It was the worst Sweet 16 for a championship favorite. Unless of course your name is his UConn.
In the West Division, the University of Alabama fought closely all night against the top-seeded University of North Carolina, defeating the Tar Heels 7-2 in the final 1 minute and 32 seconds. The fourth-seeded Crimson Tide won 89-87. For Alabama, Grant Nelson scored 24 points, including 19 in the second half. His old-fashioned 3-point play put the Tide ahead in the final minute. Nelson then made two free throws to seal the victory. Nat Oates' team, as usual, got its share of made 3s, finishing behind the Arc with 11 of 26. Perhaps even more surprising is that Alabama grabbed 15 offensive rebounds against UNC in this high-scoring game.
The Tide will advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2004. They reached the Sweet 16 last year and in 2021. They will face No. 6 seed Clemson, which earlier in the evening defeated the other team that orchestrated the upset, the No. .2nd seed Arizona.
In the less dramatic East Region, Illinois overcame Iowa State's stifling defense and will play UW on Saturday.
Here, the first set of the regional semifinals tells the story of the race for the national championship.
Was that a tournament match? When we're done, let's all take a deep breath. He's the most explosive offense in the country, and I think that's what happens when you pit the two against each other. A total of 176 points, one team had a 3-point shooting percentage of over 40%, the other team had a 10-point lead but conceded, and the play was played at a ridiculous pace that felt more like a sports day than a basketball game. . In a tense game, every possession felt like the weight of tons of bricks. In the end, senior Grant Nelson not only led all scorers with 24 points, but also added 12 rebounds and five key blocks to lead Alabama to what could only be described as an upset.
What a win means for Alabama: The Tide defeated the West Region's top seed to return to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2004, but only the second time in school history. Nate Oats' team's historic win came during a 23-win season that finished second in the SEC. Last year they may have had more wins (31) and a chance to advance higher in the tournament, but this year's team proved they have the experience and offense to compete with anyone.
“This guy showed up tonight against one of the best bigs in the country,” Oats said of Nelson's performance after the game. “I think people are wondering: [we’re] Soft or whatever, Grant showed us that we're not. You can play with big players. ”
What this loss means for North Carolina: A year after missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time as the No. 1 preseason team, the Tar Heels are as prepared for a strong tournament run as they were two years ago leading up to the championship game. It seemed to be in order. But despite being loaded with talent and boasting the West's top seed, Hubert Davis' team couldn't hold on to its lead Thursday night against an evenly matched Alabama team. — Paolo Ughetti
Good ball movement leads to Clingan dunk and foul.
UConn moved the ball perfectly, finishing with a dunk by Donovan Clingan and -1.
Could UConn have a better NCAA Tournament run than last season?
There was no stopping UConn in last year's NCAA Tournament. The Huskies won six games by an average of 20.0 points, the fourth-highest average since the tournament expanded in 1985. The Huskies have been even better so far this year. They are winning their three games by an average margin of 28.7 points. They are 28 seconds behind. They held a double-digit lead for 58 minutes, 27 seconds of 60 minutes in the second half. San Diego State played their best early in the game, but fell behind by 11 points within nine minutes. The scariest thing for future opponents is that UConn rarely needs to step on the gas during games and appears to be able to keep something in the tank.
What a win means for UConn: The bright spot for the Huskies on Thursday night was the play of Hassan Diarra. The backup guard came off the bench and provided a big boost in the second half, scoring 10 points and dishing out four assists to keep San Diego State close after halftime. Huskies center Donovan Clingan struggled in the first half against the Aztecs' Jadon Reedy, but got more comfortable as the game went on, but was still a nuisance on defense. Collegiate forward Alex Karaban made a few shots early but struggled to connect the rest of the game. While these may seem like potential negatives, Dan Hurley is thrilled that his team didn't play its best and beat a powerhouse San Diego State team by 30 points. It must be.
What this loss means for San Diego State University: For the second straight season, San Diego State's season ends against UConn. In fact, the Aztecs had a shootout with the Huskies early on, but they simply didn't have enough firepower on the offensive end. Last season, at this point in the tournament, when SDSU defeated No. 1 overall seed Alabama in the Sweet 16, the school boasted one of the most dominant defenses in the country, producing consistent points from players on the perimeter. Was. The defense hasn't been that good this season, the offense hasn't been that good, and LeDee hasn't been able to do it all on his own. But what about winning the Sweet 16 after being a national runner-up? This is a great two-year run for Brian Dutcher and the Aztecs. — Jeff Borzello
Terrence Shannon Jr.'s steal and slam lead Illinois to the Elite Eight.
Terrence Shannon Jr. had a clutch steal and slam dunk as Illinois defeated Iowa State to advance to the Elite Eight.
Can Illinois sweat UConn? The Huskies haven't been pushed much so far this tournament, holding double-digit leads for essentially the entire second half of each of their three games. However, Illinois showed a level of toughness, especially on the defensive end, that could go a long way, especially when combined with Illinois' elite offense. The only team to beat it since the school became fully healthy in January was Creighton, which scored 85 points and made 14 threes. They need to score points to beat the Huskies. Illinois can do that. Brad Underwood has the No. 2 offensive rating in the nation according to KenPom, and Terrence Shannon Jr. is one of the most talented offensive players in the nation. He also has plenty of size on the perimeter, with Hawkins able to separate Donovan Clingan from the rim, a bona fide No. 2 scorer in Marcus Domask and a big man in Coleman. UW remains the favorite, but the University of Illinois may be able to push the defending national champions like no one else has in his two NCAA tournaments.
What this win means for Illinois: Shannon's scoring ability was on display again Thursday, and he's the type of player who can lead his team to a title. He was averaging 30.5 points in his last six games prior to facing Iowa State, and was able to score 29 points despite playing in the nation's No. 1 defense. He'll need more help from the supporting cast against the Huskies, as he had to shoulder more of a load than usual as Marcus Domask struggled to make shots.
What this loss means for Iowa State: What TJ Otzelberger has accomplished since arriving in Ames is nothing short of amazing. The Cyclones won 70 games in his three seasons, appeared in the NCAA Tournament three times, advanced to the Sweet 16 twice and won the Big 12 Conference Tournament title. They have had a top-10 defense for three seasons, including the No. 1 unit in the country this season. In a system or culture like this, don't expect things to change in the future. The team has several seniors in Tre King, Robert Jones, and Hason Ward, but Coach Otzelberger brings in two four-star freshmen and has already acquired Dishon Jackson, who transferred from Charlotte. are doing. If the past few seasons are any indication, the Cyclones are once again under-selected in the preseason and will likely exceed expectations. — Jeff Borzello
Ian Shefflin Clemson's biggest secret?
The 6-foot-8 junior from Georgia may look a little modest, as he hides his curly hair with an old-fashioned headband. But against a talented Arizona team Thursday night, Shefflin was one of the Tigers' most productive players and looked like one of the best players on the floor. Shefflin, who is averaging 9.8 points and 9.5 rebounds this season, had 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block. Whether or not the Wildcats were prepared for Shefflin to play as big a role as he did, there was no stopping him in key moments. After hitting one 3-pointer, Shefflin's threat of shooting from deep kept Arizona's half-court defense off-balance, with its two best players in Chase Hunter (18 points) and P.J. Hall (17 points). Cleared lanes for players. Perform key plays to the end.
Shefflin, who played in Kobe Bryant's shoes in the arena where Bryant starred for many years, was asked after the game if he thought he expressed the Mamba mentality in his play, including bunking Keighley. . Head coach Brad Brownell interjected. Laughter.
“You're playing well,” he said. “But don't compare yourself to Kobe Bryant, okay?”
Clemson sinks two and-1 buckets and advances to Elite Eight.
Chase Hunter and Dillon Hunter both hit and-one layups late in the game to seal Clemson's victory over Arizona.
What this win means for Clemson: The Tigers continue to defy expectations, this time in front of a huge crowd in Arizona against one of the most talented teams in the nation. Brownell's team blew a 13-point lead against the second-seeded opponent, forcing the Wildcats into eight first-half turnovers and an abysmal shooting performance (37.3 percent from the field, 17.9 percent from 3). He maintained his position. An inevitable Arizona run tied it in the second half and still won the game. Once Arizona started making shots, Clemson stuck to its game plan and was soon back to making the tough shots that the Wildcats weren't able to take. Offensively, the Tigers were by no means scorching hot, but near the end of the game they did what Arizona couldn't. It was about attacking the basket instead of going for jumpers. The strategy is paying off, and the Tigers are aiming for their first Elite Eight since 1980.
“Today was our day,” Brownell said. “We played well enough to win.”
What this loss means for Arizona: One of the best offensive lines in the nation didn't show up in Los Angeles on Thursday. Since 2015, the Wildcats have never been ranked lower than a 6 seed and have been a 2 seed three times. However, his 2015 was the last time they advanced to the Elite Eight. Since Tommy Lloyd took over in 2021, Arizona has lost to a No. 5 seed in the Sweet 16, lost to a No. 15 seed in the opener, and now lost to a No. 6 seed in the Sweet 16. Given the talent the Wildcats have had in the past, they haven't produced results in recent years, and this tournament loss won't help their resume. — Paolo Ughetti