Loyola embraces underdog role
Loyola of Chicago’s bus got lost on its way to arena. How appropriate. With the exception of Kentucky, which knows its way around Atlanta all too well, no one could’ve expected these teams to need directions to the NCAA’s South Regional. Nevada? Not likely. Kansas State? No way. Loyola? Don’t make us laugh.
“Obviously, we’re going to be picked as the underdogs,” Loyola star Donte Ingram said Wednesday, after he and his teammates finally arrived at Philips Arena for a light practice before today’s game against Nevada. “We embrace that.”
For the first time in tournament history, the top four seeds in a regional were eliminated on the opening weekend .
Virginia shockingly went down in its very first game, knocked out by MarylandBaltimore County in a historic 16-vs.-1 upset. Fourthseeded Arizona was another one-and-done, blown out by Buffalo. No. 2 Cincinnati got sent packing by Nevada, while Loyola set up its improbable journey to the Sweet 16 with a last-second stunner over third-seeded Tennessee .
That seemingly clears the way for fifth-seeded Kentucky to cruise to the Final Four, especially since Atlanta is like a second home to the eight-time national champions going back to the days when the city was a frequent site of the Southeastern Conference tournament.
Of course, those other three teams might have something to say about that.
“I don’t think any of us, once you get to this point, really care about the name on the front of your jersey,” Loyola’s Clayton Custer said.
The Ramblers already endured a bit of hardship just getting to the court, even though they are staying at downtown hotel less than a mile from Philips Arena.
The team bus was supposed to have a police escort, but it never showed up. The driver wasn’t familiar with the route, so he meandered all over the place for a good half-hour, trying to find the right spot to drop off the Ramblers.
• This is the seventh time in nine years under coach John Calipari that the Wildcats have advanced to this stage of the tournament, setting up another run at their first national title since 2012.
• Nevada (29-7) is playing with enormous confidence after rallying from a 22-point deficit with 11 minutes remaining to beat Cincinnati. But the Wolf Pack would prefer to play from in front against Loyola.
“If we get behind with this team, it’ll be hard to get back in front,” Hallice Cooke said. “They know how to control the pace of the game.”
• Kansas State (24-11) is viewed as perhaps the worst team left in the NCAA field, advancing to today’s Sweet 16 game against Kentucky with an ugly 50-43 victory over UMBC.
Kansas State finished fourth in the Big 12 and was drubbed by state rival Kansas in the conference tournament.
WEST REGIONAL >> Gonzaga, Michigan and Texas A&M are no strangers to the Sweet 16.
Florida State? It’s been 25 years for the Seminoles, who are brimming with confidence heading into their game against Gonzaga after knocking off No. 1 seed Xavier last weekend.
The Zags bring a 16-game winning streak — the nation’s best — into today’s game against FSU and are the only team in the country to be appearing in a fourth straight Sweet 16.
Texas A&M, which faces Michigan took care of defending national champion North Carolina in the second round, ensuring neither of the region’s top two seeds would be in Los Angeles.
The Wolverines (30-7) bring an 11-game winning streak — third-best in the nation — into their fourth Sweet 16 berth in six years. PADGETT OUT AT LOUISVILLE >> Louisville didn’t take long to make its first offseason move, parting ways interim men’s basketball coach David Padgett less than 24 hours after the Cardinals season ended.
HEADED TO NBA DRAFT >> Arizona freshman big man Deandre Ayton is leaving early for the NBA after one dominating season.
The 7-foot-1, 260-pound Ayton was named the Pac12 player of the year in 2017-18 after averaging 20.1 points on 61 percent shooting and 11.6 rebounds.
• Wake Forest says junior Keyshawn Woods is leaving the program. In an announcement Wednesday, the guard will graduate in May and either begin his professional career or play next season elsewhere as a graduate transfer.