For the first time since 2008, the Oregon Ducks are in the NCAA Tournament. The Ducks won their first Pac-12 conference tournament title since 2007 and will now play as a No. 12 seed in March Madness. The question is, what makes the Ducks such a tantalizing team? 1. The last time that Oregon won the Pac-12 conference tournament was 2007. Led by Aaron Brooks, that team went on to the Elite Eight. Could we see another magical run by Dana Altman and company? 2.
After a one-year hiatus, the UCLA Bruins are back in the NCAA Tournament. Led by coach Ben Howland and a cast of freshmen, the Bruins are seeded No. 6 in the South Region. So what do you need to know about UCLA? 1. UCLA enters the NCAA Tournament without second leading scorer Jordan Adams. Adams suffered a broken bone in his right foot during the semifinals of the Pac-12 Conference Tournament. Adams was averaging 15.3 points and 2.2 steals at the time
For the fourth consecutive season, the UNLV Rebels are going to the NCAA Tournament. They finished the 2012-13 regular season at 25-9 and were granted with a No. 5 seed. So what do you need to know about UNLV? 1. If there is anything you need to know about UNLV, it’s that they move the ball well and crash the boards hard. They’re sixth in the nation in rebounding and ninth in assists. Point guard Anthony Marshall (5.8 assists) and power forward
For the first time since a stretch from 1992 to 1996, the Michigan Wolverines will make their third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. They’re led by Big Ten Player of the Year Trey Burke and possess a rare combination of veteran leadership with Tim Hardaway and freshman power with Glenn Robinson III, Nik Stauskas and Mitch McGary. So what else is it that you need to know about Michigan? 1. For the first time since 1989, a Michigan Wolverine won the Big Ten
Despite missing out on their conference tournament championship, the Duke Blue Devils are back in the NCAA Tournament. This marks the 18th consecutive season in which coach Mike Krzyzewski’s crew has made the big dance. So what do you need to know about this year’s Dukies? Here are five facts. 1. Of their 27 wins, four have come against teams that were ranked in the Top 5 at the time they played. That includes Louisville, Ohio State, Miami (FL) and Kentucky. They’ve
After months of invigorating highs and devastating lows, the North Carolina State Wolfpack have finally made it to the NCAA Tournament. The star-studded N.C. State team had underachieved, but the committee clearly valued their late-season push. So what should we know about the Wolfpack? 1. The North Carolina State Wolfpack are one of the most under-achieving teams in college basketball. They began the season as the No. 6 ranked team in the AP and Coaches Polls, yet finished the season unranked. Fortunately, they’ve turned
The Wisconsin Badgers have become the most overlooked power in the Big Ten, despite finishing the regular season at 21-10. After downing both Michigan and Indiana, however, Wisconsin reminded the world of their status by reaching the Big Ten Championship. While there, Wisconsin WON/LOST. The question is, what should we know about Wisconsin for the upcoming NCAA Tournament? 1. The Wisconsin Badgers are the nation’s 10th ranked scoring defense. They’re 39th in opponent field goal percentage, 28th in opponent three-point field goal
The Michigan State Spartans have methodically paced themselves to a 25-8 season. Led by legendary head coach Tom Izzo, MSU has run through the out-of-conference competition and performed at a high level against a stacked Big Ten. So what do you need to know about this powerhouse? 1. The Michigan State Spartans own victories over current No. 6 Michigan, No. 7 Kansas, No. 10 Ohio State and two over No. 22 Wisconsin. They did so without a single first team All-Big Ten