I'll be straight with everyone. I didn't expect to see a Kansas/Memphis championship game. Memphis being there doesn't really surprise me, since I think they're the most athletic team in the country. They double-teamed Love all night, and the only player from UCLA who managed to do much of anything was Westbrook - who did have a great game. But when you only have one guy on your team have a great game, and your All-American big man is getting quadruple teamed, you're not going to win many games.
As for Kansas, yes I'm surprised they won. Until yesterday, UNC had been the most dominant team team in the Tourney. But then Kansas turned it on, twice, during the game. First to take a commanding lead, second to prevent the largest collapse in Final Four history. I particularly liked how Bill Self decided it was better to let UNC go on 453-2 run to get back in the game before calling a timeout.
This now sets up a pretty entertaining championship game, since we have two extremely athletic teams who play similar styles of basketball.
Personally, I'm going with Memphis. They've been hitting their free throws of late, and no one can seem to stop Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts. The other reason I'm picking Memphis is because Bill Self patrols the Kansas sideline. He's the worst coach I've ever seen at a major program.
My favorite Self moment comes from last weekend, when Kansas was up 2 on Davidson with little time remaining and needed to hit a shot to ice the game. John Thompson, as a radio color guy, said that Self should go into one of the Kansas big men during the timeout, since Kansas had been having a lot of success inside against the smaller Davidson squad. And what does Self come out with after the timeout? Essentially 5 guards. Thompson is dumbfounded, Kansas misses the shot, allowing Davidson one more look that could have won them the game.
Self will find some way to lose Kansas the championship, and Memphis will be your national champion. At least until they get hit by recruiting violations for getting Derrick Rose to go there.