Final Four weekend came and went. It gave viewers thrilling games, magnificent wins, and heartbreaking losses. So, who came out victorious in the 68-team bracket?
Men’s NCAA Championship:
Final Four Teams (#’s represent seed): 1 Duke, 1 Houston, 1 Florida, 1 Auburn
In terms of bracketology, this year’s Final Four was “chalk”. None of the lower-seeded teams made it to San Antonio. This is a stark contrast to the 2023 Final Four- not a single 1, 2, or 3 seed advanced to compete for the coveted trophy.
Florida vs Auburn (Score 79-73 FLA): Through this tournament, the Florida Gators didn’t have a convincing win to propel them to the Alamode Stadium. Their back-and-forth contests between Maryland and Texas Tech left many skeptical of their ability to pull off a victory against the #1 overall seed in Auburn. As these schools are SEC foes, they are no strangers to high-intensity and physical affairs. This game was no different- a nail-biter until the very end. Both teams were executing offensively and applied constant pressure on each other. A scoring burst by Florida in the last 4 minutes tipped the game in their favor. The Gators were led by a 34-point output from star Walter Clayton Jr, while the Auburn Tigers saw Chad Baker-Mazara score 18.
Houston vs Duke (Score: 70-67 HOU): While I didn’t get the chance to watch this game live, anyone who did got peak sports entertainment. This was the battle of Houston’s intense defense and Duke’s electrifying scoring. Two different styles of basketball converge in one game. At halftime, the Duke Blue Devils led 34-28. While they weren’t on track to reach their season average of 83 points per game, they were doing enough to gain some ground. Through the second half, all remained true until the Cougars clawed into Duke’s lead, using their defense as an anchor. Through the final 10 minutes of regulation, Duke was held to just 1 field goal. In the final minute, Duke was up 7 POINTS, but Houston’s full-court pressure cut that lead to 1. A crucial foul call on projected #1 draft pick Cooper Flagg gave Houston their first lead since the game was 6-5. Forced to foul again, Houston knocked down 2 crucial free throws to extend their lead to three. Alas, the Cougars completed the improbable comeback! A 28-point performance by Flagg wasn’t enough to bypass the total team effort by Houston.
Florida vs Houston (65-63 FLA): There is a common word that links high-stake moments and basketball: madness! The last few games for both teams were nothing short of chaotic. With an opportunity to win a title, neither team was disappointed. After being relatively close for the first 10 minutes of the game, Houston was able to hang onto a 3-point lead at the half. With 16 minutes left in the 2nd half, Houston extended its lead to 12. There was an opportunity for Houston to close the gates, but the Gators pushed through them, going on a 13-3 run to bring the game within 1 point. From there, the game was incredibly back and forth, but a messy and heartbreaking final possession for Houston sealed the victory for Florida.
Women’s NCAA Championship:
Final Four Teams (#’s represent seed): 1 UCLA, 1 South Carolina, 1 Texas, 2 UConn
For the first time since 2019, the Women’s Final Four was held in Tampa, Florida. The two-regional format of the women’s tournament means that UCLA and UConn had to fly from Spokane, Washington, to Florida while getting a single day of rest. Would fatigue play a factor in playing?
South Carolina vs Texas (Score: 74-57 SC): These two teams are very familiar with one another- having played one another three times before this meeting, it was nothing either team knew they couldn’t handle. While South Carolina led the victory count 2-1, Texas’ defense couldn’t be counted out. This game was close through the first quarter. Each team continued to trade baskets. However, foul trouble plagued Texas’ All-American star Madison Booker. She was never able to get back into her offensive rhythm, only opening a door for the South Carolina Gamecocks. They used their bench depth, experience, and ability to play on both sides of the ball to get a collective victory over Texas.
UConn vs UCLA: If you thought the game above this wasn’t close, think again. The UConn Huskies were up against the #1 overall seed in the UCLA Bruins. Led by National Defensive Player of the Year Lauren Betts, UCLA was no easy task for any team. UConn also seemed dreadful, as unanimous All-American Paige Bueckers scored 105 combined points in the 2nd rounds, Sweet Sixteen, and Elite Eight games. Much like the South Carolina-Texas game, this game was close to start. By halftime, a 10-point first-quarter lead ballooned to 20. By the end of 3, it was 23, and by the end of the game, it grew to 34. The Huskies dominated defensively, completely shutting down UCLA’s primary players outside of Betts. UConn freshman Sarah Strong led with 22 points, while freshman Jana El Alfy notched 4 steals.
UConn vs South Carolina (Score: 82-59 UConn): The South Carolina Gamecocks were the defending National Champions. Losing 1 (important) player on their roster after last season didn’t hurt their championship aspirations. The UConn Huskies were looking to do something never done before: win a 12th National Title. Like most games, this one started close. Paige Bueckers hit a 1-legged turn around jumper, while Bree Hall had a mean stepback jumper in response. The Huskies took an 8-point lead at the half, closer than a lot of their previous games. UConn came out firing in the 3rd quarter, outscoring the Gamecocks 26-16. They continued to extend their lead going into the fourth quarter and made the game unsalvageable. A combined 65 points from Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and Sarah Strong was enough to outscore the entire South Carolina team. Strong also had 15 rebounds and 5 assists, adding to her complete dominance. The Huskies won their last 2 games dominantly, reminding many of their reign of terror from 2013-2016.
While Florida and UConn got the big trophy, all of these teams who competed in the Final Four won. Their months of hard work and dedication allowed them to compete on the biggest stage, all while making so many proud. Until next year, March Madness!
