FINAL FOUR NOTEBOOK From San Antonio

Coach Lewis: History will give Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt the credit for getting his players to the title game. But don't forget Marvin Lewis' strategic wisdom. Hewitt said it was Lewis' idea to set a screen for Will Bynum to take the final shot in the Yellow Jackets' 67-65 win. "I think especially the last 10 minutes of the second half, Will did a good job of penetrating off the screen and roll. I said if we can get Will in the same position ...." Lewis said. "I'm just happy he knocked it down."
Smart choice: Will Bynum's winning shot came against the team he nearly played for. He once considered playing at Oklahoma State but ended up at Georgia Tech instead. "It felt even better to be against Oklahoma State," Bynum said. "Words can't describe how I feel." Bynum also had a bone-crunching meeting with former Chicago high school teammate Tony Allen. The two crashed hard to the floor after a collision under the basket in the second half. They exchanged words after the game. "He said, 'You got me this time,' " Bynum said.
Elder's struggles: Georgia Tech won despite a bad game from one of its best players. B.J. Elder, who has been hobbled by a sprained ankle, managed just two points on 1-of-4 shooting in just 19 minutes on the floor.
Orange crush: Georgia Tech brought plenty of fans but it was the Oklahoma State fans who stood out in the crowd. Orange T-shirts peppered every level of the Alamodome, reaching from the main section to the far corners. And why not? Cowboys fans had the shortest trip to San Antonio, about 500 miles from Stillwater. Not to be outdone, Connecticut fans made their presence felt late in the first half of the OSU-Georgia Tech game. They gave a standing ovation as their team worked its way around the court to the locker room with under five minutes left, then chanted "Let's go Huskies!" UConn coach Jim Calhoun must have liked it. He was watching the game from the press seating area nearby.
Sutton scowl: Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton's sideline scowl is as famous as his name. Cowboys fans must think it's severe enough to part the tough San Antonio traffic. On a charter bus marked as an Oklahoma State carrier, someone taped a picture of Sutton's famous frown to the windshield, perhaps as a means of intimidating the traffic cops.
Yellow Jacket reunion: While Duke's Final Four trips almost seem routine, Georgia Tech's second appearance brought out some of the biggest names in school history. Among the famous Yellow Jackets in San Antonio was former coach Bobby Cremins, who led Tech to their only other Final Four in 1990. And the pool of former players was plenty deep. Mark Price, John Salley, Dennis Scott, Duane Ferrell, Bruce Dalrymple, Matt Harpring, Drew Barry and Roger Kaiser also were there. "I talk about the history of Georgia Tech all the time when recruiting," coach Paul Hewitt said. "I feel I owe those guys something." He credited the success under Cremins for making his job easier. "This is the tradition that Bobby established, we built on that tradition and here we are in the Final Four," Hewitt said. "The history and tradition here made this job a little easier than it would have been at most programs taking over."
Final Four firsts: Naturally, they came in the first game between Georgia Tech and Oklahoma State. First free throws: OSU's Joey Graham made two for the first points of the game. First 3-pointer: Georgia Tech's Marvin Lewis hit from long range for the Yellow Jacket's first points and a 3-2 lead. First dunk: OSU again. After Lewis' basket, Ivan McFarlin's jam off a rebound made it 4-3, Cowboys.
Memory lane: The day before his team's semifinal against Georgia Tech, Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton remembered getting some tips from a couple of all-time coaching greats: Adolph Rupp of Kentucky and Henry Iba of Oklahoma State. Sutton was a high school coach and in awe of Iba, who allowed him into the hospitality suite at a coaches conference. "I remember Adolph Rupp and Mr. Iba down on their hands and knees about three in the morning. Mr. Iba had the Coca-Cola bottles, 6-ounce bottles. Mr. Rupp had the 7-Up bottles. Both of them I think had a little Jack Daniels or something," Sutton said. "There were down there arguing about running plays with these bottles. I'll never forget Mr. Rupp said, 'Henry, that won't work.' Mr. Iba, that deep voice, 'The hell it won't.' "
-- Associated Press