, defense would create offense, and the Dragon back court would shine in the second half. Smackey Ruffin rose up from the corner for a jump shot. He had been deadly from the spot during the second half, but this time Josh Payton smelled it coming. He rose up just as Ruffin took the shot, blocked it, and streaked down court. Dallas Marsh recovered the loose ball and lobbed it to Payton, who scored the easy layup with only Ruffin trailing.

It would be the play that sparked a huge run for the Dragons. Drexel became the unstoppable force, all while Texas draped everyone they could on Femi Ramsey. The centerpiece of Drexel's Tournament run contributed exactly zero points as the Coach West's squad moved the ball all around the Longhorns to build their lead up to 20.

The lead wasn't built on an explosion of offense, but instead succeeding in the half court where Drexel had failed earlier in the year and last season. West ran his players through picks, and Perry McCarthy found his jump shooting touch while also making smart decisions with the ball. But the real killers for Texas were the intangible plays where Coach Barnes' squad played excellent defense. Three times during the closing minutes, the Dragons wound down all 35 seconds of the shot clock without finding an open shot. First Josh Payton hit a jumper at the buzzer with a hand in his face. Next, Woody Morandais drove towards the basket and hit a floating jumper over Taylor Meyer's outstretched arms. Dallas Marsh bailed out the Dragons a third time with a three from the corner with Elliah Winter in hot pursuit.

Texas never gave up, but due to the Dragon's ability to kill the clock the Longhorns never had a chance to close the gap. Femi Ramsey and Taylor Meyers cancelled each other out on defense, especially in the second half. In the end, Coach West and the Drexel Dragons executed their game plan better and got everyone else involved.

Texas' Tournament journey ends with major disappointment in Houston. As for Drexel, they're heading to Minneapolis to face the winner of the Midwest Regional Final thanks to a convincing 69-57 victory.

Texas Longhorns at Drexel Dragons
Mar 25, 2015	1ST	2ND	SCORE
#7 Texas (24-11)	27	30	57
#1 Drexel (35-0)	43	26	69

Texas Longhorns (RPI: 36 OVR: 93)
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
S. Ruffin	21	3-10	0-4	1-2	0	6	1	1	3	7
C. Jordan	21	1-6	0-2	4-4	1	3	0	0	0	6
E. Winter	23	5-10	1-4	2-2	1	0	0	0	1	13
K. Crites	27	3-5	0-0	1-2	10	0	2	2	0	7
T. Meyers	28	5-9	0-1	0-0	3	2	1	0	0	10
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
T. Davidson	12	3-6	1-2	0-0	0	4	2	0	1	7
B. Greer	7	0-1	0-1	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0
A. Pranciiauskas	8	1-2	1-1	2-2	1	0	0	1	0	5
P. Giles	3	1-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	2
B. Dancey	-- DID NOT PLAY --
E. Clinton	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Q. Garnett	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		22-50	3-15	10-12	16	15	6	4	5	57

Drexel Dragons (RPI: 1 OVR 83)
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
P. McCarthy	21	4-8	1-3	2-2	2	6	0	0	2	11
J. Payton	24	2-5	1-2	3-4	0	4	1	1	0	8
D. Richard	18	2-4	2-3	0-0	1	2	0	0	1	6
D. Sow	22	5-11	0-0	0-0	15	0	1	1	0	10
F. Ramsey	22	8-14	0-0	1-1	6	3	1	2	0	17
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
T. Cottrill	9	1-2	0-0	2-2	4	0	0	0	1	4
W. Morandais	12	3-4	0-1	0-0	1	1	0	0	0	6
D. Marsh	12	2-3	1-2	0-0	2	3	1	0	3	5
G. McLaughlin	7	0-0	0-0	2-2	0	0	0	0	0	2
J. Vassallo	2	0-1	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
D. Wilson	-- DID NOT PLAY --
R. Burnette	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		27-52	5-11	10-11	31	19	4	4	7	69

Coach's Take: This is a time to celebrate. I don't want my players to lose sight of this. Last year we were on the other end of this game, and everyone on the team remembered that moment. Held onto it. I want our players to celebrate that we set the bar high -- very high -- and met it. People laughed or smiled politely when I said our team was good enough to reach the Final Four. Tonight we get to smile and have our moment. Tomorrow we begin to work on the next great opportunity. We're here, but we're not done.

Off to the Final Four!

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

2015 Elite Eight Results

Networks can make a sigh of relief: they avoided an unmitigated ratings disaster for the Final Four. But before we get ahead of ourselves, let's not forget that there was a lot of intrigue going into the regional finals. And while some of the games were ugly, there were also some classic basketball moments that will live on for years after the Tournament concludes.

East Regional Final
#4 Arizona 78 #11 Missouri State 81 OT

Midway through the second half, everyone thought the dream was over for Missouri State. That is until they held Arizona to six points in the final seven minutes. The Wildcats went for too many three pointers, and Pierce Rothbart made them pay by scoring 17 of his 23 points after half time, including the free throws at the end of overtime to put the lead out of reach for Arizona. Missouri State the last team in? How about the last team out of the East Regional. Unbelievable.

West Regional
#1 Ohio State 92 #2 Utah State 76

Stopping Utah State starts with stopping tournament break out star Arzelle Hammond, but tonight Ohio State did not have to do much work. Hammond cracked under the pressure and was in foul trouble the whole game before fouling out. He only scored 4 points on 5 shot attempts. The rest of the Aggies team fought valiantly, but Ohio State was just too good. Nick Warner and Simon Beye paced the Buckeyes on on offense and defense, and Mani McKinney went a perfect 4-4 from beyond the arc off the bench to shut down any Utah State comeback attempt. Ohio State now turns to Minneapolis, where they look to win the second National Championship for Thad Matta in the past five years.

South Regional
#1 Drexel 69 #7 Texas 57

Only three players from Drexel reached double figures scoring. Only two hit the same mark for Texas. It was a strategic battle on defense between Guy West and Rick Barnes, but the difference was the huge lead Drexel built up for themselves in the first half. Texas could not overcome stumbling early, especially after disappointing performances by Smackey Ruffin and Taylor Meyers. Meanwhile, Drexel showed their #1 seed was no fluke by successfully dispatching a bevy of power conference opponents.

Midwest Regional
#4 Seton Hall 51 #2 NC State 47

Is there such a thing as a game no one wants to win in Elite Eight? It sure felt like it on the court. Neither NC State nor Seton Hall could hit anything all night, and both teams quickly became tight and frustrated. The game was close in the first half before NC State got some breathing room. Unfortunately for the Wolfpack, their offense rolled over and died in the second half -- especially with Superstar Freshman Dedrick Ozier completely disappearing. The Pirates did just enough to scrape by a victory -- although in truth it was less a result of their strong defense and more a result of someone having to win when the clock expired.

vs.
vs.

And now the Final Four is set! Ohio State surprised no one by reaching this stage and has to be the favorite going forward. Drexel has played extremely well, so do not count them out. Seton Hall was playing well until their regional final, so it remains to be seen whether they can bounce back. Finally, Missouri State has to be elated to be here, but they will have numerous match up problems with the Buckeyes.

[HarkTheSound]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Congrats on the Elite Eight win! Looks like you got a favorable matchup in the Final Four too.

[itsmb8]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Congrats on making it to the Final Four! Way to stay undefeated!! I have a feeling it will be you and Ohio State in the National Championship. Either stay undefeated and win the championship or have one loss and finish second. We all know what we want to happen, haha.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Congrats on the Elite Eight win! Looks like you got a favorable matchup in the Final Four too.

Thanks. I'd call Seton Hall more favorable than NC State, even if I was rooting for the Wolfpack to be my Final Four opponent (even if it mean hearing "the away team" the whole freaking game).

It's not as favorable as facing Missouri State, but at least I have a better shot at advancing than if I faced Ohio State in the National Semifinal.

Congrats on making it to the Final Four! Way to stay undefeated!! I have a feeling it will be you and Ohio State in the National Championship. Either stay undefeated and win the championship or have one loss and finish second. We all know what we want to happen, haha.

So we all want me to be the Patriots of the NCAA? Nah, I get what you're saying.

It wouldn't surprise me. Ohio State is no joke -- except that their team STILL has no size. Even then, it was a tough game last year and I expect it to be harder...assuming I get past Seton Hall of course.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

2015 Tournament Final Four

Minneapolis. The pipe dream of most teams ins the Tournament is a reality for Drexel and Seton Hall. Neither team was picked to advance this this far, and only Drexel was picked to be anywhere near successful in the CAA.

That said, the time for speculation has passed. Making it to the Final Four is a big deal. Seton Hall has not been here since 1989 and Drexel has never been here at all. But now it's time to take care of business. With all the media hoopla and with additional pressure building, the biggest question facing both teams is a fairly basic one: who can keep it up?

Drexel-Seton Hall is not so much a game about style versus style as it is strength versus strength. The difference could be who exploits their strength the best, rather than who can shut down the other side.

Keys to the Game

1) Control the Court: Seton Hall is much like Stanford and Washington in that players at every position can hit jump shots. The difference is that Seton Hall has heaps of size as well, and Drexel may not have the bodies to guard the Pirates like they did against their PAC-10 foes. If Drexel does have match up problems, it will be up to Coach West to find ways to have the Dragons deny passes and keep Seton Hall from moving the ball around at will.
2) Extend the Bench: For the first time since Round 1, it could be argued that the Dragons have a deeper bench than their opponent. So far this Tournament, Drexel has gotten great production from their reserves. And to turn the tides against the Big East regular season champs, Drexel will likely need for players like Tracey Cottrill and Woody Morandais to step up. If Drexel can keep their starters rested while continuing to get production, it could be a very tough game for the Pirates after half time.

The Seton Hall Pirates stumbled out the gate to start the season but righted the ship to get where they are today. Led by Paris Kemp and Aaron Wright, the Pirates went on to storm the Big East, finishing an impressive second place. Unfortunately, the Pirates came crashing back down to earth by getting knocked out in the 2nd round. But the loss to South Florida seemed to be only a blip on the radar. Sure, Seton Hall was nearly upset by UL Lafayette and got into a dog fight with Notre Dame. But the mantra of March is "Survive and Advance," and the Pirates deserve a lot of credit for succeeding.

How do the Pirates do it? They rely on a lot of scoring by their front court players. Normally this is a huge advantage for Drexel, but Logon Chandler and Aaron Wright are adept at playing down low and hitting shots from as far back as the three point line. Add in a Point Guard, M.C. Stokes, who is of the traditional "pass first" mold, and the Pirates' skill set presents a unique challenge for the Dragons. It is all up to Coach Kevin Willard to find mismatches and take advantage of them.

Keys to the Game

1) Get Ramsey & Sow Away from the Basket: The Dragons have been outstanding in the 1-3-1, but Seton Hall has players who can attack it by shooting from the four corners. If Seton Hall can force Drexel into man to man, then Seton Hall's bigs can draw Ramsey and Sow's attention away from the basket. Both are fantastic at help defense when attempting to stop shots. But if Seton Hall can force West to change his game plan...
2) Control the Paint: Yes, the second point dovetails into the first. Seton Hall is a good shooting team that was having a fairly good Tournament until their game against NC State. But in order to keep Coach West from playing super tight defense, Coach Kevin Willard must keep the Dragons honest inside. Seton Hall has the bodies to bang down low. Of course, no other team has been able to figure out Drexel's inside defense so far. It will be a tall order for the Pirates.

What more is there to say? The loser gets commemorated on T-shirts and gets to celebrate reaching this far. But both Drexel and Seton Hall have their eyes on a much larger prize. After all, once you get this far, you never know if you're ever going to get back again.