After
one of the most exciting first weekends of an NCAA Tournament, the second
weekend was relatively unexciting.
In
the South Region, Thursday's games were both blowouts, as 1-seed Kansas beat 5-seed
Maryland, 79-63, and 2-seed Villanova destroyed 3-seed Miami, 92-69. Saturday's Elite Eight game was much better,
with Villanova holding Kansas off in the last minute to win 64-59. This will be the Wildcats' 5th Final Four and
first since 2009.
In
the West Region, Thursday's games were also both blowouts, with 1-seed Oregon
beating 4-seed Duke, 82-68, and 2-seed Oklahoma ending 3-seed Texas A&M's
momentum with a 77-63 win. In the Elite
Eight, behind Buddy Hield's 37 points, Oklahoma beat up on Oregon, 80-68,
preventing the Ducks from going to their first Final Four since they won the
whole damn thing in 1939, the first year of the NCAA Tournament. It's the Sooners' 5th Final Four and first
since 2002, when they were coached by Kelvin Sampson and lost to Indiana, where
Sampson coached after leaving Norman and thereby ruining IU's basketball
program for about five years for doing something that is now legal under NCAA
rules. Not that I'm bitter or anything.
In
the East Region, my beloved Hoosiers got hammered by North Carolina Friday
night, 101-86, as the Tar Heels did what they haven't done all season: hit threes.
It was a bad omen when Marcus Paige hit his first two from long range in
the opening minutes. All in all, not a
terrible season for IU, but obviously, I would have liked to have kept it going
longer. In the other game, 7-seed
Wisconsin shit the bed against 6-seed Notre Dame, giving the Irish a 61-56 win
after being ahead in the final minute.
Yesterday, Notre Dame kept it close against North Carolina until the Tar
Heels went on a big run with about 12 minutes left to pull away, 88-74. This will be the Tar Heels' 19th Final Four,
breaking a tie with UCLA for the most Final Fours all-time, and their first
since 2009, when they won it all.
In
the Midwest Region, Friday night, 1-seed Virginia topped 4-seed Iowa State,
84-71, while 10-seed Syracuse closed on a 9-1 run over the last couple minutes
to upend 11-seed Gonzaga. Not wanting to
be outdone by themselves, the Orange put on a show last night, overcoming a
15-point deficit with 9:33 left thanks to a press and hot shooting, and leaving
the United Center with a 68-62 upset over Virginia. Not bad for a team that many people thought
didn't deserve a bid in the NCAA Tournament.
It will be the Orange's 6th Final Four and first since 2013.
Here
are the Final Four game times this Saturday (Eastern). Both games are on TBS:
(S2)
Villanova vs. (W2) Oklahoma – 6:09 p.m.
(E1)
North Carolina vs. (MW10) Syracuse – 8:49 p.m.
As
I do this time of year, I'm going to drop some Final Four statistical knowledge
on you. Get ready for it.
10
(tie). For the third year in a row, a
team with double-digit losses has made it to the Final Four. Syracuse is the 18th team with 10 or more
losses to advance to the Final Four (with all but five coming after seeding was
introduced in 1979). With 13 losses, the
Orange is tied for the most losses ever by a Final Four team. Of the previous 17 double-digit-loss teams, 6
have advanced to the title game, and 3 have won it all. Here are the teams with 10 or more losses
entering the Final Four (and how many losses they had when entering the Final
Four):
2016: Syracuse (13)
2015: Michigan State (11)
2014: Kentucky** (10)
2011: VCU (11)
2005: Indiana** (11)
2004: Maryland (10)
2000: North Carolina (13), Wisconsin (13)
1988: Kansas* (11)
1986: LSU (11)
1985: Villanova* (10)
1984: Virginia (11)
1983: NC State* (10)
1959: Louisville (10)
1959: Louisville (10)
1954: Bradley** (12)
1952: Santa Clara (10)
1950: Baylor (11)
1949: Oregon State (10)
*Champions
**Advanced
to championship game
10
(tie). Both the Syracuse men's team and
women's team advanced to the Final Four this year. This is the 11th time that a school has had
both a men's and women's team advance to the Final Four in the same year. Here is every time it's happened (FYI, the
women's tournament started in 1982):
2016: Syracuse
2014: Connecticut (both teams won NCAA title)
2013: Louisville (men won NCAA title; women were
runners up)
2011: Connecticut (men won NCAA title; women lost
semi)
2009: Connecticut (women won NCAA title; men lost
semi)
2006: LSU (both teams lost semi)
2005: Michigan State (women were runners up; men
lost semi)
2004: Connecticut (both teams won NCAA title)
2003: Texas (both teams lost semi)
2002: Oklahoma (women were runners up; men lost
semi)
1999: Duke (both teams were runners up)
10
(tie). All four 1-seeds advanced to the
Elite Eight for the 8th time since seeding began in 1979 (other years were 1987,
1993, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008, and 2009), but three of them (Kansas, Oregon, and
Virginia) lost. This is only the third
time 3 1-seeds have lost in the Elite Eight, and only the 12th time more than
one 1-seed has lost in the Elite Eight.
It's only the second time only one 1-seed advanced to the Final Four
when all four 1-seeds advanced to the Elite Eight (2003 was the other year). Here are the other years in which more than
one 1-seed lost in the Elite Eight:
2016: 3 (Kansas, Oregon, Virginia)
2012: 2 (North Carolina, Syracuse)
2009:
2 (Louisville, Pittsburgh)
2007: 2 (Kansas, North Carolina)
2006: 3 (Connecticut, Memphis, Villanova)
2003: 3 (Arizona, Kentucky, Oklahoma)
2001: 2 (Illinois, Stanford)
1998: 2 (Arizona, Duke)
1994: 2 (Missouri, Purdue)
1992: 2 (Ohio State, UCLA)
1987: 2 (Georgetown, North Carolina)
1979: 2 (Notre Dame, UCLA)
10
(tie). With Oklahoma's win Saturday, Lon
Kruger became the 15th coach in NCAA Tournament history to take multiple teams
to the Final Four. His previous
appearance was as Florida's head coach in 1994 (the Gators' first Final
Four). Here are the other coaches, in
alphabetical order:
Forddy
Anderson – Bradley, Michigan State
Gene
Bartow – Memphis, UCLA
Larry
Brown – UCLA, Kansas (although his 1980 appearance with UCLA has since been
vacated)
John
Calipari – UMass, Memphis, Kentucky (although his appearances with UMass and
Memphis have since been vacated)
Hugh
Durham – Florida State, Georgia
Jack
Gardner – Kansas State, Utah
Lou
Henson – New Mexico State, Illinois
Bob
Huggins – Cincinnati, West Virginia
Lon
Kruger – Florida, Oklahoma
Frank
McGuire – St. John's, North Carolina
Lute
Olson – Iowa, Arizona
Rick
Pitino - Providence, Kentucky, Louisville
Lee
Rose – Charlotte, Purdue
Eddie
Sutton – Arkansas, Oklahoma State
Roy
Williams - Kansas, North Carolina
9. Kruger's 22 years between Final Four
appearances is amazingly not the
biggest span between Final Four appearances for a coach. Here are the coaches who have had spans of 15
years or more between Final Four appearances:
1. 36 years:
Ray Meyer (DePaul) (1943-1979)
2. 22 years:
Lon Kruger (Florida, Oklahoma) (1994-2016)
3. 19 years:
Lou Henson (New Mexico State, Illinois) (1970-1989)
4. 18 years:
Bob Huggins (Cincinnati, West Virginia (1992-2010)
5. 17 years:
Eddie Sutton (Arkansas, Oklahoma State (1978-1995)
8. With North Carolina's win Sunday, Roy
Williams is taking coaching in his 8th Final Four, moving him into sole
possession of fourth place on the list of head coaching Final Four appearances. Meanwhile, Jim Boeheim became the 12th coach
to lead his team to 5 or more Final Fours.
Here are the coaches who have been to 5 or more Final Fours (John
Calipari is not on this list because 2 of his 6 Final Four appearances have
been vacated by the NCAA):
1
(tie). Mike Krzyzewski - Duke (12)
1
(tie). John Wooden - UCLA (12)
3. Dean Smith - North Carolina (11)
4. Roy Williams - Kansas, North Carolina (8)
5
(tie). Tom Izzo - Michigan State (7)
5
(tie). Rick Pitino - Providence,
Kentucky, Louisville (7)
6
(tie). Denny Crum – Louisville (6)
6
(tie). Adolph Rupp – Kentucky (6)
8
(tie). Jim Boeheim – Syracuse (5)
8
(tie). Bob Knight – Indiana (5)
8
(tie). Guy Lewis – Houston (5)
8
(tie). Lute Olson – Iowa, Arizona (5)
7. All four Final Four coaches have coached in
at least one Final Four. This is the
second year in a row and only the 7th time in NCAA Tournament history that all
four coaches have previously coached in a Final Four. Here's when it's happened:
2016: Jim Boeheim (Syracuse), Lon Kruger
(Oklahoma), Roy Williams (North Carolina), Jay Wright (Villanova)
2015: John Calipari (Kentucky), Tom Izzo (Michigan
State), Mike Krzyzewski (Duke), Bo Ryan (Wisconsin)
2012: John Calipari (Kentucky), Roy Williams
(Kansas), Thad Matta (Ohio State), Rick Pitino (Louisville)
1993: Dean Smith (North Carolina), Steve Fisher
(Michigan), Rick Pitino (Kentucky), Roy Williams (Kansas)
1984: John Thompson (Georgetown), Guy Lewis
(Houston), Joe B. Hall (Kentucky), Terry Hollan (Virginia)
1968: John Wooden (UCLA), Dean Smith (North
Carolina), Guy Lewis (Houston), Fred Taylor (Ohio State)
1951: Adolph Rupp (Kentucky), Jack Gardner (Kansas
State), Henry Iba (Oklahoma A&M), Harry Combes (Illinois)
6. Based on past performance of national titles
per Final Four appearances, here is how the teams stack up, as far as
percentage of national titles per Final Fours (not including this Final Four,
obviously). Not that great:
1. North Carolina: 28% (5/18)
2. Villanova:
25% (1/4)
3. Syracuse:
20% (1/5)
4. Oklahoma:
0% (0/4)
5. There are 9 schools with 8 or more Final
Fours: North Carolina (19), UCLA (18),
Kentucky (17), Duke (16), Kansas (14), Ohio State (11), Louisville (10),
Michigan State (9), and Indiana (8).
This is the 31st year in a row and the 59th year out of the last 60 that
at least one of those 9 teams has been in the Final Four. In fact, one of those teams has been in all
but 8 of 77 Final Fours (1941, 1943, 1947, 1950, 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1985).
4. The ACC has two teams in the Final Four (although
really, it's the Big East that has two teams, since I still can't consider
Syracuse as an ACC team). It's the fourth
year in a row and 24th time overall that one conference has had two or more
teams in the same Final Four. Here is
when it has happened (note: the NCAA
Tournament began giving out at-large bids in 1975, so that was the first year
there could have been more than one team from the same conference in an NCAA
Tournament):
2016: ACC – North Carolina, Syracuse
2015: Big Ten - Michigan State, Wisconsin
2014: SEC – Florida, Kentucky
2013: Big East – Louisville, Syracuse
2009: Big East – Connecticut, Villanova
2006: SEC – Florida, LSU
2005: Big Ten – Illinois, Michigan State
2003: Big 12 – Kansas, Texas
2002: Big 12 – Kansas, Oklahoma
2001: ACC – Duke, Maryland
2000: Big Ten – Michigan State, Wisconsin
1999: Big Ten – Michigan State, Ohio State
1996: SEC – Kentucky, Mississippi State
1994: SEC – Arkansas, Florida
1992: Big Ten – Indiana, Michigan
1991: ACC – Duke, North Carolina
1990: ACC – Duke, Georgia Tech
1989: Big Ten – Illinois, Michigan
1988: Big 8 – Kansas, Oklahoma
1987: Big East – Providence, Syracuse
1985: Big East – Georgetown, St. John's, Villanova
1981: ACC – North Carolina, Virginia
1980: Big Ten – Iowa, Purdue
1976: Big Ten – Indiana, Michigan
3. There is only one 1-seed in the Final Four
(North Carolina) for the fifth time in the last seven years and the 18th time
since 1979 it has happened. Based on the
past results, UNC should feel pretty good about its chances, as 8 of the 15
teams who have been the lone #1 seed in the Final Four have gone onto win the
title. Here is a breakdown of how many
#1 seeds have advanced to the Final Four each year since 1979.
2016:
1 (North Carolina)
2015:
3 (Duke*, Wisconsin**, Kentucky)
2014:
1 (Florida)
2013:
1 (Louisville*)
2012:
1 (Kentucky*)
2011:
0
2010:
1 (Duke*)
2009:
2 (North Carolina*, Connecticut)
2008:
4 (Kansas*, Memphis**, North Carolina, UCLA)
2007:
2 (Florida*, Ohio State**)
2006:
0
2005:
2 (North Carolina*, Illinois**)
2004:
1 (Duke)
2003:
1 (Texas)
2002:
2 (Maryland*, Kansas)
2001:
2 (Duke*, Michigan State)
2000:
1 (Michigan State*)
1999:
3 (Connecticut*, Duke**, Michigan State)
1998:
1 (North Carolina)
1997:
3 (Kentucky**, North Carolina, Minnesota)
1996:
2 (Kentucky*, Massachusetts)
1995:
1 (UCLA*)
1994:
1 (Arkansas*)
1993:
3 (North Carolina*, Michigan**, Kentucky)
1992:
1 (Duke*)
1991:
2 (UNLV, North Carolina)
1990:
1 (UNLV*)
1989:
1 (Illinois)
1988:
2 (Oklahoma**, Arizona)
1987:
2 (Indiana*, UNLV)
1986:
2 (Duke**, Kansas)
1985:
2 (Georgetown**, St. John's)
1984:
2 (Georgetown*, Kentucky)
1983:
2 (Houston**, Louisville)
1982:
2 (North Carolina*, Georgetown**)
1981:
2 (LSU, Virginia)
1980:
0
1979:
1 (Indiana State**)
*Champions
**Advanced
to championship game
2. The average seed for this year's Final Four
is 3.75, which is obviously skewed by Syracuse being a 10-seed. This is only the 8th time since seeding began
in 1979 that the average seed is 3.75 or higher. Here are the average seeds for the Final Four
since 1979:
2106:
3.75
2015:
2.5
2014:
4.5
2013:
4.5
2012:
2.25
2011:
6.5
2010:
3.25
2009:
1.75
2008:
1
2007:
1.5
2006:
5
2005:
2.75
2004:
2
2003:
2.25
2002:
2.25
2001:
1.75
2000:
5.5
1999:
1.75
1998:
2.25
1997:
1.75
1996:
2.75
1995:
2.25
1994:
2
1993:
1.25
1992:
3.25
1991:
1.75
1990:
3
1989:
2.25
1988:
2.5
1987:
2.5
1986:
3.75
1985:
3
1984:
2.75
1983:
3
1982:
2.75
1981:
1.75
1980:
5.25
1979:
3.5
1. Syracuse is the first 10-seed to ever advance
to the Final Four, becoming the 4th double-digit seed to advance to the Final
Four and the 28th team seeded 5 or higher have advanced to the Final Four since
seeding began in 1979. History doesn't
bode well for the Orange, as none of the previous three double-digit seeds has
won its semifinal game. Of the prior 27
teams seeded 5 or higher, only 4 have won it all, another 7 have been runners
up, and the remaining 16 have lost in the semis. Here are the years in which there have been
any teams seeded 5 or higher in the Final Four since 1979:
2016: 1: 10-seed Syracuse
2015: 1: 7-seed Michigan State
2014: 2: 7-seed UConn* and 8-seed Kentucky**
2013: 1: 9-seed Wichita State
2011: 2: 8-seed Butler** and 11-seed VCU
2010: 2: 5-seeds Butler** and Michigan State
2006: 1: 11-seed George Mason
2005: 1: 5-seed Michigan State
2002: 1: 5-seed Indiana**
2000: 3: 5-seed Florida**, 8-seeds North Carolina
and Wisconsin
1996: 1: 5-seed Mississippi State
1992: 1: 6-seed Michigan**
1988: 1: 6-seed Kansas*
1987: 1: 6-seed Providence
1986: 1: 11-seed LSU
1985: 1: 8-seed Villanova*
1984: 1: 7-seed Virginia
1983: 1: 6-seed NC State*
1982: 1: 6-seed Houston
1980: 3: 5-seed Purdue, 6-seed Iowa, 8-seed UCLA**
1979: 1: 9-seed Penn
*Champions
**Advanced
to championship game
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