One of Ty Lawson's Record 8 Steals

Well, not exactly a thriller of a game, especially when compared to last year's championship game. I do wonder if the outcome would've been different if Michigan State would have played the first half the way they played in the second half. As I mentioned on Sunday, the key for MSU was to get an early lead or to stay within single digits early. MSU simply doesn't excel in the style of play to mount a big comeback.

What really allowed UNC to build that early lead were the turnovers they forced (and some unforced by MSU). Ty Lawson himself was credited with an NCAA Championship game record 8 steals, of MSU's 21 total turnovers. I took a clip of this one steal because it shows good fundamentals without over-committing. Lawson chases his check through a triple screen and gets a hand in the passing lane, Wayne Ellington finishes the play with a dunk,



Depending on how your defense is setup or time-score situations, you may want to chase all shooters off screens, or go over the top, or switch. In most ordinary M2M cases, I think you want to chase because you won't be left vulnerable off of a bad switch or a misdirection play by the offense. Here, Lawson just performs his normal defensive responsibility, but in doing so, he is rewarded with the steal,


Summary:

I was a little surprised that Wayne Ellington was selected as the player of the game, later changed to Tyler Hansbrough. I really felt Ty Lawson was the difference maker, especially on defense with his 8 steals. But, I don't think that it really makes a difference, nobody really pays much attention to the player of the game. As for MSU, they return almost everyone so they'll have more chances to make it. Congrats to UNC though, there were the injuries, questions about their defense, but they definitely rose up to the challenge.

For more on UNC, Coach Roy Williams, and their defense, check out Roy Williams's DVD on his Scramble Defense. As always, head over to the X's and O's Basketball forum to talk with other coaches about your favorite basketball topics.