By: BHS Sports Staff
March 30, 2023
This year’s March Madness was horrendous for people who thought that they had a chance to win their bracket challenge(s), as nobody in the BHS Sports Staff had any prediction correct for the Final Four. Hopefully, our National Championship predictions will be better, which at this point could not be any worse than our previous predictions.
Now, what actually happened last weekend on this chaotic journey to the Final Four?
Starting off with the West Region, #8 seed Arkansas took on #4 seed Connecticut, a matchup most people expected. The favored Huskies easily cruised past the Razorbacks into the Sweet 16, 88-65. On the other end was the more anticipated matchup, #3 Gonzaga versus #2 UCLA. It did not seem like that in the first half as UCLA led by 13 points heading into halftime. However, Gonzaga flipped the switch in the second half making this game a lot more competitive. It came down to the final shot when Bulldog stud Julian Strawther hit the game winning three to send Gonzaga past UCLA and into the Elite 8. However, Gonzaga’s magic would run out against the Huskies as they would get blown out in the Elite 8 matchup, 82-54. This victory sends UConn back to the Final Four for the first time in nine years.
Getting into the East Region, the #9 seeded Florida Atlantic University Owls were the underdogs, but they pulled off a major upset against #4 seed Tennessee. It was a long night for Tennessee defensively as they could not handle Johnell Davis as he dropped 15 points and secured the victory, 62-55. On the other hand, #3 seed Kansas State was expected to beat #7 seed Michigan State, which they ended up doing by an overtime score of 98-93. Marquis Nowell went for a career night putting up 20 points and dishing out 19 assists, setting a new NCAA tournament record. Finally, it was the underdog Owls versus the favorite Wildcats. And guess what happened? FAU pulled off the upset with a final score of 79-76, earning their first-ever Final Four appearance.
In this Midwest Region, at least this side was not so crazy, or was it? All of the games went true to the seed rankings minus one. The Miami Hurricanes and Houston Cougars faced off in the Sweet 16, and the Hurricanes had no trouble dethroning the top-seeded Cougars by a score 89-75. The Hurricanes were led by guard Nijel Pack who cooked the Cougars for 26 points. In the other matchup, second seeded Texas beat third seeded Xavier to meet Miami in the Elite 8. After blowing a double-digit, second half lead, the Longhorns could not handle the Hurricanes’ momentum down the stretch, falling 88-81. Guard Jordan Miller had a career night for the Hurricanes going for 27 points. They are set to face the Connecticut Huskies in the Final Four. Noteworthy: This will be Miami’s first Final Four appearance in school history.
For the South Region, the #5 seed Aztecs from San Diego State University took on #1 seed Alabama. The Crimson Tide had all the odds going into this one, but senior guard Darrion Trammell had other plans, scoring 21 points leading SDSU to an upset win, 71-64. In the other matchup, #15 seeded Princeton faced the #6 seed, the Creighton Blue Jays. The Tigers had all the momentum going into this one and came to play with a 24-point game from forward Tosan Evbuomwan and a 26-point game from guard Ryan Langborg; however, the Blue Jays were not losing this game, having three players with 19+ points. Center Ryan Kalkbrenner led with 22 points followed by Baylor Scheirerman with 21 points and Trey Alexander with 19 points. For the Elite 8 matchup, the Aztecs battled the Blue Jays and what a game this was. SDSU managed to get it done with a one-point victory and earning their first-ever Final Four appearance.
So with the Final Four matchups set and ready to tip off this Saturday, April 1, it is time for the BHS Sports Staff’s predictions for the National Champion.
*Youssef: Florida Atlantic
*Jacob: Connecticut
*Anthony: San Diego State
*Ayman: Miami
*Jaiden: Miami
*Mr. Holko: San Diego State
And that is a wrap for the Final Four preview, the first ever Final Four in March Madness history to have zero, top three seeded teams. What else could happen?
We are about to find out.
(For up-to-date information and schedules, go to Brooklyn Hurricanes Athletics.)
THE RETURN OF THE EYE 