March madness is upon us and the past two weeks saw all top-seeded teams crumble one by one while three unheralded teams advance to the final four for the first time. I am just excited to see these four teams match up and show us what they got.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY
OWLS
Starting
lineup:
G: Johnell Davis, So., 13.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG
C: Vladislav Goldin, So., 10.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG
G: Alijah Martin, So., 13.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG
G: Nicholas Boyd, So., 8.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG
G: Bryan Greenlee, Jr., 7.4 PPG, 2.4 RPG
About
the Owls: FAU
landed three key players from elsewhere, including Goldin, a 7-foot-1 Russian
center. All moved to the campus in Boca Raton after less-than-successful stays
at big-conference schools. No one was quite sure how coach Dusty May would
blend all these new faces from different places. Turns out, he did pretty well.
At 35-3, nobody has more wins this season than the Owls.
FAU ROAD TO THE
FINAL 4
#8 MEMPHIS TIGERS 66
– 65
#16 FDU KNIGHTS 78 –
70
#4 TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
62 -55
#3 KANSAS STATE
WILCATS 79 – 76
SAN DIEGO STATE
UNIVERSITY AZTECS
Starting
lineup:
About
the Aztecs: A
longtime power in the Mountain West Conference, San Diego State was 30-2 and
projected for a No. 1 seed in 2020 when the season was canceled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. Three years later, the Aztecs (31-6) are two wins away from
the title. Their top two scorers, Bradley and Trammell, are — you guessed it —
products of the transfer portal, though coach Brian Dutcher brought them in as
much for defense as scoring. SDSU made it this far behind a defense that held
top-seeded Alabama to 32% shooting in the Sweet 16 and held Creighton to 11%
from 3-point range in Sunday’s win.
SDSU ROAD TO THE
FINAL 4
#12 CHARLESTON COUGARS
63 – 57
#13 FURMAN PALADINS 75
– 52
#1 ALABAMA CRIMSON
TIDE 71 – 64
#6 CREIGHTON BLUE
JAYS 57 – 56
#5 MIAMI UNIVERSITY vs. #4
UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
UNIVERSITY OF
CONNECTICUT HUSKIES
Starting
lineup:
G: Jordan Hawkins, So., 16.3 PPG, 3.8 RBG
G: Andre Jackson, Jr., 6.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 4.7 APG
G: Tristen Newton, Sr., 9.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.7 APG
F: Adama Sanogo, Jr., 17.1 PPG, 7.5 RPG
F: Alex Karaban, Fr., 9.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG
About
the Huskies: No
team was undervalued more than UConn (29-8), which entered the tournament with
25 wins, a No. 8 standing in the NET rankings — which looks at quality wins
among other factors — and the still-developing potential of junior Sanogo, who
has averaged 20 points and just a touch under 10 rebounds in four tournament
games.
UCONN ROAD TO THE
FINAL 4
#13 IONA GAELS 86 - 63
#5 ST. MARY’S GAELS 70 – 55
#8 ARKANSAS
RAZORBACKS 88 – 65
#3 GONZAGA ZAGS 82 -
54
MIAMI UNIVERSITY HURRICANES
Starting
lineup:
G: Jordan Miller, Sr., 15.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.7 APG
G: Nijel Pack, So., 13.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.4 APG
G: Isaiah Wong, Jr., 16.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.3 APG
G: Wooga Poplar, So., 8.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG
F: Norchad Omier, So., 13.3 PPG, 10.1 RPG
About
the Hurricanes: Heading
into the Elite Eight, Miami coach Jim Larrañaga — who brought George Mason to the Final Four as an 11 seed 17 years ago
— said the portal was the basketball equivalent of speed dating. Worked for
him. The third- and fourth-leading scorers for the Hurricanes (29-7), Pack and
Omier, both came to The U from the portal.
MIAMI ROAD TO THE
FINAL 4
#12 DRAKE BULLDOGS 63
- 56
#4 INDIANA HOOSIERS 85
– 69
#1 HOUSTON COUGARS 89
– 75
#2 TEXAS LONGHORNS 88
- 81
I am not much of an expert when it comes to the US College NCAA Tournament, but my bet is FAU will overcome SDSU but will succumb to the UConn Huskies in the finals. So Who you got?
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