THE FINAL FOUR ARE SET
Kentucky, Wisconsin, Michigan, Duke
If you liked the look of last year’s Final Four, you will love the 2015 edition.
One game — Kentucky vs. Wisconsin — is not only a matchup of two No. 1 seeds, it’s a replay of last year’s semifinal won by Kentucky 74- 73.
Seventh- seeded Michigan State will face Duke, a four- time national champion led by coach Mike Krzyzewski, who is in his 12th Final Four, tying the legendary John Wooden.
It is the fifth time at least three No. 1 seeds reached the Final Four.
This is the third straight year one conference has had two teams in the Final Four with Wisconsin and Michigan State coming from the Big Ten. The Southeastern Conference did l ast year with Kentucky and Florida and the Big East had Louisville and Syracuse in 2013.
MICHIGAN STATE 76, LOUIS VILLE 70
Travis Trice vowed a day earlier that he wasn’t going to cry should the Michigan State Spartans continue their improbable run to the Final Four.
The senior guard’s vow lasted no more than 10 seconds once the final horn sounded following Michigan State’s 76- 70 overtime victory over Louisville in a thrilling NCAA Tournament East Regional final Sunday.
Amid the frenzied celebration, Trice squatted down at centre court and began to sob uncontrollably.
“I was actually trying to hold it in,” Trice said. “I try to keep it even keeled. I’m mad that I even cried now.”
That’s when senior forward Branden Dawson interjected by saying that was the first time he’s ever seen Trice cry.
Counted out for done as recently as six weeks ago, the seventh- seeded Spartans ( 27- 11) let it all out in a thrilling display of perseverance and defensive grit to oust the fourth- seeded Cardinals ( 27- 9).
“I’d like to tell you that I thought five different times this year that we were good enough to get to a Final Four, but I’d be lying to you,” said coach Tom Izzo, who described this as the best of seven regional final victories he has enjoyed. “But I think the burning desire to be in this Final Four, and they didn’t want to be a group that didn’t make it. I think it was more of the battle cry all year long.”
Trice led the Spartans with 17 points. Dawson had 11 rebounds, including a key putback of Bryn Forbes’ missed 3- point shot with 31.7 seconds left in overtime. And Denzel Valentine scored 15 points for a Michigan State team that won for the 12th time in 15 games. It’s a run that included them knocking off second- seeded Virginia last weekend and third- seeded Oklahoma in the regional semifinal on Friday.
Wayne Blackshear had 28 points for the Cardinals ( 27- 9) in a game that featured 11 lead changes.
There could have been a 12th with 4.9 seconds left in regulation, when Cardinals forward Mangok Mathiang hit his first free throw to tie the game on a shot that hit off the heel of the rim and bounced high and in. But he wasn’t so fortunate on his second one, which also hit the heel and bounced wide left.
“Sometimes it can be a cruel game. I was positive we were going to win it when the first free throw went in because it shouldn’t have gone in,” Cardinals coach Rick Pitino said. “It’s very difficult for all the players. But real proud of our guys.”
Louisville was denied a shot of making its third Final Four in four years, and 11th overall.
Michigan State’s defence — Izzo’s other trademark — played havoc with the Cardinals. After hitting 17 of 32 attempts in the first half, Louisville managed to make six of its final 32.
DUKE 66, GONZAGA 52
A special group of freshmen is taking Duke and Coach K back to the NCAA Final Four.
Duke ( 33- 4), the region’s No. 1 seed with its trio of freshmen starters, is going to their 16th Final Four after a 66- 52 win Sunday in the South Regional over Gonzaga.
Justise Winslow, the freshman playing at home in Houston, had 16 points, including a big 3- pointer in the closing minutes. Matt Jones also had 16 points while freshman Tyus Jones had 15 points, while Jahlil Okafor added nine points and eight rebounds.
Duke’s last Final Four and national title was in 2010, when the Blue Devils were also the No. 1 seed in the South Regional and had to go through Houston.
“This is a magical moment for us, but we played a magical team in Gonzaga,” Krzyzewski told the crowd.
No. 2 seed Gonzaga ( 35- 3) had taken a 38- 34 lead less than 4 minutes into the second half, putting the Blue Devils in their largest deficit of this tournament.
The young Blue Devils responded with nine straight points and never trailed again. They had stretched it to 60- 51 when Winslow made a 3- pointer from the left wing with 2: 28 left.
“I want to thank Houston for giving Justise a huge birthday present,” Krzyzewski said of the forward who turned 19 on Thursday, the day before he had 21 points and 10 rebounds in a 63- 57 win over Utah.
Gonzaga, in its 17th consecutive NCAA Tournament, was trying to get to the Final Four for the first time.
It was the final game for seniors Kevin Pangos of Holland Landing, Ont., and Gary Bell Jr., who had both played at least 135 games for Gonzaga. They were a combined 4- of- 14 shooting for nine points.
Kyle Wiltjer, the transfer from Kentucky with dual citizenship in both Canada and the United States, had 16 points for Gonzaga. Byron Wesley had 10.