except article from san fran chro.....
What is the formula for winning the NCAA Tournament? Get good players.
For our next bit of analysis, we'll tell you who's buried in Grant's tomb.
This time of year, talk turns to the heightened importance of point-guard play, which is undeniable, or the significance of experience, which plays a part, or the difference a coach can make, which is sizable.
The biggest factor, though, is the most obvious: Great players win big games.
All but one of the 38 NCAA champions since 1966 had at least one future first-round NBA draft pick playing a prominent role. The only exception was Indiana in 1987, and that team featured Steve Alford, a two-time first-team All-American who was the third pick of the second round.
That only begins to tell the story. Of those past 38 NCAA champions, 33 had at least two first-round picks (assuming Hakim Warrick of 2003 champ Syracuse goes in the first round as expected). Even Villanova, which pulled off the greatest championship game upset ever when it beat Georgetown in 1985, had two future first-rounders in its starting lineup (Ed Pinckney and Harold Pressley).
Now the clincher. If we assume Charlie Villanueva or Josh Boone of last year's Connecticut team becomes a first-round pick, then 18 of the past 36 champions, or half, had at least three first-round NBA picks in its rotation.
So maybe we should look closely at North Carolina or Louisville or Connecticut or Arizona, teams that may have multiple first-rounders in their lineups.
What is the formula for winning the NCAA Tournament? Get good players.
For our next bit of analysis, we'll tell you who's buried in Grant's tomb.
This time of year, talk turns to the heightened importance of point-guard play, which is undeniable, or the significance of experience, which plays a part, or the difference a coach can make, which is sizable.
The biggest factor, though, is the most obvious: Great players win big games.
All but one of the 38 NCAA champions since 1966 had at least one future first-round NBA draft pick playing a prominent role. The only exception was Indiana in 1987, and that team featured Steve Alford, a two-time first-team All-American who was the third pick of the second round.
That only begins to tell the story. Of those past 38 NCAA champions, 33 had at least two first-round picks (assuming Hakim Warrick of 2003 champ Syracuse goes in the first round as expected). Even Villanova, which pulled off the greatest championship game upset ever when it beat Georgetown in 1985, had two future first-rounders in its starting lineup (Ed Pinckney and Harold Pressley).
Now the clincher. If we assume Charlie Villanueva or Josh Boone of last year's Connecticut team becomes a first-round pick, then 18 of the past 36 champions, or half, had at least three first-round NBA picks in its rotation.
So maybe we should look closely at North Carolina or Louisville or Connecticut or Arizona, teams that may have multiple first-rounders in their lineups.
