At the start of the 2003-2004 college basketball season, every meaningful poll in the country predicted that the Connecticut Huskies would finish the season as the #1 ranked team in the country. And even though Jim Calhoun’s team slipped from that perch during the regular season, the Huskies regained their rightful spot at the top last night after the most decisive victory in an NCAA Final since 1992.
Behind the dominant play of Emeka Okafor, Connecticut won their second title in six years and in turn, displaced Duke as the preeminent program in college basketball.
Georgia Tech was done in by a miserable first half that saw untimely fouls, horrendous free-throw shooting and an inability to convert on any contested jump shots.
After falling behind by as much as 25 points, the Yellow Jackets managed to cut Uconn’s lead to single-digits in the second half, but were unable to put up any substantial run in the closing minutes.
Emeka Okafor demonstrated why he deserved to be named Player of the Year in college basketball and his teammates Ben Gordon and Rashad Anderson played brilliantly in the tournament to give Jim Calhoun the victory he needed to clinch his place in the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Huskies simply overmatched Tech in the title game. They got to more rebounds, hit bigger shots and were able to slow down the Jacket’s up-tempo play.
Regardless, Paul Hewitt should be proud of his team for advancing as far as they did in the tournament. After finishing fourth in the ACC regular season, Georgia Tech hit their stride at the right time and went deeper into the NCAA Tournament than any team in school history.
Tech defied expectations this season and with most of their rotation back next year, Jacket fans should begin looking into hotels in St. Louis, site of next year’s Final Four.
But last night in San Antonio, the Yellow Jackets ran up against a more talented and more experienced Uconn team.
Connecticut has been the best team in college basketball all season. They lost a few key games during the season, but closed with victories in their last nine games and in 14 of their last 15. They won when it mattered.
The college basketball season is finally complete. After 63 NCAA Tournament games, the best team was left standing and earned their rightful spot in the history books.

Final Tournament Thoughts

- What’s with Luther Vandross singing One Shining Moment? Wasn’t it only a couple of years ago that CBS got Teddy Pendergrass to sing that song? Doesn’t the network realize men don’t want to hear Luther or Teddy when they are in the room with other men? Who’s going to sing it next year, Marvin Gaye? Teddy P. and Luther (big Luther, not little Luther) are for seducing; One Shining Moment is for male bonding. Stick with the original version.

- Are the MLS and Women’s NCAA Tournament run by the same people? What kind of idiot schedules the NCAA Women’s Final for the day AFTER the men’s Final? Do you serve hot dogs right after Thanksgiving dinner? I didn’t think so.

- On that same point, I really hope Tennessee wins tomorrow night. I don’t think I could take hearing about how Uconn will be the first team ever to win both men’s and women’s basketball titles. Does anybody care? If Kentucky wins the men’s basketball title as well as the women’s crew championship next year, will they make a big deal about that too?

- I hope Emeka Okafor enjoyed himself tonight. Because in about six months he’ll either be on the Hawks or the Bullets, playing to crowds of 6,000 people while getting assists from the likes of Chris Whitney.

- That whooshing sound you hear is the sound of Jarrett Jack’s lottery dreams vanishing into the night’s sky.

- ESPN.com’s Andy Katz has already released his Top 25 college basketball teams for 2004-2005. Among the top eight? Five ACC teams (Duke #2, Georgia Tech #3, North Carolina #6, Wake Forest #7 and Maryland #8). What, he doesn’t think Virginia Tech is going to be a top team next year? If the Hokies don’t get off to a quick start, won’t Virginia governor Mark Warner strong-arm the pollsters into adding them to their ballots?

- Congrats to Uconn for winning and all, but still… I can’t help but imagine what Duke would have done if Chris Duhon hadn’t injured those ribs of his.

Tomorrow: Belated Baseball Preview