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The
Road to the Final Four: Big 12 Conference
The University of Oklahoma was the last
team from the Big 12 to stay alive in the NCAA Tournament. But, OU fell to the
North Carolina Tar Heels 72-60. Michigan State stopped Louisville 64-52 in the
Midwest Regional, and U Conn eased by Missouri 82-75 in the Regional
Championship. This earned Michigan State and U Conn the first two spots of the
Final Four.
In Memphis, Tennessee, over 17,000 OU Sooners and NC Tar Heels came to support
their teams. OU’s center, Blake Griffin, with 23 points and 16 rebounds, did all
he could against a double and triple down defense, easy for North Carolina to
execute because the Sooner’s back court did not hit a 3 point shot until it was
too late. This put NC Tar Heels up for the third spot of the Final Four.
Scottie Reynolds made a half court dash for the game winning shot, with 0.5
seconds left on the clock, to lead Villanova over Pittsburgh 78-76, and back to
the Final Four for the first time since the 1985 Championship. Villanova (30-7)
will play North Carolina (32-4).
FAMILIAR FOUR--Remaining teams all have valuable places in tournament history.
Two teams, from the Big East, qualified, one shy of the record in the 1985 Final
Four. No.3 seed, Villanova, feels a connection to the program’s upset
championship run from that tourney almost 25 years ago. “It’s kind of eerie how
this is playing out”, Villanova’s coach, Jay Wright said. “I hope to God history
repeats itself”.
Meanwhile, No1 seed, Connecticut, can win its third national title since 1999.
Top seeded, North Carolina, in all its blue-blooded glory, can win its fifth
National Title, in its NCAA best 18th Final Four appearance.
Michigan State coach, Tom Izzo, Connecticut coach, Jim Calhoun, and North
Carolina coach Roy Williams have four NCAA Titles, and 15 Final Four appearances
between them.
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