Kansas is going down tonight

OK, so I may have been wrong about Kansas "choking" (rumor was, they used my last smackdown as locker room motivation). But this is Memphis's game to lose. They have that rare combination of being the team that is bigger, faster and more athletic (therefore, usually the favorite), PLUS the motivation of perceiving themselves as underdogs with a chip on their shoulder. They are out to prove that they are legit, and they're going to show it tonight.

Rebuttal
My argument is not that Memphis is the underdog. I see the lines, read the papers, listen to radio, watch TV, and agree that everyone likes Memphis. You think I live in a vacuum? My point is that they *perceive* themselves to be underdogs. They have felt all year (probably all their NCAA careers). And that is a powerful motivator.

Second, the size disadvantage I was talking about is at guard. Rose and Douglas-Roberts are going to drive against you all night. Fine, your big men can hack 'em, but as they showed against UCLA, those guys have been money from the line lately. I don't see what KU's answer is to them.

Clearly the fact that you're on their bandwagon does not bode well for them (witness your Wisconsin diatribe). While I'm not going to vehemently argue the other side of your statement--I think this matchup is a toss up at best (and the current line on the game is Memphis by 1.5)--I think that KU has just as good a chance to win tonight as Memphis does.

I will, however, take issue with your claims that 1) the Tigers are "bigger, faster, and more athletic" and 2) they are "underdogs."

First, KU's front line is bigger, period. Memphis has one guy (Taggart) over 6-9, and he doesn't even start. Kansas generally starts Darrell Arthur and Darnell Jackson (Both 6-9) and rotate at will to Sasha Kaun and Cole Alrdich (both 6-11).

As for speed, you can ask Carolina, but KU has is. There's no discernable advantage for either team here.

You might possibly make a credible argument that Memphis has a little more athleticism, but I will argue that KU more than makes up for any shortfall here with both depth and experience.

Finally, Memphis lost only one game this season, has won more games this season than any team in the history of NCAA hoops, was ranked either #1, #2 or #3 the entire season, is favored in Vegas, and has been picked by about every prognosticator on the planet to win tonight. Hardly "underdog" material.

Memphis has already proven that it is legit. Now they have to prove that they have the stuff to be National Champs. If Kansas plays like they did in the first half of the semifinal game against UNC, Memphis might not get that chance . . .