NCAA
The NCAA’s Final Four takes place Saturday night, with the men’s basketball championship following on Monday. This is one of the more eclectic fields in quite some time.
You know all about North Carolina’s storied history, its five national titles and its general dominance of the landscape. That Carolina blue, however, is the only blueblood in the Final Four. And the Tar Heels were in the championship game last year, losing to Villanova on a last-second shot.
The others? They’ve reached new heights. South Carolina has never been this far. Gonzaga, that mini-powerhouse from the Pacific Northwest, is also in its first Final Four. And Oregon, which won the first NCAA basketball title in 1939, is back for the first time since. That’s 78 years, if you’re keeping score at home.
A couple of quick facts to help you enjoy the two matchups, which are: No. 7 seed South Carolina vs. No. 1 Gonzaga at 6:09 p.m. ET, and No. 3 Oregon vs. No. 1 North Carolina at approximately 8:49 p.m., both on CBS.
1. North Carolina. The Tar Heels are an aggressive offensive rebounding team. They get and create second shots. On the other hand, coach Roy Williams wears blue plaid jackets that look like a couch from Animal House.
2. Oregon. The Ducks don’t rush. They can play fast but tend to keep things under control and like to set up. This will be an interesting counter to North Carolina’s style. On the other hand, the Ducks wear uniforms that are so garish you may want to don sunglasses.
3. South Carolina. Intense defensive team that knocked out three of the top four seeds in its bracket. On the other hand, coach Frank Martin could have been the guy who posed for Munch’s painting The Scream. He’s an old yeller.
4. Gonzaga. Nigel Williams-Goss. Who cares if he can play (and he can)? What a great name. His next job will be Duke of Marlborough. Gonzaga is on the verge of a long-awaited breakthrough. Tennessee coach Rick Barnes’ team went 0-5 against the Final Four teams and he says his gut tells him Gonzaga will win the tournament.
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman
Verizon Wants To Get Wi-Fi in Your Car
-
Correa joined the Mets with a $315 million contract. Recently, baseball player Carlos Correa announced that he had cut...
-
Oklahoma and Texas will depart from the college sports conference at the end of the season. The Big 12...
-
Robert Kraft wants to re-sign Brady just long enough that he can retire as a Patriot. Earlier this week,...
-
The skilled third-baseman will be enshrined in Cooperstown. Scott Rolen is one of the most skilled and recognized third-basemen...
-
Brady’s 23rd football season has ended. On Monday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Dallas Cowboys went head-to-head for...
-
Smith has been fired after one season with the team. Over the weekend, the owners of the Houston Texans...
-
Pelé passed due to complications related to colon cancer. On Thursday night, the sporting world received unfortunate news: Pelé,...
-
His return heralded a victory over the Phoenix Suns. On Sunday, Houston Rockets coach Stephen Silas needed to take...
-
Mayfield will be available on waiver to other NFL teams. After an underwhelming performance in his current role as...
-
Mike White led the team to a decisive victory over the Bears over the weekend. On Saturday, the New...
-
The game has been moved out of New York due to an encroaching snowstorm. This weekend, the Buffalo Bills...
-
Negative pushback prompted the team to give the role to someone else. Recently, the Brooklyn Nets have been in...