#2 1998 vs #7 2000
Starters and Bench
| 1998 | Pos | 2000 |
| Ed Cota |
PG | Ed Cota |
| Shammond Williams |
SG | Joe Forte |
| Vince Carter |
SF | Jason Capel |
| Ademola Okulaja |
PF | Kris Lang |
| Antawn Jamison |
C | Brendan Haywood |
| Bench | ||
| Mahktar Ndyiae |
F | Julius Peppers |
| Brendan Haywood |
C<-->G | Max Owens |
In another quirk of the bracket this match-up has both of Bill Guthridge's Final Four teams. The difference is the 1998 team lost ten fewer games than 2000 did. Neither team has much depth and in the end this is all about 1998's talent. Though if you consider Ed Cota vs Ed Cota a wash and Joe Forte over Shammond Williams this might be closer than first blush. That is until you starting looking at the other three starters and despite Brendan Haywood's shot blocking capabilities, something tells me Antawn Jamison still gets his and Vince Carter is definitely getting his versus Jason Capel.
Then again, if they play this game in San Antonio, 1998 is totally screwed.