Jason Haskins's Blog, page 8

2024 NBA Playoffs: Boston Celtics face familiar foe in first round

 

It's becoming harder and harder to have an NBA postseason without the Boston Celtics facing the Miami Heat.

For the fourth time in the last five seasons, the two franchises will square off in the playoffs. This will be meeting number seven overall, with the Heat carrying a 4-2 series advantage. The last time Boston played Miami in the first round was in 2010, where the Celtics won four games to one.

The teams have split the last two Eastern Conference Finals and the Celtics will be looking to exact some revenge for last season's exit. Miami entered as the no. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, swooped ahead with a 3-0 series lead, and defeated the no. 2 Celtics (after a furious comeback) in Game 7.

In 2023-24, the Celtics seemingly breezed through the regular season to secure the league's best record at 64-18. Boston had one of their finest regular seasons in the last two decades. An efficient offense relied on three-point shooting but, unlike previous seasons, were able to overcome cold shooting nights to pick up victories. And they were powered by a defense that used a complete team effort to control the action inside and out.

It was a season in which Boston did not lose three straight. Only four times did the Celtics lose two in row, three of which came in March and April. High expectations are on the table as Boston searches for title banner no. 18 to raise to the rafters, with no slouch awaiting them in round one.

Boston Celtics

Boasting one of the best starting five in '23-24, the Celtics also have a deep bench that contributes in a variety of ways. Veteran Al Horford (8.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg) is solid in all areas and can still shoot at a decent clip (51.1 percent from the field, 41.9 on three-point attempts). With the aid of Payton Pritchard (9.6 ppg) and Sam Hauser, the Celtics easily go eight deep in their rotation.

Pritchard played in all 82 games, closing the season with 69 points and 23 assists in the last two games. Hauser, too, had his best season as a pro and shot 42.4 percent from deep.

It is the starting five, however, who will carry this Celtics team and determine how far the team goes.

Success starts at the top with the dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Both have grown in the game this season, providing leadership and doing what it takes to win. While both saw their points dip, Tatum and Brown improved in other areas and had some of the best shooting percentages of their respective careers.

Tatum led the team with 26.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, tossing in 4.9 assists for good measure. He shot 47.1 percent from the field while Brown delivered a career-best 49.9 percent on field goal attempts. Brown showed more of a penchant to drive and averaged 23 points per game.

The trio behind these two in the starting lineup added a much-needed presence to the Celtics lineup. Derrick White continued to grow into a star in his own right, averaging 15.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. White picks his moments to explode on offense and is a focal point on defense, where he is one of the best shot-blocking guards in the game.

The arrival of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday gave the Celtics added scoring punch and defensive presence. Porzingis played in 57 games, averaging 20.1 points and 7.2 rebounds. And Holiday can fill up a stat sheet, averaging 12.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists, all while shooting 42.9 percent from deep.

The Celtics averaged 120.6 points per game, good for second in the league. Helping boost this offense was a 48.7 percent clip from the field and 38.8 on three-point attempts. Boston spreads the ball around (26.9 assists) and can rebound with the best at 46.3 per game. 

Boston won all three matchups with Miami in the regular season, including a 33-point victory in Miami. Tatum had 74 points, 26 rebounds, and 18 assists against the Heat this season. In each game, the Celtics had their regular lineup in place. White scored 28 in the first meeting, with Brown adding 27.

In the second meeting, the Celtics shot 63.7 percent from the field and Holiday nearly had a triple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. And in the four-point Boston victory in meeting no. 3, Porzingis had 25 points and nine rebounds.

The Celtics seem primed to walk away with an easy first round but the Heat, even with injuries piling up, have proven time and time again to be a dangerous playoff team.

Miami Heat

A season after making a run to the NBA Finals, the Miami Heat (46-36) faced their share of adversity in '23-24. Injuries beset this team at times and it seemed like they rarely got to play with their best possible lineup.

Injuries will again play a factor in the matchup against the Celtics. All-Star Jimmy Butler hurt his knee in a play-in game loss to the Celtics and likely won't appear in this series. Terry Rozier is dealing with neck issues and is out for Game 1 for sure. And Josh Richardson has been out since February, when he had season-ending shoulder surgery.

Still, it's a fully capable lineup and reached this point thanks to a 112-91 victory over the Chicago Bulls in Friday night's play-in game.

Miami ended the regular season averaging 110.1 points per game with 25.8 assists and 42.3 rebounds. The Heat shot 46.5 percent from the field, connecting on 37 percent from deep.

Bam Adebayo will likely be Boston's biggest focus. Adebayo had a 27-point, 7-rebound performance in the season's first meeting between the teams, and finished with 22 and 13, respectively, in the third meeting. 

Butler missed the final meeting and only had 33 points combined in the first two meetings with Boston. Tyler Herro, who has stepped up in recent weeks, also had fine outings against Boston. Herro scored 71 points in the three meetings and has the ability to fill up the box score.

Playing in only 42 games, Herro tied with Butler for the team lead in scoring at 20.8 points per game. Herro also averaged 5.3 points and 4.5 assists per game.

Butler played in 60 games, averaging 5.3 rebounds and five assists.

Adebayo is a double-double machine, averaging 19.3 and 10.4 rebounds per game. 

Herro and Adebayo will have to shoulder more responsibility this series but the Heat do have plenty around these two. It's simply a matter if players like Caleb Martin (10 ppg) and Duncan Robinson (12.9 ppg) can contribute with consistency. (Both have had huge games when it comes to playing the Celtics in recent years.)

Kevin Love can be effective and Jaime Jaquez Jr. was the team leader in games with 75, averaging 11.9 points per contest.

Final thoughts

The Boston Celtics have had some time off and their top six rotation players sat out the last two regular season games. There were a few hiccups in closing out games prior and it's not hard to imagine Miami snaking a game in the early going. 

But Boston has a defined instinct this season. This team is on a mission and Miami doesn't quite have the firepower to compete, though they will make things interesting.

Opening round: Celtics in five

Celtics vs Heat. 4/21 - Game 1 on ABC. 1 p.m. (ET)

Other Eastern Conference first-round matchups:

(4) Cleveland Cavaliers lead series 1-0 against (5) Orlando Magic. (Prediction: Cavs in 6)(2) New York Knicks lead series 1-0 against (7) Philadelphia 76ers (Prediction: Knicks in 7)(6) Indiana Pacers vs (3) Milwaukee Bucks (Prediction: Bucks in 6)

photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Boston Celtics and the climb towards banner 18

With the NBA Playoffs approaching, life is rosy for the Boston Celtics.

The final day of the regular season is on Sunday (April 14) and the Celtics are one of only a handful of teams guaranteed of their seeding. The top of the Eastern Conference? Locked up long ago, with a 14-game cushion. The league's best record? Yes. Took a little more work but currently the Celtics (63-18) are seven games better than the three teams (Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets) tied atop the Western Conference.

At ease in these regards, the Celtics may have gone into cruise control in recent weeks. The lineup wasn't always at full strength, but ghosts of previous seasons were dredged up, in which Boston failed to close out games. This hadn't always been the case in the 2023-24 season and late-season losses brought that buried pain back to the surface.

Still, this Celtics team has the ability to put struggles behind them.  It's the first time since the 2010-11 season the franchise didn't lose three straight games. Boston will also finish with their most wins in a regular season since the championship team of 2007-08 won 66. Much like that season's team, the '23-24 edition is built to last in the playoffs.

Boston Celtics: Deep roster

One of the issues surrounding the Celtics in recent years, one that saw improvement with each passing season, was the lack of a deep roster. In 2023-24, Boston finally has a solid bench to support an outstanding starting five.

Players who stepped up when a starter was struggling or needed a night off. It was a roster designed with players who contributed as an interchangeable set of moving parts. Most importantly, head coach Joe Mazzulla rested stars and balanced minutes, optimizing this team to succeed.

It also helps the Celtics had arguably the best starting lineup in the league, starting at the top with under-the-radar MVP candidate Jayson Tatum.

Tatum, in many ways, put together his finest regular season to date. Scoring was down from a season ago but his impact was evident in other areas of the game. And in showing his growth, Tatum deferred to other starters and players and needed, taking some of the pressure off in the process.

Tatum leads the team in scoring (26.9) and rebounding (8.1) and is second in assists (4.9). In his seventh season, Tatum shot 47.1 percent from the field (best since his rookie year) and 37.6 percent on three-point attempts, which was his best since the 2020-21 season.

Around Tatum in the (regular) starting lineup, the Celtics contributions were plentiful. Jaylen Brown continues to do All-Pro work and Derrick White has risen to a defensive whiz and threat on the offensive end. The acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis has been (and fingers crossed, will continue to be) a true highlight and Jrue Holiday adds so many beneficial elements on both ends. 

Boston will see eight to nine players play regular minutes and, for a change compared to recent seasons, I am comfortable with all players. Even if forced to reach further down the stretch, players who can contribute valuable minutes are available.

Al Horford, Sam Hauser, and Payton Pritchard are all capable of going off any given night. Horford can quietly put together a triple-double. Hauser will casually knock down six 3's in a half. And Pritchard, well, he was handed the keys to the bench this offseason and has responded in kind, playing in 81 games (with left to go) and scoring a career-high 31 points in Friday night's victory over Charlotte.

Pritchard should have more opportunity to close the regular season with more buckets. To prep for the playoffs, the Celtics are again resting their starters in the regular season finale against the Washington Wizards.

Playoff scenarios for Boston Celtics

While the Celtics are secure in their playoff position, the rest of the field is quite murky heading into the final day of the regular season.

The Chicago Bulls (ninth) and Atlanta Hawks (10th) are among two possible first-round opponents for the Celtics. Boston went 3-0 against the Bulls and 2-2 against the Hawks, losing to Atlanta twice in the same week by a combined three points.

These two teams would have the more difficult road to facing the Celtics in the first round. Meanwhile, plenty of playoff scenarios are on the table. Before Sunday action tips off, seeds five through eight are up in the air, with the Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Miami Heat jockeying for position.

Philadelphia, with the recent return of Joel Embiid, would be the team highest on the list the Celtics wouldn't want to face in the first round. On paper, that is the scariest proposition, with the Miami Heat being a close second. Miami always seems to be a thorn in Boston's side and find another level come playoff time.

The Celtics are 6-1 against these two in '23-24 but only 5-3 against the Pacers and Magic.

No matter who Boston faces in the first-round, franchise title number 18 is within reach, and with those first postseason steps comes great anticipation. The Celtics are built for it, and now it's time to respond.

Play-in games begin Tuesday April 16 (with the Bulls playing the Hawks on April 17)

image credit: Flickr

UConn Huskies men's basketball claims second straight title

 

Head coach Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies have made cutting down nets a habit they don't want to quit.

Efficient unselfish team offense and a stifling defense propelled the Huskies to their second straight title, defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 75-60.

UConn (37-3), in becoming the first program to win since the Florida Gators in 2006 and 2007, used stellar efforts across the board. Whether it was the nifty passing of Tristen Newton, the defense of Stephon Castle, or the do-everything attitude of Cam Spencer, the Huskies were in fine form on Monday night.

Four starters scored in double figures for UConn as the Huskies shot 48.4 percent from the field. There were struggles from the three-point line (6-22) but a defense focused on stopping Purdue's support cast held the Boilermakers to only seven attempts from deep.

Newton capped his collegiate career by finishing with 20 points, five rebounds, and seven assists and being named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. He also did not have a turnover, with the Huskies only committing eight.

Castle finished with 15 points and Spencer had 11 points and eight rebounds, helping UConn hold a rebounding advantage of seven.

For Purdue, the road to redemption after last year's shocking exit fell just short. Despite the final score, the Boilermakers started strong, and things were back-and-forth early.

First half

The first 20 minutes appeared as if Purdue (34-5) and UConn were headed to an epic battle to the very end. Stats were fairly even and there were three ties and three lead changes in the game's first five minutes (and eight and five, respectively, in the first half).

UConn made a concerted effort to keep the Boilermakers off the three-point line (only 1 of 3 in the first half). Purdue took advantage, scoring 14 of their first 16 points in the paint. 

Spencer scored seven of UConn's first 11 points, pacing the team early.

Zach Edey powered Purdue early, getting easy and good looks while getting UConn in foul trouble. Donovan Clingan was making Edey work, though the Purdue big man scored 12 straight points in one stretch.

Purdue went ahead 23-21, their last lead of the game before UConn rattled off a 9-2, eventually going to the locker room with a 36-30 lead.

Edey started the game hitting 7 of 9 from the field and had 16 points in the first half. Braden Smith had a nice go of things early with nine points, three rebounds, and three assists.

Newton had 11 at the break and Spencer, Clingan, and Hassan Diarra off the bench all had seven.

Second half

Newton started the second half off with a three-pointer for UConn and in many ways, it was all downhill for Purdue from there.

Edey went cold and the Huskies tossed double teams at him, frustrating the big man most of the second half. No one else could get going for Purdue and UConn maintained.

The lead for UConn wavered between six and nine before two lovely alley oop passes from Newton to Samson Johnson put the Huskies up 13. Purdue went cold, going over four minutes without a field goal, and the lead swelled to as large as 18.

Edey was able to get going again, hitting eight of his last ten shots but the game was largely out of hand by that point. The Naismith Player of the Year finished with 37 points and 10 rebounds.

Smith finished with 12 points, 3 rebounds, and eight assists. Despite only committing nine turnovers and shooting 44.4 percent from the field, Purdue didn't have enough help around Edey and Smith. Purdue's lineup outside of these two players contributed only 11 points.

Clingan finished with 11 points and five rebounds and Diarra finished with nine points. Alex Karaban contributed a little of everything, finishing with five points, six rebounds, four assists, and two blocked shots.

The Huskies won all six of their games in this tournament by double digits. They allowed only one opponent to score over 70, with the other five scoring 60 or less. It truly was an amazing run for these Huskies and one of the best teams to grace the court in the last two decades. 

More from 2024 men's tournament:

Championship game preview

photo credit: Flickr

Championship Monday: Two top seeds left standing

 

The upstarts have been sent packing and pretenders re-examining their plans for next season. Dreamers have awakened and Davids, their slingshots holstered. Left standing in the 2024 men's NCAA tournament are two top teams who have dominated all season long.

Two contenders and no. 1 seeds, comprised of All-Americans, heroes, and role players alike. Two programs who have been near or at the top for years. One side going for their sixth NCAA tourney title, one aiming to secure their first.

The UConn Huskies and Purdue Boilermakers have seven losses between them in the 2023-24 season. UConn, the top overall seed, has lost only once since the calendar flipped to 2024. And Purdue, top seed out of the Midwest Region, has only lost to Big Ten teams.

Two programs who have met three times, the last coming in 2009, where the Huskies won their only time in the meetings between the teams, a 72-60 victory in the Sweet 16.

Common opponents between the teams this season are plenty. UConn is 3-0 against the Big Ten this season, including wins over Northwestern (a team Purdue lost to) and Illinois in the NCAA tournament. Each team has defeated Alabama, with UConn winning by 14 and Purdue by six.

Purdue is 2-0 against Big East teams in '23-24, including a four-point win over Marquette, a team UConn went 3-0 against this season, winning by an average of 17 points.

For all the talk of mid-majors taking too many bids, members of the Power Conferences will take the court on Monday, ready to claim the 2024 men's title.

Purdue Boilermakers

The Purdue Boilermakers (34-4) aim to do what the Virginia Cavaliers did in 2019, when Virginia won the title a season after . Powered by Zach Edey, Purdue certainly has the talent to redeem their upset loss to Fairleigh Dickinson a season ago.

Edey has been on another level in this tournament, collecting points and rebounds like they are going out of style. The Naismith Player of the Year entered the Final Four matchup with NC State averaging 30 points and 16.2 rebounds per game.

While he collected another double-double against the Wolfpack (20 points, 12 rebounds), NC State did a decent job in neutralizing the big man. Edey had five turnovers and only got to the line twice in Purdue's 63-50 victory.

Purdue raced out to an early lead in the semifinal game, never really letting NC State back in it. The Wolfpack, down by 12 at various points in the first half, did close on a run and trailed by six at halftime.

All while DJ Burns Jr. was in foul trouble and guard Michael O'Connell was dealing with left hamstring tightness, missing most of the final 13 minutes of the first half.

Burns saw more foul trouble and was held to eight points for the game. O'Connell returned about halfway through the second half but after NC State got within seven at the 7:37 mark, Purdue put the clamps down. 

The Boilermakers forced NC State into bad shots and kept the interior locked down. Purdue was also a solid 40 percent from deep, knocking down 10 three-pointers.

Lance Jones had 14 points for Purdue and Fletcher Loyer added 11. These two, along with Braden Smith, will need to have a good game if Purdue hopes to beat UConn. Smith struggled early, against NC State, finishing with three points, eight rebounds, six assists, and five turnovers (Smith had three steals).

Trey Kaufman-Renn again will be an x-factor. Kaufman-Renn started strong for Purdue and will help apply pressure to keeping UConn out of the lane and hopefully find a scoring touch to open up more interior opportunity for Edey.

UConn Huskies

The quest for the UConn Huskies (36-3) to become the first back-to-back champions since the Florida Gators in 2007 finally saw some resistance on Saturday night.

Alabama battled throughout, testing the resolve of UConn. But as the Huskies have done throughout the season, they never panicked and won going away with an 86-72 victory.

UConn shot 50 percent from the field and 10-25 on three-point attempts. The Huskies also did an outstanding job of taking care of the ball, committing only four turnovers.

Timely three-point shooting kept the Crimson Tide in this game, one that was tied at 56 with just under 13 minutes left. It wasn't the 30-0 run the Huskies used against Illinois but UConn amped up the intensity, using defense to propel them to victory.

This came as big man Donovan Clingan, dealing with a hand injury, was not at his best. Clingan did finish with 18 points, five rebounds, and four blocked shots. The matchup between him and Edey will be a focal point, with both able to impact the game on both ends.

Still, this game will hinge on the play of UConn's All-American guard and supporting cast.

Tristen Newton, similar to the Elite Eight game, struggled with his shot, finishing 4-11 for 12 points. Newton, however, dished well, finishing with nine assists.

Help arrived across the board, with all five starters reaching double figures in scoring. Topping the list was Stephon Castle. Dared to shoot the three early, Castle responded by knocking down a couple of early threes (and scoring eight of the team's first 10 points). Castle kept the pressure on the whole game and finished with 21 points and five rebounds.

An x-factor for UConn will be the play of forward Alex Karaban. Karaban had his struggles leading up to the Final Four and has the ability to stretch the floor. He was only 5-19 from deep prior to the Final Four but was 2-4 against Alabama and finished with 14 points and eight rebounds.

(1) Purdue vs UConn - 4/8 @ 9:20 p.m. (ET) on TBS (*predicted winner in bold)

photo credit: rawpixel

More from 2024 tournament:

NCAA men's tournament 2024: Flight of the Final Four

 

The end is nigh for the men's 2023-24 season. Four teams remain in the arena, ready to duke it out (with apologies to Duke fans, and fans of the Dukes) to crown a champion in the coming days for the men's NCAA tournament.

Perhaps you selected one or two teams to make it this far. Three correct teams can be considered a blessing and four teams, well, good on you.  Or maybe the bracket is completely busted, and you are simply hoping for solid, competitive matchups in these final three games.

All four teams have earned their spot. Top seeds, Low seeds, and the in-between will all be represented, a steady mix of high-octane offenses and stout defenses taking the court. Will a program add to their cache of titles? Or will in 2024 a champ be crowned for the first time, finally breaking through on the hardwood in sunny Arizona?

NC State vs Purdue

Defense is the name of the game for the NC State Wolfpack (26-14). Well, that and the infectious energy of a rising star who has the Wolfpack playing free and steadfast basketball.

The no. 11 seed and South Region winner had nothing left to lose back on day one of the ACC tournament and have carried that attitude since. Four wins in the NCAA tournament by an average of 10 points has the Wolfpack playing in their first Final Four since 1983 (and looking for their third title overall).

NC State is averaging 75.5 points per game in the tourney and only one opponent has scored over 70 (overtime against Oakland in the Round of 32). The Wolfpack are shooting 47.2 percent from the field and 34.7 percent on three-point attempts. They struggled in the first half in their Elite Eight victory over Duke, shooting under 30 percent, but responded nicely after halftime.

Opponents have not fared well, shooting 35.3 percent from the field and 23.9 percent from deep against the Wolfpack. NC State holds a plus 17 advantage on the boards and has 64 assists against 37 turnovers, committing only five against the Blue Devils.

The star and talk of the tournament for NC State has been DJ Burns Jr. Foul trouble has occasionally hampered Burns but he has 73 points (29 against Duke) while shooting 67 percent from the field. 

The majority of help on offense has come from guard DJ Horne. Horne has 66 points, 21 rebounds, and 11 assists in four tourney games and is 10-27 on three-point attempts.

Mohamed Diarra, Ben Middlebrooks, and Michael O'Connell have all been solid contributors, especially on defense. Diarra struggled against Duke (three points, seven rebounds) but has totaled 42 points and 47 rebounds in the tournament. Off the bench, Middlebrooks has scored 37 points (21 against Texas Tech in the first round) and had a hard-nosed effort against Duke with seven points, five rebounds, and three blocked shots.

O'Connell is a balanced player on offense with 26 points, 20 rebounds, and 22 assists. All three of these players will need to help Burns and Horne if NC State is to be successful on Saturday.

Top seed out of the Midwest Region, the Purdue Boilermakers (33-4) have had quite the efficient effort on both sides of the court. After cruising through their first three games, the Boilermakers settled in for a fight with Tennessee, winning 72-66.

Purdue is averaging 84 points a game, holding opponents to 62.8, with none scoring over 70. The Boilermakers are shooting 51.7 percent from the field, with opponents at 40 percent. Three-point attempts are fairly close, 39 percent to 34.5, and Purdue has 92 assists and only 38 turnovers.

Thanks partially to one player, Purdue owns a plus 76 advantage on the boards. That player is Zach Edey, who is having a tournament for the ages.

Edey put up 40 points and pulled down 16 rebounds against the Volunteers. In the 2024 tournament, Edey is averaging 30 points and 16.3 rebounds per game. Part of his and Purdue's success is the big man getting to the foul line, where he is 36-54.

Help does arrive in a variety of ways for Edey. Braden Smith has 39 points and 38 assists and is 7-18 from deep. Fellow backcourt mate Fletcher Loyer has added 47 points through four tournament games.

A handful of other players will need to find ways to contribute. Camden Heide off the bench has 23 points and seven rebounds. True help could arrive in Trey Kaufman-Renn. In the first two games, Kaufman-Renn had 29 points and 15 rebounds. But in the two since, he's scored only eight points with two rebounds.

This is the seventh meeting between the two programs. NC State won the first four, with Purdue winning the last two. The squads last met in 2021, where the Boilermakers picked up a 10-point victory.

(11) NC State vs (1) Purdue. April 6 @ 6:09 p.m. (ET) on TBS. (predicted winner in bold)

Alabama vs UConn

Two high octane offenses will take the court with this matchup. Naturally, a game with both teams scoring in the 80's could take place but a defensive battle could also unfold.

Fourth seed out of the West Region, the Alabama Crimson Tide (25-11) have been a scoring machine this season. That has carried over to the NCAA tournament, where Alabama is averaging 89.8 points per game. 

In seeking their first title, Alabama has allowed 81.5 points per game in the tourney, with opponents shooting 40.2 percent from the field. However, the perimeter is on lockdown with this squad, allowing only 28.8 percent from deep.

On the flip side, the Crimson Tide has knocked down 48 three-pointers (41.4 percent) while shooting 47.6 percent from the field. Alabama has a rebound advantage of nine, while dishing out 87 assists and committing 46 turnovers.

Alabama has a star of their own in Mark Sears. Sears has knocked down 17 threes on his way to scoring 97 points, adding 21 rebounds and 15 assists. He can also apply consistent defense, with seven steals in the tournament.

Adjustments have been made for Alabama due to the head injury of starting guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. Wrightsell missed the last two games but is expected back this weekend. 

Rylan Griffen has scored 54 points and had eight assists in the Elite Eight victory against Clemson. Aaron Estrada has 50 points, 29 rebounds, and 22 assists while Sweet 16 hero Grant Nelson had eight points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two blocked shots against the Tigers.

Nick Pringle, who came off the bench prior to the Wrightsell injury, has 29 points and 31 rebounds in the tournament (with a 16-point, 11-rebound effort against Clemson). And another surprise off the bench in the Clemson game was Jarin Stevenson, who knocked down five 3-point shots and scored 19 points (after scoring only nine points the previous three).

Defending champions and the top overall seed, the UConn Huskies (35-3) haven't met much resistance on the quest for their sixth title, winning by an average of nearly 28 points. While their offense has been splendid (81.3 ppg), their defense has represented in style, holding all four opponents under 60 points each game.

Defense has locked down in holding opponents to 32.2 percent from the field and an even more impressive 22.5 percent on three-point attempts.

Impressive, yes, but so was a 30-0 run in the Elite Eight victory over Illinois, beginning in the first half and well into the second half.

The Huskies are shooting 51 percent from the field, though three-point shooting has struggled at 28.1 percent. Not that this has mattered a ton for a team with a plus 47 rebound advantage, 80 assists, and only 36 turnovers.

Donovan Clingan is having an outstanding tournament with 63 points (27-40 on field goal attempts) and 40 rebounds. Clingan had a double-double against Illinois (22 points, 10 rebounds) and added five blocked shots, bringing his tournament total to 14.

Tristen Newton struggled against Illinois, going 0-6 from the field and scoring only five points. Newton is part of balanced attack, logging 55 points and 27 assists so far. Cam Spencer has also totaled 55 points to go along with 26 rebounds.

Stephan Castle has added 39 points and 24 rebounds but struggled in the Elite Eight victory as well, shooting only 1-6 from the field.

Three main players contribute off the bench, though plenty have seen at least one minute of action in all four games. Hassan Diarra has been the most consistent, with 30 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists.

The two programs have met only twice before, with UConn winning both meetings. The last time was in November 2022, where the Huskies won 82-67 on a neutral court.

(4) Alabama vs (1) UConn. April 6 @ 8:49 p.m. (ET) on TBS. (predicted winner in bold)

*I am down to only one of my original picks to reach the Final Four (UConn, who I picked to repeat). I did go 3-1 in my picks prior to last weekend, missing out on only Tennessee.

More from 2024 men's NCAA tournament:

Sweet 16: Cinderella, wherefore art thou? Round of 32 surprises 2024 men's bracket: A UConn repeat?

photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

NCAA men's tournament 2024: Eliciting an exciting Elite Eight

 

The second weekend of the men's NCAA tournament, based on the better teams winning and surviving, tends to provide closer game action in the Sweet 16.

Consider that mission accomplished, with lower seeds (in these matchups) holding court more often than not.

Aside from a rout by UConn, the three other games on Thursday night were all close and came down to the final minutes. On Friday evening in the South and Midwest Regions, the NC State Wolfpack kept the good times rolling, with the no. 11 seed advancing with a 67-58 win over Marquette.

Purdue's offense continued to click and Tennessee used a second-half surge to get the higher seeds back on track. But Duke, in a defensive battle, knocked off a no. 1 seed to give the ACC three teams among the last eight standing.

East Region

A rematch of the 2023 title game between the UConn Huskies (34-3) and the San Diego Aztecs in the '24 Sweet 16 provided the same result. The Aztecs hung around in the first half, trailing only by nine, but a blitz by UConn in the second half delivered an 82-52 victory.

Four UConn players scored in double figures and the Huskies controlled the boards with a 50-29 advantage. They had 10 steals in continuing their quest to become the first repeat national champions since the Florida Gators did so in 2006 and '07.

UConn has held all three of their tournament opponents under 60 points, winning games by an average of 28.7 points. Opponents in the tourney have shot only 12-57 from three-point range. The Huskies, meanwhile, are shooting 50.8 percent from the field and have 59 assists against 27 turnovers.

All-American Tristen Newton has 50 points and 22 assists in this year's tournament. Cam Spencer has 44 points and seven steals, with Donovan Clingan and Stephan Castle big contributors, too. Clingan has 41 points and 30 rebounds, with Castle contributing 37 and 18, respectively.

UConn's opponent in the Elite Eight will be no. 3 seed Illinois. The Fighting Illini (29-8) are in their first Elite Eight since 2005, where they went on to lose in the title game to UNC.

Illinois had a much closer game in the Sweet 16, defeating Iowa State 72-69. Turnovers (12) hampered them, as did a 15-29 performance from the free throw line but they did enough to survive.

This was the closest game for Illinois in the tournament. In their first two games, the Fighting Illini shot over 50 percent from the field but were held to 42.1 against the Cyclones. Illinois has 57 assists and 28 turnovers and have held all three opponents to under 70 points.

Terrence Shannon Jr. is averaging 28.3 points per game in the tournament, shooting 29-49 from the field. Max Domask has 41 points, 20 rebounds, and 22 assists, with a triple-double in the opening round. Domask did struggle against Iowa State, shooting 2-11 from the field. 

Dain Dainja and Coleman Hawkins are also players to keep an eye on. Dainja is 16-20 from the field and has 36 points and 29 rebounds. Hawkins had a fine game against Iowa State and has 33 points and 18 rebounds in the tournament.

UConn is 2-1 all-time against Illinois, with the two programs last meeting in 1994, a 71-56 victory by the Huskies.

East Region final. Predicted winner in bold: 

(3) Illinois vs (1) UConn - 3/30 on TBS 6:09 p.m. (ET)

West Region

Elite Eight action in the West Region will be giving fans two programs looking for their first-ever Final Four performance.

The Clemson Tigers (24-11) continued to impress with a 77-72 victory over Arizona. The sixth-seed Tigers almost led wire-to-wire, save for a brief Arizona lead in the second half, in moving to their first Elite Eight since 1980.

Clemson has held all three opponents to under 40 percent from the field and held Arizona star Caleb Love to a 5-18 performance. The Tigers are averaging 75.3 points and shot close to 50 percent from the field their last two games. They share the ball (49 assists) while limiting turnovers (30).

Guard Chase Hunter is having quite the tournament, averaging nearly 20 points per game and playing a stifling defense.

PJ Hall and Ian Schieffelin are doing the dirty work inside. Hall has scored 42 points and pulled down 14 rebounds, with Schieffelin contributing 41 points and 25 rebounds. Guard Joseph Girard III, who averages 15.3 points per game, has scored only 24 in three tourney games. Girard is 7-26 from the field (4-18 on three-point attempts) but does have 12 assists against only four turnovers.

The Tigers defense will be put to the test against the Alabama Crimson Tide (24-11). The no. 4 seed defeated UNC 89-87 to advance to only their second-ever Elite Eight (first in 2004).

Top seed UNC looked in control, taking a lead of eight points into the halftime break. But Alabama ratcheted up the pressure, UNC struggled, and the Crimson Tide prevailed (thanks, too, in large part to holding RJ Davis to a 4-20 performance).

Alabama's efficiency on offense has helped propel them. The Crimson Tide have knocked down 32 three-pointers and committed 33 turnovers. While only one opponent has shot above 40 percent, Alabama does have a minus 2 on the boards.

The bench for the Crimson Tide scored 57 points in the first two games but only seven against the Tar Heels. Part of this could be attributed to the lineup shuffling due to the head injury of Latrell Wrightsell.

Stepping up huge in the UNC game was Grant Nelson. Nelson made huge play after huge play, finishing with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and five blocked shots. In the two games prior, both as a starter, Nelson scored only six points and collected two rebounds.

It has been Mark Sears leading the way in the NCAA tourney with 74 points, 18 rebounds, 13 assists, and six steals. Rylan Griffen (41 points) and Aaron Estrada (40 pts, 21 rebounds, 17 assists) also having a fine tournament.

Alabama is 4-8 all-time against Clemson, losing the last three meetings. The teams met up back in November, with the Tigers picking up a 85-77 victory.

West Region final. Predicted winner in bold.

(6) Clemson vs (4) Alabama - 3/30 on TBS 8:49 p.m. (ET)

South Region

The All-ACC regional final has come to fruition.

NC State (25-14) continues to make the double-digit seed line proud. In winning their eighth-straight elimination game, dating back to the ACC tourney, the Wolfpack reached their first Elite Eight since 1986.

Underestimated or not, the Wolfpack's defense is propelling them to victory after victory. Marquette was 4-31 from three-point range and in this tournament, NC State opponents are 23-97. All three have shot under 40 percent from the field.

The Wolfpack have held the rebound advantage in their last two games and their field goal percentage has been better than 45 percent in each NCAA tournament game. 

It's been a balanced attack for NC State, where the starters do the majority of the contributing. DJ Horne has 46 points in three games leading the attack out front. In the post, it has been the excellent play on both ends of the court by Mohamed Diarra.

Diarra has scored 39 points and collected 40 rebounds while committing only one turnover. 

DJ Burns had an excellent game in the victory over Oakland, filling up the box score with 24 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists. In the other two games, Burns has scored 20 with five rebounds and seven assists.

NC State hopes to reach their first Final Four since 1983 (also the year of their last title) by defeating Duke. The Wolfpack defeated the Blue Devils by five in the ACC tournament after losing to them by 15 a few games prior.

Duke (27-8) is making a surprise run of their own in the 2024 tournament. The Blue Devils faced their stiffest test against the Cougars in a game that was never out of reach for either team. Helping matters along was a first half injury to Houston star Jamal Shead.

Duke led much of the second half and survived a potential game-tying three with seconds left to win 54-51.

The Blue Devils held their first two opponents to under 40 percent on field goal attempts, with Houston only climbing to 40.8. Duke floated just above that percentage themselves, with an effort of 52.4 percent against James Madison sandwiched in.

One of the similar factors among most of these teams is lack of solid contributors off the bench and Duke is no different. Bench players have contributed 25 points in three games, with 14 of those coming in the blowout of the Dukes.

Kyle Filipowski is picking up the pace with each game and now has 33 points and 26 rebounds in three tourney games. Guard Jeremy Roach is leading the way with 43 points and 14 assists.

In the last meeting between the teams, Horne led the Wolfpack with 18 points off the bench and Diarra had 14 points, 16 rebounds and four blocked shots. Filipowski had 28 points and 14 rebounds but the Blue Devils shot only 5-20 from deep.

South Region final. Predicted winner in bold.

(11) NC State vs (4) Duke - 3/31 on CBS 5:05 p.m. (ET)

Midwest Region

The Tennessee Volunteers (27-8) certainly kept things interesting in defeating the Creighton Bluejays on Friday night. Tennessee trailed by one at halftime then erupted to begin the second half, going on a 21-4 run. Creighton clawed back to within three at 65-62 but Tennessee was able to hold on for a 82-75 victory to advance to their first Elite Eight since the 2009-10 season.

Tennessee has thus far proven they can win in a variety of ways. Shooting threes (11 each in games one and three), ball control (only four turnovers against Creighton), and defense (opponents in first two games were 11-47 on three-point attempts). Things were evenly matched against Creighton, with only slight advantages giving the Volunteers the nudge. And Tennessee has also proven they can overcome hiccups themselves, like when they shot 33.8 percent (and 3-25 from deep) against Texas.

Dalton Knecht struggled that game (5-18) but has scored 65 points and pulled down 23 rebounds in the tournament. The rest of the lineup is balanced, with multiple starters able to hit double digits on any given night. Zakai Zeigler has had a nice tournament with 35 points and 23 assists.

The Volunteers do have a slightly deeper bench but were without starting guard Santiago Vescovi against Creighton. Vescovi is a top defender and missed the game due to illness.

In searching to reach the first Final Four in program history, Tennessee will have to take down Purdue. The two teams met earlier this season, with Purdue winning by four. Knect had 16 points and seven rebounds in that meeting, when the Volunteers shot 33 percent from the field.

The Purdue Boilermakers (32-4) have had somewhat of a cakewalk in the tourney's first three games. It has not been as easy as UConn's romp but Purdue is still marching forward in style.

In clinching their first Elite Eight appearance since 2019 (with eyes towards first Final Four since 1980), Purdue defeated Gonzaga in the Sweet 16, 80-68. It was another clockwork performance by the Purdue offense, shooting 57.1 percent from the field.

The Boilermakers have been under 50 percent only once, in the opening round against Grambling State, and are 29-67 on three-point attempts. Purdue holds a plus 55 advantage on the boards and has committed only 28 turnovers while dishing out 76 assists.

Dominant performances have become the norm for Purdue All-American Zach Edey. Edey was in usual form against Gonzaga and now has 80 points and 49 rebounds in three tournament games. (He scored 23 points and had 10 rebounds in the first meeting with Tennessee.)

Braden Smith has orchestrated the offense, scoring 30 points and dishing out 31 assists. The three other starters all can score and dish, too, with each scoring in double digits at least once in the last three games.

Midwest Region final. Predicted winner in bold.

(2) Tennessee vs (1) Purdue - 3/31 on CBS 2:20 p.m. (ET)

My bracket fully crumbled in on itself. I went 4-4 in my Sweet 16 picks, losing three of my four Final Four teams in the process. I only take slight solace my predicted champion in UConn remains.

More from men's 2024 tourney:

Sweet 16: Cinderella, wherefore art thou? Round of 32: Double digit seeds doing work Setting the table for UConn repeat Stats from ESPN photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

NCAA men's tourney 2024 Sweet 16: Cinderella, wherefore art thou?

 

Perhaps we have become too accustomed to multiple Cinderella teams reaching the Sweet 16 and beyond in the men's NCAA tournament. It's an intricate desire in rooting for underdogs to buck the trend and shock the world, capturing the attention of fans for two to three weeks in March.

This March Madness and Sweet 16 for the men's side of action will have to do without in 2024.

Okay. One double digit seed is hanging around. But do they really count as a Cinderella if that team is from a Power conference?

I say yes, simply because the no. 11 seed out of the South Region, the NC State Wolfpack, is riding the high of playing basically seven elimination games in a row. In looking way back to the ACC tournament, the Wolfpack in capturing the conference tournament title over the North Carolina Tar Heels.

NC State went ahead and won their first two games of the NCAA tournament, winning by 13 over Texas Tech and by six over Oakland to keep their season rolling.

The Wolfpack are the lowest remaining seed in the '24 tourney. The top eight seeds are hanging around, plus two each on the three, four, and five lines, with a sixth seed rounding out the group. Perceived to be a weaker conference, the ACC leads the pack with four teams remaining, while the Big East Conference held firm with its three selected teams still standing. 

The Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC have two representatives, with the Mountain West, WCC, and PAC-12 holding court with one each.

Cinderella teams may have taken a back seat heading into the Sweet 16 but there is still a chance for some surprises as the field shrinks.

East Region

In the East Region, seeds 1, 2, 3, and 5 remain, with a marquee event a rematch of last year's title game between the Connecticut Huskies (33-3) and San Diego State Aztecs.

The Huskies claimed the title with a 76-59 victory. Many of the key players from both sides have moved on but each brings plenty of talent to the table.

UConn has lived up to its top billing in this tournament, shooting over 50 percent from the field in 39-point (Stetson) and 17-point (Northwestern) victories. In that round of 32 game, the Huskies were up 40-18 at halftime.

UConn has lost only once since the calendar flipped to 2024 and have used big tournament games from Donovan Clingan (33 points, 22 rebounds) and First-team All-American Tristen Newton (33 points, 18 assists). Clingan had eight blocked shots against Northwestern and Newton is one of the holdovers from last year's title game, where he scored 19 points and collected 10 rebounds.

Star power is certainly not lacking in the other three teams in the region. Jaedon LeDee has paced the Aztecs (26-10) in this tournament, scoring 58 points and 17 rebounds. Terrance Shannon Jr. scored 56 points for Illinois, who won their games by 16 (Morehead State) and 26 (Duquesne Dukes).

The Fighting Illini (28-8), in their first Sweet 16 since 2005, also have Dain Dainja and Max Domask. Dainja comes off the bench and has scored 29 points on 13-13 shooting, while Domask had a triple-double in their opening round victory.

Iowa State (29-7) has looked impressive, committed only 15 turnovers in the tournament. The Cyclones own wins over South Dakota State and Washington State by an average of 14 points. 

Winners of seven of eight, the Cyclones were last in the Sweet 16 in 2022 and looking for their first Elite 8 since 2000.

Sweet 16, East Region matchups (Predicted winners in bold, all times Eastern.)

(5) San Diego State vs (1) UConn - TBS/truTV 7:39 p.m. (3/28)(3) Illinois vs (2) Iowa State - TBS/truTV 10:09 p.m. (3/28)

West Region

The Clemson Tigers (23-11) are the surprise of this region and are looking for their first Elite 8 appearance since 1980. In reaching their first Sweet 16 since 2018, Clemson defeated New Mexico by 21 and Baylor by eight.

Chase Hunter has paced Clemson with 41 points and 12 assists in the tournament. Fellow guard Joseph Girard III has struggled some, shooting only 6-21 from the field.

On the opposite bench, the Arizona Wildcats (27-8) are hoping for their first Elite 8 appearance since 2015. The Wildcats own two double-digit wins in this tournament and average 87.6 points per game on the season. Arizona is led by Caleb Love, who has 37 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists in the tournament but is only 13-32 on field goal attempts.

Love's former team North Carolina brings plenty of experience to this region, with multiple stars remaining from the squad that lost in the 2022 title game. RJ Davis is right on par with his season average of 21.3 points, scoring 42 in the tourney. Armando Bacot scored 38 points and collected 22 boards thru two games.

UNC is 8-5 all-time against the Alabama Crimson Tide (23-11), who are back in the Sweet 16 a second consecutive year. The teams last met in November of 2022, where Alabama won a four-overtime affair.

Alabama averages 90.7 points per game and scored 100+ points in ten games this season, including their opening round win over Charleston. The Crimson Tide proved they can also win a grind-it-out game with their 11-point victory over Grand Canyon in round two.

Sweet 16, West Region matchups (Predicted winners in bold, all times Eastern.)

(6) Clemson vs (2) Arizona - CBS 7:09 p.m. (3/28)(4) Alabama vs (1) UNC - CBS  9:39 p.m. (3/28) 

South Region

With two representatives in this region, odds for the ACC to send a team to the Final Four seem reasonable. Both, however, will have their hands full.

Many (or maybe just me) did not see the Duke Blue Devils (26-8) reaching this round. Yet the Blue Devils impressed, winning by 17 over Vermont and 38 over James Madison. Based on seeding and name brand, yes, Duke should have won these games. But they seemed to lack a certain mystique this season.

Duke reached the Final Four in 2022, while the Wolfpack last reached the Sweet 16 in 2015 and haven't made an Elite 8 since 1986.

For the Marquette Golden Eagles (27-9), it had been since 2013 where they'd appeared in a Sweet 16. They won by 18 over W. Kentucky and four over Colorado, but did have their struggles in both games. And the Golden Eagles closed the regular season/conference tournament on a 3-3 stretch. Those losses, however, were to UConn (twice) and Creighton, two teams playing this weekend.

Top-seed Houston (32-4) also had their struggles, blowing an 11-point lead with 1:34 left in the Round of 32. The Cougars prevailed in overtime and are making their fourth-straight appearance in the Sweet 16. Houston shot over 50 percent in each of their first two tournament victories. The combination of Emanuel Sharp, L.J. Cryer, and Jamal Shead has accounted for 113 of Houston's 186 points.

Sweet 16, South Region matchups (Predicted winners in bold, all times Eastern)

(11) NC State vs (2) Marquette - CBS 7:09 p.m. (3/29)(4) Duke vs (1) Houston - CBS 9:39 p.m. (3/29)

Midwest Region

Like Duke, it is somewhat of surprise the Gonzaga Bulldogs (27-7) are here. Not in the general sense because this is their ninth-straight Sweet 16 appearance. More so in that theirs was a down year in some regards.

But Gonzaga picked up identical 21-point victories over McNeese and Kansas. Anton Watson (34 points, 19 rebounds in two tourney games) and the Bulldogs will meet up with Purdue for a second time this season. Back at the start of '23-24, Purdue won 73-63.

The Boilermakers (31-4) and Zach Edey have looked nearly unstoppable in winning their first tourney games by 28 (Grambling State) and 39 (Utah State). Edey has 53 points and 35 rebounds to go with six blocked shots in two games. 

In that first meeting between the teams, Edey had 25 points and 14 rebounds while Gonzaga was 6-32 from beyond the arc.

Offense and defense will match wits in the final matchup of Sweet 16. The Creighton Bluejays (25-9) are appearing in their third Sweet 16 in the last four seasons. Creighton loves the three-point shot, knocking down 25 so far in this tournament. They are coming off a double-overtime victory over Oregon, where four different Bluejays scored 18+ points.

The Tennessee Volunteers (26-8) will look to get physical with Creighton and are comfortable playing both styles. They shot 50.9 percent from the field against Saint Peters (knocking down 11 threes) but shot only 33.8 percent against Texas (with an abysmal 3-25 from deep). Expect a better performance from the Vols as this game will come down to which style wins out.

Sweet 16, Midwest Region matchups (Predicted winners in bold, all times Eastern.)

(5) Gonzaga vs (1) Purdue - TBS/truTv 7:39 p.m. (3/29)(3) Creighton vs (2) Tennessee - TBS/truTV 10:09 p.m. (3/29)*My bracket is in some disarray but seven of my predicted Elite 8 teams are still standing. And I went 14-2 in the Sweet 16 picks I made in last weekend's post. So, take that as you will.

photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

NCAA men's tourney 2024: Darling double digit seeds doing work

 

Teams playing in the First Four, over the years, have found ways to leave their mark on the men's NCAA tournament. Only once since 2011, when the tourney expanded to 68 teams, did a team from the First Four fail to win a game in the round of 64. Two at-large teams, VCU ('11) and UCLA ('21) have gone from First Four to Final Four, and Fairleigh Dickinson became the first no. 16 seed to notch a win after winning a play-in game, defeating the Purdue Boilermakers.

Only one team from the this year, the no. 10 seed Colorado Buffaloes, is standing heading into the round of 32. And the Buffaloes propelled themselves forward in high octane affair on Friday afternoon.

The Buffaloes looked in control in the second half against the Florida Gators, knocking down every shot in sight. Florida had a furious comeback, setting the stage for a KJ Simpson buzzer-beater. Simpson knocked down a baseline jumper with 1.7 seconds left to give Colorado a 102-100 victory.

Colorado was in a completely different battle than the defensive-minded victory over Boise State in the First Four. In that meeting, the Buffaloes won 60-53 whereas in Friday's game, each team alone nearly matched the combined total.

In the Round of 64 victory, Simpson had 23 points, five rebounds, and five assists while Eddie Lampkin Jr. had 21 points, six rebounds, and five assists. The Buffaloes overcame the 33 points of Florida's Walter Clayton Jr.

Excitement kicked into full gear on Thursday, when the 14th seed in the South Region Oakland Golden Grizzlies locked into a special kind of magic. Oakland rode the three-point stylings of Jack Gohlke to defeat the no. 3 seed Kentucky Wildcats, 80-76.

Gohlke scored 32 points, knocking down 10 of Oakland's 15 three-pointers. Ten made threes by Gohlke fell one short of the record held by Jeff Fryer of Loyola Marymount, set in 1990.

Double digit seeds will be represented well in the round of 32, though not as in-depth as year's past. A pair will be squaring off on Saturday, guaranteeing at least one seed lower than nine will be in the Sweet 16. 

On the 5/12 line, it took until the last set of games on Friday night to see a no. 12 seed advance. Two, in fact, with James Madison and Grand Canyon keeping the tradition alive.

Teams on the 16-seed line did not defeat those on the top line this year. And this year saw the end of a three-year streak in which a no. 15 seed advanced. The two closest were losses by South Dakota State (17, to Iowa State) and Western Kentucky (18, to Marquette).

All told, three teams seeded no. 11 advanced, followed by two 12-seeds, and one each from the 10, 13, and 14 lines.

SEC and Mountain West falter

The SEC entered the tournament with eight teams. And while they ended Friday strong with victories by Alabama and Texas A&M, results overall were disappointing. The Yale Bulldogs added to that misery with an upset over the Auburn Tigers.

Auburn lost starter Chad Baker-Mazara early when he was tossed from the game for a flagrant 2 foul. The Tigers built double digit leads, with Yale hanging around before finally taking the lead late. Auburn had their chances, missing multiple attempts to tie or win the game in the closing seconds. 

A year after Princeton gave the Ivy League an upset, Yale repeated the effort behind 28 points from John Poulakidas in the 78-76 victory.

The five teams that bowed out from the SEC were all higher seeds in their matchups. The conference went 3-5, with Tennessee the other victor, but futility might belong to the Mountain West, at least as far as expectations go.

The Mountain West placed six teams in the tournament. Yes, by the end of the Friday two teams advanced to the Round of 32. But four teams bowing was not exactly how the conference planned to showcase this outstanding season.

Boise State exited in the First Four. Colorado State won once but couldn't overcome an 11-point first-half effort in their loss to Texas. Conference tournament champion New Mexico lost 77-56 to Clemson. 

The closest was perhaps Nevada, who saw a 17-point second-half lead vanish, falling to Dayton 63-60.

A 3-4 record on paper so far looks okay. Just disappointed to see so many fall short.

East Region

Three of the eight games in this region saw the lower seed advance. Yale was the last of the lower seeds in this region to advance. Earlier Friday, Northwestern overcame a cold start to knock off last year's darlings Florida Atlantic, 77-65.

On Thursday, the no. 11 Duquesne Dukes won a for the first time since 1969, defeating BYU 71-67. Duquesne led much of the game and had to withstand a BYU rally to pick up the victory.

Two other lower seeds put up valiant efforts but ultimately fell short. Both Morehead State and Drake looked poised to pull off the upsets. Morehead State lost to Illinois by 16 and Drake let a late lead slip away in falling to Washington State by five.

Defending champions Connecticut won handily, with the Huskies defeating Stetson 91-52. The top seed will look for a return visit to the Sweet 16, with a possible 2023 title game rematch with San Diego State on the horizon.

Round of 32, East Region matchups (Predicted winners in bold. All times Eastern)

(7) Washington State vs (2) Iowa State - 6:10 p.m. (3/23)(11) Duquesne vs (3) Illinois - 8:40 p.m. (3/23)(9) Northwestern vs (1) UConn - 7:45 p.m. (3/24)(5) San Diego State vs (13) Yale - 9:40 p.m. (3/24)

West Region

Grand Canyon was one of only two lower seeds to advance in the West Region. The Lopes and WCC champion Saint Mary's were back-and-forth for most of the first half. got rolling early in the second half, maintained, and then had to hold off a Gaels comeback in picking up a 75-66 win, their first-ever NCAA tournament victory.

A battle of the old guard will take place between Michigan State and North Carolina in the Round of 32. UNC did have some trouble pulling away from Wagner, despite what the 28-point margin of victory says. The Spartans built a nice cushion in their first-round game, in some ways coasting to victory.

Four good games should be on tap in this region. Most intriguing to me is the 2/7 matchup between Dayton and Arizona. Both played uneven basketball in their opening round wins. While I think Arizona advances, I wouldn't be surprised if the Flyers pull this one out.

Round of 32, West Region matchups (Predicted winners in bold. All times Eastern.)

(7) Dayton vs (2) Arizona - 12:45 p.m. (3/23)(9) Michigan State vs (1) UNC - 5:30 p.m. (3/23)(6) Clemson vs (3) Baylor - 6:10 p.m. (3/24)(12) Grand Canyon vs (4) Alabama - 7:10 p.m. (3/24)

South Region

Lower seeds were the name of the game in this region, where five advanced, including four double-digit seeds. Top seed Houston avoided the chaos, racing out to a 13-0 lead and not looking back in their victory over Longwood.

Not only will there be a guaranteed double digit in the Sweet 16, we'll also see a team with Duke in the title advance. The Dukes of James Madison, winner of 32 games this season, will take on Duke. The Blue Devils did have some struggles with Vermont, with start Kyle Filipowski scoring only three points on 0-1 shooting. (He did have 12 rebounds.)

James Madison knocked off no. 5 seed Wisconsin 72-61, leading a good chunk of the game.

Round of 32, South Region matchups (Predicted winners in bold. All times Eastern.)

(14) Oakland vs (11) N.C. State - 7:10 p.m. (3/23)(10) Colorado vs (2) Marquette - 12:10 p.m. (3/24)(12) James Madison vs (4) Duke - 5:15 p.m. (3/24)(9) Texas A&M vs (1) Houston - 8:40 p.m. (3/24)

Midwest Region

Purdue managed to avoid last year's tournament fate, handling a spirited effort by Grambling State. Behind Zach Edey's 30 points, 21 rebounds, and three blocked shots, the Boilermakers won 78-50.

Save for the upstart Oregon Ducks, this region was held in check by the higher seeds. Both Gonzaga (to McNeese) and Kansas (to Samford) were popular choices to be upset in the first round. Especially Kansas, without their leading scorer Kevin McCullar Jr. The Jayhawks, however, withstood Samford coming back from a 20-point deficit to win 93-89. 

Oregon took care of business thanks to a spectacular 40-point showing from Jermaine Cousinard.

Utah State, a roster basically rebuilt from scratch, picked up their first tournament win since 2001 with a 88-72 victory over TCU. Meaning fans should be treated to a great matchup between Aggies star Great Osobor and Purdue's Edey.

Round of 32, Midwest Region matchups (Predicted winners in bold. All times Eastern.)

(5) Gonzaga vs (4) Kansas - 3:15 p.m. (3/23)(7) Texas vs (2) Tennessee - 8:00 p.m. (3/23)(11) Oregon vs (3) Creighton - 9:40 p.m. (3/23)(8) Utah State vs (1) Purdue - 2:40 p.m. (3/24)

photo credit: Flickr

Boise State Broncos fall again in First Four action

 

History will have to wait yet again for the Boise State Broncos men's basketball team.

In their tenth NCAA appearance, and third time in the First Four, the Broncos (22-11) were minutes away from finally notching their first-ever tournament win. Then the points, already at a premium all game, dried up to near drought-like levels.

Boise State scored only four points over the game's final 4:12 and the Colorado Buffaloes ended the game outscoring the Broncos 15-4 to pick up the victory 60-53.

The Broncos led 49-45 with 4:12 left after a Chibuzo Agbo jumper. But bad bounces, missed shots, and a little misfortune sent Boise State home without a victory once again.

Boise State ended with the advantage in many areas, using a strong defensive effort to hold Colorado (25-10) to 43.8 percent from the field and 4-15 on three-point attempts. The Broncos also held a 41-31 advantage on the boards, collecting 19 offensive rebounds.

Trouble was, they had issues connecting on those second chances, and shots inside the key in general. Boise State got to the rim and had tons of decent inside looks but shot only 34.8 percent.

The Buffaloes also limited Boise State getting good and open looks from the outside and the Broncos responded with a 2-18 performance from deep.

Each team locked in on defense, especially in the first half, where Colorado went to the locker room with a 26-24 lead.

Agbo put the Broncos on his back in the second half, scoring 11 of his team-high 17 points. Agbo and Roddie Anderson III, who scored 14, were a combined 14-29 from the field, while the rest of the team was 9-38.

Cam Martin also delivered a spirited effort. In concluding his collegiate career, Martin scored 10 points and collected eight rebounds.

Leading scorer Tyson Degenhart scored only six points, all in the second half, on 3-10 shooting. Senior Max Rice was 1-9 and O'Mar Stanley was 1-9, though Stanley did collect 11 rebounds.

Tristan da Silva scored a game-high 20 points for Colorado and KJ Simpson scored 19 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to go with four assists. Simpson scored some huge buckets down the stretch and also forced a couple of Bronco turnovers.

Colorado advances to play the no. 7 seed Florida Gators on Friday. Their victory on Wednesday night concluded a First Four that saw exciting action in three of the four games.

First Four action

History was made earlier Wednesday evening, where the Grambling State Tigers (21-14) picked up their first NCAA tournament victory (in their first appearance). 

The Tigers battled back from a 14-point deficit and pulled off the victory, defeating the Montana State Bobcats 88-81 in overtime. Grambling used a 50 percent effort from the field and a plus 14 advantage on the boards to secure the momentous occasion. Four different Tigers reached double figures, with Jimel Cofer scoring 19 to lead the way (all in the second half).

Montana State looked in control much of the game. But turnovers doomed the squad late in regulation and overtime. Robert Ford III scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Bobcats.

On Tuesday night, an undermanned Wagner Seahawks (17-15) squad, with only seven players suited up, defeated Howard 71-68. Wagner shot 52.7 percent and committed only eight turnovers.

In the second game, the Colorado State Rams did the Mountain West proud, defeating the Virginia Cavaliers 67-42. The Rams (25-10) shot 55.3 percent and nearly doubled up the Cavaliers on the boards (43-24). Joel Scott scored 23 points and pulled down 11 boards for Colorado State, with Nique Clifford next with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists.

Virginia shot only 25 percent from the field in the loss.

Grambling will take on Purdue, the top team in the Midwest Region, on Friday. Wagner gets the good fortune of facing UNC, the no. 1 seed in the West, while Colorado State takes on no. 7 seed Texas in the Midwest Region. Each of those latter two teams play on Thursday.

Action picks up again on 3/21, with the first tip-off a 8/9 matchup at 12:15 p.m. (ET), where Mississippi State takes on Michigan State.

NCAA men's bracket

photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

WNIT bound: Boise State Broncos women continue 2023-24 season

 

From the ashes of the Mountain West tournament, the 2023-24 season for the Boise State Broncos women's basketball team rises again.

The WNIT can be thanked for that. 

Boise State (21-13) put together a fine season, albeit one without a title and exiting the Mountain West tourney in a tough semifinal loss to San Diego State. And the season, with the call from the WNIT unexpected or not, will continue with a first-round meeting against the Montana Lady Griz on Wednesday (3/20) evening. 

The last time the Broncos participated in the WNIT was in 2008, where they defeated Idaho State before bowing out with a loss to TCU. This will be Boise State's third appearance, also playing in 1998 where they were defeated by LSU

Boise State has a long, storied rivalry dating back to the Big Sky days. But the two teams haven't met since the 2008-09 season, where Montana won by 21. 

This isn't the main stage of the NCAA tournament but it's a chance for these Boise State players to gain valuable experience and playing time. A young nucleus has seen plenty of court action the last two seasons, and this opportunity can be useful in prepping the team for a special 2024-25.

First, the goal of closing out this season on a high note.

Boise State Broncos

The Broncos enter this game having lost four of their last six games, where three of those losses were by a combined 10 points

Boise State averages 64 points per game, allowing 58. The Broncos do have some struggles knocking down shots, shooting only 40.1 percent from the field (34.5 from beyond the arc). They also struggle at times with turnovers, giving the ball over 15 times per contest. 

Defense and rebounding more than make up for deficiencies on offense. Opponents shoot 36.4 percent from the field and 28.2 percent from deep. Boise State averages 40.4 rebounds per game and block 6.2 shots.

Eight players average 4.3 points or more per game and team regularly plays 10 or 11 players. Natalie Pasco, a selection, leads the team with 13 points per game. Pasco knocked down 81 three-pointers this season but did run into some struggles as of late. In her last six games, Pasco has scored only 41 points and is 7-27 on three-point attempts. 

Mya Hansen scores a shade under 10 points per game and is shooting 41.3 percent from deep. Hansen can also dish, finishing with 98 assists, and finished the Mountain West tourney on a heater. In the last two games, she scored 39 points and dished out six assists.

Abby Muse, Mary Kay Naro, and Elodie Lalotte are a trio of seniors contributing and leading this team. Muse averages 7.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, adding 90 blocked shots for good measure. Naro leads the team in assists with 141, bringing her career total to 472. And Lalotte averages 7.1 points and 4.4 rebounds.

The bench is paced by Dani Bayes and Tatum Thompson, who combine to score 15.4 points. Trista Hull averages 4.3 points and 5.5 rebounds and has been on a tear the last four games. Hull has 27 points, 33 rebounds, and six blocked shots in this span.

Boise State and Montana shared common opponents this season. Each lost to Colorado State. The Broncos lost to Eastern Washington by 21, while Montana lost twice by a combined six points. Montana was also down in San Diego with the Broncos this season, where the Lady Griz went 2-0 while Boise State went 1-1.

Montana Lady Griz

Montana (22-9) finished third in the Big Sky and bowed out of the conference tournament in the semifinals, falling to Northern Arizona. The Lady Griz have won seven of their last nine games and boast an offense that loves to shoot the three-pointer.

The Lady Griz attempt a shade over 28 threes per game, making nearly 11. On the season, Montana shoots 43.1 percent from the field and 40.8 from deep. They rebound well, too, collecting 38.3 per game and commit 13 turnovers per contest.

Four players average in double figures, with a total of seven averaging 6.2 or more. Carmen Gfeller leads the way with 13.6 points, also collecting 6.1 rebounds. Gfeller has scored double figures in six of their last seven games, including 21 in the semifinal loss.

Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw has knocked down 75 threes and scores 11.8 points. Mack Konig is close behind at 11.5 points per game, averaging 20 in their last three. Konig also has 90 assists.

Leading the team in assists is Gina Marxen, who has 115. Marxen has knocked down 65 three-pointers and averages 10.3 points.

Rounding out the players to keep an eye on is Dani Bartsch, who averages 8.3 points and 10.4 rebounds. Bartsch has had trouble scoring in the last five games, scoring only eight points, but has rebounding with exceptional effort, collecting 63 in this same span.

This game will come down to how well the Broncos keep the Lady Griz off the boards and how well they contain Montana's outside shooting. Boise State has been very good at perimeter defense this season. And if the Broncos can reach their season averages from the field and limit turnovers, the second round could very well be in sight.

WNIT: Boise State vs Montana 3/20 @ 7 p.m. (MT). Stream the game on ESPN+

photo credit: Wikimedia Commons