-This will be the first time since 1980 that only one #1 seed has made it past the Sweet Sixteen. That’s if Kansas beats Providence tonight. If Providence wins, then it will be the first time ever that no #1 seeds made it past the Sweet Sixteen.
-People are jumping all over Gonzaga for losing early in the Tournament and calling them underachievers. While that’s not necessarily wrong, it seems like Gonzaga is held to a higher standard than literally all other college programs, and is more quickly called out when they don’t live up to it. They were the national runners up last year. They were also the national runners up in 2017. In the last five NCAA Tournaments, they’ve won 17 games. Thats’ an average of 3.4 wins per year. 3 wins gets you to the Elite Eight, and 4 gets you to the Final Four. That’s a damn good average!! Yet…they are always underachieving and are always overrated in the minds of seemingly everyone. There may be a team that has a higher average of tournament wins per year than that over the last five years, but I can’t think of who it would be, and I guarantee you it isn’t that many teams. They are a legit elite program. And in a way, doesn’t dogging a program for losing in the Sweet Sixteen for “going out early” sort of actually validate their legitimacy??
-Kelvin Sampson should be coach of the year. They have overcome serious setbacks due to losing key players to injuries to make the Elite Eight in very impressive fashion. They did not look this good during much of the regular season (at least not to me), but even then I was still very impressed with what they were able to do given all their setbacks. Now I am simply astounded. They have a very real chance at going to the Final Four for the second year in a row. In 2018, in the Round of 32, we saw Houston lose on a last second three-quarters court shot to a Michigan team that then advanced all the way to the Championship Game. I remember making the point of how great it would have been to see Houston back on the national stage of the Sweet Sixteen, and how the spotlight hadn’t been that bright on them since the Phi Slamma Jamma days. I also questioned whether or not it could ever happen again for them. Well…IT HAS!!!
Strangely enough, unlike Gonzaga, no one seems to be calling Arizona to the carpet for being a fraud or being overrated after they lost to Houston on the same night. Nor should they.
-The Coach K era will continue for at least one more game, and I have to give them credit. Texas Tech is a very difficult team to play against, and Duke was able to figure their defense out enough to get the win. I’m starting to think Krzyzewski may be a half way decent coach after all.
-Villanova had to sweat Michigan a little bit, but is also moving on.
As for tonight’s games…
-North Carolina and UCLA square off tonight. it’s two blue bloods, but it’s also a match-up that I bet many people didn’t predict. As hard as I’ve been on the Tarheels all season long, I am genuinely impressed with what they’ve done in the ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament.
-Saint Peter’s has been one of the biggest stories of the tournament and their place in college basketball history is already pretty indelible, but as much as they’ve done they can become infinitely bigger if they can somehow beat Purdue tonight and become the first #15 seed to advance to the Elite Eight. And while I’m not expecting that to happen, Purdie isn’t the best defensive team in the world either, so….just sayin’
-I’ve liked this Miami team all year, and I’m also impressed with what Iowa State is done. It’s kind of cool that one of them will make the Elite Eight.
-I’m really excited for this Providence v Kansas game as well. Providence was a team that I thought would go out early, but they’ve been one of the many things I’ve been wrong about. I’m really impressed with how they’ve played and think they’ve got a chance at moving on tonight.