National Championship Game Pre-Game/First Half Live Blog

I've got Kansas winning 80-76 in OT BTW.

poor SSR...actually, I care because my team is in it! and if they win well...you know...
Kansas 89-82

Memphis 83 Kansas 74

Okay, I'm back and will be live blogging everything for you tonight.

Memphis 85 Kansas 77....my first Memphis pick ever...pop the champagne

Two and a Half Men as a pregame show...CBS are avid self promoters lol

Kansas 73, Memphis 68. I hope. But given my history with these championship games (in my annual money pool I've picked the Final 2 correctly in 5 of the last 8 years, but only picked the correct winner once), I'd say Memphis is probably going to win.

Good evening!!! The national title game is upon us! I believe tonight is Memphis's night. In a close game, they take it 85-81.

21 minutes until tipoff.

This game starts way too late. There is no reason it should tipoff at 930 PM EST.

This is totally off topic, but this headline made me laugh: "Man kills self 12 years after receiving heart from suicide victim."

So that Falcon can stay off my back, I shall not be providing the score every other comment.

CBS continue to be cheap....why aren't they sending their guys to the Alamodome? Instead, a national title game and they're staying in New York.

How about I provide the score after every timeout??

Mr. Self, your speech was as boring as hell.

Great speech by Bill Self!!

I meant studio, an early brainfart.

Disappointing by CBS, that's a cheapskate move, but what can I expect. They have an awful morning show and evening news broadcast.

Yeah, I understand, Falcon.

Three Doors Down to open it up.....whoopee.

Oh no, Nantz is doing it again......the player intros are not for him.

Excuse me while I watch paint dry.

I'm sorry, I just dozed offffffffffffff.

SS, What do we expect to see tonight early on???

Easy there AGM linebacker, we're almost done.

Well DRE-LO I expect a fast paced start to the game, Kansas will be very much scrappy. I expect Memphis to attack the paint against a shorter Jayhawks team and use their size and physical play to help them towards their first ever title.

The key for me is how Kansas will defend Derrick Rose on the perimeter. He has had his way with opposing guards all tourney. But Kansas found a way to contain Hansbrough, so this should be interesting. OPENING TIP!

Oh no, Ed Hightower is one of the refs.

Here we go!

Dorsey with the opening score. He must have a big time game tonight for Memphis to win.

Dorsey opens the scoring for Memphis....

But why did the CBS graphic switch to 88 all of a sudden?

Already a steal, it's Chalmers to Rush, who blows the dunk!!! But a foul called as Rush hits the deck.

Brandon Rush misses an emphatic dunk! A foul by Antonio Anderson.

CDR with an incredible drive to the bucket!!! How did he maintain control of the ball?? Amazing!

Kansas sloppy to begin the game.

Arthur with a dunk for Kansas's first field goal!

Dozier nails a 16 footer. Rose setting it up with the penetration.

Looks like Russell Robinson will take the job of guarding Rose. It'll be interesting to see if they switch defenders in order to give Rose different looks.

Kansas is once again turning it over, this is the 3rd of the game......

Rose with the bucket and the foul! He'll go to the line.....and nail the FT.

Disappointing from Kansas to begin, Memphis looks in control to start the game.

Foul on Dozier! Arthur might get a lot of touches tonight based on his performance against UNC.

Jumpball- Kansas retains possession.

Jitters again from the Jayhawks, Memphis is playing exactly like Kansas against UNC.

R

And we have our first TV timeout, fast start to the game, Memphis is just as scrappy as Kansas, forcing several turnovers early, but the Tigers can't find that three point shot early on, 0-3 to start. 9-5 Tigers

We take our first timeout. It's 9-5 Memphis on the ArmchairGM Live Blog NetWork.

Kansas is looking to go inside, feeling they have the advantage and looking to get Dozier and Dorsey in foul trouble.

What an alley oop!! Collins to Kaun on the backdoor screen.

BACK SCREEN and Sasha Kaun with the dunk off an Alley-Oop!!

Rose with a miss and Sherron Collins guarding him that time... Arthur ties the game!!!

Kansas has their tempo in their favor... Arthur misses the 16 footer...And on the other end Chris Douglas Roberts draws a foul.

CDR is quite lucky Ed Hightower is the ref.....a ticky tack call and CDR goes to the line and makes the first FT.

CDR makes the 1st... Rose should expect to see 2 or 3 different defenders 2night. CDR makes the 2nd.

Kansas has yet to lead, Memphis doing a good job getting Rush out of this game, and now he is literally out....he's on the bench for a rest.

Sherron Collins can take Derrick Rose off the dribble. Expect to see more of that as it will makE Rose work more.

TAGGART PICKS UP A QUICK 2 FOULS!! Now Dorsey has to come back in the game!

Uh oh, that is the 2nd foul on Shawn Taggert, and Memphis with one player in foul trouble.

Now Robert Dozier has 2 fouls!

Kansas doing a great job getting key Tiger players in foul trouble.

Jackson draws a foul.. IT'S ON DOZIER! He has 2 fouls. Early foul trouble for Memphis.

Kansas has the tempo in their favor.. They are working inside and getting Memphis's big men in foul trouble, which is their strategy.. Sasha Kaun travels! We'll take a break, we are even at 13 on the Armchair Live Blog Network!!

Kaun gets it and Kansas takes the lead!!!

NO! Travelling on Kaun, TV timeout.

13-13 tie, very exciting pace as predicted. Why Dozier is still in for Memphis is beyond me, if he gets 3 fouls they are in big trouble.

Kansas is going to win this game going inside and keeping the game at this pace. Look for Cole Aldrige to come in the game if Dozier picks up a 3rd. And out of all the big men, Dorsey CANNOT get in foul trouble!!

Taggart is back in the game and misses a poor attempt in the low post,,and then nearly commits a 3rd foul defending.

Taggert is in, but Dozier is back out.

Rush goes to the basket and scores with ease!! CDR draws a foul.

Rush drives to the basket and Kansas has their first lead of the Nat'l Title Game!

Derrick Rose is now being guarded by Robinson.

Chalmers knocks down the first three of the game, Memphis has missed 6 in a row. 7-0 run by the Jayhawks.

CHALMERS WITH A TREY!! Lead is up to 5! And an over the back foul on Dorsey. 7 unanswered by Kansas. And in comes Cole Aldrich.

Our favorite frosh Cole Aldrich is in.

Dorsey with an emphatic dunk off a steal! He can do a little less posturing despite the great play.

Chalmers scores off the steal!!

Rose gets the steal off of Aldrich, and then Chalmers takes it back and scores over Rose!

Russell Robinson draws a foul and in comes BIGGG Peter Niles for Memphis.

A dinosaur came in for Memphis.

Now Arthur has the alley oop feed from Rush!!!!!!

DOZIER With a trey to cut the Kansas lead to three!

We take a break!! 24-21 Kansas. No this is not a football game. This is the National Title game on the Live Blog Network.

Spectacular game we've had, hopefully this will continue in the 2nd half. 24-21 Kansas, Memphis is essentially trying to get back into the game with three point shooting now, and they've hit their last two.

Tempo is slowly working back to Memphis's favor. They're beginning to warm up from behind the arc as a 7 pt lead has been quickly cut to 3.

This sucks, it's just you and I....an early season Yankees/Rays game is getting more attention.

Roy Williams in attendance.

WHY IS ROY WILLIAMS WEARING A JAYHAWK STICKER!! I can't imagine this will sit well with UNC alums as the lead is cut to 1.

DORSEY WITH AN EMPHATIC BLOCK OFF KAHN And theN CDR With a trey!!! Chalmers ties it again with a floater.

Unselfish play, great hustle, Chalmers with the baseline pass to Kaun who slams it home. 28-26 Kansas.

KAUN WITH AN EMPHATIC DUNK off the pass!! Dorsey needs to stop looking at the refs and focus.

CDR now with 13 in the first half!

4:43 left in the half and counting.

CDR ties it.

What an absolutely thrilling first half of basketball we've seen.

CDR has it stripped and goes out of bounds. Taggart comes in for Memphis.

Three pointer by Anderson well off, final TV Timeout of the half. Tied at 28-28....what a game.

UNDER 4 TIMEOUT!! What a half of basketball, we're even at 28! Back on the Armchair Live Blog Network.

Dorsey needs to come out, he's winded.

It'll be interesting to see which team establishes their tempo as the half ends.

I think the Rays lost, so they'll be flocking here hopefully...

I'll bet you those three wish they're on site now.

Rose with an emphatic board off the miss.

It's Rush and the foul! Kansas regains the lead, and now Dorsey has 2 fouls.

RUSH OFF THE DRIBBLE, count it and the foul!!! Dorsey should have been on the bench. Now he has 2.

Memphis may end up losing this game because of foul trouble. Rush completes the three point play.

Dorsey should have been on the bench. Taggart should have been in.

Kansas is playing excellent D on Rose.

Last touch by CDR. The Kansas post players are outworking Memphis's

Arthur with a score!! Lead back up to 5.

1:43 left in the first half, 31-28 Kansas. Very big key for the Jayhawks has been offensive rebounding and great hustle, keeping the play alive.

500th foul called in the game, now Arthur has 2, Darnell Jackson coming in. TO Memphis, exhilarating first half, 1:02 left, 33-28 Jayhawks.

Arthur picks up a 2nd foul. It's a 5 pt lead with a minute left. Back on the Live Blog Network.

Calipari should have pulled Dorsey out when he has the chance. Memphis isn't being physical inside cuz they don't want to pick up any more fouls.

Rose is not being aggressive enough. He needs to take over. Collins is playing great D.

hUGE BOARD BY TAGGART!

sup fackers? the falcon lands with just enough time to watch the half time show...

Memphis doesn't get the shot away with the final possession of the half!

0.1 left to go actually, one last chance.

Rose misses the three, wouldn't have counted.

Halftime of a thriller of a first half.

Kansas 33 Memphis 28

END OF THE FIRST HALF!!! Kansas with a 33 to 28 lead over Memphis. It's time for the ArmchairGM Halftime Report. 1st half analysis, thoughts, you know how we do. I'll be back in 5.

Please, please, if there's a God, let Calipari lose.

So, first half analysis:

Kansas is basically doing the same thing that they did to North Carolina, which is outhustle them, force turnovers, get 2nd chance opportunities, and forced highly contested shots. Impressive job by Arthur, Jackson and Kaun who have shut down Dorsey.

Oh look, the stupid Bob Knight commercial is on.

Oh look, I got an M's promo....a 2-5 M's promo with a lousy bullpen.

What in the world was that Clark Kellogg?

Kansas is doing a great job on Derrick Rose. Sherron Collins has gotten into Rose's head and the help D was outstanding for Kansas denying penetration. Then the Kansas Big Men were outstanding. They're being aggressive and have gotten Dorsey, Taggart and Dozier in foul trouble. CDR had a great half, but Derrick Rose must shake off his ailment and Calipari has to find a way to get this star PG in the game. Dorsey must keep from any tick-tack fouls or Kansas will dominate the boards in the 2nd half.

CBS couldn't go one more time without showing some time to Psycho T.

Ah, one more time to suck on Tyler B*tch.

Tremendous first half, as you would expect from the two best teams in the country. They keep this up, and it's going to go down as one of the best NCAA championship games of all time.

I hope it does, Davis.. This tourney needs this.

And one more time I'll ask the burning question on everyone's mind, Why isn't Gus Johnson doing this game?!?

New thread. http://www.a...lf_Live_Blog

I think Antonio Anderson has to step up and hit some shots. Rose will continue to face difficulty penetrating {ha ha ha} and Anderson will most likely be open. He has got to make some shots. We're 20 minutes from crowning a new National Champion! SS, any thoughts as we begin the 2nd half?

It's strange, but I really don't give a rat's ass about this game. There's no real favorite or underdog, no buzz around school or work, no excellent storylines, neither of these teams were in my bracket... hell, the whole tournament was kind of a let down in my opinion. I missed the first half, but I'll probably watch the second half if I don't fall asleep just because the basketball should be good. Too bad I won't have any reason to emotionally root for either team...

Dammit people, I said new thread!

HOLY SHIT! BANKKKKKKKKKKKKKK