This year’s March Madness tournament appeared to be all chalk; it seemed inevitable that Cooper Flagg would carry the title home to his Duke University Blue Devils before moving on to dominate in the NBA. While that consensus was playing out with little interruptions, it wouldn’t be March without any madness. Better late than never.
While credited as the two biggest upsets, 12-seed McNeese State University beating five-seed Clemson University, and 11-seed Drake University knocking six-seed University of Missouri, were not exactly unexpected. Nor were their eliminations in the subsequent round. The University of Arkansas did take out the University of Kansas on opening night, making for Kansas’ first loss in the starting round since 2006. This Kansas team initially looked incredible, with early season wins against eventual one-seed Duke and two-seed Michigan State University before going 14-13 the rest of the way. On the other hand, Arkansas was underwhelming early on but grew enough for a promising tournament run; their 79-72 win confirmed that.
The second night hosted one-seed University of Florida for their 95-69 blowout against 16-seed Norfolk State University. Though a monotonous game, Florida established themselves as a team with depth in all areas of the court and one championship-ready. Moreover, despite 15-seed Robert Morris University pushing the University of Alabama, even taking the lead late in the second half, the two-seed broke through for the 90-81 win. Every one, two, three and four seed remained standing by the end of their first round, and those tense back-and-forth final minutes often associated with March Madness were so far a rare sight.
In a battle for a spot in the Sweet 16, Arkansas beat out Saint John’s University. Entering the tournament, Rick Pitinio’s St. John’s team, led by Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis Jr., was talked up to greatness. Against Arkansas, however, Luis went 3 of 17 from the field, and with 4:56 left in the second, Pitino benched him. Arkansas proceeded with an 11-4 run to end the game 75-66 in their favor. In the post-game interview, Pitino never directly answered why he took Luis out, only briefly mentioning his disappointing shooting performance. Many continue to question the unique decision; whatever the reasoning, it ended with St. John’s being knocked.
The first and long-awaited March Madness buzzer-beater took place on the second night of round two when University of Maryland’s center Derik Queen shot a three for the win over Colorado State University, getting them away 72-71. Later in the night, Florida also notably crushed the University of Connecticut’s search for a third consecutive title as they escaped 77-75.
In the Sweet 16, Florida had no problem clearing their way to the next round, taking Maryland out 87-71. Duke was similarly gliding past the University of Arizona, and despite valiant attempts from fifth-year guard Caleb Love to keep Arizona in the game, Duke secured the 100-93 win.
Texas Tech University returned from a 16-point deficit against Arkansas, managing to tie the game late in the half and outscore their opponent in overtime to win 85-83. Houston also barely survived Purdue, but a last-minute bucket from junior guard Milos Uzan earned the one-seed a 62-60 win.
When it came to the Elite Eight, there was little to report besides the fact that the best teams won. (There’s that chalk again.) Duke ran away from Alabama, Florida outscored Texas Tech when it counted, Auburn University got by Michigan State and Houston blew out the University of Tennessee.
For the first time since 2008, all one seeds remained standing for a battle in the Final Four; Florida, Duke, Auburn and Houston were all chasing the title in an expected race. According to the AP poll and Ken Pomeroy’s efficiency rankings, each was one of the best teams the sport has ever seen — there had never been a stronger four opposing one another than this.
In the Southeastern Conference battle between Florida and Auburn (the tournament’s No.1 overall seed), by the end of the first, Auburn seemed to be one step closer to the final. They were up 46-35 at the half, and in 25 of their previous wins this season, they had a similar point advantage at the break. However, their star forward Johni Broome, who paved their way to San Antonio, suffered an elbow and ankle injury during their Elite Eight matchup. Auburn needed him to play his best game, and though he did so in the first half, he struggled in the second. Florida peeled off a big run, and guard Walter Clayton Jr. once again shined for them (going 11 of 18 from the field and scoring 34 points). Because of Clayton — a player who can take and bank difficult shots — Florida had the best chance in that arena. They headed to the championship after their 79-73 win.
Later that night, Houston, 70. Duke, 67. How?
By the time Duke was up nine with 2:06 on the clock and six with 0:34, it was fated. I’m sure the blue and white and blue and orange confetti was being prepped for whatever Monday night brought; “Duke” was being written out next to “Florida” on each bracket in chalk. But Houston, in their classic fashion, refused to die. In the final 34 seconds, they managed a 9-0 run, ripping the win out of Duke’s hands as the Blue Devils simultaneously gave it away. Tyrese Proctor missed a one-and-one for Duke, as J’Wan Roberts banked two for Houston when it mattered most. In the final play, Flagg, against the greatest defense in the country, couldn’t find a good look to take the last-second lead.
Houston was not as talented as Duke — almost no team ever has been (since Ken Pomeroy began tracking team efficiency in the 1996-97 season, this year’s Blue Devils were ranked the second-most efficient overall) — but Houston was older, with multiple players who have been on the team for years. Although that didn’t matter for the first 32 minutes of the game, it evidently caught up to Duke. Houston, after pulling one of the craziest comebacks March Madness has ever seen, was moving on to the championship for the third time in their program’s history.
On Monday night in San Antonio, the nerves were high. The Florida Gators were looking for their first title since their consecutive 2006 and 2007 wins, and the Houston Cougars were a game away from their first ever.
Florida struggled in the first half, as Houston’s defense dominated per usual; they forced nine turnovers on Florida and held Clayton to zero points. At the break, Houston was up 31-28. Despite the Cougars upping their lead to 12 early in the second, by 7:54 remaining, the Gators’ fresh experience of coming back from below helped them climb back to tie the score at 48 and make it a back-and-forth game. With a minute left, Houston held the 63-62 lead, but two trips to the free throw line earned Florida the two-point advantage, 65-63. In the last 19.7 seconds, the Gators contested an Emanuel Sharp three for the possible Houston lead, and time ran out with the ball in Florida’s hands.
In all 40 minutes, the Gators held the lead for just over a minute, with the majority being in those final plays. As Jay Wright was describing during the CBS post-game coverage, Florida succeeded in seemingly the only way one could give this Houston team and program another heartbreak, and that was by being just one play stronger.
The Gators won 65-63. Blue and orange confetti, it was, and March Madness it turned out to be.
