CARSON/LAX, CA (smt)- #1S-Memphis dominated and outcoached #1W-UCLA, 78-63, in reaching the Final for the first time in 35 years and winning their NCAA-record 38th game (the other three 37-win teams didn't win the championship).  The Bruins, meanwhile, enter the Final Four and fail to come out with a championship for the third straight year (now they have something in common with Duke, who did this 1988-90).  UCLA fell behind by 11 before cutting the lead to 5 at 50-45 but Memphis then went on a 15-7 run to put the game away.  It seemed like after the game Bruin freshman Kevin Love was frustrated with his teammates so the bad taste of losing won't be enough to keep Love at UCLA for a second season.

Meanwhile, the nightcap featured #1MW-Kansas destroying #1E-UNC by 28 points (40-12; Kansas' Brandon Rush has as many points as UNC (12) at one point) but the Tar Heels fought back cutting it 15 before Rush hit a buzzer beating basket to put Kansas back up by 17.  UNC came out in the second half the way they ended it and brought the huge lead down to 4 (54-50) with 11:14 left.  Now, it's easy to say it's now just a 4-point ballgame (and forget about being down by 28) but the reality was UNC spent a ton of energy to outscore Kansas by 24 points.  The Jayhawks regrouped after UNC almost cut the lead to two and after the Tar Heels again cut the lead to 6, Kansas went on a 13-0 run to quash the comeback and won 84-66.  Kansas coach Bill Self could do what ex-Kansas-now-UNC coach Roy Williams couldn't do in 15 years and that is win a championship.

Like the Kansas-UNC game, there is good news, bad news, and good news for JUNO INO.  The good news is he's in first place with 138 points.  The bad news is he can't finish in first.  And the good news is he's guaranteed at least 3rd place ($150).  Also guaranteed money are BELUCKY2 (2nd-Tied, 134) and DC944 (2nd-T) (both at least 5th place).  The battle for the top prize of $440 will be between Kansas-picking BELUCKY2 (Cliff T) and Memphis-picking FLIP FIGHTERS (Robinson C) (5th-T, 132).   While Robinson C will be trying to capture his record-extending 3rd HWCI NCAA Pool title in 10 years, Cliff T will be trying to win his first title in 10 years (and he will also win for the first time in 10 years by taking home at least $60).  Man V (YELLOW MONKEY (31st-T, 116) holds the record by winning zero money in 13 years and to add insult to injury he and Dave F (THE MIGHTY MOBELFAKTA (26th-T, 117)) flew to San Antonio at the last minute to watch UCLA lose.

In the race for the Bonus Prize, the Kansas helped the Big 12 put it in a tie with the Big East with 11 wins.  The problem is no one picked both the Big 12 and Big East with 11 wins.  So if the Memphis wins, the Big East and Big 12 tie with 11 wins and no one wins Bonus1 and we go to Bonus2 which opens it back up to all the losers in the closest to total points criteria).  If Kansas wins, the Big 12 wins with 12 and four entries have a chance to win the Bonus1 (MR_ROCKET, ARBEDYTHREE, CROW2BUGS, and QUICKPICK MCGRAW). 

Just three picked both Kansas & Memphis to win and only BELUCKY2 had a perfect Final 4 and Final 2 (and has won the last 9 games overall).  If Kansas wins on Monday, he will be the first person ever to have a perfect Last-7 (all 4 Final 4 teams, all 2 finalists, and the correct champion).  Van P (BACK2BACKHOPEFULLY (40th-T, 115)) had a chance last year to have a perfect Last-15 (including all 8 Elite 8 teams) but lost on her champion.

Notes / Note:  Kansas did out-turnover UNC 19-18... Both Memphis & Kansas (50 points in the paint) had a ridiculously high number of easy baskets (thanks to their defense)... Memphis also hit their free throws for the second consecutive game and are hitting 71% for the tournament (59% regular season) which is maybe why UCLA didn't resort to a hack-a-Shaq type of defense when they really needed it... 16 picked Memphis while 18 picked Kansas... 70 went 0-2 today, including 4 who had a perfect Final 4... UNC had no baskets for 9:03 (in the first half) but did have runs of 10 and 14 straight points...