Alex Williams
Sports Writer
Arizona vs. Arizona State
This season, Arizona football beat ASU 20-17. Arizona basketball beat ASU 77-58. What else did those two games have in common? They were both played in Tempe, two hours up the Interstate 10, where the Arizona softball team is heading for a three-game series with ASU. If the Devils can’t handle an above-average football team and an overachieving basketball team in their home city, what are they going to do when the nation’s No. 2 softball team comes to town?
Arizona 2-0
West Virginia vs. Duke
Jon Scheyer has been at Duke for what seems like a decade, but this will be his first Final Four, even though he plays for coach Mike “”Nobody can pronounce my name”” Krzyzewski. Although 30 percent of Coach K’s seasons at Duke have resulted in a Final Four appearance, last weekend was the first time since 2004 that Duke won a tournament game against a team seeded higher than fourth in its region.
West Virginia 86, Duke 73
Butler vs. Michigan State
What do Michigan State and West Virginia have in common? Both teams have lost their starting point guards to foot injuries for the rest of the tournament. What don’t they have in common? West Virginia is going to have another basketball game after Saturday’s Final Four game, while the Fighting Izzos are going to be on a plane back to East Lansing. Butler’s Brad Stevens will have a chance to be the youngest national champion coach since Branch McCracken won the 1940 championship at age 31 for Indiana.
Butler 71, Michigan State 64
Kevin Zimmerman
Assistant sports editor
West Virginia vs. Duke
Mountaineer head coach Bob Huggins isn’t the most likeable man; he’s about as friendly-looking as a 1930s gangster with his greased-back hairdo, and his shady dealings (not with weapons or drugs but with recruiting) fit the part. Duke isn’t a very likeable team either; how much more verbal fellatio must ESPN commentator Dick Vitale give the Blue Devils? Luckily, Dickie V won’t be commentating for the CBS-owned telecast. Please, please let it be Mr. Gus Johnson. He gets buckets.
Gus Johnson 75, Duke/West Virginia 0
Butler vs. Michigan State
Everyone can ooh and ah about Butler’s Cinderella story. There’s no denying that it’s a wonderful American Dream in the making, but how about Michigan State? Head coach Tom Izzo is maybe the most impeccable postseason coach, not to mention a good human being — he even did a phone interview with ESPN to deny the Oregon coaching vacancy in the middle of his team’s Final Four run! The Spartans will be too well-coached and too athletic for the Bulldogs. Sorry, America.
Michigan State 74, Butler 62
Arizona vs. ASU
In the 2009 season, the Wildcats cleaned up against the Sun Devils better than Tiger Woods cleaned up his cell phone inbox. But a new year brings new challenges. Each team has an improved pitching staff and the two squads have the top-scoring offenses in the land. ASU ace Hillary Bach has improved drastically, but is it fair to say Arizona’s Kenzie Fowler will perform up to her normal, 0.71 ERA standards? After all, she’s still a freshman.
Tie 1-1
Bryan Roy
Sports writer
West Virginia vs. Duke
If your eyes haven’t witnessed the mashup of Gus Johnson’s basketball commentary and a video of a dog humping a stuffed animal, do that before reading the rest of the newspaper. Or any other newspaper. It’s a life-changing two minutes of brilliant YouTube film — the only remaining tribute to the broadcasting legend after an evil CBS Corp brass took down Johnson’s soundboard. Unlike my fellow columnist, I’ll actually choose a team to win and take West Virginia.
West Virginia 60, Duke 53
Butler vs. Michigan State
Think about a universe that makes college basketball players attend class on Fridays. You’re living in one right now. Since the Butler Bulldogs face Michigan State just 6 miles from their home campus, unfortunate students without three-day weekends are officially encouraged to attend classes. A suggestion: Eat enough White Castle burgers to call out sick. That’s about 11, the number of views it takes to fully appreciate the Gus Johnson video mash-up to a dog humping a stuffed animal.
Butler 60, Michigan State 53
Arizona vs. ASU
Not sure why they’re playing softball games during the Ander Monson book release party at Club Congress. This weekend’s Duel in the Desert can’t even hold the jock strap of the Duel in Miami and the debut filming of Jersey Shore II. Tension between The Situation and Snookie looks wire tight, like a Kenzie Fowler 98 mph softball.
ASU 2-0, The Situation 2-0
