Monday's Final Four Notes

In many respects, this has been an amazing tournament, not least of all because at least two teams, arguably five, lost close games and could have been national champs.

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Wichita State, Arizona, Virginia, Michigan and Michigan State were all capable, although Virginia and the Big Ten schools were probably a step or two back. But not much. It could have come down to a lucky break for any of them. But it didn't.

The Final Four is absolutely a worthy group. Kentucky has erased any doubts about their team, Wisconsin, as it turns out, has a great self-made player (and there haven't been many at Wisconsin) in Frank Kaminski, while Florida has won 30 straight games.

And then there's UConn.

No one doubted UConn's guards - at least we hope not - but after sitting out last year, and with Jim Calhoun retired, this year's team was seen as an unknown.

No longer. UConn did a number on Michigan State, a team many picked to win it all with its roster finally healthy.

One has to wonder if Kevin Ollie should send a thank-you note to his counterpart at Virginia, Tony Bennett, because the Cavaliers might have contributed to the win by tiring Michigan State on Friday. Certainly the Spartans appeared to have tired legs in the second half and played with a surprising lack of composure and UConn just took the game to them late.

UConn and Arizona have each done something remarkable: both schools have replaced legendary coaches who put their respective programs on the map. UConn was nothing before Calhoun; before Lute Olson, the joke at Arizona was that the best place on campus to study was McKale Center during a basketball game.

Nobody cared.

That the schools have each managed to maintain a high level of competitiveness - and UConn while being forced into a rump conference from the old Big East - is truly astounding. Look at UCLA and UNC, look at Indiana. Those schools lost so much when John Wooden, Dean Smith and Bob Knight departed.

UConn was also the last team to defeat Florida, way back on December 2nd, by just one point, but that involved a lot of luck: a four-point play with 33 seconds left and a rebound tipped out - or he may simply have not been able to get his hands on it -  by DeAndre McDaniels, who had his back to Shabazz Napier, but who put it right in the guard's hands for a last-second shot to win the game. Here, see what you think.

And the game was at UConn.

We're not saying UConn can't win again, but look how much the first one depended on luck. It won't be easy.

No matter who wins, the size will be on the other side of the bracket.

When Wisconsin came to Duke a few years ago, the Badgers weren't athletic, but the players were astonishingly big. It was one of the biggest college teams we've ever seen.

With or without Wille Cauley-Stein, who was injured on Friday and didn't play Sunday, Kentucky has more talent. But Kaminski makes it a lot harder to plant defenders (and rebounders) in the paint, because he can shoot from anywhere. And if he draws big men out, then the back door is open.

Whatever it is, the tournament has been so good this year, so exceptionally competitive, that we don't want it to end. But it will of course.

Counting the NIT, the season is down to six games.

Saturday's Final Four matchups promise to be fascinating; the competitive nature of the four teams suggest that both games will be compelling.

And as usual, competition has eliminated everyone, great and small, except for the four most deserving.