Three for the Sooners
Published: 3/26/2009 11:29 AM
Last Modified: 3/26/2009 11:29 AM
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The FedEx Forum is cool. So is Beale Street at night. And I can't wait to see the Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.
As for the basketball, the South Region semifinals involving Oklahoma... Don't know much yet. But I will in a couple hours when Jeff Capel, Blake Griffin and Jim Boeheim address the media, the Sooners and Orange practice.
Meantime, here are our friends from USA Today, Eddie Timanus, Jeff Zillgitt and Tim Gardner (remember them from last week?) with their picks for tomorrow night's game...
Timanus: "The Orange are playing their best team ball of the season at just the right time. Unfortunately for Syracuse, they don't have Blake Griffin. If his supporting cast continues to hit from the arc, there won't be much Syracuse can do to stop the Sooners. Pick: Oklahoma"
Zillgitt: "Syracuse has done an excellent job building on its success in the Big East tournament. Jonny Flynn has emerged, Eric Devendorf and Andy Rautins are shooting well and Coach Jim Boeheim's zone defense is giving opponents fits. On the other side, Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel has done a nice job getting his team to re-focus after an quick exit in the Big 12 tournament. It's key for the Sooners to get Blake Griffin touches in the Orange's zone and make threes when the ball is kicked back out. Pick: Oklahoma"
Gardner: "How much can the Orange limit Blake Griffin? That's pretty much what this comes matchup will boil down to. Syracuse has a few bodies in the paint to deal with the nation's top player, but there really isn't much after (Arinze) Onuaku and (Rick) Jackson. Need to stay out of foul trouble. As for the Sooners, will Crocker, Warren and Taylor Griffin step up when needed? Pick: Oklahoma"
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
