Finals Preview
(2) Connecticut vs. (3) Georgia Tech
This game needs no introduction: The 2004 men’s college basketball championship featuring No. 2 Connecticut and No. 3 Georgia Tech. This one is for all the marbles, folks.
A long, long time ago, back in late November, a certain underrated Georgia Tech team created the most noise in the opening days of this season by storming through the Preseason NIT, including a 77-61 beatdown of then-No. 1 Connecticut. Georgia Tech looks to repeat that performance. But the Huskies now have an eligible Charlie Villanueva and a reasonably healthy Emeka Okafor. And let’s face it – Okafor single-handedly took over the national semifinal against Duke to rally Connecticut from a double-digit second-half deficit. Okafor is a difference-maker.
Meanwhile, Georgia Tech beat Connecticut back in November primarily with a suffocating defense that the Huskies never figured out. Few teams have found breathing room in the Yellow Jackets’ defense, including Oklahoma State, which Georgia Tech dispatched in the national semifinal. Junior guard Will Bynum was the hero for the Yellow Jackets by sinking the game-winning layup with less than two seconds remaining. Georgia Tech’s best offensive mismatch is the team’s depth and long-range shooters.
This game bears a striking resemblance to last season in many respects – No. 2 seed versus No. 3 seed. The hot team from a power conference, Georgia Tech, versus the best team from another power conference, Connecticut. The Yellow Jackets would love to have the result resemble last year’s, in which upstart No. 3 Syracuse brought down a No. 2 Kansas that featured a dominant big man, Nick Collison, and masterful guard, Kirk Hinrich.
