Issue # 11.4.3 “Who Can Stop UConn?” (F4 Preview & FF for Charity) (4/4)

Lymphoma Research Foundation
2024 NCAA FINAL FOUR @ Phoenix, Arizona
2nd Final Four (’17)

Hosted by Arizona St. U. (Pac 12 Conf) (2nd Final Four)
 – The Floor
First SemifinalSecond Semifinal
#11-South
(Seed #45, NET #63, AP #29)

Dallas, Texas (6th Regional)

Hosted by Big 12 Conference
#1-Midwest
(Seed #3, NET #3, AP #3)

Detroit, Michigan (5th Regional)
 – 
Hosted by U. of Detroit Mercy and Oakland U.
#4-West
(Seed #16, NET #9, AP #19)

Los Angeles, California (10th Regional)

Hosted by Pepperdine U.
#1-East
(Seed #1, NET #2, AP #1)

Boston, Massachusets (4th Regional)

Hosted by Boston College
 
 
 
 
North Carolina State University Wolfpack (26-14)Purdue University Boilermakers (33-4)University of Alabama Crimson Tide (25-11)University of Connecticut Huskies (35-3)
Atlantic Coast Conf – Tourney Champs
Raleigh, North Carolina
4th Final Four (’50, ’74’83)
def #6 Texas Tech 80-67
def #14 Oakland 79-73 (OT)
def #8 Marquette 67-58
def #4 Duke 76-64
Big Ten Conf – Regular Season Champs
West Lafayette, Indiana
3rd Final Four (’69, ’80)
 def #16 Grambling State 78-50
def #8 Utah State 106-67
def #5 Gonzaga 80-68
def #2 Tennessee 72-66
Southeastern Conf – 5th Place
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
1st Final Four
def #13 Charleston 109-96
def #12 Grand Canyon 72-61
def #5 North Carolina 89-87
def #6 Clemson 89-82
Big East Conf – Reg Season & Tourney Champs
Storrs, Connecticut
7th Final Four (’99’04, ’09, ’11’14’23)
def #16 Stetson 91-52
def #9 Northwestern 75-58
def #5 San Diego State 82-52
def #3 Illinois 77-52

Thursday, April 4, 2024  ***HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD… RIP***  
UCONN AND PURDUE ROLLING OPPONENTS; NC STATE ON A ROLL
At least $477 will be donated to Lymphoma Research Foundation; over $5,168 donated over 14 years

LA MIRADA, CA (smt) – After last year where the top 12 teams (all #1/2/3 seeds) were eliminated before the Final Four, we do have two #1 seeds for the first time since 2021.  The one thing that remains the same is #1W-UConn, who are trying to become the first back-to-back champions since Florida did it in 2007.  #1MW-Purdue will try to do what Virginia did in 2019 and that is lose to a #16 seed the year before and then win the title.  #11S-NC State will try to continue their amazing run, winning 5 games-in-5 days to claim the auto bid for the ACC and then winning the first four games of the tourney including surviving an overtime game vs #14S-Oakland (of Massachusetts, not California).  #4W-Alabama is making its first Final Four and while they have not played a better seed yet, they have eliminated two straight ACC teams.

The first round saw 11 upsets including three #11 seeds, two #12 seeds, and #13E-Yale (who knocked off #4E-Auburn) and #14S-Oakland (who knocked off #3S-Kentucky).  The second round saw just two worse seeds (#6W-Clemson over #3W-Baylor and #5MW-Gonzaga over #4MW-Kansas) win which led to the Sweet 16 netting all the #1 and #2 seeds for the just the fifth time (but saw just 3 of the 8 make the Elite 8).  UConn has built a 30-point lead in all four games and has beaten ten straight tourney opponents by 13 points or more.  Purdue’s only trouble was in their last game against #2MW-Tennessee but with Zach Edey scoring 14 straight points for Purdue, ending up winning by six. 

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This Would Be an Upset…

…if UConn women’s team wins by less than 10 points tonight, which they haven’t done in 77 games. Or possibly even lose? Couldn’t find the line for the game, but I suspect it’s less than double digits. I will still be at work, but I’ll definitely try to follow this game just in case the miracle happens.

UPDATE: At the half, Stanford 20-12. Can’t wait for the pundits to call this the greatest game ever! OK, they are shooting a horribly combined 21.7% from the field and have committed 13 turnovers. Sounds ugly to me.