Issue # 11.4.3 “What Happened?” (F4 Preview + FF Recap)

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2023 NCAA FINAL FOUR @ Houston, Texas 4th Final Four (’71 (Astrodome), ’11 (Reliant Stadium), ’16 (NRG Stadium))  –  –  –  Hosted by U. of Houston (American Athletic Conf) (3rd Final Four), Rice U. (Conf USA) (4th Final Four), Houston Christian U. (Southland Conf) (1st Final Four), and Texas Southern U. (Southwestern Athletic Conf) (2nd Final Four)  – The Floor
First Semifinal	Second Semifinal
#5-South (Seed #17, NET #14, AP #18) Louisville, Kentucky (7th Regional) Hosted by U. of Louisville	#9-East (Seed #33, NET #13, AP #25) New York City, New York (12th Regional) – Hosted by Big East Conf and St. John’s U.	#5-Midwest (Seed #20, NET #35, AP #16) Kansas City, Missouri (16th Regional) Hosted by Big 12 Conf	#4-West (Seed #13, NET #8, AP #10) Las Vegas, Nevada (1st Regional) Hosted by U. of Nevada, Las Vegas
San Diego State University Aztecs (31-6)	Florida Atlantic University Owls (35-3)	University of Miami Hurricanes (29-7)	University of Connecticut Huskies (29-8)
Mountain West Conference – Regular Season and Tourney Champs San Diego, California 1st Final Four def #12 College of Charleston 63-57 #13 Furman 75-52 #1 Alabama 71-64 #6 Creighton 57-56	Conference USA – Regular Season and Tourney Champs Boca Raton, Florida 1st Final Four  def #8 Memphis 66-65 #16 Fairleigh Dickinson 78-70 #4 Tennessee 62-55 #3 Kansas St 79-76	Atlantic Coast Conference – Regular Season Co-Champs Coral Gables, Florida 1st Final Four def #12 Drake 63-56 #4 Indiana 85-69 #1 Houston 89-75 #2 Texas 88-81	Big East Conference (4th Place) Storrs, Connecticut 6th Final Four (’99, ’04, ’09, ’11, ’14) def #13 Iona 87-63 #5 Saint Mary’s 70-55 #8 Arkansas 88-65 #3 Gonzaga 82-54

Thursday, March 30, 2023 

UCONN JOINS 3 NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
At least $1,332 will be donated to American Lung Association; over $4,470 donated over 13 years

HOME, CA (smt) – Whereas last year we had four teams with a combined 61 Final Fours and 17 championships (20 including pre-NCAA) and each with at least 3 titles, this year we have 3 newbies joining #4W-UConn, who have 4 titles but all won in the past 24 years (this, its 6th Final Four).  Joining the Big East’s UConn is a member from the ACC, but not Duke, UNC, or Virginia, but #5MW-Miami (of Florida, not Ohio). Mid-majors join the fun as the Mountain West has #5S-San Diego St and Conference USA (who just won the NIT with North Texas beating fellow CUSA member UAB taking the title Wednesday in not-NYC) has #9E-Florida Atlantic.  Who would’ve thought the local team would be San Diego St and that two teams from Florida would be in the Final Four?

Seems like a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away that we were talking about defending champion #1W-Kansas not getting the Kansas City regional (they lost in the 2nd round), #1S-Alabama leading a strong SEC contingent (they lost in the Sweet 16 and the SEC had 9 wins after the first weekend but then went 0-3 in the Sweet 16), #1MW-Houston becoming the second team to play in their home city (Butler in Indy in 2010) since 1972 (they lost in Sweet 16), and #2W-UCLA succumbing to injuries (they did, losing to #3W-Gonzaga in another classic in Sweet 16).