NCAA Championship game thread: Kansas vs. Memphis, CBS 9pm ET Monday

[1~Gibson~1]

The 2008 NCAA championship game, featuring #1 Memphis vs #1 Kansas, is tonight (Monday) at 9PM ET on CBS television.

Predict who will win, and give reasons and insight behind your opinions.

And, discuss the game live as it happens here.

ENJOY!

[FireMcFailPlease]

I dunno. The key is who on kansas can stop derrick rose.

Then if they can do that, who can stop CDR.

Rush can only guard one of them. I think Memphis can win, especially if they get Kansas to run with them.

If kansas can attack Dorsey with Arthur/Kaun/Jackson, and perhaps get him in trouble, Kansas has a great chance at winning then.

[i seen hippos]

I hope Kansas wins cause I said they were the best team all season long. I want to reward myself with a pat on the back. Oh ya McPhail, I told you Kansas >>>>> Texas.

Right now though Memphis' offense is absolutely amazing. Fast break or half court. Kansas has been alright in the half court, but I think to match Memphis they gotta play the pressure D they're so good at and make this a fast break game.

That is the one thing Kansas has on Memphis imo. Both are great defensive team, but Kansas can take it to a level not even Memphis can fully achieve I think. If they can create turnovers (no one is expecting to see what they did against UNC of course) and get easy buckets then they will have the advantage overall.

If it's more of a half court game, I just think Memphis' offense is playing too well right now.

Another thing going for Kansas is that Memphis hasn't had to defend so many players. The teams they've played have had 2 good scorers at most each. Kansas has A LOT of good scores. 4 guards that can explode at any given time and 3 bigs that are more skilled than any Memphis big (although Memphis bigs have the athletic advantage).

At the end of the day it will come down to which team's guards step up. Can Kansas' guards penetrate and get open looks like no other team has? I think they will have more success, but enough? Who knows. Memphis' guards have been amazing, but they haven't faced the pressure Kansas will throw at them. Can a team play at such a high level for on more game? We'll see.

This would be a game I'd love Kansas at times to throw out Chalmers/Robinson/Collins/Rush/Kaun. If there comes a time where Memphis seems to be taking over, this would be an interesting counter, although I know it won't happen.

Right now you have to give Memphis the edge though with how they've played all tournament long. But to say they will win easily is ignoring what Kansas has done to teams all season long. This isn't 1. Memphis vs. 2. Kansas. This is 1a. Memphis vs. 1b. Kansas.

[A.M.G.]

The key to this game is Joey Dorsey. If he gets into foul trouble, Kansas can win a close game by pounding it inside with their strong frontcourt.

The backcourt defense will also be very important for Kansas, if Chalmers and Robinson can contain Derrick Rose, and Brandon Rush can negate CDR, Kansas wins in a walk.


On the other hand, if CDR and especially Rose can use their size to their advantage like they did against UCLA, and if Joey Dorsey can stay out of foul trouble and shut down Kansas' frontcourt scoring, Memphis will win.

This should be a very entertaining game, the team that defends wins.

So basically, the keys for each team are:

Kansas- Frontcourt offense, Backcourt defense
Memphis- Frontcourt defense, Backcourt offense

[enayes]

Memphis wins
roses are red
kansas is blue

[Maniak]

going to go see it with a friend on the bigscreen, cant wait really


I think Memphis might have it, they have such a dominant backcourt.


It pains me so that UCLA or even UNC didnt make it to the finals

Oh well....it will still be great to watch

-Maniak

[mlh1981]

I can't believe that Memphis is even here. I figured they were done after their struggle against Mississippi St (I THINK it was Miss. St ). from the foul line. That game should NEVER have come down to the final shot, and I thought that a better team down the road would make them pay for that ineptness.

I feel bad for the Kansas kid who busted his kneecap in practice yesterday. That could serve as a rallying point for the jayhawks.

[thenextgreatbigman]

Kansas about to lose another one to a freshman.

[mlh1981]

Please delete this, insidehoops, if you feel that this is off topic, but part of the problem I have with college ball is the great players leaving after one year. I can't blame them, but it hurts the game and eliminates what I feel could be good storylines. Memphis loses this game........how does Rose and co. rebound? memphis wins, and how does Rose handle being the "hunted" as opposed to the hunter? Great players leaving after their freshmen year eliminates these potential subplots........

[KNOW1EDGE]

GO MEMPHIS!!!

Tonight when you watch Derick Rose just picture him in a blazer jersey cuz thats what he will be wearing next year!!!!!

[Younggrease]

Dirty play..you dont undercut people.

[RandomBalla55]

Please delete this, insidehoops, if you feel that this is off topic, but part of the problem I have with college ball is the great players leaving after one year. I can't blame them, but it hurts the game and eliminates what I feel could be good storylines. Memphis loses this game........how does Rose and co. rebound? memphis wins, and how does Rose handle being the "hunted" as opposed to the hunter? Great players leaving after their freshmen year eliminates these potential subplots........

Well, it's either the great players leave 1 year after college, or the great players don't play college at all. Pick your choice.

And again, mlh, you were probably buying into the hype that Memphis was the weakest #1 seed in this tourney and their FT shooting will always kill them. It's ok. I did too. I thought Texas would take them but only because it was in Texas's backyard. Turns out Memphis wasn't having any of that ****.

[FireMcFailPlease]

GO MEMPHIS!!!

Tonight when you watch Derick Rose just picture him in a blazer jersey cuz thats what he will be wearing next year!!!!!

Portlands goin to win the lottery as what, 13 ranked team?

[Younggrease]

Watching these guys play made me realiz how much more intelligent a player Rubio is then any1 on the floor. He would pick a part these defenses.

[GOBB]

Watching these guys play made me realiz how much more intelligent a player Rubio is then any1 on the floor. He would pick a part these defenses.

whatever