NCAA: Arizona and Duke set to end the Dance

By Michelle Gerber, Allen Miller and Steve Grove

Sportsuperstarz.com Columnist

We began with 64 teams in 8 different locations from 31 different conferences with a variety of storylines about them. We have culminated it all down to one game with two teams in one location with just one storyline… two consensus favorites will battle it out for the national title.

As it looked on paper before the season, Arizona was number one and Duke stood number two. Now the two will settle that argument on a floor in Minneapolis following the Blue Devils 95-84 win over Maryland and the Wildcats 80-61 romp over Michigan State. With those two victories, the two teams everyone thought would be here at the beginning of the season made that dream a reality for Monday night at 9:20 p.m.

The Wildcats were the first to get there. Led by Richard Jefferson on the defensive end and great inside offensive play from Michael Wright and Loren Woods, the Wildcats used a dominant second half to over run favored Michigan State. They did so on the night when the Spartans probably played their worst basketball in the past three seasons. The Wildcats forced the Spartans into 9 second half turnovers, as they outscored Michigan State 48-31 in the final 20 minutes.

The Wildcats guard tandem of Jefferson and Jason Gardner played stifling defense on the Spartan duo of Jason Richardson and Charlie Bell. Bell was particularly ineffective as the super senior went a chilling 1 for 10 from the field and scored only three points. Many on press row after the game were asking if Michigan State had ever played worse under Tom Izzo. Clearly the answer had to be a solemn no.

The Blue Devils venture into the title game was much different. After a pair of treys by Maryland point guard Steve Blake put the Devils down 23-10 and then 39-17 with 6:40 to play in the first half, everyone had to be asking if this was the Duke they had seen for 37 games. Even superstar Jason Williams had struggled, scoring only 4 points by halftime on 1 for 7 from the field. However, true to form, Williams and Duke rose from the ashes.

Shane Battier ripped a three to give them their first lead at 73-72 and they never looked back. Williams returned to form in the second half, scoring 19 points as he took over the game. The Maryland front line also proved largely ineffective in the second half, being dominated by a less than one hundred percent Carlos Boozer, who tallied 19 points.

Despite hitting only 7 of 27 three’s, Duke advanced. Maryland had to be reminded of one thing following the game, you don’t blow a 22-point lead in the final four. Full recaps of both games are available in our NCAA Control Center at the bottom of the page.

So now we come to Monday night. The Blue Devils and the Wildcats for the biggest prize in the game. They have both been down this road before. However, as similar as it is for Duke this time around, it is as different for the Wildcats then the last time they were here. Both teams have traveled very different roads to be here this time, however both can look to past success on the final four floor for inspiration.

The Blue Devils are the consensus favorite as they were in 1999. They were so heavily favored that the tournament may as well not have even been played. However, something went wrong in 1999, they lost to Connecticut in the championship game. The team is very similar to that team, loaded with talent. Their question now is can they close?

Meanwhile, the Wildcats were here last in 1997, when they won the national title. However, this road has been very different. They were underdog then, as they are now, however look at all they have had to overcome on the way here. Should we be surprised they are rising to the occasion?

As for the here and now, both teams are loaded. The Cats backcourt is led Jefferson and Gardener is countered by the Devils outstanding duo of Williams and Chris Duhon. The match-up in the middle is intriguing as well, as Boozer and Woods will lock horns. The forwards also will be a showcase, led by Battier, the consensus player of the year according to everyone. The coaches also have been here before, as Lute Olson and Mike Kryzewski have both danced this dance before.

So who has the edge? That would depend on who you to talk to. The contrast speaks for itself however. The Wildcats will play their stifling defense and pound the ball into the post. Meanwhile, the Devils will bomb away and rely on full court pressure and intensity to get the job done, as they have all year. The game will be replayed about one million times in the next year as one of the greatest ever. However, both teams will have to show up for that to happen.

We began with 64 and are now down to a pair of deserving champions. However, only one will walk out of the Metrodome with that title after Monday night. The question is who will it be?

Article courtesy of Sportsuperstarz.com