#1 UConn, #1 Purdue, #4 Alabama & #11 NC State Punch Tickets to Phoenix
After 12 more games in four days, the Men’s NCAA Tournament bracket is down to the Final Four. And goodness, do we have some storylines? Two 1-seeds remain. The defending champs from UConn went on one of the most absurd runs in tournament history while Purdue ended its 44-year Final Four drought. Alabama, the 4-seed in the West, is heading to the Final Four for the first time. And last but not least, 11-seed NC State is somehow still dancing. The Wolfpack lost their last four regular season games before blitzing the ACC Tournament (five straight), and shocking everyone in their path to reach April. Head coach Kevin Keats was probably on the hot seat in February. Look at him now! It was two weeks ago when Michael O'Connell banked that season-saving 3 in the ACC Tournament to keep NC State alive. Eight consecutive wins later, they're Final Four bound. March is magic.
The Final Four is set. Let’s reverse course and review each team’s road to Phoenix before a week of fun.
The Huskies’ 30-0 Run Was Unbelievable
#1 UConn Throttles #3 Illinois (77-52)
The No. 1 overall seed has yet to be tested in this year’s tournament, and this past weekend was no exception. The Huskies had one of the craziest in-game stints in tournament history against 3-seed Illinois. The Elite 8 matchup was tied 23-all before UConn went on a 30-0 run (thirty!). It was the largest such scoring spree in the NCAA tourney in over three years. Illinois went 0-for-19 for 8 minutes and 43 seconds of game clock, and the No. 2 scoring offense in the country was held to just 52 points. Donovan Clingan (22 pts, 10 rebs, 5 blks) was the catalyst. The champs are back, and they're the first champ to return to the Final Four the next season since 2007 (Florida). Huskies advance to their 6th Final Four (Last: 2023).
Roll Tide! Bama’s 1st Final Four is Here
#4 Alabama Rallies Past #6 Clemson (89-82)
Saturday’s nightcap saw the 4-seed Crimson Tide rally from a double-digit deficit in the first half to finally halt Clemson’s magical run. Alabama’s Marcus Sears (23 pts) was downright lethal from 3-point land (7-for-14). The Tide, as a team, hit 16 triples to continue their high-scoring assault through the tournament. They’ve scored 89-or-more points in three of their four games during the tourney. Head coach Nate Oats has been in the spotlight over the past few years, and he's finally delivered 'Bama its first Final Four. Crimson Tide advance to their first Final Four.
Boiler Up! Edey’s 40 Breaks 44-Year Drought
#1 Purdue Takes Down #2 Tennessee (72-66)
A bruiser in Detroit! The Purdue-Tennessee matchup was one of the best games of the tournament so far. Both Zach Edey (40 pts, 16 rebs) and Dalton Knecht (37 pts) put on a show. It was the first time opposing players accounted for more than half of their team’s scoring output in the same game in NCAA Tournament history. Knecht had a hot spell in the first half to give the Vols a double-digit lead, but Purdue bounced right back and dominated the paint. It had been 44 years Purdue’s last trip to the Final Four, and the Boilers have been sacked by double-digit seeds three times in the past four tournaments. The drought is finally over for Matt Painter’s bunch. Boilermakers advance to their third Final Four (Last: 1980).
Hey DJ, Cinderella is a Pack of Wolves!
#11 NC State Stuns #4 Duke (76-64)
The Wolfpack are still howling. If there were any lingering doubts about NC State, they're gone now. The 11-seed Cinderella continued their historic tourney run on Sunday with an overwhelming takedown of ACC rival, 4-seed Duke. And if you don’t know DJ Burns Jr. by now, get ready. The 6-foot-9, 275-pound big man kept ballin’ with 29 points in the regional final. Duke was in it until the later stages until their star, Kyle Filipowski, fouled out. Keep in mind: NC State was 17-14 three weeks ago (and nowhere near the bubble) when the regular season ended. They’ve now won nine straight games to reach the Final Four. Incredible. Wolfpack advance to their fourth Final Four (Last: 1983).
Men’s Final Four Schedule (Saturday)
#1 Purdue vs. #11 NC State (6:09 pm ET, TBS)
#1 UConn vs. #4 Alabama (8:49 pm ET, TBS)
Championship: Monday, Apr. 8 (9:20 pm ET)
Read More
ESPN: Alabama Finds 3-Point Touch, Tops Clemson for First Final Four Ever
AP: Zach Edey Goes Big & Sends Purdue to First Final Four Since 1980
NCAA: Every Single Bucket from UConn’s 30-0 Run in the Elite 8
Sporting News: NC State Becomes 7th Double-Digit Seed to Reach Final Four
