The Final Four That Nobody Could Have Expected

NYT SPORT: The Final Four That Nobody Could Have Expected
By Billy Witz
Section: Sports
Source: New York Times

Connecticut has a pedigree but hasn’t made a deep run since 2014. Florida Atlantic plays in a small gym on a campus that’s an owl sanctuary. San Diego State got in on a free throw. And Miami’s coach likes his self-help advice.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After San Diego State Coach Brian Dutcher snipped the last two strands of the net, he held it aloft like a trophy to admire for his players, coaches, staff and the hundreds of fans who let out a celebratory roar for the Aztecs’ first trip to a men’s Final Four.
Then Dutcher pivoted atop the ladder, placed the scissors in a receptacle, and with his arms outstretched, leaned back until he was free-falling into the arms of his players.
The Aztecs were as sure handed with their coach as they were with the opportunities they’ve been presented along the path to Houston for next weekend’s Final Four.
They took advantage of a referee’s kind whistle on Sunday, with Darrion Trammell sinking a free throw with 1.2 seconds left that was the difference in a 57-56 victory over Creighton. They had also made the most of their chances against top-seeded Alabama on Friday and the good fortune of Furman clearing fourth-seeded Virginia out of their path in the first round.
Published Date: March 27, 2023 at 03:00AM

Read More at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/27/sports/ncaabasketball/mens-final-four-preview.html

A look at the unexpected Final Four lineup in the NCAA men’s tournament

If there was ever an NCAA tournament that earned the name “March Madness,” this one is it. For the first time, all four No. 1 seeds in the men’s tournament failed to reach the Elite Eight or the Final Four, and no one expected the teams that remain. Nicole Auerbach, senior writer for The Athletic, joins Amna Nawaz to discuss what might explain some of these results.