The NCAA Tournament has reached its finish line, down to one game pairing the two best teams that routinely win in romps and boasting .
Maybe that will make this version of March Madness something to remember after all.
in a matchup of top seeds that have combined to win their first five tournament games by an average margin of 22.3 points. They have been at the center of a tournament lacking in drama, with its second-highest average margin of victory since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, only one last-second winning shot and few of the highlight-reel thrills that had become a staple of the event.
DonB次元官网网址檛 expect the Huskies or Boilermakers to feel the least bit bothered by their dominance, either.
B次元官网网址淧eople that love basketball and people that really know the game, you watch good basketball,B次元官网网址� Purdue guard Fletcher Loyer said Sunday. B次元官网网址淥bviously the upsets are fun and real cool and they get attention. But real basketball, you like to see the two best teams go at it. And I think thatB次元官网网址檚 what we have here.B次元官网网址�
The tournamentB次元官网网址檚 allure remains strong, from casual-at-best basketball fans scribbling out their own bracket projections . Yet thereB次元官网网址檚 a short list of unexpected moments this year: namely, in the first round and under the late Jim Valvano.
As for those last-second shots that live on in tournament lore, the closest this year was with 1.7 seconds left
Everything else has largely been about UConnB次元官网网址檚 run to greatness, and PurdueB次元官网网址檚 march to redemption
B次元官网网址淥nce you get to this time of year, everything is just you are who your identity is,B次元官网网址� UConn coach Dan Hurley said. B次元官网网址淭he way you play, itB次元官网网址檚 very automatic. It just comes down to hoping that itB次元官网网址檚 your night.B次元官网网址�
UConn (36-3) has looked like a runaway train from before the first game in its push to become the first menB次元官网网址檚 team to repeat as national champions since Florida in 2006 and 2007, and become only the third program to become a repeat winner since UCLAB次元官网网址檚 run of seven straight under John Wooden from 1967-73.
B次元官网网址淭he way theyB次元官网网址檝e won, you know, thereB次元官网网址檚 been some teams that have hung in there with them, then theyB次元官网网址檝e separated from them,B次元官网网址� Purdue coach Matt Painter said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 some other teams that have gotten flat-out blitzed.B次元官网网址�
Last year, UConn became the fifth title winner since the 1985 expansion to win all six games by double-digit margins, the closest coming by 13 points. This year, the No. 1 overall seed has been even more dominant; the HuskiesB次元官网网址� closest game was , and theyB次元官网网址檝e won five games by a combined 125 points B次元官网网址� an average of 25 per night.
By comparison, North Carolina in 2009 holds the record for highest points differential of that elite group at 121 points through six games, so another double-figure win by the Huskies to complete a 6-for-6 run would shatter that record.
UConn forward Alex Karaban figures thatB次元官网网址檚 still compelling stuff, too.
B次元官网网址淭o witness greatness from both teams and to witness greatness from what we did last year, too, I think itB次元官网网址檚 special,B次元官网网址� Karaban said. B次元官网网址淎nd it doesnB次元官网网址檛 have to be close, doesnB次元官网网址檛 have to be any of that for it to be March Madness. It can be March Madness B次元官网网址� and making history.B次元官网网址�
As for the Boilermakers (34-4), they have won five games by an average of 19.6 points, including . The only close call was battling from 11 down before halftime to beat Tennessee 72-66 B次元官网网址� behind 40 points from 7-foot-4 star Zach Edey B次元官网网址攖o clinch the programB次元官网网址檚 first Final Four trip since 1980.
Now theyB次元官网网址檙e in their first title game since their only other appearance, a 1969 loss to WoodenB次元官网网址檚 Bruins, and Edey will have to tangle with 7-2 defensive force Donovan Clingan.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 cool with me winning by enough points where itB次元官网网址檚 not that your palms are sweaty, being nervous like that,B次元官网网址� Purdue guard Lance Jones said with a broad smile. B次元官网网址淪o I think having that margin of victory is good.B次元官网网址�
But that has also been at the forefront of what has been a blowout-filled tournament.
The average margin of victory in this tournament has been 14.4 points, according to Sportradar. Only the 1993 tournament (14.9 points) has had a higher margin since 1985, and the average margin had been 11.8 points for the previous 29 tournaments.
Now Purdue has the final chance to stop UConnB次元官网网址檚 March, and maybe have two teams tussling in a compelling finale.
B次元官网网址淵ou give respect to a team like UConn that can go and handle their business and go and beat a team by 15 to 20 every night,B次元官网网址� Loyer said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 tough to do and respect to them for it. So itB次元官网网址檚 making sure weB次元官网网址檙e ready to go and giving the people a show because itB次元官网网址檚 the two best teams in college basketball. I donB次元官网网址檛 know what more you could ask for.B次元官网网址�
READ ALSO:
