It hasn’t been pretty for our PiRate Criteria Ratings this year. We are down to one team left in our Final Four bracket, but at least it is the team we picked to win it all. Kansas is our last hope, but if the Jayhawks can get by Virginia Commonwealth, they will be two wins away from keeping our successful record of picking the national champion before the tournament begins intact.
We are shocked that a team with a negative PiRate Criteria score is still around, and even more surprised that the team has had to win one extra game to get to this point. We are almost as shocked to see Arizona in the Elite Eight with a score of just four points, and we are semi-surprised to see Butler back in the Elite Eight with a rating of four. The Bulldogs’ 2010 PiRate Criteria score was 10 points higher than it is today, and they were actually favored to beat Syracuse in the Sweet 16 by our ratings.
PiRate Criteria Rating in (parentheses)
All Games on CBS
Saturday, March 26, 2011
4:30 PM EDT—Southeast Regional Final @ New Orleans
#2 Florida 29-7 (15) vs. #8 Butler 26-9 (4)
| Position | Florida | Butler |
| Coach | Billy Donovan | Brad Stevens |
| Center | (32) Vernon Macklin 6-10 Sr.–11.2/5.4 58.4% FG | (44) Andrew Smith 6-11 So.–8.9/5.4 62.2% FG ***Probable*** |
| Forward | (23) Alex Tyus 6-8 Sr.–8.9/6.1 | (54) Matt Howard 6-8 Sr.–16.8/7.8 44.4% 3pt |
| Forward | (25) Chandler Parsons 6-10 Sr.–11.5/7.8 3.8 ast | (33) Chase Stigall 6-4 So.–4.0/1.8 |
| Guard | (1) Kenny Boynton 6-2 So.–14.1/1.4 82.1% FT | (1) Shelvin Mack 6-3 Sr.–15.6/4.3 3.6 ast |
| Guard | (11) Erving Walker 5-8 Jr.–14.8/3.0 3.4 ast | (2) Shawn Vanzant 6-0 Sr.–8.1/3.1 42.3% 3 pt |
| 6th | (4) Patric Young 6-9 Fr. F/C–3.4/3.8 56.8% FG | (23) Khyle Marshall 6-7 Fr. F–5.8/3.7 |
| 7th | (5) Scottie Wilbekin 6-2 Fr. G–2.5/1.5 1.7 ast | (5) Ronald Nored 6-0 Jr.–5.3/3.0 2.5 ast |
PiRate Criteria Stats
| Team | Florida | Butler |
| Pts | 9.1 | 7.8 |
| FG% | 4.2 | 1.5 |
| Reb | 6.0 | 2.9 |
| TO | 0.3 | 1.7 |
| Stl | 5.9 | 6.0 |
| R+T | 6.42 | 5.35 |
| SOS | 60 | 54 |
| Road% | 79 | 67 |
| PiRate # | 15 | 4 |
Can Butler do it again? It does not appear highly probable, but then the Bulldogs have made a science out of making the improbable probable.
If the Bulldogs are to have any chance in this game, big man Andrew Smith must be able to play at close to 100%. Smith sprained his ankle in the Sweet 16 win over Wisconsin, and after he exited the game, Butler almost blew a 20-point lead. It is the emergence of Smith as a key player that has fueled Butler’s long winning streak. He has led the team in both steals and blocked shots in the winning streak.
When Smith is patrolling under the basket, Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack get more open looks. The duo will need to combine for 40+ points in this game, and they will need to connect on better than 50% of their two-point shots and better than 40% of their three-point shots for Butler to advance to the Final Four for the second consecutive year.
When Florida won the National Championship in 2007, their toughest game may have been their Sweet 16 game against Butler. That Gator team benefitted from having five starters that could score 20 points in a game. Coach Donovan’s club moves the ball quickly and the players without the ball keep their defender occupied. Not the most consistent team defensively, the Gators tend to play in spurts. At times, they are tough on opponents, and at times, opponents get a lot of open looks.
To beat Florida, the key is to penetrate the perimeter defense and take a lot of shots in the 5-10 foot range. Butler may lack the quickness to get into that inside zone, especially if Smith is not able to occupy 1 ½ defenders.
The Southeastern Conference was supposed to be down again this year, and the early NCAA Tournament exits of Tennessee, Georgia, and Vanderbilt supposedly proved this point. However, the SEC could very well place two teams in the Final Four this year.
Prediction: Florida 69 Butler 60
7:05 PM EDT—West Regional Final @ Anaheim
#3 Connecticut 29-9 (11) vs. #5 Arizona 30-7 (4)
| Position | Connecticut | Arizona |
| Coach | Jim Calhoun | Sean Miller |
| Center | (35) Charles Okwandu 7-0 Sr.–2.9/2.8 | (23) Derrick Williams 6-8 So.–19.5/8.4 60.2% FG/60.3% 3pt |
| Forward | (34) Alex Oriakhi 6-9 So.–9.7/8.7 1.6 Blk | (33) Jesse Perry 6-7 Jr.–6.4/4.4 |
| Forward | (22) Roscoe Smith 6-8 Fr.–6.5/5.2 1.2 Blk | (44) Solomon Hill 6-6 So.–8.1/4.6 78.0% FT |
| Guard | (3) Jeremy Lamb 6-5 Fr.–10.9/4.3 79.6% FT | (21) Kyle Fogg 6-3 Jr.–8.1/1.8 2.6 Ast |
| Guard | (15) Kemba Walker 6-1 Jr.–24.0/5.4 4.5 ast/1.9 stl | (12) Lamont Jones 6-0 So.–9.7/1.6 2.5 Ast/82.8% FT |
| 6th | (13) Shabazz Napier 6-0 Fr. G–7.9/2.3 3.1 Ast | (3) Kevin Parrom 6-6 So. G/F–7.8/3.4 2.0 Ast/42.2% 3pt |
| 7th | (4) Jamal Coombs-McDaniel 6-7 So. F–6.0/2.7 81.5% FT | (42) Jamelle Horne 6-7 Sr. F–6.2/3.3 40.8% 3pt |
PiRate Criteria Stats
| Team | Connecticut | Arizona |
| Pts | 7.7 | 8.7 |
| FG% | 3.5 | 2.5 |
| Reb | 4.8 | 3.6 |
| TO | 0.3 | -0.1 |
| Stl | 6.5 | 5.2 |
| R+T | 5.27 | 4.52 |
| SOS | 60 | 55 |
| Road% | 76 | 67 |
| PiRate # | 11 | 4 |
Two teams with one dominant player and a host of above-average complimentary players should make for an interesting game. Unfortunately, the teams’ key players will not face off against each other, as Walker is the play-maker for UConn, and Williams is the big man for ‘Zona.
On closer inspection, we took a look at Connecticut’s season in three parts. The Huskies looked like a Final Four team in two of those three parts. They began the season 10-0, including a blowout win over Kentucky in Hawaii. They had a lackluster 11-9 middle. Then, they caught lightning in a bottle, winning five games in five days to take the Big East Tournament title and won three games in the Big Dance to come into this game riding an eight-game winning streak. Once again, they have looked like a Final Four team.
Arizona entered this tournament with a 4-3 mark in its final seven games. The Wildcats narrowly escaped with wins over Memphis and Texas in the first week, but then they blew defending champion Duke off the floor Thursday night. They dominated the Blue Devils inside and forced Duke to beat them from over the top. Duke could not get enough good outside shots in the second half, and Arizona cruised to an easy win.
We believe that Connecticut’s backcourt is not that far from Duke’s in total talent, but the Huskies are much stronger inside where it counts. Connecticut should win the battle of the boards in this game and pound on Derrick Williams enough to throw him off his game. Arizona has overachieved getting to this point. The Wildcats will be back in 2011-12 as a top contender for the Final Four, but they will have to settle for Elite Eight this year.
Prediction: Connecticut 74 Arizona 66
Sunday, March 27, 2011
2:20 PM EDT—Southwest Regional Final @ San Antonio
#1 Kansas 35-2 (23) vs. #11 Virginia Commonwealth 27-11 (-1)
| Position | Kansas | Virginia Commonwealth |
| Coach | Bill Self | Shaka Smart |
| Center | (21) Markieff Morris 6-10 Jr.–13.6/8.2 59.6% FG/42.1% 3pt | (21) Jamie Skeen 6-9 Sr.–15.1/7.3 1.1 Blk |
| Forward | (22) Marcus Morris 6-9 Jr.–17.1/7.4 57.7% FG | (20) Bradford Burgess 6-6 Jr.–14.4/6.2 42.3% 3pt |
| Forward | (14) Tyrel Reed 6-3 Sr.–9.7/3.1 80.2% FT | (50) Ed Nixon 6-4 Sr.–7.2/2.6 1.9 Ast |
| Guard | (12) Brady Morningstar 6-4 Sr.–7.3/2.2 3.3 Ast/42.2% 3pt | (32) Brandon Rozzell 6-2 Sr.–11.8/2.3 1.4 Stl |
| Guard | (10) Tyshawn Taylor 6-3 Jr.–9.1/1.9 4.6 Ast | (12) Joey Rodriguez 5-10 Sr.–10.6/3.2 5.1 Ast/81.8% FT |
| 6th | (32) Josh Selby 6-2 Fr. G–8.2/2.3 2.2 Ast | (23) Rob Brandenburg 6-2 Fr. G–5.2/1.8 |
| 7th | (00) Thomas Robinson 6-9 So.–7.8/6.6 60.1% FG | (10) Darius Theus 6-3 So. G–3.1/1.6 2.1 Ast |
PiRate Criteria Stats
| Team | Kansas | V C U |
| Pts | 17.1 | 3.9 |
| FG% | 11.8 | 2 |
| Reb | 7.9 | 2.1 |
| TO | 0.8 | -0.6 |
| Stl | 7.8 | 8.3 |
| R+T | 9.4 | 0.9 |
| SOS | 59 | 54 |
| Road% | 95 | 66 |
| PiRate # | 23 |
-1 |
This looks like an even bigger mismatch than Kansas’s Sweet 16 game, but VCU plays a feisty brand of basketball and can pull games out at the end with their pressure and herky-jerky style of play.
We anointed Kansas as our pick for the National Champion when the brackets came out two weeks ago, and the Jayhawks are the final power team we have left in the tournament. KU possesses the same criteria as most of the past national champions. The last team not to meet our minimum criteria that eventually won the national championship was this very same Kansas team in 1988. We believe that on Sunday, the Jayhawks will restore some normalcy to this season’s Big Dance and prove to be the one Fred Astaire among a bunch of wannabes.
Kansas will not wilt under the pressure defense applied by VCU. In fact, it will lead to a bunch of easy looks and a high shooting percentage. The Jayhawks pass the ball like teams from the past, and they know how to hit open shots. With Josh Selby possibly coming out of his shooting slump, we just cannot see another team defeating them this season.
For VCU, their real challenge will begin after the season ends. Shaka Smart is certain to be in the mix in a number of vacant coaching jobs. Tennessee, Missouri, North Carolina State, Georgia Tech, and others will be interested.
Prediction: Kansas 77 VCU 62
Sunday, March 27, 2011
5:05 PM EDT—East Regional Final @ Newark
#2 North Carolina 29-7 (16) vs. #4 Kentucky 28-8 (16)
| Position | North Carolina | Kentucky |
| Coach | Roy Williams | John Calipari |
| Center | (44) Tyler Zeller 7-0 Jr.–15.6/7.2 54.0% FG | (55) Josh Harrellson 6-10 Sr.–7.5/8.8 1.6 Blk/61.2% FG |
| Forward | (31) John Henson 6-10 So.–11.9/10.1 3.3 Blk | (3) Terrence Jones 6-8 Fr.–15.9/8.7 1.9 Blk/1.6 Ast/1.1 Stl |
| Forward | (40) Harrison Barnes 6-8 Fr.–15.6/5.8 1.4 Ast | (34) DeAndre Liggins 6-6 Jr.–8.7/4.2 2.5 Ast/1.1 Stl |
| Guard | (1) Dexter Strickland 6-3 So.–7.4/3.1 2.2 Ast | (1) Darius Miller 6-7 Jr.–11.1/4.6 1.7 Ast |
| Guard | (5) Kendall Marshall 6-3 Fr.–6.2/2.1 6.2 Ast | (12) Brandon Knight 6-3 Fr.–17.2/3.8 4.2 Ast/79.9% FT |
| 6th | (2) Leslie McDonald 6-4 So. G–7.1/2.2 | (20) Doron Lamb 6-4 Fr. G–12.4/2.0 1.7 Ast |
| 7th | (25) Justin Knox 6-9 Sr. F–4.5/3.2 | (30) Eloy Vargas 6-10 Fr. F/C–1.6/2.0 |
PiRate Criteria Stats
| Team | N. Carolina | Kentucky |
| Pts | 9 | 12.2 |
| FG% | 4.7 | 6.9 |
| Reb | 6.5 | 4 |
| TO | 0.7 | 1.5 |
| Stl | 6.1 | 5.3 |
| R+T | 7.52 | 5.91 |
| SOS | 60 | 60 |
| Road% | 66 | 61 |
| PiRate # | 16 | 16 |
What we have here is the basketball equivalent of the Dodgers versus the Yankees. Two of the top programs of all time face off for the second time this season. In December, North Carolina edged the Wildcats by a deuce in Chapel Hill.
The Criteria score shows this game to be a tossup, but all five of us at the PiRate Ratings believe Kentucky is the clear-cut choice in this game. John Calipari is on the verge of getting his third different school into the Final Four. His teams always play better against an opponent once they have faced that opponent. Against Florida, they learned after the first game how to slow down the Gators. They learned how to stop them cold after the second game, and in the event they see them a fourth time, they will repeat it again. That is getting a bit too far ahead.
North Carolina lacks the quickness to stop the Kentucky penetration, and if the Blue Mist hits at least 35% of their three-pointers in this game, they will advance to the Final Four.
North Carolina has a decided depth advantage, but the Tar Heels are not as deep as they once were. With the longer time outs in this tournament, Kentucky can get by with six key players.
We see this game as one of spurts. The Tar Heels will have two or three spurts, but Kentucky will have three or four. We believe that UK will take the lead for good with five or six minutes left in the game.
Prediction: Kentucky 78 North Carolina 72
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