Graduation Farewell

Wow. I graduated.

Don’t believe me? Here’s my freakin’ diploma.

It is decided.

I’ve thought a lot about the last four years recently, which I hear is normal for someone graduating college. I also thought about where I should write this post.

In a dorm room? Meh.

In a bar? Cliché.

In front of the student union? I was never there that often anyway.

So I’ve settled on the morning of graduation in my room, drinking a Boulevard, ESPN in the background. And yes I just rolled out of bed.

Well, I suppose it’s time to start getting emotional. Here we go.

I never thought I’d miss college. In fact, I didn’t even want college to start when I first moved into Abel Hall during drumline auditions for the Cornhusker marching band. I knew no one, had no TV and couldn’t figure out the Internet. Needless to say, I spent the vast majority of those first couple days staring at my ceiling or crying.

But I pushed through it, even though I called my parents a bunch of times telling them I didn’t want to. It was different and who in their right mind likes change right away?

But I’m better for it now.

Everything about college changed me.

Marching band helped me appreciate all kinds of music.

Dorm life introduced me to a variety of personalities.

Living in a house taught me responsibility and how to handle freedom.

My fraternity showed me how to act professionally and have fun.

The journalism school gave me the tools to pursue my dream.

Sure, I made mistakes in college. Who doesn’t?

I’ve misspelled a name in a story at the Daily Nebraskan. I’ve cussed on air during Star City News. I’ve drunk too much booze. I’ve broken a few hearts. I’ve had my heart broken. I’ve made a friend mad. I’ve been mad at a friend.

In the end, it’s all a growing experience, as cliché as that sounds. It’s all about learning from those mistakes and becoming better from them. That’s college.

Sure, there are tests and papers and presentations and grades. Of course, those are all important. But I’m not going to remember the B I got in World Religions when I start my job with Channel 8 on Monday.

I’m going to remember late night talks about religion with Jack Thelen freshman year. Or hashing out my girl problems while smoking a cigarette with Tim Kluck. Or bullshitting about the athletic department with Robby Korth. Or hungover Saturday mornings with my class of Phi Kappa Theta brothers.

College goes by fast people, so remember to enjoy it.

Take a study break. Go to church. Say a prayer. Have a beer. Take a shot. Hang out with friends. Step outside your comfort zone.

You’re going to end up missing those nights with your friends; so don’t waste a second with them.

They’ll probably end up teaching you more than that test anyway.

Wednesday: Early Top 5 NBA draft prospects

Guess what day it is!

That’s right it’s hump day! And time for this week’s edition of my Top 5.

Now that the dust has cleared with who will enter the NBA draft, this year seems to be the most talented since 2003 when LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwayne Wade were all taken within the first five picks.

So even though this is still kind of early, this week’s topic: Top 5 2014 NBA draft prospects.

1.     Joel Embiid, Center, Kansas: I’ve talked about this guy before. Big, agile, smart. He’s got a lot of Dikembe Mutumbo in him with a ton of upside on the offensive end. He can already make free throws and knock down a 15-footer. Pro teams have been drooling to get their hands on him ever since they saw him play at Kansas. I think he’s the No. 1 pick right now and will be when the draft happens in June.

2.     Jabari Parker, Forward, Duke: He’s just too polished not to pick him second. He’s probably got the best chance of anyone in this class to contribute on a team right away. The best comparison I can give is Carmelo Anthony. Both have similar games and similar size comparisons. Parker has that kind of potential, and a much better attitude to go with it. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get picked one or two in this draft.

3.     Andrew Wiggins, Forward, Kansas: Wiggins’ status dropped significantly after a no show in the NCAA tournament. He looked distant, like he didn’t care about his team’s results. We all knew that he was going to leave after one year in school, but that kind of competitive fire made some scouts think twice. However, Wiggins has the biggest upside in this draft with his athletic ability. If he can develop a jumper, he might become the next NBA superstar.

4.     Julius Randle, Forward, Kentucky: If anyone helped their draft stock during the NCAA tournament it was Randle. The kid was an absolute beast. He was a double double machine, taking over games down the stretch. No one could guard him when he got on a roll. Of course, he won’t be able to push his way past defenders in the NBA, but he has a fantastic motor. He needs some more fine-tuning, but look for Randle to have a big impact right from the start.

5.     Dante Exum, Guard, Australia: Here’s someone that America hasn’t seen a whole lot of, but NBA scouts love him. Exum is a massive point guard at 6-foot-6 and has the ability to get to the rim. He’s kind of a wildcard though because he’s from Australia, but his upside is massive. I’d take him over Marcus Smart right now because he can shoot the ball better and seems to have a better attitude than Smart, who struggled with technicals toward the end of his collegiate career.

Top Videos:

-One NBA referee gets in the way of a Kevin Durant free throw during overtime.

-Adam Silver’s press conference and decision to ban Donald Sterling for life.

-Tom Izzo congratulates Nebraska basketball on a terrific season. 

Thanks for reading!

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Monday: Clippers' owner takes away from fantastic start to NBA playoffs

Happy Monday!

We had another fantastic weekend in sports, especially in the NBA playoffs.

But, unfortunately, all of it was overshadowed by something I’d never thought I’d hear in the NBA.

If you haven’t heard yet, Las Angeles Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling was caught making racist comments in a tape released by TMZ. I’ll let someone who actually reported on this give you the details, but it has caused a massive uproar in the basketball world.

Players are furious. Coaches are furious. Fans are furious.

Take a look at social media after the news broke:

And after a couple of days to think about, heck, I’m furious too.

How can an NBA owner say such things? How can he still be involved in the league?

The thing I’m the most upset about though is how Sterling has tainted arguably the best start to the NBA playoffs in the history of the association. Just take a look at how the games were broadcasted yesterday, a day after the news broke.

ABC’s pregame show was spent talking about it, instead of the four phenomenal games that were about to tipoff that day. During a fantastic run by the Golden State Warriors later that afternoon, Lisa Salters was interviewing a representative from the player’s union while Steph Curry was hitting threes in the background.

That’s just it. Everything is now in the background except for Sterling.

And you know what, I bet he’s got a smug little grin on his face somewhere because he has all the attention now. Attention that should be directed toward the players and coaches. 

The players have a right to be angry. The Clippers have a right to wear their warm-ups inside out in protest. Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have a right to state their opinion on this, because they are the faces of this league and young kids look up to them. And those kids need to know when to make a stand.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has the right to kick Sterling out of his job or at the very least suspend him for a year or more. He has no business being a part of the association anymore than Brittany Spears has coaching a football team.

I hope Silver makes the decision quickly too. I hope he realizes the importance of getting back to these playoffs. Because they have been awesome and deserve our attention.

Hot Reads:
-Magic Johnson is very interested in taking over as the Clippers' owner, according to Yahoo Sports.
-More reaction to Sterling's comments.
-Back to some local news, the Omaha World-Herald's Sam McKewon wrote a fantastic story about a dual sport athlete committed to Nebraska. 

Thanks for reading and have a great start to the week!

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Friday: Time to repredict the NBA playoffs

Happy Friday everyone!

Wow, a lot changes in a week. I was so sure of my NBA playoff picks last week, but now not so much. I had the Bulls winning in five games, the Pacers winning in four and the Spurs sweeping the Mavs.

Well, those series went the complete opposite way I thought. So it’s time to repredict the first round and see how well I do this time.

The Marquee Matchup

No. 6 Golden State vs. No. 3 L.A. Clippers, West: This one hasn’t disappointed one bit so far. Except for game two, this series has been as back and forth as they come. The Clippers have the upper hand right now, winning game three last night in Oakland, but don’t be surprised if the Warriors come back with a dominating performance in game four. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson were both brilliant last night, but so were Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. I have my money on the Clippers, but I think their going to have to go seven games in this one.

Second Tier

No. 7 Memphis vs. No. 2 Oklahoma City, West: I’m the most surprised by this series. I thought the Thunder would stroll into the next round. Memphis wasn’t that great during the regular season, but is now proving it’s built for the post season. The Grizzlies lead two games to one, and the Thunder seem lost out there. Kevin Durant is even starting to struggle from the field. The Oklahoma City big men are just getting eaten alive by Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, while no one seems able to guard Mike Conley Jr. This one will go seven games and I still like the Thunder, but buckle in for one heck of a series.

Might Get Interesting

No. 8 Atlanta vs. No. 1 Indiana, East: What the heck is going on with the Pacers? They just seem like all the chemistry they had from last year’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals is gone. This team is no longer the greatest challenger to the Miami Heat. That’s what happens when you go down two games to one against lowly Atlanta. But the Hawks are just outplaying Indiana right now. Center Roy Hibbert can’t hit the broad side of a barn and Paul George is trying to play hero ball. I’m going to stick with the Pacers in this one, but it’s going to take seven games.

Other Picks

West:

No. 1 San Antonio over No. 8 Dallas in six games

No. 5 Portland over No. 4 Houston in four games

East:

No. 2 Miami over Charlotte in four games

No. 5 Washinteron over Chicago in five games

No. 6 Brooklyn over No. 3 Toronto in six games.

Things I Missed

-Rick Reilly is calling it quits as a writing columnist. Here's his farewell. 

-Michigan forward Mitch McGary tested positive for marijuana and is now headed to the NBA. 

-The Northwestern football decides today whether it will unionize. 

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Monday: NBA playoffs start with a bang

Happy Monday everyone! A couple things I want to talk about today.

-First, how about the start to the NBA Playoffs?

I mean seriously? I literally can’t even.

It just seemed that everywhere you looked there was a good game. Clippers-Warriors. Bulls-Wizards. Trailblazers-Rockets. That game was insanely good.
Trailblazers-Rockets. Especially

On top of all that, the road team won five of the eight games played. And one of those teams was 8-seeded Atlanta. Yes, you heard that right.

The East’s top seed Indiana can’t seem to figure it out. The Pacers didn’t just lose Saturday night, they got handled by the Hawks.

This starts to raise some questions. If the Hawks can somehow pull off this upset and knock off Indiana in the opening round, who challenges the Heat’s route to the Finals? Does Frank Vogel keep his job as the Pacers’ head coach? Will the teams stay together or will it lose a bunch of key contributors to free agency or trade?

Indiana looked like a team destined for greatness for many years earlier this season. Now, it’s in a dog fight against a team couldn’t finish with a record of .500 or better. I’m not saying Indiana is done; far from it. But this is the kind of drama the NBA Playoffs has brought in just the first couple days. I can’t to see what else it’s got.

-Second, today is the first Boston Marathon since last year’s horrific bombings. And we have been flooded with heart-wrenching stories all week leading up to this event.

What I find absolutely fascinating is the fact that there will be 9,000 more participants this year than last year. So after an absolute tragedy, where hundreds of people were injured, even more people will be in attendance.

I get goose bumps just thinking about it.

It’s truly amazing watching Americans respond to tragedy, and athletics is a way for them to do that. There’s always going to be a second chance in sports. And there are so many stories we don’t hear about too.

Here are some tweets from the anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings. Enjoy!

Hot Reads:

-Interesting and goofy analysis of Grantland’s for the People’s Dream Team.
-E:60 breaks down last year's Boston Marathon.
-Another story about the Marathon. 

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward 

Friday: NBA first round playoff predictions

Happy Friday! I’m back after having some computer problems on Wednesday.

The NBA playoffs kick off tomorrow with some intriguing matchups across the board. Let’s break down some of them with my predictions for the first round.

Marquee Matchup

No. 4 Houston vs. No. 5 Portland, West: It’s amazing how much better the West is than the East. Both of these teams would be the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Instead, they are playing against each other in the opening round. I love both of these squads. Houston has one of the game’s best scorers in James Harden and one of the league’s rising stars in Chandler Parsons. Portland counters that with a couple young stars in Damian Lillard and Nicolas Batum. However, this series will come down to the frontcourt. If LaMarcus Aldridge outplays Dwight Howard, Portland wins this handily. But it’s going to be a lengthy series. Blazers win this one in seven games.

Second Tier

No. 3 Las Angeles Clippers vs. No. 6 Golden State, West: This one has excitement written all over it. Both the Clippers and Warriors love offense, and they have some phenomenal players. Chris Paul leads L.A., but Blake Griffin has had an All-NBA type season, proving he is more than a human-highlight reel. And of course, you can’t talk about Golden State without Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. This is a tough matchup for that duo and the rest of the Warriors. Andrew Bogut is once again out with an injury, making Golden State very slim in the frontcourt. Curry and Thompson will keep this series close, but L.A. comes out on top in the end. Clippers win in seven games.

Might Get Interesting

No. 3 Toronto vs. No. 6 Brooklyn, East: Brooklyn surprised many when it dropped four of its last five games and lost the five-spot in the East. Now, what used to be the  hottest teams in the league has a difficult matchup with a young and talented Toronto squad. The Nets have tons of playoff experience though, so I like them as the favorites. But, this one gets interesting because the Raptors have so much potential. DeMar DeRozan is a primetime player, and probably the best kept secret in Canada. I like Brooklyn in six, but this will be a better series than most predict.

Other Picks:

West

-No. 1 San Antonio over No. 8 Dallas in 4 games.

-No. 2 Oklahoma City over No. 7 Memphis in 5 games.

East

-No. 1 Indiana over No. 8 Atlanta in 4 games.

-No. 2 Miami over No. 7 Charlotte in 4 games.

-No. 4 Chicago over No. 5 Washington in 6 games.

Things I missed

-Fascinating story about Yasiel Puig’s flight from Cuba.

-In case you missed it, here is Tom Rinaldi’s video story on the anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings.

-Rick Reilly is at it again, talking about getting high at Rockies' games. 

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Monday: Let's talk a little NBA playoffs

Happy Monday!

It was another great weekend in sports with the conclusion of The Masters Sunday.

It’s amazing how completely average looking men can capture a nation the way Bubba Watson and Jordan Spieth did this weekend.

However, I’m going to talk about the NBA playoffs today.

Why? Because I’m pumped for them.

It’s starting to come down to the wire for most teams, and the quality of games is vastly improving.

Indiana made things interesting in the East with a win against Oklahoma City Sunday. The only spot in question in the Eastern playoffs right now is the top spot, which the Pacers lead by a half of game over the Heat with two to play. Indiana's magic number is one now. 

The West is a different story. Seven teams have already clinched a berth, but Memphis and Phoenix are still fighting for the right to play the Spurs in the opening round, making things very interesting. 

If the end of the regular season is any indication, these playoffs are going to be incredible. I mean, look at the Warriors-Trailblazers game last night. This game had absolutely no importance to the playoff picture at all, yet both teams played like it was the Western Conference Finals.

Speaking of he West, it's is going to be a free-for-all. I like Oklahoma City to come out of it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if anyone seeded 1-6 could end up making a run. That’s how good this conference is this year. Anybody can win it. 

The East, well, that always comes down to Miami and Indiana, right?

Both teams seem to bring drama whenever they play each other, and I can’t wait for another epic, seven-game series in this year’s playoffs.

That’s not the only thing I’m excited about though.

I’m really intrigued to see how the newer teams play. 

Teams like Washington, Charlotte and Toronto. Teams that aren’t in the playoffs that often. They aren’t going to beat Miami or Indiana, but there is some entertaining young talent here—aka John Wall and Kemba Walker—that makes them fun to watch.

And, finally, I’m absolutely stoked for an NBA Finals showdown between LeBron James and Kevin Durant. I just want James to make a shot on one end, only to have Durant make an even better shot on the other. For the entire game.

There’s still a long way to go before this can happen, but it’ll be great when it does, won’t it?

Hot Reads

-Bubba Watson takes home the Green Jacket as only Rick Reilly can tell.

-Peter King talks NFL draft in this week's edition of Monday Morning Quarterback. 

-A story about a small liberal arts college's basketball team putting together a streak for the ages. 

Thanks for reading and enjoy the start to your week.

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Friday: Who's going to win the Masters?

Happy Friday everyone!

It’s that time of the year. Time for, “A Tradition Unlike Any Other.” The Masters have already started, and it’s a wide open field this year without Tiger Woods.

Who are the early favorites?

Well, let’s get to three players I think have a legitimate chance at the Green Jacket.

The Favorite

Adam Scott: Last year’s winner has gotten off to a hot start, finishing the first day a shot behind the leader Bill Haas. Scott is always the most consistent golfer in the field. It doesn’t matter what part of his game, he’s good at all of it. Putting especially. Which is why you can expect him to be in that final group on Sunday.

Just Behind

Rory McIlroy: McIlroy has struggled so far this season. He just can’t seem to find his rhythm. One day, he’ll shoot 5-under-par. The next, he’ll go 5-over. That’s not exactly going to win a lot of championships. But after the first round, he’s 1-under and near the top of the field. That’s a lot more solid than the majority of the players in the field. Look for McIlroy to make a run in the second round today, and at that Green Jacket.

My Pick

Louis Oosthuizen: The South African has been in position to wBubba Watson’s insane shot out of the trees? Yeah, Oosthuizen was the player he was in that playoff with. Oosthuizen seems to be the guy here to me. He’s already off to a solid start, trailing the leader by a stroke after day one. I think he’ll win this one in a playoff over Adam Scott.

in before. Remember

Things I missed

-Here's where you can keep track of the Masters. 

-Fascinating story about how to buy college football players. 

-Interesting column by Rick Reilly about Tiger dropping out of the Masters' field.  

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Wednesday: My way-too-early Top 5 in college basketball

Happy Wednesday! It’s time for this week’s Top 5.

College basketball is done, but before you get all depressed, here’s a look at what next season’s going to be like.

This week’s topic: My way-too-early Top 5.

1.     Duke: The Blue Devils are always going to be in this conversation, but they look poised to win the national title next season. Stars Rodney Hood and Jabari Parker are likely heading to the NBA draft, though Parker seems to be taking a lot longer to decide this. Duke will return veteran guards Quinn Cook and Rasheed Sulaimon along with big man Amile Jefferson. The biggest difference though will be incoming freshman Jahil Okafor, the top-rated high school center in the country. Okafor will be the next freshman star, so expect him to do big things next season.

2.     Wisconsin: It’s not too often the Badgers are in the discussion for the top 5 this early, but they return almost everybody from a Final Four team. Ben Brust—the school’s all-time leading 3-point shooter—is gone to graduation. But if big men Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker decide to avoid the NBA draft for a season, watch out. With Nigel Hayes, Traevon Jackson and Bronson Koenig, the Badgers won’t just be favorites to win the Big Ten. They might just win it all.

3.     Arizona: Like Duke, the Wildcats are kind of waiting on players to decide whether they will declare for the NBA. And Arizona has a lot of those caliber of players. Nick Johnson—the Pac 12 Player of the Year—and Aaron Gordon will likely be lottery picks in the draft, but both have yet to make a decision. Even if both of them declare, Arizona would still be a threat to win it all in 2015. The frontcourt will be fantastic, led by Brandon Ashley and Kaleb Tarczewski. T.J. McConnell gives this team some leadership while coach Sean Miller brings in another solid recruiting class.

4.     Kansas: The Jayhawks always find ways to reload. Andrew Wiggins has already declared for the draft, while center Joel Embiid will likely do so today at 1 p.m. But Wayne Seldon and Perry Ellis return to a squad that lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Pair them alongside incoming freshmen Cliff Alexander and Kelly Oubre and the Jayhawks will be favorites (as usual) for another national title. If Embiid somehow decides to come back, this team will likely jump a few spots in this ranking.

5.     North Carolina: Yes, the Tar Heels lost forward James Michael McAdoo to the NBA. But this team is still full of talent, particularly at guard. And we all saw what happened with UConn when its guards excelled. Marcus Paige will lead the way alongside Brice Johnson and J.P. Tokoto. Incoming freshmen Justin Jackson and Theo Pinson will give Carolina some depth at forward as well. Watch out for Kennedy Meeks. He has the ability to have a breakout sophomore season.

Top Videos:

-LeBron James is blocked at the buzzer by Mason Plumlee.

-A Massachusetts guard become the first openly gay Division I men's basketball player today. 

-Ryan Braun answered to some boos yesterday after jacking three homers. 

-Hank Aaron talks on the anniversary of his 715th home run. 

-Who is the favorite to win the Masters with Tiger out? Tournament starts tomorrow. 

Thanks for reading and have a great hump day!

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Monday: David vs. Goliath play in national championship

It’s Championship Monday! The most entertaining March Madness of my lifetime has come to an end. And why wouldn’t it end with a 7-seed playing an 8-seed for the national title.

This one is literally a David vs. Goliath matchup.

Shabazz Napier (left) and Aaron Harrison, have each
been stars this NCAA Tournament. They face off
tonight with a national title on the line. 

There’s Connecticut—the 7-seed—who beat Florida by playing small ball. The Huskies took out their big men, who had been foul trouble throughout, to pick up the tempo of the game, using their quickness to out play the Gators. 

Then there’s Kentucky—the 8-seed—who starts five freshmen that will all play in the NBA. Oh, and they’re all over 6-foot-6 too. The Wildcats dominate the glass, ferociously attacking it from all angles. There will be lots of dunks tonight, just ask Wisconsin.

Kentucky seems to be the favorite, the sexy pick if you will. But then you have UConn, who’s beaten Florida twice this season, the same Florida team that knocked off the Wildcats not once, not twice, but THREE times.

The Huskies have the best backcourt in the country too, led by do-everything guard Shabazz Napier. Ryan Boatright is pretty darn good in his own right, just ask the Florida guards he hounded defensively Saturday night.

The Wildcats counter that backcourt with a stellar duo as well in the Harrison twins. We all know how good Aaron is in the clutch, but Andrew also has his moments of greatness, particularly when he’s driving and dishing.

And who’s he throwing the ball two?

Well, usually it’s going somewhere around the rim. Perhaps to the 7-footer Dakari Johnson, who uses his 265-pound frame to bully smaller defenders inside. Or it could be Marcus Lee, who always seems to dunk the ball at least a handful of times each game. Or he could give it to Julius Randle, the double-double machine that hasn’t been stopped this tournament.

How does UConn stop that?

It can’t probably, but then again it couldn’t stop Florida’s Patric Young either in the semifinal. UConn counters big teams with its quickness and ability to finish in transition.

That was the difference in Saturday’s game. That and DeAndre Daniels.

The Huskies still managed to outscore the Gators by 12 points in the paint despite the obvious size advantage for Florida. UConn might be a 3-point shooting team, but it still finds ways to get inside.

Daniels was brilliant once again, scoring 20 points and gathering 10 rebounds. He’ll have a tough matchup tonight going up against Randle. If UConn wants to win, Daniels needs to have yet another fantastic game.

Still, Kentucky just seems like the team of destiny this tournament. They’ve won the last three games on big time shots by Aaron Harrison.

It will take a lot for UConn to pull this one off, but it’s been one heck of a ride for the Huskies and I don’t see them backing down one bit.

This game will be another great one, as this has been a tournament for the ages.

Kentucky 75 UConn 73.

Hot Reads

-Phenonmenal story by a classmate on a Nebraska gymnast.

-Interesting comparison between Kentucky and Villanova, the last team to make it to the national championship game as an 8-seed. 

-Kevin Durant completed his 41st consecutive game of 25-plus points, passing Michael Jordan on the all-time list. 

-Finally, the Masters start this week. Here's a ranking of the 97 players in the field. 

Thanks for reading and enjoy the game tonight!

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Friday: Who's going to advance to the NCAA national championship?

It’s Friday!

I’m back to college basketball today with my Final Four predictions. I’m going to breakdown each matchup and then tell you who I think will advance to the championship game.

So here we go.

No. 1 Florida vs. No. 7 Connecticut, 5:09 p.m. (CST), TBS

This is a rematch to an absolute thriller earlier this season. In fact, it was the last time Florida lost, when Shabazz Napier rebounded his own miss and hit a game-winning 10-footer. There are some extremely interesting matchups here.

1.     Napier vs. Scottie Wilbekin: In today’s game when it’s all about size and strength, it’s refreshing to watch the creativity these players have. No one in the country is as crafty at scoring thebasketball than Napier. He’ll cross you over. He’ll hit a three in your face. He’ll kick out his legs on an jumpshot to draw a foul. He’ll go under the hoop and flip in a layup. Napier has been the best player in this tournament so far, but he might meet his arch nemesis in Wilbekin Saturday night. The Florida senior leader has been brilliant in his own right for the Gators. He wills his team to victory, much like Napier. This matchup might not determine the outcome of the game, but crack open a beer and enjoy it.

2.     Florida’s defense vs. UConn’s defense: Both of these teams have played phenomenal defense in the      tournament, but in different ways. Florida suffocates you with its length and full court press. It just          wears teams down by the time the final buzzer sounds. UConn uses its defense to get out in                    transition more. The Huskies lead the tournament field in steals because of their quickness to the            ball. Florida gets on you, but UConn gets under you. It’ll be interesting to see what style wins.

3.     DeAndre Daniels vs. Dorian Finney-Smith: These players are the X factors for both teams, and both have been brilliant this tournament. Daniels put on a show against Iowa State in the Sweet 16 and then had another solid performance against Michigan State in the Elite Eight. Finney-Smith—the SEC Sixth Man of the Year—has also provided sparks for the Gators. He effects the game more defensively with his length rather than offensively. However, he can still put up points in bunches. The winner of this matchup might be the difference in the game.

Prediction: Florida is just too good defensively. Napier keeps UConn close, but the Gators move on. Florida 65 UConn 60.

No. 2 Wisconsin vs. No. 8 Kentucky, 30 minutes following first game, TBS

An intriguing matchup of differing styles here. The Badgers are all about efficiency on both ends of the floor, while Kentucky just overpowers teams with it’s size and athleticism. Here are some key matchups.

1.     Frank Kaminsky vs. the Kentucky frontcourt: No one has been able to slow down Kaminsky in this tournament. Not even the massive frontcourt of Arizona, which probably has three first round NBA draft picks. The Wildcats boast the same kind of talent up front, but how do you stop Kaminsky? At 7-feet, he can dribble around bigger defenders, he can shoot over the top of smaller ones and is about as crafty as it comes in the low post. Look for Kaminsky to be doubled every time he touches the ball, but that might not work either. He’s good at passing too.

2.     Julius Randle vs. the Wisconsin frontcourt: Other than Napier, I don’t think there’s been a player in the tournament that’s impressed me more than Randle. His maturity has grown immensely during this run. Add that to his freakish athleticism, you’re looking at a damn good player. He’s so aggressive on the glass that it’s impossible to stop him sometimes. Look for Wisconsin to throw multiple defenders at him, including freshman Nigel Hayes and sophomore Sam Dekker. Kaminsky might get a shot at him too later in the game if foul trouble isn’t an issue. There will be some grown men playing basketball in Dallas Saturday night that’s for sure.

3.     Wisconsin backcourt vs. Kentucky backcourt: All right, enough talk about the big men. What about those guards? Wisconsin’s guards haven’t been great this tournament, but they are always reliable when it counts. And boy, can all of them shoot the basketball. Kentucky’s length will come in handy while trying to stop that 3-point shooting. The Harrison twins have been playing lights-out basketball, and James Young has been spectacular as well. I’ve often underestimated the Badger backcourt, but Kentucky seems to have the edge here.

Prediction: Kentucky has been playing the best basketball in the tournament of any team, but I just have a hunch here about Wisconsin. The Badgers always seem to play better when they are the underdog and no one seems to be giving them a chance. Bo Ryan advances. Wisconsin 78 Kentucky 75.

Things I missed:

-More Final Four predictions here.

-Doug McDermott and Gregg Marshall took home AP honors yesterday. 

-Interesting story about an NFL cheerleader.

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Wednesday: Top 5 moves in NFL free agency

It’s Wednesday and time for this week’s Top 5.

I’m going to stray away from college basketball today in light of another big signing in the NFL last night. I know, it’s been a while since I’ve talked about anything but college basketball, but other news is starting to pick up.

So this week’s topic: Top 5 moves in NFL free agency.

1.     DeMarcus Ware, from Dallas to Denver: When teams play the Broncos, they are most likely passing a lot because they have to play from behind so often. This is why a pass rusher is so vital to Denver right now, especially when Von Miller can’t seem to stay healthy or pass a drug test any more. Ware is still a viable threat to take down the quarterback every play, even though he’s almost 32 years old. He managed 6 sacks last season, despite missing three games due to injury. And those were the first games he’s ever missed as an NFL player. Look for Ware to make an immediate impact for the Broncos.  

2.     DeSean Jackson, from Philadelphia to Washington: This one might surprise you, but I love this pick up for the Redskins. Robert Griffin III doesn’t have any deep threat receivers. Pierre Garcon and Santana Moss are both solid receivers, but are getting up there in age. Jackson, even with the locker room baggage he carries, will make an instant impact for the Redskins. RGIII has always been able to throw a pretty deep ball and that threat might open up some running lanes for him as well. 

3.     Aquib Talib, from New England to Denver: Like I said earlier, whoever plays Denver better be prepared to pass the ball because you’re going to be down. Talib is another great pick up for the Broncos, especially since Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie signed with the Giants. Talib is an upgrade from Rodgers-Cromartie though, and will likely take the opposing team's best receiver. He will also bring some swagger back to a defense that got destroyed in the Super Bowl.

4.     Jared Allen, from Minnesota to Chicago: Allen is one of the best pass rushers to play the game and deserved to be signed by a contender. The Bears aren’t that far away from being a legitimate Super Bowl threat, and this signing makes them that much closer. Out is Julius Peppers, who’s contract and inability to stay healthy became a burden for Chicago. In is Allen, who has had seven straight seasons of double digits sacks. A fantastic move for the Bears.

5.     Knowshon Moreno, from Denver to Miami: This move was the quietest on this list and I thought it warranted a little more excitement. The Dolphins are another team that isn’t that far off either. They have a great defense and a rising star at quarterback in Ryan Tannehill. They weren’t getting anywhere in the run game with Daniel Thomas, so Moreno makes perfect sense to me. Many don’t realize how good Moreno was last season, rushing for almost 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns in a pass-heavy offense. He’ll make an impact for Miami. If he doesn’t, expect this:

 Top Videos:

-Steph Curry hits another game winner to help the Warriors knock off the Mavericks last night. 

-Tiger Woods will have to wait another year to get that Green Jacket again. 

-The NCAA women's Final Four is set after Stanford and Maryland won last night. 

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com           

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward