Mar
8
by Chris Maynard, chris@hoops4thesoul.com
A battle of physical big men and outstanding three-point shooters sets the stage as 1994 Arkansas faces 2004 UCONN in the Sweet Sixteen Tournament. The Hogs are led by the “Big Nasty” Corliss Williamson, who will be going up against Defensive Player of the Year and fellow beast Emeka Okafor. 2004 UCONN gets its scoring punch from dynamic junior guard Ben Gordon while the Razorbacks thrive on placing constant pressure on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. This game will be a battle of wills that will come down to the match up between Williamson and Okafor and to which team wants it a little more in the game’s final tight minutes.
Mar
7
by Chris Maynard, chris@hoops4thesoul.com
The Midwest Regional features an interesting game in the Sweet Sixteen, a combined 2006 & 2007 Florida Gators’ squad versus the upstart 1997 Arizona Wildcats, a team which knocked off three of the greatest programs in college basketball history in Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky (all were number-one seeds) to capture an unexpected title. Arizona throws a ridiculous four-seam fastball of guards–freshman Mike Bibby, juniors Miles Simon and Michael Dickerson, and sophomore Jason Terry–who are all deadly speed burners who can stroke it from the outside. Florida’s starting five of Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Corey Brewer, Taurean Green and Lee Humphrey care less about stats and more about getting wins. While guards win championships in college, this Florida team goes against the grain, and has the front line and athleticism to hold off Arizona in a thriller in Indianapolis. With repeat championships a rarity in this day and age of parity, the Gators are a special bunch looking to lunch on Arizona and give them the ol’ Gator Chomp.
Mar
7
2000 Michigan State vs. 2002 Maryland Preview
Filed Under Tourney History, NCAA Basketball | 1 Comment
by Chris Maynard, chris@hoops4thesoul.com
A day late and a dollar short, Hoops 4 the Soul gives you a preview of the Southeast Regional clash between the 2000 Michigan State Spartans and the 2002 Maryland Terrapins. This is without doubt the most competitive match up in this Sweet Sixteen tournament of the last 16 (make that 18) NCAA champions. What more could you ask from this game? You’ve got great competitors in Mateen Cleaves and Lonny Baxter, game changers in Juan Dixon and Morris Peterson, wild cards in Jason Richardson and Chris Wilcox, and fiery coaches in Tom Izzo and Gary Williams. Unlike the Democratic battle between Obama Yo Mama and Hil Dog, this one is too close to call.
Mar
6
by Chris Maynard, chris@hoops4thesoul.com
Hoops 4 the Soul’s preview of the Southeast Regional in the Sweet Sixteen NCAA Tournament of the last 16 (make that 18) tourney champions begins with a look at the battle between the 1996 Kentucky Wildcats and the 1995 UCLA Bruins. Only a year removed from each other, these teams are light years away in depth and talent. One of the deepest teams in recent memory, Rick Pitino’s Kentucky squad will bludgeon you to death with its pressing defense set up off its dynamic three point shooting. UCLA likes to run, and will need to break the Kentucky press early and often, make this a track meet and shoot like Villanova in 1985 to have a chance in this game. Unfortunately for classy Jim Harrick, his team is a bunch of slashers who are nothing hot with the great equalizer, the three point ball.
Mar
4
by Chris Maynard, chris@hoops4thesoul.com
The battle of Tobacco Round has finally made its way to the NCAA Tournament, in Hoops 4 the Soul’s Sweet Sixteen bracket of the last sixteen (make that 18) men’s basketball champions. The outstanding 2001 Blue Devils featuring Jason Williams, Shane Battier, Mike Dunleavy and Carlos Boozer pair up with the 1993 North Carolina Tar Heels squad of George Lynch, Eric Montross and Donald Williams. Coach K versus the Taquan Dean of college basketball coaches. The folks in Chapel Hill and Durham are salivating at the mouths, the folks in my beloved Raleigh continue with their inferiority complex.
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