MATTA A MATA
If form holds here--and there's still plenty of time left, 11:29--and UCLA wins, then next week's Final Four will feature both Ohio State coach Thad Matta and UCLA center Lorenzo Mata. Though their teams would not play until the final.
Mata, a 6'9" headband banger, has come up huge defensively all night. He may not have many actual blocks, but he has altered KU shots and simply distracted the Jayhawks to the point of instigating so many of their misses down low. He's my MVP thus far even though he did not attempt a shot in the first half.
Then again, Arron Afflalo and his 16 points might disagree with me. Okay, Afflalo just buried a stone-cold 25-footer with :01 on the shot clock to shut me up. He's the MVP to this point. Chalmers replied with a three. 49-43, UCLA.
Afflalo, another bucket. That's 21 points.
Seven minutes to play and KU trails 53-45. Afflalo has 23 points, Brandon Rush 16.
Mata has four fouls. This is the Jayhawks' time to attack down low and take advantage of Julian Wright and Darrell Arthur down low an even Brandon Rush's driving ability. They haven't yet. Sasha Kaun's been riding the pine most of this half.
KU has simply turned the rock over too much in the past six minutes or so.
53-47 UCLA at 5:55.
Russell Robinson just hit a big three. Then Darren Collison respoinded with a bigger three as the shot-clock buzzer sounded. Collison dribbled up, took a step back, and launched a 25-footer just in time. Huge!
58-50 UCLA at 4:00
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