The last time a team entered the tournament with one loss and came out with one loss? 1974. Could this be the year it happens again. Lets take a look at the games.

Memphis(37-1) vs. (1) UCLA (35-3)

Memphis has shown throughout the last two games they can play with anyone in the country.

After defeating Mississippi State by three, many experts picked Memphis to be the first #1 seed to lose in this year's tournament. That may very well happen. However, after experts picked the Tigers to lose in the sweet sixteen, Memphis showed the country what they are really made of, winning by eighteen in each of the last two games against really good teams. They even proved they can hit their free throws, hitting 75% against Michigan State and 83% against Texas. The guy with three names, Chris Douglas Roberts has been the most dominant player who is still around, even better than Tyler Hansbrough. Roberts has been averaging 22.5 PPG in the tournament. He will be the key.
If he has another monster game, Memphis moves on.


Kevin Love has led this UCLA team all year. He might be the Most Valuable Freshman in the tournament, averaging 19 PPG. Can Joey Dorsey stop this guy? That will be a key storyline heading into the game. The guards are going to play a major part in the game. Darren Collision and Josh Shipp vs Chris Douglas Roberts and Derrick Rose.  After surviving against Texas A&M, the Bruins held on against Western Kentucky and then defeated Xavier by 19.  This defense of the Bruins has been amazing. They are allowing just fifty three points a game through the first four tournament games. However, they have not played such tough offense competition as they are going to come up against in Memphis.
Prediction: Memphis defeats UCLA and moves on to play for the championship.


North Carolina (36-2) vs. (1) Kansas (35-3) 

North Carolina has been dominant on their way to reaching the Final Four, winning by an average of twenty six points per contest. That included wins over Arkansas (31), Washington State (21), and Louisville(10). Those teams weren't that bad. Hansbrough and North Carolina have been just too good. Ty Lawson has been the most important guy out there though. You already know Hansbrough is going to score. Lawson was injured earlier in the season but is averaging 16 points a game to go along with five assists per game in th tournament. The key for North Carolina's success will be to get Hansbrough the ball. If they do that, they will win.

Kansas, on the other hand has been dominant but not as nearly dominant as the Tar heels, winning by an average of fifteen points a game.  Kansas also got an easier road, playing against UNLV in the second round and 12th seeded Villanova in the sweet sixteen before playing the 10th seeded Davidson Wildcats who they beat by two.  The key for Kansas winning will be defending Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson. Lawson will have trouble anyway going against Mario Chalmers.
Prediction: Kansas defeats North Carolina by three and moves on to play Memphis.


Photos Courtesy by bleachreport.com and cnn.com, respectively