Following in the Footsteps of a Legend.. The Coaching Career of Ryne Derozan

[Deuce2223]

SELECTION SUNDAY SHOW

Welcome to the 2K8 Selection Sunday Show. I am you host Greg Gumbel and with me is Clark Kellogg.

It was another exciting year of college basketball. Before we get to the show let’s take a look at the Top-25 Media Poll.

#1 UConn (25-5)
#2 Providence (27-5)
#3 Indiana (28-4)
#4 Louisville (27-7)
#5 Michigan State (27-6)
#6 Texas (24-7)
#7 USC (27-6)
#8 Memphis (24-4)
#9 UNC (21-9)
#10 Arizona (25-7)
#11 Washington (25-8)
#12 Rhode Island (29-3)
#13 Oklahoma State (24-9)
#14 Baylor (25-7)
#15 Villanova (23-10)
#16 Clemson (21-9)
#17 Alabama (22-10)
#18 Kentucky (23-10)
#19 Florida (22-8)
#20 Kansas (21-10)
#21 UCLA (20-12)
#22 Gonzaga (25-7)
#23 Marquette (22-10)
#24 Boston College (22-10)
#25 Stanford (18-11)

GG-Clark what team’s stand out to you going into today’s show?

CK-Well Greg I would have to say Memphis. The Tigers were last year’s #1 Overall seed and were ranked #2 just a few weeks ago but now after a 7-3 finish find themselves #8 in the rankings and with a #18 RPI might not even be a Top-4 seed going into the tournament. On the flip side #12 Rhode Island is playing great basketball going 9-1 in their last 10 games claiming both the regular season and tournament titles in the A-10.

Ck- How about you Greg?

GG-For me it’s the entire Big East. They have 3 of the Top-4 teams in the polls but Syracuse who finished 8-10 during the regular season rolled through the tournament beating Louisville by 30 in the championship to secure their spot despite finishing outside the Top-25.. It looks like they could have at least 7 or 8 teams make the tournament.


GG- Before we get to the selections picks at #1,Clark what teams do you feel like might need some help getting off the Bubble?

Saint Joseph (20-10, RPI #30)
Western Kentucky (24-6 RPI #39)
Wisconsin (21-10, RPI #47)
LSU (18-12, RPI #36)
Saint Louis (20-11, RPI #42)
Western Michigan (25-6, RPI #57)
Tennessee (21-10, RPI #55)
Nevada (21-8, RPI #59)

CK-I think it’s going to be a tough year for the non-power conferences Saint Louis’s early exit in the A-10 tournament probably doesn’t help the Bilkens cause and Western Michigan’s loss in the MAC Championship likely will end the Broncos run..

CK-What about you Greg?

GG-LSU at 18-12 isn’t an impressive record, but I like the Tigers chances with a #40 RPI.. Western Kentucky however well their 24 wins are impressive I feel their tournament streak is over.

GG- Well Clark the picks are in… Let’s see how each Regional shakes out.

East
#1 UConn vs #16 Jackson State (Beat St Peter’s in the play in game)
#8 Charlotte vs #9 Maryland
#5 Villanova vs #12 UW-Green Bay
#4 Texas A&M vs #13 Boston College
#6 Alabama vs #11 Saint Joseph’s
#3 Rhode Island vs #14 St Francis PA
#7 Marquette vs #10 Nebraska
#2 USC vs #15 UT-Arlington

West
#1 Texas vs #15 Lafayette
#8 Florida vs #9 Duke
#5 Kansas vs #12 Syracuse
#4 UNC vs #13 S. Illinois
#6 Miami FL vs #11 NC State
#3 Washington vs #14 Oakland
#7 Boston College vs #10 Wisconsin
#2 Indiana vs #15 Tennessee Tech

South
#1 Michigan State vs #16 UC Riverside
#8 Virginia Tech vs #9 Saint Mary’s
#5 Kentucky vs #12 San Diego State
#4 Baylor vs #13 Florida Int’l
#6 Notre Dame vs #11 Nevada
#3 Oklahoma State vs #14 Brown
#7 Stanford vs #10 Western Michigan
#2 Providence vs #15 Idaho State

Midwest
#1 Arizona vs #16 VMI
#8 Seton Hall vs #9 LSU
#5 Gonzaga vs #12 UNF
#4 Clemson vs #13 Davidson
#6 UCLA vs #11 Saint Louis
#3 Memphis vs #14 Georgia State
#7 IUPUI vs #10 UNLV
#2 Louisville vs #15 Delaware State

GG- It was a strong year for the Big East and ACC but a down year for the SEC and Big Ten. Any matchups jump out at you Clark.

CK- #8 Florida vs #9 Duke is a matchup you would normally expect to see in a Final 4 or even 2 teams playing for the National Championship. I don’t think the selection committee did Texas any Favors with that early round matchup. Also #12 Syracuse.. The Orange are coming off a Big East tournament win and have a high power offense.. I thought they could make a deep run but Kansas and UNC early could send them home early.

How about you Greg?

GG- I have been very impressed with Coach Derozan and UNF. This is their 2nd straight trip to the Dance but they got a tough draw with Coach Few and the Bulldogs early. Coach Few is rumored to be the front runner for alot jobs and I know he would like nothing more then to lead the Bulldogs on 1 more deep run in the Dance.

GG-Well here is a breakdown of how many teams from each conference go in..



8 team from the Big East
8 from the ACC
6 from the Big 12
5 from the Pac-5
4 from the SEC
3 Big Ten
4 from the A-10
2 from the MWC, 2 from the Summit and 2 from the WCC

*(19-12) Oakland won the auto invite well IUPUI finished (25-4) with a RPI of #35 winning the regular season.

[Deuce2223]

SELECTION SUNDAY

"R2" gathered with the team and a packed UNF Arena of 6,000 fan's as UNF awaited their fate for this year's seed. Coach Dezaron made history last season leading the Osprey to their first ever NCAA appearance and now after another 24 win season that included both the A-Sun Regular Season and Tournament Championship, UNF was headed back..

All week they had watched the projected brackets. Most experts had them as either a 11 or 12 seed thus they had seen so many potential matchups.. Some had them in a rematch with Villanova others, had them taking on Alabama ,Kentucky and Notre Dame but the one that had R2 most excited was a rematch with the Hurricanes in a 6/11 matchup.

The team watched. as the East Regional was announced as Villanova was given the #5 seed but UW-Green Bay's name was announced as the #12. Then they saw Alabama at #6 but again their name was not called as Saint Joseph's gets the #11 seed.

The West was announced next Kansas and Syracuse fill the 5/12 matchup.. Miami is named the #6., the crowd waits in anticipation but NC State's name flashes across the screen.

The South Regional is next. Kentucky is announced.as the #5. Again the crowd went silent as San Diego State's name is announced as the #12. Notre Dame's name was called as 6 seed. another team UNF was projected to play but once again North Florida's isn't called as Nevada takes the #11 seed.

They were down to the Midwest regional. R2 scoured through the projections.. Nobody had picked UNF to end up here.. He hadn't even looked at who was projected as the #5 or #6 seed. His heart wasn't ready for the answer... Gonzaga at #5 and UCLA at #6.. R2 born and raised on west coast basketball knew his team was in for a challenge. Both schools rosters were loaded with talent. The Zags winners of 27 games had veterans like PG Jeremy Pargo and Josh Heytevelt and they had talented youth like 6'11 Austin Dayne and SG Matt Bouldin..

UCLA was coming off a disappointing season where they finished 4th in the Pac-10 but still managed a 20-13 record and a Top-25 ranking with the help of a #19 RPI.. The team was led by 6'10 SO Kevin Love (25.2 PPG 6.5 RPG) but had NBA talent in Darrin Collison, Russell Westbrook and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute..

Both Coach Few and Coach Howland had over 250 career wins each. Both HC's were guy's that "R2" dreamed of one day following in their footsteps and now at 27 years old and with 46 wins on his resume. He was going to be taking on 1 of these legends.

Gonzaga flashed up on the screen.. The Zags were the #5 seed... UNF was announced next... North Florida was headed to Utah and the Joh M Huntsman Center...

If UNF could get past the Zag's.. They would either face Clemson or potentially #13 seed Davidson and Steph Curry who was on his own Cinderalla story...