Tennessee’s Barnes: Loyola can win it all
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said he thinks Loyola has a realistic possibility of capping its improbable NCAA Tournament run with a title.
‘‘ I think they have as good a chance as anybody to win the national championship,’’ Barnes said Monday.
Barnes is all too familiar with the 11th- seeded Ramblers after his third- seeded Volunteers lost to them 63- 62 in the second round of the tournament. Loyola followed up that upset by defeating Nevada and Kansas State to win the South Regional in its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1985.
The Ramblers will face Michigan and Villanova will play Kansas on Saturday in the Final Four in San Antonio.
‘‘ When you watch them play, they’re a really high efficient offensive team [ and] a very, very good defensive team,’’ Barnes said. ‘‘ So they’ve got as good a chance as anybody.’’
Loyola ended Tennessee’s season in heartbreaking fashion. The Volunteers had gone on a late 8- 0 run to take a one- point lead before Ramblers guard Clayton Custer made a jumper with 3.6 seconds left that bounced high off the rim and hit the glass before falling through.
Twomore leaving Illinois
Illinois has lost two more players after forward Michael Finke and guard Te’Jon Lucas announced their plans to leave the program.
The Illini went 14- 18 in coach Brad Underwood’s first season at the school. Finke, Lucas and guard Mark Smith have decided to transfer, and forward Leron Black is turning pro after averaging a team- high 15.3 points this season.
Finke graduated in December and will be eligible immediately as a graduate transfer. He averaged a career- high 9.8 points this season.
Lucas averaged 5.7 points and 2.2 rebounds as a sophomore. He was suspended for three games during Big Ten play after violating an unspecified team rule.
Kudos for Beilein
Michigan president Mark Schlissel had high praise for coach John Beilein in the wake of the Wolverines reaching the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. He said he specifically likes the way the team improved in the second half of the season and how it often plays better in the second halves of games.
‘‘ That’s coaching,’’ Schlissel said. ‘‘ It’s nice to have one less thing to worry about. Having a guy like coach Beilein responsible for such a highprofile thing at our university gives me great reassurance.’’