// BEGIN editorial data var i = 0; var spt_NCAA_FinalFour05 = new Array(); spt_NCAA_FinalFour05.ID = "spt_NCAA_FinalFour05"; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05.ID_WB = 7317293; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05.sPubDate = "3/29/2005 6:23:48 PM GMT"; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05.navsectionID = "3038997" spt_NCAA_FinalFour05.appFmt = 2; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05.itemsPerPage = 1; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05.appWidth = 624; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05.appHeader = ""; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05.sTitle = "NCAA Final Four matchups, 2005"; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05.appNavStyle = 3; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05.nLinkCols = 4; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05.sNavLinkStyle = "width:130px;text-transform:uppercase;font-weight:bold;font-size:11px;"; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05.appLayout = 1; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05.copyHeight = 375; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05.copyMargin = 9; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05.headlineStyle = "text-transform:uppercase;color:#cc0000;font-size:14px;"; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05[i++] = new Array("","","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Art/SPORTS/Projects/050303_MarchMadness/FinalFour_Matchups/2005_FinalFour_default.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "bg", "", "", "375", "622", "", "", "", "", ""); spt_NCAA_FinalFour05[i++] = new Array("","Illinois","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/050329/050329_ap_weber_vmed_10a.vmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Allen Fredrickson", "Reuters", "254", "198", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); spt_NCAA_FinalFour05[i-1].body = "
Coach: Bruce Weber. The first coach in the 100-year history of the Big Ten to win outright conference titles in his first two years. Purdue fans bemoan their loss. They wanted Weber, a long-time assistant to Gene Keady, but Keady hung on for a couple of years -- as was his due -- and Weber ended up with Illinois.
Star: He wasn’t considered the best player on his team until now. Williams is the best pro prospect of the three-guard lineup for Illinois because of his on-ball defense and his ability to create.
Maybe after the championship game he will creep onto somebody’s All-Afterthought Team.
Did you know: The Illini share the rock. They ranked third in the nation in assists, which helps explain a 48 percent shooting mark for a team that takes a lot of jump shots.
X-Factor: Roger Powell, Jr. It is not often he gets to look opposing big men in the eye. He usually has to look up at them. Powell is a warrior and he will battle Ellis Myles inside for position and loose balls.
James Augustine also has to be ready to board because the way to beat U of L is out-rebound them on a bad shooting night.
Team will win if: The injuries and nagging pains are behind them. Luther Head will have six days to rest his bum hamstring and Augustine has a week to heal his left leg. Williams got some cramps in the win over Arizona and will need another complete game vs. Louisville, which means points, assists, defense. The Illinois guards may have to combine for 60 to beat Louisville. They will also have to fight for the long rebounds for all the threes. They can’t let Louisville miss a 3 and get it back."; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05[i++] = new Array("","North Carolina","North Carolina coach Roy Williams ","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/050329/050329_ap_williams_vmed_10a.vmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Mark Duncan", "AP", "283", "198", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); spt_NCAA_FinalFour05[i-1].body = "
Coach: Is this the year? The best coach not to win a national championship has the talent to finally get the title. He has a 5-1 record in regional championship games, but Williams has not won a title in four previous trips to the Final Four with Kansas.
Star: Sean May. The 6-foot-9 center is averaging 21 points and shooting 67 percent from the field in the tournament. He has become the rock of this team.
Did you know: Carolina is shooting 51 percent in the tournament and averaging 85 points a game, which is exactly the pace it wants. What’s important to remember here is the Heels won’t have to deal with Villanova again. Michigan State likes to run, so does Illinois and Louisville. The higher the score, the better it is for North Carolina.
X-Factor: Opponents have surely learned watching the Tar Heels during the last two games that the guy who gives Carolina its edge is May. If he gets off to a good start, it helps the rest of the team relax and not try and take over. Michigan State, if it has been paying attention, better lean on May early and see if it can keep him under control the first 10 minutes.
Team will win if: It plays loose and displays its talent. No team in the Final Four has its weapons. The Tar Heels need to remember that and play like front-runners in St. Louis: rock and fire. The other key is to make sure point guard Raymond Felton stays on the floor. If he gets in foul trouble or gets banged up, Carolina will have trouble handling the ball."; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05[i++] = new Array("","Louisville","Louisville coach Rick Pitino ","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/050329/050329_ap_pitino_vmed_10a.vmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Laura Rauch", "AP", "226", "198", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); spt_NCAA_FinalFour05[i-1].body = "
Coach: Rick Pitino. He is taking his third program to the Final Four, so he knows about the distractions of the season’s last weekend and how to get ready for the big stage in St. Louis.
Star: Francisco Garcia. The point-forward and the soul of the Cardinals.
He creates scoring opportunities by forcing turnovers, driving and dishing, or curling around screens for a quick three-pointer. Garcia is Louisville’s most complete player. He was the one who incited the Cards on the bench telling them not to make excuses with leg cramps and fatigue in the final minute against WVU.
Did you know: The Cardinals were third in Division I-A in three-pointers made per game (9.5) and third nationally in field-goal percentage defense (37.9), so they can make the shots and stop the shots.
Twenty-one of U of L’s 37 opponents shot under 40 percent this season, which makes West Virginia’s shooting in the regional final seem even more staggering.
X-Factor: Louisville has to change up defenses. Illinois penetrates and shoots too well for the Cards to stay in a zone. The Cards need to play man to man and mix in some pressure to keep the Illini out of rhythm. West Virginia beat the U of L zone, but the Mountaineers didn’t get as many good looks against the Cards’ pressure.
Team will win if: It rebounds. For all their other qualities -- three-point shooting, defense, hustle plays -- the Cards’ 13-game winning streak will be snuffed if they don’t rebound. They have out-rebounded all four NCAA Tournament opponents."; spt_NCAA_FinalFour05[i++] = new Array("","Michigan State","Michigan State coach Tom Izzo ","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/050329/050329_ap_izzo_vmed_10a.vmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Eric Gay", "AP", "268", "198", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); spt_NCAA_FinalFour05[i-1].body = "
Coach: Tom Izzo. Like Louisville, the Spartans have a coach who knows what it’s like to step into the big spotlight of the Final Four. Once upon a time, Michigan State went to three straight Final Fours (1999, ’00, ’01).
Star: Pick one. It was Shannon Brown against Kentucky. It was Paul Davis against Duke. It was Alan Anderson against Old Dominion. It was Maurice Ager against Vermont. How do you game-plan that? The Spartans have terrific talent and they seem to find the hot hand at the right time.
Did you know: The Spartans have made as many free throws (87) as opponents have attempted. They attack the rim for 40 minutes, which has helped get them to the foul line 111 times in four tournament games.
X-Factor: Get back and stop the ball against North Carolina. Both teams like to run, but the Spartans have the superior half-court defense. They have to stop Carolina’s run-game and make the Tar Heels set it up and play slow on some possessions.
Team will win if: It hits its free throws. The Spartans attack the rim relentlessly and get fouled, but they have to make free throws to stay with North Carolina in a game where the score should be in the 80s."; // END editorial data