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
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
