SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
Hail, hail the gang’s all here. Kudos to Saint Peter’s University and Miami for their surprising run, they are gone now but not forgotten as this Final Four of the men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament has a familiar quartet that has reached this level many times before.
That’s the way it shapes up when Kansas, the lone No. 1 seed left, Duke, with its retiring Hall of Fame head coach Mike Krzyzewski wrapping up his final year and hoping to add to his all-time record of winningest college coach when his Blue Devils line up against their biggest rival, North Carolina, for the initial time in this Tournament, and Villanova completes this magical field against the Wildcats on college basketball’s biggest stage.
As for the remarkable surge by 15th-seeded Saint Peter’s and 11th-seeded Miami of Florida, they couldn’t get any further than the Elite Eight.
For the Peacocks, it was a historic time as they became the first 15th seed to reach that round. They deserve a mountain of applause for getting past 2nd-seeded Kentucky, 7th-seeded Murray State, and 2nd-seeded Purdue. The Hurricanes coached by a very successful Jim Larranaga came in as an 11th-seed and made their way past Southern California and highly ranked Auburn before Kansas dominated them, and Saint Peter’s, the small Catholic Jesuit School in Jersey City, was overwhelmed by the Tar Heels.
Thus, the Final Four at the Superdome in New Orleans Saturday will consist of schools that are very familiar with getting this far and very familiar with hoisting the championship trophy.
But Duke and North Carolina have played 256 times, but never here. The last time they met up was this season in Krzyzewski’s final game at the school’s Cameron Indoor Stadium when NC spoiled the night with a victory that had helped propel it to the Final Four. Yet somehow, the bluest of the bluebloods never collided in the NCAA Tournament.
It will be Coach K’s 13th trip to the Final Four, breaking a tie with UCLA’s John Wooden for the most in history, and makes it 17 in all for the Duke program. North Carolina will be making its record 21st appearance in the Final Four, and these four teams have combined for an astounding 61 times. Together, they have cut down the net on 17 occasions.
Then there’s Villanova getting to the Final Four for the seventh time and winning the whole thing twice, and that includes the 1970 team that the NCAA forced to vacate the title. But the Wildcats coached very well through the years by Jay Wright will be without second leading scorer Justin Moore when it was announced Sunday that he will require surgery this week for a torn Achilles tendon. He was injured in the final minutes of the impressive win over Houston.
“It’s a tough blow for all of us,” Wright said, “not just because of the great player Justin is, but because of what he means to us as teammates and coaches. He has been an integral part of our success.”
Meanwhile, the Jayhawks of veteran coach Bill Self, are returning to the Final Four for the 16th time and Self is two wins away from his elusive second championship. But they must improve their foul shooting. It was neat the way they bounced back from trailing at halftime to stomp out the Canes’ bid, but converting only eight of 18 freebies is not good, especially in a close game that didn’t occur once Miami was just outplayed.
“That’s right,” said Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji, “we were horrible from the line, even missed about five in a row, but we hope to overcome this because we’re not done yet, and I’m not satisfied yet with this and I know my teammates aren’t either.”
With the other top seeds, Gonzaga, Arizona, and Baylor eliminated, the Jayhawks now face a Nova program that has given them problems over the years, especially in the Regional finals. But it was a good sign for them in the second half versus Miami in Chicago, replying on superior speed and athleticism to turn a six-point deficit into a 76-50 blowout.
Three veteran head coaches in Krzyzewski, Self and Wright, and a first-year head man in Hubert Davis, a former Tar Heel who took over when Roy Williams retired after last season, and who played in the Final Four under Williams. Regardless, it’s a Final Four for the ages and even Davis realizes this.
“Right now,” he said, “I’m just so happy for our guys having an opportunity to play in the Final Four, That’s the only thing on my mind.”
For Coach K, it’s his farewell tour to the Big East.
“It’s a heck of a thing,” he said. “We’ve won a lot in the tournament and we’ve won a lot of games, but the Final Four is a big thing,”
The Blue Devils locked up their spot by putting together a huge run to oust Arkansas Saturday night. They are a second seed as is Villanova, while North Carolina comes in as a No, 8, but playing its best ball. Now the only thing that matters is who advances next, for only one can pose with the prestigious trophy.
Kansas arrives by defeating Texas Southern, 83-56, Creighton, 79-72, and Miami.
Duke arrives by getting past Cal-Fullerton, 78-61, Michigan State, 85-76, and Arkansas.
Villanova arrives by turning back Delaware, 86-60, Ohio State, 71-61, and Houston.
North Carolina arrives by topping Marquette, 95-63, Baylor 93-86 in overtime, and Saint Peter’s.
