Welcome back to the Who the Hell Knows What is Going On NCAA Tournament!!! Florida Atlantic, in only its second appearance in the tournament, defeats Kansas State and is going to the Final Four. I'll say that a little louder for those of you in the back - FAU IS GOING TO THE FINAL FOUR!!! And, as FAU stepped up, the one player who had absolutely dominated this tournament, shrinks in crunch time. Markquis Nowell - in their penultimate possession - passes up a three-point shot with 9 seconds left and Kansas State down 3 to throw a bullet to a cutting teammate for an easy 2-pointer, and then he gives up the ball in the last possession only for Kansas State to never get up a shot. Congratulations Owls - Burrowing Owls specifically - see you in Houston.
As for the second game - YAWN! Connecticut dominated, obliterated and absolutly annihilated Gonzaga. I seriously completed my scoring for this tournament during the second half of this game. Connecticut, who was one of the KenPom's highest rated combination teams (offense and defense) coming into the tournament - and they are showing us why. They could be trouble. Huskies - see you in Houston.
With Kansas State and Gonzaga losing, two more potential champions go down. The list of our champions is: Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Duke, Florida Atlantic, Gonzaga, Houston, Indiana, Kansas, Kansas State, Marquette, Miami, Michigan State, Purdue, Tennessee, Texas.
For today's games, I don't believe anybody has Creighton or San Diego State in the Final Four (if they do, I will find out when I score today's games - don't worry) but several people have Texas and others have Miami. This second game is going to have a lot of effect on our pool standings, so definitely watch Texas and Miami.
As far as the pool - WE HAVE A NEW LEADER!!! Drew Foster of Lake Worth Beach, Florida takes the lead thanks to UConn's win. (I mean really, it was like UConn were Vikings and Gonzaga was some small abbey on the British coast.) Rich Samuels 1 of Palm Beach Gardens, FL slips into second, and Allison Parker of Washington, DC rises up into third place. Interestingly, Allison has concluded her pool, as she can no longer earn any points, and the same with fourth place Dana Williams of somewhere in the Greater West Palm Beach, Florida area. So those lurking just behind with Texas, Connecticut, or Miami advancing all have a chance to earn more points.
Last place is also (mostly) decided. Lizzy W (Lamb) of Delray Beach, Florida and Lily Spuhler of Acworth, Georgia, are tied for last place. I don't have the mindset or bandwidth to go back and apply the tiebreaker to see who comes in last to receive their money back, but it will be one of you two as you both have no opportunities left to earn points!!!
But Florida Atlantic does - and they are in teh Final Four as a 9-seed, the second ever to do so after Wichita State's run in 2013. That is too recent of history about which for me to write, so let's explore the those higher seeds that made it. Syracuse in 2016 made the Final Four in Houston, but that is also recent - and not a good Final Four showing - so can't write about them. Five 11 seeds qualified, and most are fairly recent - George Mason in 2006, Virginia Commonwealth in 2011, Loyola Chicago in 2018 and UCLA in 2021. The won that we will explore today is LSU in 1986.
That year's LSU Tigers, filled with a roster that even diehard college basketball fans would struggle to recognize, if at all - finished the rgular season 22-11, and 9-9 in the SEC - tied for fifth. The team struggled largely because it's roster that had three 7-footers (or near 7-footers), was ravaged before the season even started. Damon Vance (the 6'11" one) was declared academically ineligible and Tito Horford either left the team or was dismissed. (Who knew Horford was at LSU?) The third seven-footer, Zoran Jovanovich, suffered a season-ending knee injury in December. No truth to the rumor that he went on to star in The Fifth Element with Bruce Willis.
Because of this diversity, 6'6" sophomore Ricky Blanton - of bourbon fame, maybe - volunteered to play center and captain Don Reddne said that LSU had "gone from an NBA-size team to a big junior high team!"
Then, LSU was hit with a bout of chickenpox, hospitalizing star player John Williams and backup forward Bernard Woodside were hospitalized for a week, and quarantined more than that.
So, there might have been reasons for the 22-11 record.
LSU entered the tournament as an 11 seed, but a 61-58 loss in the SEC semi-finals to eventual number 1 seed Kentucky could have been encouraging. Also encouraging was LSU's placement into the Southeast region, where they would play in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where they would literally be able to sleep in their own beds.
LSU dispatched Purdue in the first round, behind 25 points from Anthony Wilson, 21 from Don Redden, 20 from Derrick Taylor, 16 from John Williams, and 10 points/11 boards from Ricky Blanton, the 6'6" center. LSU won 94-87 despite receiving only 2 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists from its entire bench. After receiving two good night's sleep at home, LSU awaited Memphis, led by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's favorite basketball player, Baskerville Holmes and future NBAer (and legit 7-footer) William Bedford, but despite the size differenece, LSU hung on to win 83-81. Redden paced a balanced-scoring LSU with 23, and John "Hot Plate" Williams - himself a future first-round draft pick - added 19 and 13, Derrick Taylor scored 18 and Ricky Blanton addedd 11 and 11. But now, LSU has to travel - all the way to Atlanta.
But, in Atlanta, they have to play Georgia Tech, who is now a literal home team - AND LOADED. This starting five is as good as any in college basketball with Mark Price running point, Bruce Dalrymple at the 2, Duane Ferrell on the wing, and big men Tom Hammonds and John Salley. Unfortunately, the Yellow Jackets had no bench, so LSU's lack of depth was not necessarily a hinderance in this game. Price scored 29, Hammonds 16, and Salley 11 with 10 rebounds, but it wasn't enough as LSU won 70-64. LSU was paced by Captain Don Redden's 27, with Derrick Taylor contributing 23. Amazingly, only 8 total points scored by both benches. Up next for LSU, old SEC nemesis Kentucky.
Just like the SEC Championship game, this game was close, with the Tigers outlasting the Wildcats 59-57. LSU's balanced scoring (John Williams 16, Don Redden 15, Anthony Wilson and Ricky Blanton 12 points each - with 8 rebounds for Blanton) outpaced Kentucky's Kenny Walker (20 points) and Roger Harden (12 points). Interestingly, both benches combined for only 2 points (by UK's Cedrick Jenkins). LSU is heading to the Final Four as an 11 seed, then the first double-digit seed to make it that far.
Alas, the clock struck midnight in Dallas as Louisville defeating LSU 88-77. Redden acquitted himself well with 22 points, Taylor had 16 and Wilson contributed 15. Williams scored 14 with 9 rebounds, and Blanton scored 9 with 12 rebounds, but it was not enough for the firepower of the Cardinals, led by Billy Thompson (22/10), Milt Wagner (22/11 assists), Herbert Crook (16), Jeff Hall (14) and freshman center Never Nervous Pervis Ellison (11 points, 13 rebounds). Louisville would go on to win the title defeating Duke 72-69 behind Ellison's 25 points and 11 rebounds. Ellison would go on to be the number 1 overall pick by the Sacremento Kings in 1989, and Duke would go on to torment college basketball for an eternity.
Pervis Ellison might have been the number 1 pick, but Sacramento has nothing on our own Arlene Amo Hopps of Quincy, Massachusetts, who not only selected Florida Atlantic into the Final Four, but she did so with them beating Kansas State in the Elite 8 - meaning she also receives 5 bonus points! That, is the pick of the day. If you were one of the several entrants that selected Connecticut, then you also rose in the standings.
No social media references of the day since the entirety of social media is some combination of "OMG FAU!!!" or "Congrats FAU", none of which specifically deserve to be mentioned here.
Stats of the Day
6. Gonzaga had the number 1 offense in the NCAA (out of 363 teams). That doesn't matter when your two best players go 5-14 (Drew Timme) and 4-15 (Julian Strawther).
5. Speaking of Drew Timme, he picked up his 4th foul with 17:38 left in the game.
4. Marquis Nowell accounts for 63.8% of Kansas State's points in the tournament.
3. Connecticut's average margin of victory in this tournament is 22.5. The defeated Iona by 24, St. Mary's by 15, Arkanas by 23, and Gonzaga by 28.
2. Florida Atlantic won despite committing 22 turnovers.
1. Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina and Kansas all missed the Elite 8 in the men's tournament. Connecticut, Tennessee and Stanford all missed the Elite 8 in the women's tournament. This is HUGE!
Players of the Day
9. Drew Timme - Gonzaga - Despite his shooting and foul woes, still ended up with a double double - 12/10 with 4 assists.
8. Johnell Davis - FAU -13 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
7. Alex Karaban - Connecticut - 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist
6. Adama Sanogo - Connecticut - 10 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists
5. Alijah Martin - Florida Atlantic - 17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks and THIS DUNK!!!
4. Andre Jackson - Connecticut - 8 points, 9 rebounds, 10 assists
3. Marquis Nowell - Kansas State - 30 points, 3 rebounds, 12 assists, 5 steals - would be number 1 in a victory. Hell, should be number 1 anyway.
2. Jordan Hawkins - Connecticut - 20 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist
1. Vladislav Goldin - Florida Atlantic - 14 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and he drew at least 8 fouls on Connecticut, including 5 in the first 10 minutes to aggresively set the tone that FAU was not scared of Kansas State.
And speaking of setting the tone - here are the standings. Remember to double check the scores and let me know if you have any questions.
