After both teams covered the spread as 5 point favorites in their national semi-final tilts yesterday, Villanova has been established as a 7 point favorite vs Michigan, for tomorrow night’s NCAA title game, in San Antonio, Texas.
Villanova, bidding for its second title in three seasons, won the ’16 crown beating the ’17 winner, North Carolina, as Kris Jenkins’ shot was decisive, ripped Kansas, and will be in their fourth final game.
The Wildcats pulled a huge upset vs Georgetown to win the ’85 crown and a slight one, in beating “N.C.” for the ’16 title.
Villanova is (2-1) in previous final games, having lost to the 5th straight U.C.L.A. title team, as an underdog that probably covered in defeat, back in 1971.
Michigan, now (7-1) in national semis with seven straight wins, after dispatching 11 seed Loyola of Chicago, is but (1-5) in previous title tilts. They lost twice to repeat champions, U.C.L.A. in ’65 and Duke in ’92, as well as an Indiana team in ’76, that had two straight undefeated regular seasons, winning the title only once, but that as the last undefeated team to do so.
In losses to North Carolina in ’93 (I do not like to chide any player for a costly bad play, however, after enduring Chris Weber’s horrible babble during this tournament, I note/advise checking his gaffe, in Michigan’s final loss to N.C.). In that tilt, Michigan might have been a slight underdog, while they were big “dogs” (what is a wolverine?) in the ’13 loss, to a powerful one year team, Louisville, under Rick Pitino and all the “snake oil” that entails.
In conclusion, in their previous 9 combined title tilts, neither team has been a clear favorite (though Mich might have been minus 1 plus in its 1 pt. ’89 title tilt win). Villanova (5-0) (5-0) is the favorite this time, but Michigan (5-0) (3-2?) is certainly a viable threat and I predict will at least cover, if not win outright.
The great Gail Goodrich scored 42 points as UCLA beat Michigan in the 1965 NCAA Final.
Friday, Friday–upsets day!
Again in a Friday night national semi (this time Notre Dame, last year it was Mississippi State, the team that will face Notre Dame in the woman’s final tomorrow night) the mighty Connecticut women’s basketball team has fallen.
Two weeks ago on a Friday night, Maryland Baltimore County shocked Virginia and over 38 years ago on a Friday, the United States Olympic hockey team edged the great Soviet team, in an Olympics “semi.”
None of these games had money lines, not a good outcome for someone who would have taken the huge underdogs “small,” but at big odds, in all four cases.
There are more important things, that goes without saying, but these missed, never allowed opportunities hurt, compounded by the massive hype given the upsets, in all four instances.
Yesterday on a busy sports day, Penn State won the N.I.T. (National Invitational Tournament) easily defeating Utah (82-66) in the title game.
Lamar Stevens led Penn State with 28 points and the crowd of over 11 thousand was the largest for an N.I.T. Final since 2005.
Yesterday, I evoked Utah and 1966, led by Jerry Chambers.
In the final Utah lost, scoring 66 points, to a seemingly upstart Penn State team/program, coached by Pat Chambers.
Tonight at Madison Square Garden, Penn State is a four point favorite vs Utah in the championship game of the N.I. T. (National Invitational Tournament).
Penn State eased by Mississippi State in one of last Tuesday’s semi-final games, while Utah battled back to defeat Western Kentucky.
I have fond memories of a Thursday night N.I.T. semi in 1976, that I attended with my father. Both games were close and in the final on the following Sunday, Kentucky, two years away from a title team, defeated the Cedric Maxwell led North Carolina Charlotte team.
In 1981, both Maxwell, the Final round MVP, and Rick Robey of the ’76 and title ’78 Kentucky teams, were members of the title team, Boston Celtics.
When I think of Utah basketball, Jerry Chambers,pictured above comes to mind.
Though on the third place team (they did play consolation/third place games then), Chambers was voted the most outstanding player of the 1966 NCAA national semis and final game(s).
Baseball starts tomorrow, ridiculously early on March 29th.
The wild card presence makes division races so much less important.
The division favorites are the defending World Series champion, Houston Astros, New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians.
One will not win said division, I will not predict which one.
Soon the National League perspective. Tomorrow N.I.T. and the weekend has the national semis in college basketball. It is too early for baseball!
As stated yesterday, Villanova and Michigan won Conference tournaments at Madison Square Garden, and are now each 5 point favorites, in national semi-final games, to be played this Saturday.
Tonight post-season basketball returns to Madison Square Garden as the N.I. T. (National Invitational Tournament) has its two semi-final games at the famed venue.
In the opener Western Kentucky opposes Utah. After that game concludes, Penn State faces Mississippi State.
Certainly with Loyola of Chicago making an unlikely run to the national semis, thoughts on the famed, Loyola/”Chi” 1963 title team surface.
Relating to the N.I.T. there is juxtaposition with Mississippi State as in ’63, the Babe McCarthy coached Mississippi State team defied a state order prohibiting games vs integrated teams, and faced Loyola of Chicago, such a team, in the N.C.A.A. Tournament regional semis.
Along those lines, there is juxtaposition with ’18 N.I.T. participant Utah, which lost in the national semis, to the eventual champion, Texas Western team in 1966. That Texas Western team had an all black starting five.
On “lighter” notes, (pun intended), as stated yesterday Western Kentucky faced Villanova, a 2018 NCAA Tournament “semi” team in a classic ’71 national semi, won by Villanova.
U.C.L.A. in one of two title seasons in between Lew Alcindor (later and now Kareem Abdul Jabbar) and Bill Walton, took Villanova to win the fifth of seven straight titles.
A “stretch” regarding the remaining N.I.T. “semis” team, Penn State: In 1966, the year of the aforementioned Texas Western/Utah national semi, a football coach named Joe Paterno, began a 46 season career as “Nittany Lions” head coach.
I admired Babe McCarthy as a fine coach in the A.B.A. and much more so after learning of his part in having Mississippi State take part in that tournament game vs Loyola of Chicago.
The two winners of recent conference tournaments held at Madison Square Garden, Villanova (Big East) and Michigan (Big Ten) are both 5 point favorites, in national semis/final four games to be played next Saturday, in San Antonio, Texas.
Yesterday Villanova covered Texas Tech to advance to their second national semi in 3 seasons (they won it all in 2016 and are the top choice this time around), winning by 12 points, as 6 plus point favorites.
In the second game yesterday, Kansas, a three plus point underdog, won in overtime vs Duke and now bids for a third “8” year title, having won it all in 1988 and 2008.
As stated yesterday, Michigan is about a 5 point “fave” vs Loyola of Chicago in what I correctly predicted would be the opening game next Saturday.
I also thought Kansas/Duke would go into overtime, thus building the audience for the next program. That of course, manifested with Mr. Murrow, Mr. Cronkite and even Mr. Paley, I believe “spinning” negatively, in a better place.
Nobody but me, in 1971, Villanova defeated Western Kentucky, in a classic national semi.
Now in a year Villanova which won the Madison Square Garden based Big East Tournament and far more important, is in the national semis, Western Kentucky will play Utah in one N.I.T. semi, that once highly prestigious tournament, still played at Madison Square Garden.
Tomorrow more on the N.I.T. which will have its semis tomorrow and championship game on Thursday.
Michigan, (winners in 6 straight (6-1) national semis/final four games and (6-1) all time), has been established as a 5 plus point “fave” vs 11 seed, South Regional winner, Loyola of Chicago, in what likely will be the first “semis” tilt next Saturday.
The 11th seed, Ramblers (4-0) (4-0) eased by Kansas State, to make just their second national semi ever, the other in 1963, when they won it all.
Meanwhile Kansas State was denied for a 7th straight time in a regional final after having won their first three and four of their first six. They have not made the national semis/final four since 1964.
The Wolverines of “Mich” no covered Florida State, winning by 4 points, as perhaps inexplicably, FSU did not foul down 4 points with 8 seconds left. That added to a “dog run” that is now (15-3), starting with the eight games played in round of 32 action, last Sunday.
In watching a good 1960 movie, “Midnight Lace,” on TCM, I noticed the fabulous John Williams, again playing a Scotland Yard inspector.
Mr. Williams had done so in fabulous fashion in the great Alfred Hitchcock directed, “Dial M For Murder,” six years earlier in 1954.
John Williams played “Niles French,” the brother of Sebastian Cabot’s Mr. French (Giles), on the television show, “Family Affair.”
He also was the “host” on the longest running national television commercial in history, offering musical masterpieces.
John Williams, pictured above, in a scene from “Dial M For Murder.”
Click below to view the longest running commercial in television history,”hosted” by John Williams.
TV COMMERCIAL – 120 classical masterpieces Album – John Williams 70’s 80’s
Now it appears that Michigan is the team for whom the road is paved, however, think not about that paved road, as in this tournament barriers appear.
It will be a “9 -11,” (a non emergency, for once) in the South Regional final Saturday, as 11 seed Loyola of Chicago will face 9th seed, Kansas State.
Meanwhile Michigan, now a favorite to at least reach its seventh title game (they are (1-5) in the previous six), meets ninth seed, Florida State in the West Regional Final, also on Saturday.
Rumeal Robinson, pictured and perhaps “jinxed” by the Sports Illustrated cover, (notice it was the preview issue after “Mich” had titled the season before) was sent to the foul line (tough way for the title to be decided) and to his everlasting credit, made both free tosses (ode to the great Joe Tait), giving Michigan, its only basketball title to date, with a one point win over Seton Hall in the ’89 final.
Click below to read the sad story of Mr. Robinson and perhaps gain perspective on some, perhaps all, this so called “madness.”
NCB – Rumeal Robinson‘s journey from Michigan star to …
Andy B Sports 