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March Madness, indeed! The men’s NCAA Tournament has included all the mayhem expected during this time of year – with bracket-busting commonplace.
« The No. 1 overall seed doesn’t guarantee you’re going to win, » Alabama coach Nate Oats said on the TBS broadcast after his team was upset.
After Friday’s action, the Elite Eight was officially set, and it didn’t feature a No. 1 seed for the first time in history, the Sweet 16 seeing No. 1 overall Alabama and No.1 Houston fall to No. 5 San Diego State and No. 5 Miami (Florida), respectively. Additionally, No. 6 Creighton and No. 2 Texas clinched spots into the weekend.
The Elite Eight began Saturday with No. 9 Florida Atlantic’s victory over No. 3 Kansas State. Then, No. 4 UConn dominated No. 3 Gonzaga.
NCAA TOURNAMENT BRACKETS:See who’s alive as March Madness continues
Here’s everything you need to know to be ready for the action:
The Connecticut Huskies are headed to the Final Four for the first time since 2014 after demolishing the Gonzaga Bulldogs, 82-54, Saturday in the West Regional final.
No. 4 seed Connecticut shut down No. 3 Gonzaga with its smothering defense in an Elite Eight matchup at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Gonzaga entered the game with the top-scoring offense in the country with 87 points per game. But the Bulldogs scored only 32 points in the first half, and things got even worse in the second half.
Sophomore guard Jordan Hawkins led Connecticut with 20 points.
Connecticut has won each of its four Tournament games by at least 15 points and moves into the Final Four for the first time under head coach Dan Hurley.
The Huskies had not won an NCAA Tournament game during the first four seasons of Hurley’s tenure. But in Year 5 they will play the Miami-Texas winner in a semifinal game at the Final Four in Houston.
On Saturday, Gonzaga star forward Drew Timme scored 12 in what is expected to be his last game for the Bulldogs. Last month he told The Athletic, “I’ve done my four years. I’m a senior, and I’m moving on.’’
In its first three games of the tournament, Connecticut won by an average of 20.3 points. Those lopsided victories over No. 13 seed Iona, No. 5 seed St. Mary’s and No. 8 seed Arkansas were a testament to the Huskies’ talent as they rolled into the Elite Eight and then past Gonzaga.
For Gonzaga, the loss ended its hopes of reaching the Final Four for the second time in three seasons.
– Josh Peter
As Connecticut pulled away in the second half, Gonzaga star Drew Timme found himself in an unfortunate place.
The bench.
Timme headed there with 17:39 left to play and Connecticut leading by 10 points after he picked up his fourth foul in the Elite Eight match. One more foul and he’ll be on the bench for good.
