One shining moment
Georgia Tech's Will Bynum may be the littlest guy on the court, but he has a knack for making the biggest play of the game. With the score tied at 71-71 with 1:53 to go in overtime, the not-quite six-foot reserve guard hit a huge 3 from the top of the key to put Tech up for good. The effect was eerily like Bynum's back-bending reverse layup against Nevada in the penultimate minute on Friday: it served as the death knell for the other team. Four free throws from Jarrett Jack and one from Marvin Lewis iced the game. "Will had been standing on the sideline, saying 'Give me the ball, I want to take the big shot!'" Isma'il Muhammed said afterward in the locker room. After Friday's shot, who was going to deny him?
Player who impressed me
Coach Paul Hewitt likes a different player to step up every night, and so far in this tournament, Tech is fulfilling his wishes perfectly. Bynum's role as assassin was Tech's only encore performance from Friday night. Tonight was not about Lewis (after rescuing the team with 23 points on Friday, he contributed just that one free throw and two rebounds): It was about sophomore point guard Jack, who had a career-high 29 points to go with his nine rebounds, six assists and four steals; it was about reserve forward Clarence Moore, who more than doubled his scoring average with 14 points; it was about long-armed 7-foot-1 Aussie Luke Schenscher, who played beautifully against the Kansas frontline of Wayne Simien, Jeff Graves and David Padgett, easily popping little jump hooks over their outstretched hands and mucking up KU's offensive plans in the paint. Schenscher was 5-for-5 from the field and 5-for-6 from the line and accounted for much of Simien and Graves' immeasurable frustration.
Courtside confidential
A blue-and-white sign held up by a Kansas fan read: "Hey, Roy. How's the view from the couch?" ... Jack, who has friends all over the college basketball map, was eager to dispense with the media questions in the locker room and get on his well-used cell phone to check his messages. Among other congratualations, he expected to have "about nine" messages from former Tech teammate Chris Bosh, now with the NBA's Toronto Raptors.
Championship formula
Jack sliced up Kansas' guards for a career game, but Oklahoma State's backcourt of Tony Allen and John Lucas III will pose a far more difficult challenge. The Cowboys' duo won a duel with Jameer Nelson and Delonte West in the East Rutherford regional final -- and the Hawks' backcourt was considered by many to be the best in the nation. Schenscher will have a size advantage over Oklahoma State's front line of Ivan McFarlin and Joey Graham, but what the Cowboys lack in height, they make up for it with athleticism. After defying low expectations all season, the Jackets' visit to San Antonio will be sweet, but it won't be long.
