Gonzaga must tune out noise at tourney

The Final Four is a different animal.

That sentence, or some version of it, is my answer when somebody asks if Gonzaga can win the national championship.

Trust me, I’ve seen just about everything happen at a Final Four — including a team I was covering have its chances ruined because a key player slipped in a small puddle of water during a morning practice.

Things like that happen when you set up a basketball court in some monstrous football stadium.

Hey, they can leak.

As far as I know, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis is the only football stadium that was also designed to host major basketball tournaments.

I wrote a magazine story about that venue, and the phrase that sticks in my mind came from a senior engineer on the project. He said: “There’s a difference between waterproof and water-tight.”

Bottom line: It costs a lot more money for the technology to keep anything and everything out of a gigantic stadium.

NOW, I’m not suggesting that this Final Four starting Saturday afternoon will be decided by a drop of water.

But I will tell you that almost anything is possible.

Oddsmakers in Vegas believe Gonzaga will beat South Carolina in the opening game (the betting line is 6 1/2 points) and that North Carolina will dispatch Oregon in the finale.

Naturally, we’d grab that first result with both hands around here.

The Zags are a deeper and more talented team than South Carolina. I agree with the bookies who believe they’ll advance to Monday night’s final, but ...

Again, it’s the Final Four.

One or both teams might get into foul trouble. A star player could twist an ankle.

This stuff happens.

Remember, too, that neither the Zags nor the Gamecocks ever has seen a crazy setting like this — 70,000 fans, an elevated court, pregame madness that includes everything from weird practice times to ticket requests from long-lost cousins.

Both teams will be wide-eyed and keyed up, which is one reason you might see some critical early fouls.

So how each side handles the circus atmosphere could have a huge impact on the result.

DURING this week, our editor Mike Patrick and I have been doing short videocasts, previewing the Zags’ Final Four debut.

I’ll toss in a shameless plug here and suggest you watch today and Saturday at cdapress.com.

Mike has said from the beginning that he’ll be picking Gonzaga to win it all during our final show.

I’ll probably get booed for this, but I’m going to guess the Zags will win on Saturday — in a close, physically bruising battle — but I believe North Carolina will beat Oregon and thus be waiting for someone in the title game.

And if that’s the Monday match-up, then yes, Gonzaga has the talent to beat anyone. But I would really, really fear the Tar Heels.

I don’t think North Carolina is better than the Zags, but it’s worth remembering that this same group of savvy, experienced Heels made it to the title game last year — and lost on a shot by Villanova’s Kris Jenkins that splashed down at the buzzer.

Not only is Carolina a team on a mission to finish the job, but those kids all have been through a Final Four carnival — unlike the other three teams gathered now in suburban Phoenix.

The whole thing is just nuts. And it goes by in a flash.

If the Zags survive their war with South Carolina, and it’s going to be a street fight, they at least will have their initial Final Four nerves out of the way for a potential championship game.

Wouldn’t it be fun to see that?

Steve Cameron is a special assignment reporter for The Press. Reach Steve at [email protected].