College basketball fan’s favorite time of the year has come once again and it’s now been cut to the Final Four. Four teams triumphed and have been able to overcome the odds against them.
The number four seed from the East bracket, the Syracuse Orangemen will be taking on the number four seed from the South bracket, the Michigan Wolverines and the number one seed of the Midwest bracket, the Louisville Cardinals will be taking on the number nine seed from the West bracket, the Wichita State Shockers.
The Wichita State Shockers shocked everyone defeating the favorited number two seeded Ohio State Buckeyes, 70-66. Ohio State was a team picked by many to make it to the Final Four, but Wichita State was able take them down with senior guard Malcolm Armstead leading the team in scoring with 14 points.
The Louisville Cardinals proved to everyone why they were the number one seed in the Midwest taking down the number two seed the Duke Blue Devils. This is the second straight year the Cardinals have made it to the Final Four, last year they fell to the 2012 Champion Kentucky Wildcats.
The Michigan Wolverines had a shaky start in the Sweet Sixteen game against the Kansas Jayhawks, but with some late miracle work at the end of the second half, the Wolverines were able to edge Kansas in overtime with a 87-85 victory. In the Elite Eight, the Wolverines came out hot from the beginning and just skated by the favorited three seeded Florida Gators 79-59 with freshman Nik Stauskas leading Michigan with 22 points.
The Syracuse Orangemen have knocked off team after team so far in this tournament. Syracuse was able to easily take down the number one seed in the East, the Indiana Hoosiers, and followed that with a huge victory over the Marquette Golden Eagles 55-39 behind senior forward James Southerland. The Orangemen face their toughest challenge of the tournament in the Michigan Wolverines.
My original Final Four was Kansas vs. Miami and Michigan State vs. Kansas State. Unfortunately all the picks I made are now wrong. If I had to choose who I believe to be the winners now, I would say Louisville will lose in the NCAA Championship to Michigan.
This is why we love “March Madness” as you never really know what is going to happen at any point. Once it comes down to tournament time, all of the records and the seedings go out the window and every team starts back at 0-0.
We have seen throughout this tournament with such teams as Florida Gulf Coast and Wichita State shocking everyone by going far in the tournament, anyone can surprise anybody on any given day. Just go and ask No. 1 seeded Gonzaga and No. 5 seeded Wisconsin about that.
Will Weyant
Sports Correspondent