Big names in Memphis for Sweet 16
MEMPHIS — Three of college basketball’s blue bloods — and some blue Bulldogs from Indianapolis who have had lots of success in the NCAA tournament — have gathered in Memphis for a marquee showdown in the Sweet 16.
Kentucky, North Carolina and UCLA are joined by upstart Butler in the South Regional, the only quadrant of the bracket in which the top four seeds all advanced beyond the opening weekend this year. Top-seeded North Carolina (29-7) plays the fourth-seeded Bulldogs (25-8) tonight, followed by No. 2 seed Kentucky (31-5) and third-seeded UCLA (31-4) facing off in the second game.
North Carolina coach Roy Williams acknowledged “the glamour names” will compete for spots in the Elite Eight and a chance to earn a berth in the Final Four. The iconic trio have plenty of championship banners hanging from the rafters as they look to add yet another, with Butler hoping to capture its first.
The Pac-12’s UCLA has the most national championships of any NCAA program with 11 — 10 under legendary coach John Wooden in a 12-year span that ended in 1975, with the other in 1995 under Jim Harrick. Southeastern Conference power Kentucky is second overall with eight — a quartet from Adolph Rupp, with one each from Joe B. Hall, Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith and John Calipari. North Carolina of the Atlantic Coast Conference is tied for third with five championships and has been to more Final Fours (19) than any other school.
And then there’s Butler of the Big East. The Bulldogs may lack titles, but they have become the tournament darlings in recent seasons, reaching the national championship game in 2010 and 2011.
“I happen to think right now, Butler is better than any of them,” Williams said, “and that’s the team we’re getting ready to play.”
The Bulldogs’ battle against the trio of historic programs is only one of the subplots of this region. There are well-established coaches, like Calipari and Williams. Then there is Steve Alford, who hopes to coach UCLA to its 12th title but won a national crown playing at Indiana under Bob Knight.
“Obviously there’s opinions and arguments, but we feel like this is obviously the toughest region,” Alford said. “And you’re probably going to have to play to play very good basketball, because all four of these teams are capable of advancing to the Final Four.”
East semis surprising
NEW YORK — The folks at Madison Square Garden were drooling at the thought of a Duke-Villanova regional final. Two programs that consider the Garden a home away from home in a No. 1 seed vs. No. 2 seed dream matchup that would make the legendary arena the place to be this weekend.
Instead, the East Regional semifinals feature four football schools fighting for a berth in basketball’s Final Four.
Eighth-seeded Wisconsin (27-9) plays fourth-seeded Florida (26-8), while third-seeded Baylor (27-7) meets seventh-seeded South Carolina (24-10).
No team left in the NCAA tournament has players as used to being in the Sweet 16 as Wisconsin. The Badgers are in their fourth straight regional semifinal, a feat no other team can claim, and their sixth in seven years.
Florida is making its fifth Sweet 16 appearance in as many NCAA tourney berths, but that’s over a seven-year span. Baylor is in the regional semis for the fourth time since 2010.
South Carolina? A year after being mistakenly told on Selection Sunday that they were in the field, the Gamecocks beat Marquette to win an NCAA tourney game for the first time since 1973, then upset No. 2 seed Duke on Sunday night.
Senior guard Sindarius Thornwell, the SEC player of the year, has been key to the tourney run that comes after the Gamecocks lost two straight and five of seven.
“It means a lot. For us, for our first time and our last time playing at the university means a lot, because when we came in our ultimate goal was to make it to the tournament,” he said. “We didn’t get that chance our first three years, and for us to get this opportunity this year heading out is a blessing for us, and it’s good for the basketball program … Making a run is huge for everybody.”