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HoopsHD continues its simulation of what would have happened in TTTW (The Tournament That Wasn’t).  Up next it is time to continue with the First and Second rounds of the NCAA Tournament with a look at the fourth and final of the four pods in the Midwest Region.  The  Creighton Bluejays, fresh off one of the school’s best seasons ever, which included a tie for the regular season title and the conference tournament championship, were looking to advance to the Sweet 16, and needed a win over Northern Kentucky in the first round to have that chance.  First up, however, is a game that would have gone down in history as one of the greats in the tournament.  What would have happened?  It is time to find out!

FIRST ROUND – MIDWEST REGION – ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

(7) Iowa vs (10) Arizona State

In a tournament that has already seen more than its fair share of great head coach matchups, perhaps the most-anticipated first round pairing was the one between Iowa’s Fran McCaffery and Arizona State’s Bobby Hurley.  Vegas oddsmakers even had numbers set on which coach would be more likely to be ejected from the game!  Coach McCaffery’s Iowa Hawkeyes has a strong season in the deep Big Ten, though a three game losing streak entering the Tournament had probably cost them at least one seed line.  Coach Hurley’s Arizona State Sun Devils, on the other hand, had used a strong run in the middle of the Pac-12 season to move from being outside the Bubble to clearly in the field.

The NCAA Tournament in its history has given us good games, great games, and an occasional game so amazing that we remember it for years to come.  It was this later type of game that we were in store for today.  The Hawkeyes and Sun Devils began the game with both teams trading shots back-and-forth the entire first half.  The biggest lead for either team was Iowa’s 6-point lead seconds before halftime, but a Taeshon Cherry jumper at the buzzer cut that down to four, 43-39.  The second half was just as fun, as nether team opened a lead larger than 4 points the entire way.  A Remy Martin free throw put the Sun Devils up by 2 points with 13 seconds left to play, but Luka Garza banked one in with 5 seconds to go to tie the game and send it to overtime tied at 84.  In the OT period, Iowa came out shooting and quickly built what appeared to be a commanding 9-point lead, 96-87, with 2 minutes left to play.  The Sun Devils were not done, however, as 3-pointers from Rob Edwards and Remy Martin helped them pull to within a single point, 98-97 with 5 seconds left to play.  After Iowa’s Bakari Edwards made a pair of free throws, Arizona State had one chance left to tie…and Taeshon Cherry’s three at the buzzer found nothing but net to send the game to a second OT period.

Luka Garza had been the hero for Iowa at the end of regulation, sending the game into OT.  Taeshon Cherry had been the hero for ASU at the end of the first OT, sending it to a second extra period.  The second overtime, which was back and forth with neither team opening a lead of more than 3 points the entire 5 minutes, needed a hero as well.  When Arizona State’s Romello White sunk a pair of free throws with 6 seconds left on the clock to put his team up 112-109, it was Iowa that would be in need of that hero.  CJ Fredrick promptly donned his superhero costume and became just that, sinking a 3 from the right corner at the buzzer, and sending the game off to an amazing third overtime with yet another buzzer beater!

The third OT period provided just as many thrills as the first 50 minutes of the  game had.  The teams exchanged leads multiple times until a pair of Rob Edwards free throws put ASU up 126-123 with 1:30 left to play, and a pair of defensive stops followed by an Alonzo Verge basket extended that lead to 5 with only 26 seconds left to play.  Once again, however, the Hawkeyes were not done.  CJ Fredrick missed a 3-pointer with 18 seconds on the clock but Luka Garza grabbed the offensive rebound, kicked the ball back out, and Fredrick’s next 3 found the net and cut the lead to 2 with 7 seconds left to play.  Iowa promptly fouled Rob Edwards, who walked down the court and missed both free throws, giving Iowa one last chance.  Joe Wieskamp got a potential game-winning shot off from halfcourt as time expired….but the ball was long, the game was over, and Arizona State had won the game of the Tournament so far, 128-126 in triple overtime!  Romello White’s stat line for the Sun Devils – 28 points and 21 rebounds – was simply amazing, though Remy Martin (28 points), Rob Edwards (27 points) and Alonzo Verge (22 points) all had games to remember.  Even in the loss, several Hawkeyes put up great numbers, as Luke Garza (35 points and 14 boards) joined Joe Wieskamp and Jack Nunge all with double-doubles on the game.  In the end, Arizona State’ season continued and Iowa’s had come to an end.

Final Score: (10) Arizona State 128, (7) Iowa 126 (3ot)

(2) Creighton vs (15) Northern Kentucky

Having to play the game that followed the amazing triple-overtime thriller between Iowa and Arizona State was not an easy task for Creighton and Northern Kentucky – especially when both teams had to wait an extra hour for the prior game to end and their warmups to begin.  The Creighton Bluejays entered this game as the 2-seed in the Midwest.  They had tied for the Big East regular season title and followed that up with a Big East Tournament championship, making this by far their best season since joining the Big East.  The Selection Committee had awarded Creighton with a 2-seed, making them the favorite to advance out of this pod and to the Sweet 16.  First up, however, they needed to get past the Horizon League tournament champion Northern Kentucky Norse.  Despite only having recently transitioned up to Division I, the Norse had become a force in their conference, and were making their third NCAA Tournament appearance in the past four years.

The game was supposed to be an easy warmup for Creighton before their second round game against Arizona State.  Instead, the city of St. Louis gave fans their second straight thriller.  The Norse played the Bluejays tight the entire first half, and went to the break trailing by a score of 33-29.  NKU then came out of the lockerroom on fire, bursting out with a 10-2 run to take the lead, 39-35.  The Norse would eventually extend that lead to as many as 9 points before Creighton started to fight back.  A reverse layup by Christian Bishop gave the Bluejays the lead back with 1:41 left to play.  Creighton tried to pull away in the final minute, but a pair of baskets by Jalen Tate kept the Norse right there.  With Creighton up two and in possession of the ball,. Marcus Zegarowski was fouled with seconds left on the clock.  A pair of high pressure free throws put the Bluejays up by 4, a lead they needed when NKU’s Trevon Faulkner’s 3-pointer at the buzzer found the net.  Creighton had survived, however, and advanced to the second round by the narrowest of margins, 69-68.

Final Score: (2) Creighton 69, (15) Northern Kentucky 68

SECOND ROUND – MIDWEST REGION – ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

(2) Creighton vs (10) Arizona State

The first round Midwest Region pod in St. Louis had provided a pair of thrillers, with Arizona State winning an amazing triple-overtime thriller over Iowa and Creighton having escaped Northern Kentucky by only a single point.  Thus, there was little doubt among fans that the city of St. Louis was set to host what could be another amazing game in the second round as the two teams squared off with a berth in the Sweet 16 and a trip to Indianapolis on the line.

Winning a game in triple overtime can be taxing on a team, both physically and mentally.  Although the fans expected a great game, the fact was that the Sun Devils came out looking like a team that was still exhausted from their win over Iowa.  Creighton dominated the first half, holding the Sun Devils to only 19 points, and took a 33-19 advantage into the break.  Although ASU played a lot better in the second half, the Bluejays appeared to be pretty much set on cruise control.  The game was never truly a contest and Creighton had a spot in the Sweet 16 thanks to a fairly easy 74-60 win.  Mitch Ballock led Creighton in scoring with 25 points on the game and Marcus Zegrowski contributed 14.  Creighton was on their way to Indianapolis, and a date with 3-seed Michigan State.

Final Score: (2) Creighton 74, (10) Arizona State 60

HoopsHD continues its simulation of what would have happened in TTTW (The Tournament That Wasn’t).  Up next it is time to continue with the First and Second rounds of the NCAA Tournament with a look at the third of the four pods in the Midwest Region.  Michigan State, the preseason #1 team in the nation, entered the NCAA Tournament as the 3 seed in the Midwest and the clear favorite to advance to the Sweet 16.  However, the Spartans would have to first get past a tough North Dakota State team and then a possible matchup with Bob Huggins’ West Virginia team, should the Mountaineers be able to get past Utah State.  Who would get the Sweet 16 spot?  It is time to find out!

FIRST ROUND – MIDWEST REGION – CLEVELAND, OHIO

(6) West Virginia vs (11) Utah State

Bob Huggins’ West Virginia Mountaineers had a roller-coaster ride of a season, losing a handful of games that they simply should not have lost, while at the same time capturing several noteworthy wins including a late-season home win over Baylor.  Their first round opponent was the automatic bid-winner out of the Mountain West, Utah State.  The Aggies seemed destined for a stressful Selection Sunday until they pulled off the huge upset of San Diego State in the Mountain West title game to capture the automatic bid.  That one win both locked them into the Big Dance and solidified them as a serious threat to win once they got there.

Utah State came out strong in the first half of this game, building an early 6 point lead.  From there, the game was back-and-forth until the halftime buzzer sounded, and the teams went to their lockerrooms with the Aggies on top 35-33.  The second half appeared to have the teams set for a great finish, as they traded shots back and forth.  A Jordan McCabe 3-pointer with 5 minutes left to play gave the Mountaineers a 67-65 lead, however, that they would not relinquish the rest of the way.  A combination of solid free throw shooting and strong defense allowed West Virginia to dominate the final five minutes of play and walk off the court with a 78-67 win.  Oscar Tshiebwe had a double-double for the winners, scoring 13 points and pulling down 15 rebounds.

Final Score: (6) West Virginia 78, (11) Utah State 67

(3) Michigan State vs (14) North Dakota State

The Michigan State Spartans had started the season ranked #1 in the nation and as the odds-on favorite to win the national championship.  Finishing in a tie for the Big Ten regular season championship, advancing to the Big Ten Tournament title game and winning 24 games overall can hardly be looked at as a disappointing season, but 10 losses heading into the Big Dance were quite a few more than Spartans’ fans had expected.  However, the slate is wiped clean in the NCAA Tournament, and Michigan State was the same six wins away from cutting down the nets as everyone else in the Round of 64.  Their first opponent was the Summit League regular season and tournament champion North Dakota State Bison, appearing in their fourth NCAA Tournament in the last seven years.

Michigan State may have had the most talent on the court, but the Bison came ready to play in this game, hanging tough with Sparty for the entire first half and heading to the break only down by 4 points.  The second half started with warning bells going off throughout the state of Michigan as NDSU was able to tie the game at 46 six minutes in on a Tyson Ward jumper.  Coach Izzo quickly called timeout in an attempt to get his players to regroup, and that is exactly what they did.  A quick 8-0 run put the Spartans up 54-46, and they never let the Bison make another serious run the rest of the way.  When the dust settled, Michigan State had won 77-64, led by 24 points from Cassius Winston and 15 from Xavier Tillman.  The Bison’s season was over, and the Spartans were looking forward to a second round game against West Virginia.

Final Score: (3) Michigan State 77, (14) North Dakota State 64

SECOND ROUND – MIDWEST REGION – CLEVELAND, OHIO

(3) Michigan State vs (6) West Virginia

Another great coaching matchup was in store in the second round in Cleveland as Bob Huggins’ West Virginia Mountaineers were matched up against Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans.  Despite Michigan State being the clear favorite on paper, going up against “Press Virginia” is never an easy task for any team, making the spot in the Sweet 16 in Indianapolis far from being a lock.

The first half of the game was a defensive struggle, with West Virginia controlling the pace early and eventually opening an 11 point lead at 27-16.  The Spartans fought back, however, with Cassius Winston leading his team, finishing the first half on a 23-5 run and taking a 7-point lead  at the break.  The second half saw the Mountaineers regain the lead early again, but Sparty had an answer every time.  A basket by Rocket Watts opened up the Michigan State lead to 7 points late, and key free throw shooting down the stretch locked up the win and the berth in the Sweet 16.  Xavier Tillman’s double-double led the Spartans, who had an 86-82 win and a trip booked to Indianapolis for the Midwest Regional.

Final Score: (3) Michigan State 86, (5) West Virginia 82

HoopsHD continues its simulation of what would have happened in TTTW (The Tournament That Wasn’t).  Up next it is time to continue with the First and Second rounds of the NCAA Tournament with a look at the second of the four pods in the Midwest Region.  This pod was being played in Sacramento, California, though it featured a huge matchup of two teams from the State of Ohio – Xavier and Ohio State.  Those two teams, together with Louisville and New Mexico State, were looking to advance to the Sweet 16 and a chance to take on 1-seed Baylor.

FIRST ROUND – MIDWEST REGION – SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA

(5) Ohio State vs (12) Xavier

Following their five point win over Richmond in the First Four, the Xavier Musketeers had set up a classic all-Ohio battle between themselves and 5-seed Ohio State.  Naturally this game was being played in . . . Sacramento.  Despite both teams having to travel across the country, the Musketeers and Buckeyes both knew that bragging rights within the state where on the line in this game.  Xavier had limped into the NCAA Tournament before winning their First Four game, while Ohio State had been a force throughout the Big Ten season, even if they only finished in a tie for 5^th place.

The Musketeers were out to prove that just because a team struggles late in the regular season does not mean they cannot win in the postseason.  Xavier jumped out early and built a six point lead by the halftime break.  The second half saw Ohio State fight back to tie the game at 41 early, but the Buckeyes could not take the lead.  Instead, it was Xavier again surging out to an even bigger lead and eventually winning the game going away, by a final score of 77-62.  Paul Scruggs led the way for Xavier with 19 points, while both Naji Marshall and Tyrique Jones both notched double-doubles.

Final Score: (12) Xavier 77, (5) Ohio State 62

(4) Louisville vs (13) New Mexico State

The South Region had already produced as 12 vs 13 second round matchup.  In the second game of the day in Sacramento, New Mexico State was out to create a second one in the Midwest and advance to take on Xavier.  The Aggies had been perfect in the WAC this season, going undefeated against conference foes in the regular season and winning the conference tournament.  Their opponent, however, was not a WAC team.  Louisville had been one of the top teams in the ACC all season, and the Cardinals entered this game looking to prove that they were worthy of being counted among the list of teams with a legitimate shot at cutting down the nets in Atlanta.

The Louisville Cardinals felt they had something to prove, and prove it they did in this game.  New Mexico State kept the score close for about the first 12 minutes, but then the Cardinals turned it on and did not bother turning it back off again the rest of the night.  Louisville led 42-28 at halftime a cruised home for a 75-60 win and a date with Xavier in the Round of 32.  Jordan Nwora led the way with 23 points in the win, while Dwayne Sutton had a double-double with 13 points and 11 boards.

Final Score: (4) Louisville 75, (13) New Mexico State 60

SECOND ROUND – MIDWEST REGION – SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA

(4) Louisville vs (12) Xavier

Louisville had come out like a team on a mission in their first round game against New Mexico State.  The Cardinals were now looking to eliminate the Big East’s Xavier Musketeers and advance to a Sweet 16 matchup with top-seed Baylor.  Xavier, however, seemed to be on a mission of their own.  After barely sneaking into the NCAA Tournament as one of the very last at-large teams selected, the Musketeers had already knocked off Richmond in the First Four and upended in-state foe Ohio State in the Round of 64.

The Louisville Cardinals once again showed up ready to take care of business in this game, jumping out to a very quick 17-4 lead.  Xavier tried to fight back, but was only able to cut the lead to 10 points at the halftime break.  The second half saw Louisville counter every run that the Musketeers made, including their final late push to pull within a point with 4:27 left to play.  A Jordan Nwora 3 on the very next possession extended the lead again, and Xavier seemed to simply run out of gas.  Louisville won by a final score of 78-69 led by Nwora’s double-double and 17 points off the bench from Malik Williams.  The Cardinals were off to the Sweet 16 in Indianapolis, while the Musketeers were heading home with their season having come to an end.

Final Score: (4) Louisville 78, (12) Xavier 69

HoopsHD continues its simulation of what would have happened in TTTW (The Tournament That Wasn’t).  Up next it is time to continue with the First and Second rounds of the NCAA Tournament with a look at the first of the four pods in the Midwest Region.  Baylor was the #1 seed in the Midwest and #2 overall team entering the Big Dance.  Their potential journey towards the Final Four was beginning in Omaha with a game against 16-seed Texas Southern.  After that, an always-exciting 8 vs 9 game between Colorado and Houston is in store.  Time to find out what would have happened!

FIRST ROUND – MIDWEST REGION – OMAHA, NEBRASKA

(1) Baylor vs (16) Texas Southern

The Baylor Bears had an amazing season in 2019-20, winning 29 games, finishing in second place in the Big 12, and capturing the Big 12 Tournament title.  The Bears entered the NCAA Tournament as the #2 overall ranked team and captured the 1-seed in the Midwest Region.  Their quest for a spot in the Final Four in Atlanta began with a game against 16-seed Texas Southern.  The SWAC champion Tigers had knocked off North Carolina A&T in the First Four by 19 points.

The Tigers played a strong game against Baylor, staying within 8 points at halftime.  Justin Hopkins led the way for head coach Johnny Jones’ team with 20 points in the game.  However, that was simply not enough to upend the Bears.  Jared Butler scored 20, MaCio Teague had a dozen and Davion Mitchell added 11 points to lead Baylor to an 83-67 win and a spot in the Round of 32.  For Texas Southern, it was time to head home and celebrate a SWAC tournament title and a First Four win.  For Baylor, it was time to scout the 8 vs 9 game between Colorado and Houston and prepare for their next opponent.

Final Score: (1) Baylor 83, (16) Texas Southern 67

(8) Colorado vs (9) Houston

The Baylor Bears were waiting for one of two potential ex-conference rivals in the Round of 32.  The Pac-12’s Colorado Buffaloes had formerly been in the Big 12 with Baylor, while the American’s Houston Cougars were old Southwest Conference rivals.  Colorado had, at times, looked like the best team in the Pac-12 this season, but had apparently fallen apart down the stretch and entered the NCAA Tournament on a five game losing streak.  Houston had looked like they would run away with the AAC several times this season, but kept finding ways to fall back to the pack, and ended in a three-way tie for the league’s regular season crown.

Colorado’s late-season struggles carried over to the start of this game, as Houston jumped out early and built a 47-38 halftime lead.  The Buffs fought back hard in the second half, taking the lead by the first media timeout and eventually pulling ahead by as many as 7 points.  Houston was not done either though, and an 18-3 run put the Cougars up for good.  A Colorado 3 at the buzzer made the final score, 77-72, look closer than it really was.  Marcus Sasser led the way for Houston with 18 points, and a date was set for a second round matchup between a pair of former Southwest Conference members – Houston would get their shot at 1-seed Baylor.

Final Score: (9) Houston 77, (8) Colorado 72

SECOND ROUND – MIDWEST REGION – OMAHA, NEBRASKA

(1) Baylor vs (9) Houston

Two old rivals would meet in Omaha with a berth in the Sweet 16 on the line.  Baylor, the 1-seed, entered the game on a roll, having bounced back from a late-season slump to win the Big 12 Tournament and roll over Texas Southern in the Round of 64.  Houston had taken care of Colorado in their first game of the NCAA Tournament and head coach Kelvin Sampson now had his eyes set on an upset win and a trip to Indianapolis next week.

The Baylor Bears came ready for business in this game.  They jumped on Houston early, building a 13-point lead midway through the first period.  Houston was able to trim that lead down to 7 at the break.  The Cougars came out strong in the second half as well, and with 14:30 left to play took a 55-54 lead over the Bears.  Apparently, Baylor did not take kindly to seeing Houston in front, as they stormed back, dominating the majority of the remainder of the game.  A few baskets late cut a 14-point lead down to 9, but that was more than enough for Baylor to get the win and earn a trip to the Midwest Regional in Indianapolis.  Jared Butler was the top scorer in the game with 25 points, as he and his Baylor teammates secured the 88-79 win.

Final Score: (1) Baylor 88, (9) Houston 79

HoopsHD continues its simulation of what would have happened in TTTW (The Tournament That Wasn’t).  Up next it is time to continue with the First and Second rounds of the NCAA Tournament with a look at the fourth and final of the four pods in the South Region.  These games were to be played in Albany, New York and featured an always entertaining 7 vs 10 matchup between Illinois and Oklahoma, followed by 2-seed Villanova taking on 15-seed Georgia Southern.  Who would have advanced to the Sweet 16 from this pod?  It is time to find out!

FIRST ROUND – SOUTH REGION – ALBANY, NEW YORK

(7) Illinois vs (10) Oklahoma

The final first and second round pod in the South Region was being played in Albany, New York, and started with the Big Ten’s 7-seed Illinois taking on the Big 12’s 10-seed Oklahoma.  Brad Underwood’s Illini surprised this season with a 4^th place finish in the tough Big Ten, winning 21 games overall heading into the Big Dance.  The Oklahoma Sooners were one of four teams to finish 9-9 in Big 12 play but needed a few key late-season wins, including one over Texas Tech, to lock up their spot in the Tournament.

A 7 vs 10 matchup always has a chance to be a great game that comes down to the final minutes, and this one was no exception.  Illinois grabbed the early lead and held a 47-43 advantage at the halftime break.  The Sooners stormed back early in the second and eventually opened up at 10 point lead at 67-57, about halfway through the period.  A 13-3 Illini run knotted the game at 72.  From there, it was back-and-forth the rest of the way.  Kofi Cockburn’s layup with a minute left gave Illinois a 3-point edge.  Oklahoma then had four different chances to tie the game, thanks in part to poor free throw shooting by the Illini, but could not get the ball through the net.  Illinois won, 83-80, behind 17 points each from Cockburn and Trent Frazier.

Final Score: (7) Illinois 73, (10) Oklahoma 70

(2) Villanova vs (15) Georgia Southern

The Villanova Wildcats won the national championship in both 2016 and 2018.  This season, they looked to continue their every-other-year streak by taking home the 2020 championship as well.  The path to a title would begin with a matchup against the automatic bid winners from the Sun Belt, the Georgia Southern Eagles.  Georgia Southern was in the Big Dance for only the fourth time ever and the first since 1992.  Although the Eagles entered the tournament with 22 victories under their belts, it would take a huge upset for them to defeat Villanova in this game.

15 seeds had knocked off 2 seeds before, though these types of upsets were rare indeed.  This was the South Region, however — a region that had already seen its 4, 5 and 6 seeds all go down in the first round.  So adding the 2 seed to that list should not have come as too much of a shock, and seemed to be a reality when the Eagles came out on fire building a 43-28 halftime lead.  Villanova knew how to win games, however, and came out with guns blazing in the second half.  With just over 5 minutes left to play, the Eagles’ lead was down to 6.  However, Georgia Southern was not done yet.  Back-to-back jumpers from Isaiah Crawley extended the lead to 10.  Villanova tried to make one last run, but the Wildcats simply ran out of time, and the biggest upset of the tournament so far was in the books — 2-seed Villanova was gone and Georgia Southern was moving on.

Final Score: (15) Georgia Southern 82, (2) Villanova 75

SOUTH REGION – SECOND ROUND – ALBANY, NEW YORK

(7) Illinois vs (15) Georgia Southern

Only once since the field has expanded to 64 or more teams had a 15 seed advanced to the second weekend and the Sweet 16.  The Georgia Southern Eagles, following their amazing upset of Villanova, had a chance to join Florida Gulf Coast on that very short list.  To get there, however, the Eagles would have to defeat the Brad Underwood’s Illini, a team that had shown a ton of heart in their first round win over Oklahoma.

Given how the first two rounds had played out so far in the South Region, another upset win would not have been a shock.  In fact, Georgia Southern was right there in striking distance, trailing by only 6 points at the halftime break.  The Illini tried to pull away several times, but the Eagles kept responding, pulling the score to 62-60 with just under 6 minutes left to play.  Illinois did not let up, and with one final strong push and some key free throw shooting, the Illini notched the victory and punched their ticket to the Sweet 16 by a final score of 79-70.  Kofi Cockburn led the way with 17 points and 10 boards for the victors.

Final Score: (7) Illinois 79, (15) Georgia Southern 70