UCLA vs. Memphis starters

We’re despondently counting off the days of the 2007-08 college basketball season here in the lab, but excited for the crowning of a new national champion Monday in San Antonio. This year’s Final Four is unique because it is featuring four No. 1 seeds for the first time. Heading into the tournament, it was evident that only a select handful of teams had what it took to win the national title. So in the lab we weren’t all that surprised that the No. 1s all made it this far – the ability was always there, but, as always, it takes some luck to avoid the Ides of March.
We’re going to start the week’s previews and prognostication by discussing each team’s starters, beginning with UCLA and Memphis.

UCLA – No. 1 seed from the West Regional
Starters:
G Darren Collison 6-0 Jr.
14.8 pts.;; 2.6 reb.;; 3.8 ast.
G Russell Westbrook 6-3 So.
12.5 pts.;; 3.9 reb.;; 4.3 ast.
F Josh Shipp 6-5 Jr.
12.3 pts.;; 3.2 reb.;; 2.2 ast.
F Luc Richard Mbah a Moute 6-8 Jr.
8.7 pts.;; 5.8 reb.;; 1.6 ast.
C Kevin Love 6-10 Fr.
17.6 pts.;; 10.7 reb.;; 1.9 ast.

The consensus around Westwood is that this is the best of the Bruins’ back-to-back-to-back Final Four teams. If that is true, then the reason is the All-American Love. We could easily spend the week poring over the positive aspects of Love’s game, so for brevity’s sake, let’s keep it brief: He can score in the paint, in the post and from the perimeter; he can rebound; he can block shots; he can hit clutch shots; he is the best outlet passer college basketball has seen in years; and, his facial hair is always groomed meticulously. Westbrook, UCLA’s best defender, starts a goodly number of fast breaks with his D and finishes most of them off with his superb athletic ability. Shipp is a slasher with strong mid-range to 3 shooting ability, but he can disappear from games offensively. And Mbah a Moute is contributing significantly to a Final Four run for the third time. He’s a great defender with the ability to make the little, but essential plays necessary to win. Collison is the point guard and another strong defender for a team that is giving up just 53 points per game in the tournament. He can score if need be also (21 vs. Texas A&M in the second round).

Memphis – No. 1 seed from the South Regional
Starters:
G Derrick Rose 6-3 Fr.
14.6 pts.;; 4.4 reb.;; 4.7 ast.
G Antonio Anderson 6-6 Jr.
8.4 pts.;; 3.7 reb.;; 3.5 ast.
G Chris Douglas-Roberts 6-7 Jr.
17.7 pts.;; 4.2 reb.;; 1.8 ast.
F Robert Dozier 6-9 Jr.
9.2 pts.;; 6.8 reb.;; 1.0 ast.
F Joey Dorsey 6-9 Sr.
7.1 pts.;; 9.6 reb.;; 0.5 ast.

Memphis is led by the flashy backcourt in its three-guard alignment, but the two big guys up front do all the dirty work. Dorsey is a rebounding monster and an intimidating shot blocking presence inside (see first half of the Mississippi State game in second round). Dozier is a poor-man’s Dorsey when it comes to rebounding and shot blocking but he has a much bigger repertoire on the offensive end. The unassuming Douglas-Roberts is the first-team All-American on the team, but you would never know it until he starts hitting perimeter jumpers and slashing through the lane, shooting his patented floater. Anderson can do a little bit of everything, and will occasionally break out a big scoring game. Finally, Rose has galvanized Memphis the way Love has for UCLA. Rose, who along with Douglas-Roberts is the only Tiger to average double figures in points, and he can do everything on the basketball court successfully.