April 1, 2008

By Sean Farnham

Special to CSTV.com

SEAN FARNHAM
Sean Farnham is a game and studio analyst for CSTV men's basketball coverage.
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        ---   Column Archive   ---   MEN'S BASKETBALL 4/1: Experience Could Pay Dividends For UCLA, Kansas 3/24: Early Season Tests Prepared Davidson 3/18: Location Crucial For Top Seeds Getting To Final Four 2/27: ACC Title Could Be Settled On Tobacco Road 2/19: Hoosiers Pulling It Together 2/12: UNC Much Different Without Lawson 1/29: Pac-10 Still Gaining Respect 1/22: Dayton Holds Edge Over Xavier 1/19: Maryland, USC Take Center Stage Saturday 12/31: SEC’s Still In Tennessee’s Hands 12/24: ‘Canes Still Have A Lot To Prove 12/17: Olson’s Still The Dean 12/7: Tigers Can Play Defense, Too 11/16: It's Been His Daye To Shine 11/12: UCLA Could Be Cutting Down The Nets  

Over the course of the 2007-08 season, CSTV.com will be talking with CSTV analyst Sean Farnham each week to get his thoughts and opinions on all the action and happenings in college basketball. Got a question you'd like to ask him? Here's your chance.

1. What do you see being the difference between Memphis and UCLA and who do you ultimately see winning the game? Will the Bruins be able to slow down Memphis' size on the perimeter?

The Memphis vs. UCLA semifinal should be a classic battle of conflicting styles. Memphis obviously wants to push it and go. UCLA is as good as anyone at getting back and taking away the strengths of a team. I talked with Memphis coach John Calipari on Monday and he recalled their meeting in the Elite Eight when Ben Howlands' Bruins held the Tigers offense to just 45 points. He told me that game was painful to coach in because of the pace in which the game was moving. With that said, this Memphis team is not the 2006 version, and Derrick Rose has added a new dimension to the Tigers' offense and has been playing some of his best basketball in the NCAA Tournament. Likewise, though, I would point out that UCLA has added a new dimension to their game, a post presence in Kevin Love. Love will be the key early in this contest. If Kevin can get touches early and get Joey Dorsey in foul trouble, the Tigers could be in trouble. While the Tigers' pressure defense will try to turnover the Bruins and create easy looks, at the end of the day, this one will be a two-possession game, and because of experience on this stage, I will go with the Bruins, 67-63. 

Prediction: UCLA

2. With the way North Carolina has been playing in the NCAA Tournament, can Kansas knock off the Tar Heels on Saturday? What matchups are looking at that will be critical for either team's success?

Talking with Louisville coach Rick Pitino this week, he said the key in this game is experience with upperclassmen. When Kansas coach Bill Self joined me on my radio program back in January, he talked about the importance of having juniors and seniors on his roster and how that differed from past teams he has coached at KU. There is no question that the key to the Tar Heels will be -- are you ready? -- Tyler Hansbrough. He can control the game in so many ways that, if he gets going, everything opens up for his teammates. You look at both these teams and you see similarities: They both like to run and yet both can execute in the half-court set. So to me, this game will come down to depth, and in that scenario, I will pick the Jayhawks in another close contest.