Connecticut
77 Duke 74
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By
Randy Williams
New national champion Connecticut came out of the blocks slowly
but CBS' Jim Nantz and Billy Packer started quickly, immediately
taking viewers inside the game.
After Duke went to Elton Brand on the low block on their first
possession, Packer immediately deduced that UConn planned to double
team the Blue Devils' center with a forward from the weak side.
Later in the first half, the ex-Wake Forest star used replays
to show how the Huskies were double teaming Brand before he
could catch the pass.
Midway through the first half, he said a UConn foul while guarding
Brand was one Jim Calhoun could live with "because it didn't
involve Jake Voskuhl," the man who was assigned to cover
Brand most of the game.
But, Packer's best point of the game occurred with about
six minutes left in the first half, saying UConn should attack
the basket because the official under the goal they were shooting
at "isn't calling the charge."
Nantz was as alert as ever, quickly noting that UConn's
early 7-2 deficit was the most the Huskies have trailed by in
this tournament. A few minutes later, as Calhoun's squad took
a lead, Nantz said the disadvantage was Duke's first in 78 minutes
of NCAA play.
Nantz is a very smooth play-by-play man but his most impressive
attribute is his ability to set up Packer's insight and analysis.
Early in the second half, Nantz talked of UConn power forward
Kevin Freeman's recruitment while a student at Paterson (N.J.)
High School, where he teamed with Tim Thomas, then the top schoolboy
player in the country. Packer commented that Thomas' departure
after just a year at Villanova seriously hurt Steve Lappas' program,
noting the irony that Freeman, not Thomas has thrived as a collegian.
No, this wasn't a great piece of insight that shed light on the
game but it was a nice story for the avid or casual fan to hear,
though I'm Thomas probably didn't appreciate it.
But this hoops fan is thankful for the work of Packer,
who commented with about 10 minutes left that Duke looked very
tired. It's pretty difficult to argue with that statement as the
Blue Devils proceeded to hit the front of the rim on several shots,
often a sign of fatigue.
Never stingy with his opinion, Packer chastised the officials
for what he thought was a bad non-call on Elton Brand and even
found time to briefly take Michigan State fans to task for rioting
after the Spartans' loss Saturday.
As the game wound down, the analyst noticed that it was Ricky
Moore's great defensive footwork that forced Duke's Trajan Langdon
to travel with 5.4 seconds remaining. In fact, as Langdon tried
to beat Moore off the dribble, Packer said "Wow, Trajan
Langdon with the ball and he's going up a great defender. What's
he doing here?"
Unfortunately, CBS didn't follow Packer's lead, failing
to replay the defensive stop, even though there was a stoppage
in play.
Seconds later, as UConn's Khalid El-Amin stroked two free throws,
Packer didn't get caught up in the moment, instead wondering if
the Huskies should foul Duke to prevent a three-point attempt.
That was the last great point among many Packer made during the
1998 tourney. Yes, as the Big Dance closed with its best game
between its best teams, CBS' top squad ended on a very high
note. Then again, so did UConn.
Grade: A-
Game Notes
Top
pictures:
1. Khalid El-Amin, looking extremely uninterested, waiting
to talk to CBS' Bonnie Bernstein as she spoke with UConn coach
Jim Calhoun in a taped segment prior to the game.
2. Shots of loud crowds at Connecticut's Gampel Pavilion
and Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium after big plays by their respective
teams.
Telling line:
"So far you get the idea that Connecticut is more confident
that they can handle Duke than Duke is that they can handle Connecticut,"
Packer, as UConn snared a 26-24 lead in the first half.
Contrasting styles:
Majerus said the faster pace favors Duke while Kellogg said UConn's
only chance is to play full-throttle for 40 minutes. Advantage,
Kellogg.
Top prediction:
El-Amin saying the Huskies would "shock the world" in
the final.
Top stat:
UConn entered the game at 9-0 when trailing at the half, Packer
noted as Duke went to the locker room with a 39-37 lead.
What?:
As CBS cut to Armen Keteyian after the first half ended, the usually
solid sideline reporter said "I'm standing with Quin Snyder,
standing in for a slightly suspicious Mike Krzyzewski..."
Suspicious of what?
Bold statement:
Packer said ex-Duke star Christian Laettner, in attendance at
Tropicana Field, had the second-best career of any collegian,
after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor).
Glitches:
1. With 6:47 remaining, a CBS graphic showed the
timeouts remaining for Duke and "Michigan State." Maybe
the graphic, which remained on the screen for five seconds, was
left over from Saturday, when Duke eliminated the Spartans.
2. Nantz's voice was cut off as he and Packer talked about
important matchups in the pregame show.
Paging Susan Powter:
Will CBS please "Stop the insanity?" After subjecting
viewers to audience shots of Sammo Hung ("Martial Law")
and a brutal Craig Kilborn interview on Saturday, the Eye showed
us "L.A. Doctors" star Ken Olin, whom, we were told,
is "a big basketball fan." Of course, CBS still hasn't
gone as far as Fox, which took every chance to show one of its
"stars" during the 1998 World Series.
