With the unexpected outcomes of the first round of the tournament, March Madness is shaping up to be a not-so-average road to the Final Four.
When number two Missouriwas knocked out of the tournament by the “never before heard of” Norfolk State, it shocked the basketball nation. But when Duke was defeated by Lehigh, everyone was in complete disbelief.
Lehigh has since been defeated by Xavier andNorfolk was completely dominated byFlorida. Both teams looked very strong during the second round of the tournament knocking out both number two seeds from their divisions.
Norfolk controlled the ball well throughout their match-up with the Tigers and with every starting player towering above 6’5”, they were a force to be reckoned with. Lehigh played like a unified team; they drove the ball through Duke’s renowned defense. It seems as though it’s not just the big name schools that stand a chance in March anymore, and huge upsets like this, though unexpected, are happening more often.
Both of these teams’ runs at the Final Four may have fell short, but 12 still remain; most of them being the more predictable but some have come a lot longer than others.
With the loss of star center, Fab Melo, earlier in the month due to ineligibility,Syracuse, who went into March as the one seed, seemed to have no chance against some of the big name teams they were bracketed with. They even struggled against UNC A, pulling out by 7 points after being down in the last two minutes. But the Orange could still have a shot at the finals. They held their own against Wisconsinwith a one point deficit but still have to face number two Ohio State who will definitely be their biggest challenge so far.
On the other side of the spectrum, Phoenixwitnessed upset as the Western Divisions top teams were trampled.
Michigan State took a beating fromLouisville, with a 57-44 finish; followed byMarquette’s ten point deficit loss to The Gators. Florida and Louisvilleare set to play on March 24.
St. Louisis the sight of theMidwest division of the Sweet Sixteen round held tonight. UNC will be taking on Ohio University, one of three Ohio teams still in the tournament. North Carolina andKansas will be to follow. Kansas, who is playing on home turf, has the advantage of a dedicated and excited fan base. All four teams are strong this year and it’s hard to say who will be moving on the elite eight.
But one of the more notable games left to be played tonight will be Indiana vs. Kentucky. Kentucky is heavily favored to make the Final Four but Indiana might be a hindrance on the Wildcat’s road to the elite eight. In their last encounter Christian Watford hit a three point chopper to beat the buzzer and win the game for Indiana. This rivalry match should be an exciting and close one. Tom Crean’s Hoosiers are set to face the wildcats on the neutral grounds of Atlanta.
Favored Baylor will also be taking on Xavier, who knocked out Lehigh in the prior round. The ball drops at 7:15 p.m. tonight for Xavier vs. Baylor and 9:45 p.m. for UK and Indiana.
