Games of Interest - The NCAA's Elite Eight and Final Four

[njhoya78]

March Madness has truly turned into the Pacific 12 Conference Invitational, with three teams advancing to the Elite Eight. Top-ranked Gonzaga has continued to roll, extending the Bulldogs’ unbeaten streak to 29 games with tournament victories over Norfolk State, Oklahoma and #19 Creighton. Oregon State, seeded 12th after winning the Pac-12 tournament, has continued its surprising run with wins over Tennessee, #11 Oklahoma State and #17 Loyola (Illinois).

American Athletic Conference (1 bid; 1 0 still alive): #6 Houston
Big 12 Conference (7 bids; 1 still alive): #3 Baylor
Big Ten Conference (9 bids; 1 0 still alive): #4 Michigan
Pacific 12 Conference (5 bids; 3 2 1 0 still alive): #23 Southern California, California Los Angeles, Oregon State
Southeastern Conference (6 bids; 1 0 still alive): #10 Arkansas
West Coast Conference (2 bids; 1 still alive): #1 Gonzaga

The Big East Conference had two teams that survived to the Sweet Sixteen, but #18 Villanova could not overcome the loss of Conor Gillespie and fell to #3 Baylor, while #19 Creighton reverted to the same type of play that cost the Bluejays any chance in the Big East tournament in losing to #1 Gonzaga.

The Regional finals (Monday and Tuesday this week) and the Final Four (Saturday and next Monday) will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis IN.

Last minute modifications and cancellations may occur, and I will attempt to update this missive whenever I learn of tournament schedule changes; no warranties of accuracy, express or implied, are made.

Game times listed are Eastern Daylight Time.  NOTE:  UPDATED AS OF 11:28 PM ON APRIL 5, 2021.

Monday, March 29

BIG EAST CONFERENCE
No games scheduled

OUT-OF-CONFERENCE
No games scheduled

ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
#6 Houston 67 vs. Oregon State 61 in Midwest Regional championship game.
#3 Baylor 81 vs. #10 Arkansas 72 in South Regional championship game.

Tuesday, March 30

BIG EAST CONFERENCE
No games scheduled

OUT-OF-CONFERENCE
No games scheduled

ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
#1 Gonzaga 85 vs. #23 (tie) Southern California 66 in West Regional championship game.
#4 Michigan 49 vs. California Los Angeles 51 in East Regional championship game.

Wednesday, March 31

BIG EAST CONFERENCE
No games scheduled

OUT-OF-CONFERENCE
No games scheduled

ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
No games scheduled

Thursday, April 1

BIG EAST CONFERENCE
No games scheduled

OUT-OF-CONFERENCE
No games scheduled

ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
No games scheduled

Friday, April 2

BIG EAST CONFERENCE
No games scheduled

OUT-OF-CONFERENCE
No games scheduled

ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
No games scheduled

Saturday, April 3

BIG EAST CONFERENCE
No games yet scheduled

OUT-OF-CONFERENCE
No games yet scheduled

ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
#3 Baylor as South Regional champion 78 vs. #6 Houston as Midwest Regional champion 59.
#1 Gonzaga as West Regional champion 93 vs. California Los Angeles as East Regional champion 90; overtime.

Sunday, April 4

BIG EAST CONFERENCE
No games scheduled

OUT-OF-CONFERENCE
No games scheduled

ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
No games scheduled

Monday, April 5

BIG EAST CONFERENCE
No games yet scheduled

OUT-OF-CONFERENCE
No games yet scheduled

ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
#1 Gonzaga 70 vs. #3 Baylor 86.

EAST REGIONALS

Tuesday, March 30 final round game
Game O— #4 Michigan (#1 seed as at-large selection from Big Ten Conference; 14-3 conference record; 23-4 overall; 82-66 winner against Texas Southern; 86-78 winner against Louisiana State; 76-58 winner against #14 Florida State) 49 vs. California Los Angeles (#11 seed as at-large selection from Pacific 12 Conference; 13-6 conference record; 21-9 overall; 86-80 winner against Michigan State in overtime; 73-62 winner against #24 Brigham Young; 67-47 winner against Abilene Christian; 88-78 winner against #5 Alabama in overtime) 51.  California Los Angeles wins East Regionals championship game.

SOUTH REGIONALS

Monday, March 29 final round game
Game O— #3 Baylor (#1 seed as at-large selection from Big 12 Conference; 13-1 conference record; 25-2 overall; 79-55 winner against Hartford; 76-63 winner against Wisconsin; 62-51 winner against #18 Villanova) 81 vs. #10 Arkansas (#5 seed as at-large selection from Southeastern Conference; 11-4 conference record; 18-6 overall; 73-63 winner against Winthrop; 68-66 winner against #21 Texas Tech; 72-70 winner against Oral Roberts) 72.  #3 Baylor wins South Regionals championship game.

MIDWEST REGIONALS

Monday, March 29 final round game
Game O— #6 Houston (#2 seed as American Athletic Conference champion; 14-3 conference record; 26-3 overall; 87-56 winner against Cleveland State; 63-60 winner against Rutgers; 62-46 winner against Syracuse) 67 vs. Oregon State (#12 seed as Pacific 12 Conference champion; 10-10 conference record; 18-12 overall; 70-56 winner against Tennessee; 80-70 winner against #11 Oklahoma State; 65-58 winner against #17 Loyola (Illinois)) 61.  #6 Houston wins Midwest Regionals championship game.

WEST REGIONALS

Tuesday, March 30 final round game
Game O— #1 Gonzaga (#1 seed as West Coast Conference champion; 15-0 conference record; 29-0 overall; 98-55 winner against Norfolk State; 87-71 winner against Oklahoma; 83-65 winner against #19 Creighton) 85 vs. #23 (tie) Southern California (#6 seed as at-large selection from Pacific 12 Conference; 15-5 conference record; 25-7 overall; 72-56 winner against Drake; 85-51 winner against #12 Kansas; 82-68 winner against Oregon) 66.  #1 Gonzaga wins West Regionals championship game.

FINAL FOUR

Saturday, April 3
Game P— #3 Baylor as South Regional champion (#1 seed as at-large selection from Big 12 Conference; 13-1 conference record; 26-2 overall; 79-55 winner against Hartford; 76-63 winner against Wisconsin; 62-51 winner against #18 Villanova; 81-72 winner against #10 Arkansas) 78 vs. #6 Houston as Midwest Regional champion (#2 seed as American Athletic Conference champion; 14-3 conference record; 27-3 overall; 87-56 winner against Cleveland State; 63-60 winner against Rutgers; 62-46 winner against Syracuse; 67-61 winner against Oregon State) 59.
Game Q— #1 Gonzaga as West Regional champion (#1 seed as West Coast Conference champion; 15-0 conference record; 30-0 overall; 98-55 winner against Norfolk State; 87-71 winner against Oklahoma; 83-65 winner against #19 Creighton; 85-66 winner against #23 (tie) Southern California) as West Regional champion 93 vs. California Los Angeles as East Regional champion (#11 seed as at-large selection from Pacific 12 Conference; 13-6 conference record; 22-9 overall; 86-80 winner against Michigan State in overtime; 73-62 winner against #24 Brigham Young; 67-47 winner against Abilene Christian; 88-78 winner against #5 Alabama in overtime; 51-49 winner against #4 Michigan) 90; overtime.

Monday, April 5
Game R— #1 Gonzaga (#1 seed as West Coast Conference champion; 15-0 conference record; 31-0 overall; 98-55 winner against Norfolk State; 87-71 winner against Oklahoma; 83-65 winner against #19 Creighton; 85-66 winner against #23 (tie) Southern California; 93-90 winner over California Los Angeles in overtime) 70 vs. #3 Baylor (#1 seed in South Region as at-large selection from Big 12 Conference; 13-1 conference record; 27-2 overall; 79-55 winner against Hartford; 76-63 winner against Wisconsin; 62-51 winner against #18 Villanova; 81-72 winner against #10 Arkansas; 78-59 winner against #6 Houston) 86.  #3 Baylor wins National Championship.

[hoyarooter]

I wrote this on this board less than a year ago, and will repeat it now. Welcome home, Johnny Juzang.

[DanMcQ]

[the_way]

All Pac-12 National championship game for the Women's tournament. UCONN got sent packing. Great to see. The guard McDonald for Arizona is something.

Westside is the best side this year it appears in the tournament (UCLA-Gonzaga, Pac 12's success).

Let's see if the men's teams from the state of Texas will have something to say about it.

[professorhoya]

Another blowout. This game looks over

[the_way]

The game is over. Even if Baylor would get cold from 3, they still can dribble, tack it to the rack and also defend.

Houston looks like a team that ran through a bunch of low seeds. They are limited. Nobody can really get their own shot except for Jarraeu. Sasser has been the only one who can shoot. Raftery said they didn't have anybody in the low post to give them some buckets. Baylor's defense isn't helping them either.


Let's see if UCLA can make it a game vs. Gonzaga.

[This Just In]

UCLA now giving Gonzaga a run for their money.

[the_way]

UCLA dictates the tempo in just about every game they've played in the tournament.

Refs are calling it tight with UCLA. Otherwise, the margin might be larger.

Gonzaga can't really stop Juzang or Jaquez. Riley is playing smart against Timme.

Good game so far.

[saxagael]

Apr 3, 2021 20:31:23 GMT -5 the_way said:

UCLA dictates the tempo in just about every game they've played in the tournament.

Refs are calling it tight with UCLA. Otherwise, the margin might be larger.

Gonzaga can't really stop Juzang or Jaquez. Riley is playing smart against Timme.

Good game so far.

Juzang seems like he can take over a game at will.

UCLA's length and active defense (actual both teams have active defense) in and out.

[professorhoya]

UCLA seems to win every 50/50 ball. Great hustle.

[professorhoya]

Few seems rattled for some reason.

[the_way]

Apr 3, 2021 20:35:42 GMT -5 saxagael said:

Apr 3, 2021 20:31:23 GMT -5 the_way said:

UCLA dictates the tempo in just about every game they've played in the tournament.

Refs are calling it tight with UCLA. Otherwise, the margin might be larger.

Gonzaga can't really stop Juzang or Jaquez. Riley is playing smart against Timme.

Good game so far.

Juzang seems like he can take over a game at will.

UCLA's length and active defense (actual both teams have active defense) in and out.

Juzang is good.

Jaquez is the same way and can beat Gonzaga defenders better off the dribble than Juzang. However, he was on the bench with 2 fouls late in the 1st half. Campbell too. Having those 2 sit helped Gonzaga pull ahead by at half.

[the_way]

Apr 3, 2021 20:39:39 GMT -5 professorhoya said:

Few seems rattled for some reason.

He is in a tight game.

Meanwhile, Cronin is just Cronin'n. Came from the Big East and coaches in the Pac-12.

[saxagael]

Apr 3, 2021 20:40:40 GMT -5 the_way said:

Apr 3, 2021 20:35:42 GMT -5 saxagael said:

Juzang seems like he can take over a game at will.

UCLA's length and active defense (actual both teams have active defense) in and out.

Juzang is good.

Jaquez is the same way and can beat Gonzaga defenders better off the dribble than Juzang. However, he was on the bench with 2 fouls late in the 1st half. Campbell too. Having those 2 sit helped Gonzaga pull ahead by at half.

Jaquez has also been good and plays on the edge of being out of control, yet maintains it. Campbell is also really good. I really liked his game against Michigan.

UCLA has Tiger and three 6'6" wings, and a sort of big. They disrupt other teams with length and athleticism. They have a good bench too.

They sort of remind me of the Cincinnati teams before they joined the Big East with a good point guard and the rest are 6'6" to 6'9" long athletes. But, UCLA can shoot. Also looks like what Hoyas could be with Aminu, Clark, Holloway, Sibley, Dante, and Mutombo could mix and match and be. Add Beard and Berger, could be really interesting (but holding that for summer and next year).

[professorhoya]

Barkely's so smart. High basketball IQ.

[saxagael]

Apr 3, 2021 20:39:39 GMT -5 professorhoya said:

Few seems rattled for some reason.

His players are getting disrupted and out of their game on both ends. That doesn't happen much.

[the_way]

Apr 3, 2021 20:48:11 GMT -5 saxagael said:

Apr 3, 2021 20:40:40 GMT -5 the_way said:

Juzang is good.

Jaquez is the same way and can beat Gonzaga defenders better off the dribble than Juzang. However, he was on the bench with 2 fouls late in the 1st half. Campbell too. Having those 2 sit helped Gonzaga pull ahead by at half.

Jaquez has also been good and plays on the edge of being out of control, yet maintains it. Campbell is also really good. I really liked his game against Michigan.

UCLA has Tiger and three 6'6" wings, and a sort of big. They disrupt other teams with length and athleticism. They have a good bench too.

They sort of remind me of the Cincinnati teams before they joined the Big East with a good point guard and the rest are 6'6" to 6'9" long athletes. But, UCLA can shoot. Also looks like what Hoyas could be with Aminu, Clark, Holloway, Sibley, Dante, and Mutombo could mix and match and be. Add Beard and Berger, could be really interesting (but holding that for summer and next year).

They play tough. People talk about Ewing's coaching style, but Cronin actually called his team soft in the tournament this year and they responded.

Constantly staying on your guys and preaching discipline on the sideline.

Another big thing about UCLA is not only their discipline on defense, but their discipline on offense. They are not in a rush. Very patient in getting their shots.

[the_way]

Ayayi is the MVP for Gonzaga. So underrated for that team. A glue guy who is also a superstar.

[saxagael]

Apr 3, 2021 21:15:52 GMT -5 the_way said:

Ayayi is the MVP for Gonzaga. So underrated for that team. A glue guy who is also a superstar.

He was doing all the little things well in the USC game. He's good!

[professorhoya]

You have to attack Timme. Get him out of the game.