Games of Interest - NCAA Sweet 16 & Elite 8

[njhoya78]

The first week of the NCAA Tournament has been put in the books (to use the Howie Rose line), and nine conferences still have representatives alive in Week Two. The Atlantic Coast Conference (#9 Duke, Miami (Florida) and North Carolina) and Big 12 Conference (#3 Kansas, #12 Texas Tech and Iowa State) both have three schools still playing, while the Big East Conference (#6 Villanova and #13 Providence), the Big Ten Conference (#10 Purdue and Michigan) and the Pacific 12 Conference (#2 Arizona and #11 California Los Angeles) all have two schools still playing. The “mighty” Southeastern Conference has the same number of surviving schools, one (#17 Arkansas), as the lowly Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (unranked Saint Peter’s), along with the American Athletic Conference (#15 Houston) and the West Coast Conference (#1 Gonzaga, the #1 overall seed).

And while Saint Peter’s is clearly the Cinderella story of the decade…who thought that Miami (Florida) will still be alive and advancing to Week Two? Looks like Jim Larrañaga can really coach.

At the other end, five ranked schools failed to make it out of the first round, highlighted by #7 Kentucky’s defeat against Saint Peter’s. Other ranked teams falling early were #16 Iowa (to unranked Richmond), #21 Connecticut (to unranked New Mexico State), #23 Boise State (to unranked Memphis) and #24 Colorado State (to unranked Michigan). With San Diego State also losing, it was not a great showing by the Mountain West Conference, which went 0-for-3 in the first round.

All times listed are Eastern Daylight Time.

MOST RECENTLY UPDATED AT 7:21 PM ON MARCH 27

Thursday, March 24

BIG EAST CONFERENCE
#6 Villanova 63 vs. Michigan 55 in South Regional semifinal round.

OUT-OF-CONFERENCE
No games scheduled

ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
#1 Gonzaga 68 vs. #17 Arkansas 74 in West Regional semifinal round.
#9 Duke 78 vs. #12 Texas Tech 73 in West Regional semifinal round.
#2 Arizona 60 vs. #15 Houston 72 in South Regional semifinal round.

OTHER UNRANKED TEAMS STILL PLAYING
No games scheduled

Friday, March 25

BIG EAST CONFERENCE
#13 Providence 61 vs. #3 Kansas 66 in Midwest Regional semifinal round.

OUT-OF-CONFERENCE
No games scheduled

ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
#10 Purdue 64 vs. Saint Peter’s 67 in East Regional semifinal round.
#11 California Los Angeles 66 vs. North Carolina 73 in East Regional semifinal round.

OTHER UNRANKED TEAMS STILL ALIVE
Miami (Florida) 70 vs. Iowa State 56 in Midwest Regional semifinal round.

Saturday, March 26

BIG EAST CONFERENCE
#6 Villanova 50 vs. #15 Houston 44 in South Regional championship game.

OUT-OF-CONFERENCE
No games scheduled

ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
#9 Duke 78 vs. #17 Arkansas 69 in West Regional championship game.

OTHER UNRANKED TEAMS STILL ALIVE
No games scheduled.

Sunday, March 27

BIG EAST CONFERENCE
No games scheduled

OUT-OF-CONFERENCE
No games scheduled

ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
#3 Kansas 76 vs. Miami (Florida) 50 in Midwest Regional championship game.

OTHER UNRANKED TEAMS STILL ALIVE
North Carolina 69 vs. Saint Peter's 49 in East Regional championship game.

NCAA TOURNAMENT

EAST REGIONALS SEMIFINAL AND FINAL ROUNDS
All games played at Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia PA

Friday, March 25
Game A— #10 Purdue (3d seeded team; 14-6 in Big Ten Conference; 29-8 overall; 78-56 winner against Yale, 81-71 winner against #25 Texas) 64 vs. Saint Peter’s (15th seeded team; 14-6 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference; 21-11 overall; 85-79 winner in overtime against #7 Kentucky; 70-60 winner against #20 Murray State) 67.
Game B— #11 California Los Angeles (4th seeded team; 15-5 in Pacific 12 Conference; 27-7 overall; 57-53 winner against Akron; 72-56 winner against #18 Saint Mary’s) 66 vs. North Carolina (8th seeded team; 15-5 in Atlantic Coast Conference; 26-9 overall; 96-63 winner against Marquette; 93-86 winner in overtime against #4 Baylor) 73.

Sunday, March 27
Game C— North Carolina (8th seeded team; 15-5 in Atlantic Coast Conference; 27-9 overall; 96-63 winner against Marquette; 93-86 winner in overtime against #4 Baylor; 73-66 winner against #11 California Los Angeles) 69 vs. Saint Peter’s (15th seeded team; 14-6 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference; 22-11 overall; 85-79 winner in overtime against #7 Kentucky; 70-60 winner against #20 Murray State; 67-64 winner against #10 Purdue) 49.  North Carolina wins East Regional championship and advances to NCAA Final Four.

SOUTH REGIONALS SEMIFINAL AND FINAL ROUNDS
All games played at AT&T Center, San Antonio TX

Thursday, March 24
Game A— #6 Villanova (2d seeded team; 16-4 in Big East Conference; 28-7 overall; 80-60 winner against Delaware; 71-61 winner against Ohio State) 63 vs. Michigan (11th seeded team; 11-9 in Big Ten Conference; 19-14 overall; 75-63 winner against #24 Colorado State; 76-68 winner against #5 Tennessee) 55.
Game B— #2 Arizona (1st seeded team; 18-2 in Pacific 12 Conference; 33-3 overall; 87-70 winner against Wright State; 85-80 winner in overtime against Texas Christian) 60 vs. #15 Houston (5th seeded team; 15-3 in American Athletic Association; 32-5 overall, 82-68 winner against Alabama Birmingham; 68-53 winner against #19 Illinois) 72.

Saturday, March 26
Game C— #6 Villanova (2d seeded team; 16-4 in Big East Conference; 29-7 overall; 80-60 winner against Delaware; 71-61 winner against Ohio State; 63-55 winner against Michigan) 50 vs. #15 Houston (5th seeded team; 15-3 in American Athletic Association; 33-5 overall, 82-68 winner against Alabama Birmingham; 68-53 winner against #19 Illinois; 72-60 winner against #2 Arizona) 44.  #6 Villanova wins South Regionals championship and advances to NCAA Final Four.

MIDWEST REGIONALS SEMIFINAL AND FINAL ROUNDS
All games played at United Center, Chicago IL

Friday, March 25
Game A— #3 Kansas (1st seeded team; 14-4 in Big 12 Conference; 30-6 overall; 83-56 winner against Texas Southern; 79-72 winner against Creighton) 66 vs. #13 Providence (4th seeded team; 14-3 in Big East Conference; 27-5 overall; 66-57 winner against South Dakota State; 79-51 winner against Richmond) 61.
Game B— Miami (Florida) (10th seeded team; 14-6 in Atlantic Coast Conference; 25-10 overall; 68-66 winner against #22 Southern California; 79-61 winner against #8 Auburn) 70 vs. Iowa State (11th seeded team; 7-11 in Big 12 Conference; 22-12 overall; 59-54 winner against Louisiana State; 54-49 winner against #14 Wisconsin) 56.

Sunday, March 27
Game C— #3 Kansas (1st seeded team; 14-4 in Big 12 Conference; 31-6 overall; 83-56 winner against Texas Southern; 79-72 winner against Creighton; 66-61 winner against #13 Providence) 76 vs. Miami (Florida) (10th seeded team; 14-6 in Atlantic Coast Conference; 26-10 overall; 68-66 winner against #22 Southern California; 79-61 winner against #8 Auburn; 70-56 winner against Iowa State) 50.  #3 Kansas wins Midwest Regionals championship and advances to NCAA Final Four.

WEST REGIONALS SEMIFINAL AND FINAL ROUNDS
All games played at Chase Center, San Francisco CA

Thursday, March 24
Game A— #1 Gonzaga (1st seeded team; 13-1 in West Coast Conference; 28-3 overall; 93-72 winner against Georgia State; 82-78 winner against Memphis) 68 vs. #17 Arkansas (4th seeded team; 13-5 in Southeastern Conference; 27-8 overall; 75-71 winner against Vermont; 53-48 winner against New Mexico State) 74.
Game B— #9 Duke (2d seeded team; 16-4 in Atlantic Coast Conference; 29-6 overall; 78-61 winner against California State Fullerton; 85-76 winner against Michigan State) 78 vs. #12 Texas Tech (3d seeded team; 12-6 in Big 12 Conference; 27-9 overall; 97-62 winner against Montana State; 59-53 winner against Notre Dame) 73.

Saturday, March 26
Game C— #9 Duke (2d seeded team; 16-4 in Atlantic Coast Conference; 30-6 overall; 78-61 winner against California State Fullerton; 85-76 winner against Michigan State; 78-73 winner against #12 Texas Tech) 78 vs. #17 Arkansas (4th seeded team; 13-5 in Southeastern Conference; 28-8 overall; 75-71 winner against Vermont; 53-48 winner against New Mexico State; 74-68 winner against #1 Gonzaga) 69.  #9 Duke wins West Regionals championship, and advances to NCAA Final Four.

[Lethal_Interjection]

[Lethal_Interjection]

[This Just In]

Below is formula that has correctly picked 19 of the last 20 Champions

Lone exception Connecticut Huskies 2014



1, 2, or 3 seed from a major conference



Score at least 73 pts



Allow less than 73 pts per game



Own avg scoring margin 7 or more pts per game



Top 75 schedule



Head coach must have made 6 or more NCAA Tournament appearances and at least 1 Elite 8



Was in the tournament last year or has a 1st Team All American this year





7 teams qualify this year:



West



(1) Gonzaga



(2) Duke



East



(1) Baylor



(2) Kentucky



(3) Purdue



Midwest



(1) Kansas



South



(3) Tennessee


4 teams from the list above are still alive

[Bigs"R"Us]

I guess you have to qualify for the NCAAs to win it. Our 2007 FF was 15 years ago. ☹️

[professorhoya]

Mar 23, 2022 17:38:19 GMT -5 Lethal_Interjection said:

This is basically the model we should follow.

You get veteran players who have a man's body. They can't transfer freely anymore and you can assemble success quickly (add TCU and San Deigo State as teams that manhandled us in OCC) It's a receipt for success under the current rules.


49% Houston
46% Miami
36% Prov
31% Texas Tech
30% Iowa St
26% Arkansas

[drquigley]

Thoughts on Nova and Providence

So what are our feelings going into this weekend? Do we pull for Provy and Nova as representing the Big East? I'm afraid that if Provy loses and Nova goes on to win it all that instead of being a plus for the Big East it will just cement Nova as the dominant team in the Big East and basically make the league just a subsidiary of Villanova Inc. Sorta like UNC and Duke dominating the ACC doesn't really do anything for the ACC brand. I hate to root against a fellow Big East team but I think I'd be a lot happier seeing Providence AND Nova in the final four and Provy winning it all.

[Elvado]

I hope Nova loses 190-0

I hope Providence loses as well.

[CTHoya08]

Villanova has already surpassed us. I don't want them winning another title, or even making another F4, but I can live with them getting one more win for conference-prestige/NCAA-shares purposes.

I can't imagine rooting against Providence against any of the Friars' potential remaining foes.

[ColumbiaHeightsHoya]

I'm pulling for them. It's gotta help in terms of $ share and conference attention. Providence is definitely the one I am pulling for the most but I'll be happy if either gets into the FF. Shoot me!

[drquigley]

I just looked at the brackets. If Nova and Providence make it to the final four they would play each other in the semi-final game. That will make it easier for us to root against Nova while maintaining our BE pride. But if Nova wins well then it will really suck.

[daveg023]

Never Nova.

[prhoya]

I want them to produce as much unit$ for the BE and its universities. Besides, we could use money won by Villanova and Providence to pay for Pat’s extension.

[hoya9797]

Mar 24, 2022 12:03:47 GMT -5 prhoya said:

I want them to produce as much unit$ for the BE and its universities. Besides, we could use money won by Villanova and Providence to pay for Pat’s extension.

Not to mention, the money the new assistants are going to be spreading around has to come from somewhere.

[professorhoya]

Nova isn't as strong as previous years so think they will get knocked off soon. Probably by Michigan.

[Lethal_Interjection]

[b52legend]

Mar 24, 2022 7:52:43 GMT -5 professorhoya said:

Mar 23, 2022 17:38:19 GMT -5 Lethal_Interjection said:

This is basically the model we should follow.

You get veteran players who have a man's body. They can't transfer freely anymore and you can assemble success quickly (add TCU and San Deigo State as teams that manhandled us in OCC) It's a receipt for success under the current rules.


49% Houston
46% Miami
36% Prov
31% Texas Tech
30% Iowa St
26% Arkansas

I completely agree that the Hoyas need to take this approach. Once success starts to occur, then it can be supplemented with high level high school recruiting. Arkansas has the #2 recruiting class in the country next year, so their reliance on transfers has not been to the exclusion of recruiting high school players at a high level. In fact, it has accelerated it as the high school players are able to see that they can be successful under that particular coach and at that particular program.

[Lethal_Interjection]

[professorhoya]

Mar 24, 2022 13:01:18 GMT -5 Lethal_Interjection said:

They are going to be upset by Mr. Slap Happy Juwon Howard.

[Lethal_Interjection]