Well, the NCAA Tournament is here. It’s the most wonderful time of the year and I for one can’t wait for the action to get started in Louisville. That’s where I’ll be for Westwood One – and that’s also where the team from Westwood (UCLA) will be! But more on the much-discussed Bruins in a minute. Let’s start with the champions from their conference…
Arizona’s Wildcats
You really have to admire the way Brandon Ashley played this year coming back from injury, and now he gets the Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player after a great weekend when Arizona cruised to the title. He averaged 19.7 points and 6.3 rebounds in three games as UA won its first conference tournament title since 2002 and its fifth in school history. He went 6-of-8 from the field and knocked down 8-of-10 free throws in the title game after scoring a career-high 24 against UCLA in the semifinals. There is a part of me that thinks Arizona might have won the NCAA title last year if he was healthy. He is healthy this year, so look out for Arizona.
Cruisin’ for a Bruin
There are a lot of questions about UCLA, with its 2-8 road record, getting a place in the NCAA Tournament. I will respect the committee’s decision, even if I don’t agree with it, but one thing I don’t understand is why Dayton was so low and as a result plays Boise in its hometown tomorrow night. Half this argument could have been avoided if UCLA was in Dayton. This one will never be clear to me.
Irish eyes are smiling
How about the play of Jerian Grant of Notre Dame? He scored 24 in the championship game win over North Carolina, and basketball purists love the fact he was 28-of-31 from the free throw line in the tournament. Lost in the UNC and Duke wins was his effort against a Miami team that was desperate for a win. Grant had 13 points, six assists and six boards in that game. The senior is one smart player as he picked up his third foul at the 4:47 mark of the first half, but scored all 13 points and added five assists in the second half. He is the one of the best double threats (points and assists) in the nation. The only thing I don’t like about Notre Dame’s chances of getting to the Final Four is they are in the same bracket as Kentucky.
Pursuit of perfection
I am sticking with my prediction of Kentucky going 40-0. I just really love everything that Coach Cal is doing.
– Bill Frieder
Former Michigan and Arizona State head coach Bill Frieder is an analyst for Westwood One’s coverage of NCAA Basketball. In his weekly blog Boxed Out, Bill scours the box scores to bring you interesting stories from the world of college basketball.
