NCAA Tournament Preview - March 18 2019

CHRIS MORRIS ILLUSTRATION

GONZAGA HAPPY WITH NO. 1 SEED

MAKE, TRACK YOUR TOURNEY PICKS

TRAVELING WITH GU WILL BE COSTLY

POMEROY BELIEVES ZAGS CAN WIN IT ALL

Body of work rewarded, but Bulldogs know seeding doesn’t always matter.

Follow along with all of the NCAA Tournament action on our pull-out bracket.

Zags fans heading to Salt Lake City to watch the team should budget accordingly.

Bulldogs a clear No. 1 in stat guru’s adjusted offensive efficiency formula.

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MARCH 18, 2019

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

2019 NCAA TOURNAMENT

NO. 1 SEED NICE, BUT ZAGS JUST WANT TO PLAY GU will face a First Four opponent in the first round for the first time

By Jim Meehan THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

From Twitter to a lengthy roster of TV analysts, it was nearly impossible to ignore the debate leading up to Selection Sunday whether Gonzaga deserved a No. 1 or No. 2 seed.

The Zags heard it, too. And late Sunday afternoon, they erupted

in applause when they heard their name called during CBS’s selection show as the No. 1 seed in the West Region.

Gonzaga (30-3) will play at 4:27 p.m. Thursday in Salt Lake City.

The Zags will face the winner of Fairleigh Dickinson and Prairie View A&M. Those squads meet Tuesday in the First Four in Dayton.

The Zags didn’t get caught up in all the seeding chatter.

“We talked about it, but it’s outside our control,” junior forward Rui Hachimura said. “We can’t do anything about it. It doesn’t matter, we have to beat everybody anyway. I was focused on what we did wrong against Saint Mary’s (in last Tuesday’s WCC Tournament title loss). We practiced hard the last two days. That was important.”

The No. 1 seed did resonate with the Zags, who went 4-3 against teams that made the

NCAA Tournament (Duke, Tennessee, North Carolina, Washington and Saint Mary’s).

“It kind of validates the body of work we had throughout the year,” senior guard Geno Crandall said. “At the end of the day, it’s just a number next to a name on a piece of paper or on a TV screen. You’re going to have to perform for 40 minutes. Higher seeds lose all the time, lower seeds win.

“Honestly, it felt good for a moment but after that you’re like, ‘Let’s play.’ ”

“Being a 1 or 2 is the right thing for us, coach (Mark) Few was saying,” junior forward Brandon Clarke said. “Either way, we were going to be fine but it is cool being a No. 1.”

Since 1979, when the entire tournament field was seeded for the first time, 23 No. 1 seeds and seven No. 2s have captured national championships. Duke is the top overall seed. The Blue Devils are joined on the one line by fellow ACC members North CaroliSee REACTION, 8

PHOTOS BY LIBBY KAMROWSKI/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

ZAGS GET BIG ASSIST

Gonzaga's Killian Tillie speaks to the media on Selection Sunday at the McCarthey Athletic Center. Gonzaga earned the No. 1 seed in the West Region.

Tennessee’s loss keeps GU as 1 seed

So in case the Gonzaga Bulldogs still didn’t have that top-line feeling back after Terrible Tuesday, they were given an imprimatur on Selection Sunday.

And they had nothing to do with it.

Well, OK, they had something to do with it – plenty, really. Thirty wins worth of something, including over Duke at full Zion strength, which seems to be the only college basketball metric anybody cares JOHN BLANCHETTE about. The most dominant regular-season run SPOKESMAN through their COLUMNIST conference in history. Eighty-six consecutive days of unbeaten basketball.

As a body of work, it was Charles Atlas-y if not the Incredible Hulk.

But the fact is, they were still 40 minutes from a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Basketball Tournament as late as Sunday morning – when they didn’t have a game scheduled.

And then Auburn gave Tennessee a 20-point noogie in the SEC championship game.

Gonzaga’s 31st win, as it were.

That preserved the Zags’ spot as a No. 1 seed in the bracket and a first-ever date with a play-in survivor – Fairleigh Dickinson or Prairie View A&M – on Thursday in Salt Lake City.

Though as coach Mark Few noted “the difference between a No. 1 and No. 2 is not much, and not worth getting riled up about.”

Nevertheless, it remains “pretty cool,” as Zags forward Killian Tillie put it.

“And I think we deserve a No. 1 seed,” he said.

So did the selection and seeding committee – to a point.

“Had Tennessee won today we would have made the switch and put Tennessee on the 1 line, because they were playing so well,” said Bernard Muir, the committee chair and athletic director at Stanford.

“When you looked at their résumé, they had a head-to-head with Gonzaga

Rui Hachimura offers his thoughts after Gonzaga drew the winner of the Fairleigh Dickinson-Prairie View A&M matchup. and won that head-to-head. Had they won (over Auburn), I know we would have made a switch.”

Wait, the committee held the Vols’ loss to Auburn against them – but didn’t hold the Zags’ tumble against Saint Mary’s against them?

Welcome to the messy business of making Bracket Sausage.

The Bulldogs have been going through this for more than two decades now, and they have graduated from double-digit ambush artists to dismayed mid-level seed to sniped-at elite. The howling from the unselected and mal-seeded that accompanies each year’s announcement is something Few pretty much tunes out now, listening only to committee chairs for any signals about what kind of scheduling gets rewarded.

This year, the sniping was pretty muted. Belmont got an at-large bid, thrilling mid-majorphiles. UNC Greensboro – which sweated Gonzaga something crazy a year ago – got knocked out when Oregon won the Pac-12 Tournament. North Carolina State made a stink, and then wasn’t

even good enough to get a top seed in the NIT. And, yeah, there was some huffing about the top two lines – which may have been as indistinct as ever.

“You could have flipped a coin on a bunch of us,” said Few. “In our case, we ended up playing several other teams that were up for consideration, and I had a chance to watch most of the others, and they were all deserving and really good.

“At times this year, Kentucky has been playing better than anybody, quite frankly. Michigan State made a great run late. Early in the season, Michigan was phenomenal. There were eight of us up there moving back and forth, which is why I think everybody makes a bigger deal of it than it is.”

Muir acknowledged that Michigan State’s win on Sunday vaulted the Spartans over Kentucky to No. 6 on the seed list – and temperatures spiked when they wound up in the same region as Duke, the overall No. 1.

Gonzaga actually got the “last” No. 2, Michigan, in its region, but to get there the Zags will likely have to beat

Syracuse, a particular NCAA nemesis, and Florida State, which eliminated them a year ago. Don’t think either of those possibilities don’t have the fan base in a dither.

“What are they doing on the 8 line?”

Few wondered of the Orange.

Of course, out there in Outraged America, people wonder about the Zags on the top line. Tennessee had that head-to-head win. Michigan State had more Quadrant 1 wins – 13 – than anyone in the country. Kentucky, well... gulp.

Then again, while it’s not Zion-comparable, it should be remembered that two of Gonzaga’s three losses – to the Vols and North Carolina – came before either Tillie or Geno Crandall could join the lineup.

“We thought going in that Gonzaga deserved to be on the 1 line,” said Muir.

“They’ve done enough work. We know when you watch them, you look at their metrics, that is a quality team and certainly deserving of a No. 1 seed. And that’s where we kept them.”

Well, that’s where Auburn kept them, anyway.

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

MARCH 18, 2019

2019 NCAA TOURNAMENT

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW AND ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS

Forward Johnathan Williams, left, was a double-double machine in his time at Gonzaga, but would he be able to slow down forward Brandon Clarke and the rest of this season’s Bulldogs?

MATCHUP MADE IN ZAG HEAVEN Experts, players divided over which GU team is better

By Jim Meehan THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

Killian Tillie would like to see it, though it would require some advanced cloning to make it happen.

The 2017 Zags vs. the 2019 Zags.

“That would be a pretty good game,” said Tillie, who paused and added, “That would be a pretty amazing game. That would be cool to see.”

Would it ever.

In one corner, the 2017 Zags. The 29-game winning streak. Top defensive team in the country. AllAmerican point guard Nigel Williams-Goss. Pillar in the middle with Przemek Karnowski, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award winner. Bench featuring NBA lottery pick Zach Collins, Silas Melson and the freshman Tillie.

In the other corner, the 2019 Zags.

Videogame offensive numbers.

Player of the year candidates and probable first-round NBA Draft picks in Rui Hachimura and Brandon Clarke. Zach Norvell Jr.’s bucket binges. Final Four veterans in Josh Perkins, the program’s career assists leader, Hachimura and the junior Tillie.

Who ya got?

With all due respect to the 1999 trailblazers and their Elite Eight brethren in 2015, the 29-4 2006 squad and 32-win 2013 team, the 2017 squad is the gold standard of Gonzaga’s two-decade streak of NCAA Tournament appearances.

The Zags lost twice in games they led with less than 2 minutes remaining, including the national championship to North Carolina.

What the current Zags (30-3) have done to this point – statistical domination, two shifts at No. 1 and a victory over a top-ranked team

COLIN MULVANY/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

Gonzaga guard Josh Perkins has played a key role for both the 2017 and 2019 Bulldogs, arguably the two strongest teams in school history.

(Duke) for the first time in program history – positions them to match or surpass the 2017 outfit, depending on their post-season results.

We asked around and got a split decision, but the majority of folks leaned toward the current crew.

“The versatility of this lineup is superior to the 2017 team,” ESPN’s Sean Farnham said. “They’re not as good locking down in the half court, but that’s because they know they’re so good offensively they don’t have to.

“It’s not just me that feels this way. Every coach I’ve talked to in this conference, every coach, feels this team is better than the 2017 team. (BYU’s) Dave Rose, first thing I said to him, ‘Hey, how do you compare this team to the one that went to the national championship?’ He said, ‘It’s better.’ no hesitation.”

Not so fast.

“This team is better offensively,” said former Gonzaga scoring maSee ZAGS VS. ZAGS, 4

Depth and defense vs. offense and athleticism makes for tough choice in fictional battle

JOHN BLANCHETTE SPOKESMAN COLUMNIST

Picked up those inseparable buddies and Zags fans, Hysteria and Horse Sense, hitchhiking back from Las Vegas after cashing in their return flight tickets to put everything on Gonzaga to win against Saint Mary’s.

Horse Sense: “First I let you talk me into the buffet at Circus Circus, and now this.”

Hysteria: “Like I was supposed to predict the Zags would shoot 12 percent. And who knew the Gaels had another Crocodile Dundee at center?”

Horse Sense: “Well, we’ve got 16 hours of

road time to kill, pal. What topic will we entertain our driver with today?”

Hysteria: “What else?”

Horse Sense: “Again?”

Hysteria: “It’s a question for the ages!”

Horse Sense: “If by that you mean you’ve been harping on it since Maui, then I guess that’s true.”

Hysteria: “The 2017 Zags vs. the 2019 Zags: who wins?”

Horse Sense: “Bartenders?”

See BLANCHETTE, 5

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MARCH 18, 2019

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

2019 NCAA TOURNAMENT

TYLER TJOMSLAND/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

Gonzaga forward Rui Hachimura played limited minutes as a freshman in 2016-17, but has led the 2018-19 squad with 20.1 points per game as a junior.

ZAGS VS. ZAGS Continued from 3 chine Adam Morrison, an analyst on the Zags’ radio network. “Defensively I have to think the other team is better. I think on paper, that (2017) team was better. It’s close.”

There is no disputing their iron-clad strengths. The 2017 Zags were No. 1 on KenPom’s adjusted defensive ratings and a strong 16th on the offensive side. Flip those numbers – No. 1 offense and No. 16 defense – for the 2019 Zags’ ratings.

Karnowski anchored the lane, Johnathan Williams could defend guards or bigs and Collins protected the rim. Tillie’s basketball IQ made him the fourth big. Hachimura showed off his athleticism in limited endof-game minutes.

Williams-Goss was a standout at both ends of the court. Perkins and Jordan Mathews were 3-point threats and Perkins provided secondary ball-handling. Melson contributed solid defense and decision-making off the bench.

“Lots of experience (in 2017),” Perkins said. “This year we can switch 1 through 5.

We can pick you up full court and give you different looks. The biggest difference is we rebounded a little bit better compared to this year.

“We’re a lot more versatile this year, but you’re not scoring on Przemek in the post one-on-one. Probably a lot more athletic this year, a lot more weapons offensively.”

Countered Farnham: “The biggest difference is Przemek. That’s not a slight against him, I love Przemek, but you play Saint Mary’s and they’re putting him in on-ball screens the entire game, and he wasn’t laterally quick enough to defend on the perimeter. Now you’ve got Rui, BC, Tillie, so you can switch and recover, and keep the guard from turning the corner and breaking down your defense.”

The 2019 Zags lead the nation in scoring, field-goal percentage and assist-to-turnover ratio. Their 125.1 offensive efficiency rating ranks among the best since KenPom started tracking analytics in 2002. Gonzaga was at 127.8 prior to falling to Saint Mary’s, second only to Wisconsin’s 129.0 in 2015.

Hachimura averages 20.1 points – Williams-Goss was at 16.8 two years ago – and he’s backed by Clarke (16.5), Norvell (15.3) and Perkins (11.0). Five 2019 players averaged in double figures, but Karnowski was a distant second behind Williams-Goss at 12.2 points.

“Jordan and a few of them (in 2017) could really shoot, but they have so many really good shooters, and it’s not just that they shoot from the 3,” said Pepperdine assistant

coach Ken Bone, a special assistant with the 2017 Zags. “A couple of those kids, Norvell, Perkins and Kispert, can shoot 5-7 feet beyond the 3, and they stretch you out.

“If you get too stretched, they’re powerful and athletic and quick inside. If you focus on the interior like we tried to do (on Feb. 21), all of a sudden Zach goes for four 3s in the first half. They complement each other extremely well.”

Both teams rarely experienced a bad stretch, let alone a bad half or entire game.

Both often won convincingly, several of those over quality opponents.

“I think this team is as amazing (as 2017),” said former Zag Domantas Sabonis, now with the Indiana Pacers. “They just play so unselfish and they have so many guys.

There are a lot of rumors about draft positions, leaving for the NBA and all that, and they’re just playing team basketball. They don’t care about their individual stats. They just want to win. You can see that.”

Both experienced stunning losses late to conference rivals. The 2017 team, bidding for a perfect regular season, led BYU 18-2 and by 12 in the second half. Their impenetrable defense gave up 44 points in the second half and BYU (21-10) scored the final 10 points for a 79-71 win at the McCarthey Athletic Center.

Gonzaga responded by winning the WCC Tournament and surviving NCAA Tournament scraps versus Northwestern and West Virginia en route to the program’s first Final Four.

The 2019 squad’s only loss since mid-December is a fresh wound. After thumping Saint Mary’s by 48 and 14 in the regular season, the Zags’ powerful offense misfired, and they were pushed around on the boards. Saint Mary’s (22-11) surprised No. 1 Gonzaga 60-47 to win the WCC Tournament.

“One of the best teams I’ve coached against, for sure. I can’t remember one better, unless it was Gonzaga two years ago,” SMC 18-year coach Randy Bennett said after the Zags’ 69-55 win in Moraga, California, on March 2. “I don’t want to just give it up that they are better because it’s kind of a slap in the face to the other team that went to the national championship and had a chance to win it.

“But … they’re so athletic inside. They just have a one-two punch inside that’s the best in the country. And this group has been playing together longer.”

The current Zags are about to author the rest of their story. Their goal is to complete a three-week odyssey, taking it one step beyond 2017. Stay tuned.

“Two totally different teams, but two very good teams,” Perkins said. “I’m glad I’m part of both of them.”

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Guard Nigel Williams-Goss led the 2017 Zags to the NCAA Tournament final.

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

MARCH 18, 2019

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2019 NCAA TOURNAMENT BLANCHETTE Continued from 3 Hysteria: “C’mon, you’ve got to engage on this one!”

Horse Sense: “Oh, all right. I figure this will be the last time anyway. You can only handle one obsession at a time and if the Zags fall to a No. 2 seed on Selection Sunday . . .”

Hysteria: “Hey! That’ll be five Our Fathers and five Hail Marys for you!”

Horse Sense: “But I’m apostate.”

Hysteria: “I know a good doctor for that.”

Horse Sense: “Never mind. OK, here goes: I’m taking the 2017 Zags.”

Hysteria: “Amazing. I should have known.”

Horse Sense: “What? They were chopped liver or something? Geez, they were the national runners-up. Seems perfectly reasonable . . .”

Hysteria: “That you always live in the past? That you’re always Captain Killjoy when it comes to the now? What makes you think these Bulldogs can’t get to the title game – and win it? Oh, let me guess: Professor Pooh-Pooh has some probabilities based on some obscure historical factoids that say this year’s team doesn’t make the second weekend – or shows up at the wrong arena!”

Horse Sense: “Can I get you a Xanax?”

Hysteria: “I guess the Saint Mary’s game has me a little wound up.”

Horse Sense: “Look, I love the 2019 Zags. Most fun to watch of any Gonzaga team I’ve seen. And, yeah, I can see them playing for the big prize in Minneapolis. But you wanted a clinical assessment of one team against another. And I’m not even suggesting this is a slam dunk.”

Hysteria: “Speaking of which, you do realize this year’s Zags have 131 dunks and the ’17 team had just 97?”

Horse Sense: “Well, I guess that’s game, set, match. What’ll we talk about for the next 15 hours and 55 minutes?”

Hysteria: “All I’m saying is that the 2019 Zags are a nightmare for defensive game-planners. High octane, baby! Even with The Loss in Las Vegas That Shall Not Be Mentioned Again, they’ve only been held under 80 points seven times. Heck, Mark Few even told them they were “a thing of

beauty” after one game.”

Horse Sense: “And so they are.

But so was the ’17 team’s defensive grit, even if that’s harder to appreciate. Here’s what they gave up in their NCAA run that year: 46 points, 73, 48, 49, 73 and 71. Those Zags would have never given up 103 to North Carolina. When it comes to Gonzaga basketball, that elite defense changed the whole zeitgeist.”

Hysteria: “I didn’t sneeze.”

Horse Sense: “(Sigh)” Hysteria: “I loved that defensive mentality. But they were good on D right out of the gate. This team has made huge strides that way. That stretch in December was brutal for travel, competition and fatigue. Without Killian Tillie and Geno Crandall, those guys were wearing down.

Not anymore.”

Horse Sense: “That’s a reasoned, level-headed argument without one exclamation point.

I’m proud of you.”

Hysteria: “I’ve got more. That ’17 team’s offense tailed off a bit the last third of the season. All that balance they showed before New Year’s became a little Nigel-centric at times. You saw it at the end of the title game. Rui and Brandon might be the big guns on this team, but there are lots of guys to take the big shot.”

Horse Sense: “Who are you and what have you done with my buddy Hysteria?”

Hysteria: “Ha! This year’s Zags by 10!”

Horse Sense: “I knew it couldn’t last. You make some great points. But I’ll stake my claim on a few other things.

Brandon Clarke might be an elite shot blocker, but the ’17 Zags had paint protectors, not simply rim protectors. Jordan Hunter isn’t backing down Przemek Karnowski for a dinky jump hook. With Tillie still not in full rhythm, the rotation is thinner – and, yes, that’s even with Jeremy Jones’ defensive versatility.

Rebounding will be this team’s bugaboo.”

Hysteria: “The 2017s had no Rui, no Clarke. I’ll take athleticism and that incredible offense.”

Horse Sense: “I’ll go with depth, defense, old souls and sinew. I only have one caveat.”

Hysteria: “What’s that?”

Horse Sense: “Just don’t let the officiating crew that called the 2017 championship game work this one.”

COLIN MULVANY/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

Contributions from forward Zach Collins, left, and guard Josh Perkins helped fuel the 2017 Bulldogs’ stirring run to the national championship game.

TYLER TJOMSLAND/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

Sharpshooter Zach Norvell Jr., standing, has been a key part of the 2018-19 Zags’ offensive success.

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AT A GLANCE

2019 NCAA men’s b

Past Division I men’s basketball champions

16 Farleigh Dickinson

11 Belmont

16 Prairie View A&M

11 Temple

E A S T FIRST AND SECOND ROUNDS March 21-22

Des Moines, IA

Jacksonville, FL

San Jose, CA

Columbia, SC

1 16

N.C. Cent/NDSU VCU

9

UCF

5

Miss. State Liberty

4

Va. Tech.

13

St. Louis

6

Maryland

11

Belm./Temple

3

LSU

14

Yale

7

Louisville

10

Minnesota

2 15

March 29 and 31

Washington, D.C.

Duke

8

12

March 23-24

REGIONALS

Michigan St.

SEMIFINALS

Bradley

Minneapolis April 6

W E S T FIRST AND SECOND ROUNDS March 21-22

Tulsa, OK

Hartford, CT

Salt Lake City

1

Des Moines, IA

2018: Villanova (36-4) Runner-up: Michigan MOP: Donte DiVincenzo 2017: N. Carolina (33-7) Runner-up: Gonzaga MOP: Joel Barry II 2016: Villanova (35-5) Runner-up: N. Carolina MOP: Ryan Arcidiacono 2015: Duke (35-4) Runner-up: Wisconsin MOP: Tyus Jones 2014: Connecticut (32-8) Runner-up: Kentucky MOP: Shabazz Napier 2013: Louisville (35-5) Runner-up: Michigan MOP: Luke Hancock 2012: Kentucky (38-2) Runner-up: Kansas MOP: Anthony Davis 2011: Connecticut (32-9) Runner-up: Butler MOP: Kemba Walker 2010: Duke (35-5) Runner-up: Butler MOP: Kyle Singler 2009: N. Carolina (34-4) Runner-up: Michigan St. MOP: Wayne Ellington 2008: Kansas (37-3) Runner-up: Memphis MOP: Mario Chalmers 2007: Florida (35-5) Runner-up: Ohio St. MOP: Corey Brewer 2006: Florida (33-6) Runner-up: UCLA MOP: Joakim Noah 2005: N. Carolina (33-4) Runner-up: Illinois MOP: Sean May 2004: Connecticut (33-6) Runner-up: Georgia Tech MOP: Emeka Okafor 2003: Syracuse (30-5) Runner-up: Kansas MOP: Carmelo Anthony 2002: Maryland (32-4) Runner-up: Indiana MOP: Juan Dixon 2001: Duke (35-4) Runner-up: Arizona MOP: Shane Battier 2000: Michigan St. (32-7) Runner-up: Florida MOP: Mateen Cleeves 1999: Connecticut (34-2) Runner-up: Duke MOP: Richard Hamilton 1998: Kentucky (35-4) Runner-up: Utah MOP: Jeff Sheppard 1997: Arizona (25-9) Runner-up: Kentucky MOP: Miles Simon 1996: Kentucky (34-2) Runner-up: Syracuse MOP: Tony Delk 1995: UCLA (31-2) Runner-up: Arkansas MOP: Ed O'Bannon 1994: Arkansas (31-3) Runner-up: Duke MOP: Corliss Williamson 1993: N. Carolina (34-4) Runner-up: Michigan MOP: Donald Williams 1992: Duke (34-2) Runner-up: Michigan MOP: Bobby Hurley 1991: Duke (32-7) Runner-up: Kansas MOP: Christian Laettner 1990: UNLV (35-5) Runner-up: Duke MOP: Anderson Hunt 1989: Michigan (30-7) Runner-up: Seton Hall MOP: Glen Rice 1988: Kansas (27-11) Runner-up: Oklahoma MOP: Danny Manning 1987: Indiana (30-4) Runner-up: MOP: Keith Smart 1986: Louisville (32-7) Runner-up: Duke MOP: Pervis Ellison 1985: Villanova (25-10) Runner-up: Georgetown MOP: Ed Pinckney 1984: Georgetown (34-3) Runner-up: Houston MOP: Patrick Ewing 1983: N. Carolina St. (26-10) Runner-up: Houston MOP: Akeem Olajuwon 1982: N. Carolina (32-2) Runner-up: Georgetown MOP: James Worthy 1981: Indiana (26-9) Runner-up: N. Carolina MOP: Isiah Thomas 1980: Louisville (33-3) Runner-up: UCLA MOP: Darrell Griffith

FIRST F Dayton, March 1

March 19

16

March 28 and 30

Anaheim, CA

Gonzaga

Syracuse

9

Baylor

5

Marquette

12

Murray St.

4

Florida St.

NATIO CHAMPIO

Minnea

FDU/PVIEW

8

13

March 23-24

REGIONALS

Apri

Vermont

6

Buffalo

11

Az. St./St. John’s

3

Texas Tech

14

N. Kentucky

7

Nevada

10

Florida

2

Michigan

15

Montana

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basketball bracket

FOUR , Ohio 19-20

16 N.C. Central

11 Arizona St.

16 N. Dakota St.

11 St. John’s

S O U T H REGIONALS March 28 and 30

FIRST AND SECOND ROUNDS March 23-24

Louisville, KY

Gardner-Webb

16

Mississippi

8

Oklahoma

9

Wisconsin

5

Oregon

12

Kansas St.

4

UC Irvine

13

Villanova

6

Saint Mary’s

11

Purdue

3

Old Dominion

14

Cincinnati

7

Iowa

10

Tennessee

2

Colgate

15

Columbus, OH

April 6

1

Hartford, CT

Minneapolis

Virginia

San Jose, CA

SEMIFINALS

March 21-22

Columbia, SC

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FIRST AND SECOND ROUNDS March 23-24

Kansas City, MO

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16

Utah St.

8

Washington

9

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5

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12

Kansas

4

Northeastern

13

Iowa St.

6

Ohio St.

11

Houston

3

Georgia St.

14

Wofford

7

Seton Hall

10

Kentucky

2

Abilene Christ.

15

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Iona

Tulsa, OK

1

Salt Lake City

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Columbus, OH

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March 21-22

1979: Michigan St. (26-6) Runner-up: Indiana St. MOP: Earvin Johnson 1978: Kentucky (30-2) Runner-up: Duke MOP: Jack Givens 1977: Marquette (25-7) Runner-up: N. Carolina MOP: Butch Lee 1976: Indiana (32-0) Runner-up: Michigan MOP: Kent Benson 1975: UCLA (28-3) Runner-up: Kentucky MOP: Richard Washington 1974: N. Carolina St. (30-1) Runner-up: Marquette MOP: David Thompson 1973: UCLA (30-0) Runner-up: Memphis St. MOP: Bill Walton 1972: UCLA (30-0) Runner-up: Florida St. MOP: Bill Walton 1971: UCLA (29-1) Runner-up: Villanova MOP: Howard Porter 1970: UCLA (28-2) Runner-up: Jacksonville MOP: Sidney Wicks 1969: UCLA (29-1) Runner-up: Purdue MOP: Lew Alcindor 1968: UCLA (29-1) Runner-up: N. Carolina MOP: Lew Alcindor 1967: UCLA (30-0) Runner-up: Dayton MOP: Lew Alcindor 1966: UTEP (28-1) Runner-up: Kentucky MOP: Jerry Chambers 1965: UCLA (28-2) Runner-up: Michigan MOP: Bill Bradley 1964: UCLA (30-0) Runner-up: Duke MOP: Walt Hazzard 1963: Loyola (Ill.) (29-2) Runner-up: Cincinnati MOP: Art Heyman 1962: Cincinnati (29-2) Runner-up: Ohio St. MOP: Paul Hogue 1961: Cincinnati (27-3) Runner-up: Ohio St. MOP: Jerry Lucas 1960: Ohio St. (25-3) Runner-up: California MOP: Jerry Lucas 1959: California (25-4) Runner-up: West Virginia MOP: Jerry West 1958: Kentucky (23-6) Runner-up: Seattle MOP: Elgin Baylor 1957: N. Carolina (32-0) Runner-up: Kansas MOP: Wilt Chamberlain 1956: San Francisco (29-0) Runner-up: Iowa MOP: Hal Lear 1955: San Francisco (28-1) Runner-up: La Salle MOP: Bill Russell 1954: La Salle (26-4) Runner-up: Bradley MOP: Tom Gola 1953: Indiana (23-3) Runner-up: Kansas MOP: B.H. Born 1952: Kansas (28-3) Runner-up: St. John's MOP: Clyde Lovellette 1951: Kentucky (32-2) Runner-up: Kansas St. MOP: Bill Spivey 1950: CCNY (24-5) Runner-up: Bradley MOP: Irwin Dambrot 1949: Kentucky (32-2) Runner-up: Oklahoma A&M MOP: Alex Groza 1948: Kentucky (36-3) Runner-up: Baylor MOP: Alex Groza 1947: Holy Cross (27-3) Runner-up: Oklahoma MOP: George Kaftan 1946: Oklahoma St. (31-2) Runner-up: N. Carolina MOP: Bob Kurland 1945: Oklahoma St. (27-4) Runner-up: NYU MOP: Bob Kurland 1944: Utah (21-4) Runner-up: Dartmouth MOP: Arnie Ferrin 1943: Wyoming (31-2) Runner-up: Georgetown MOP: Ken Sailors 1942: Stanford (28-4) Runner-up: Dartmouth MOP: Howie Dallmar 1941: Wisconsin (20-3) Runner-up: Wash. St. MOP: John Kotz 1940: Indiana (20-3) Runner-up: Kansas MOP: Marv Huffman 1939: Oregon (29-5) Runner-up: Ohio St. MOP: Jim Hull SOURCE: NCAA.COM

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THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

2019 NCAA TOURNAMENT

FOLLOWING ZAGS ISN’T CHEAP

IN GONZAGA’S POD

Whether by plane, train, bus or car, road trip will cost you

By Justin Reed THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

Gonzaga came out of Selection Sunday with its third No. 1 seed in school history to the NCAA Tournament and now they are headed to Salt Lake City to play the winner of Fairleigh Dickinson versus Prairie View A&M on Thursday.

Time to pack those bags and head south to the Vivant Smart Home Arena, home of John Stockton’s Utah Jazz. OK, it’s not that easy, but if you can get out of work for a few days, here is how much it will cost to watch the Bulldogs in the first- and second-round games of the tournament.

First off, securing tickets to the Big Dance.

As of Sunday night, tickets for just GU’s games (figuring a win on Thursday, No. 1 seeds are 135-1 historically against No. 16 seeds) would cost about $275 minimum or $1,400 on the high end. For all-session tickets (to watch every game in Salt Lake), expect to pay a minimum of $325 and upwards of $1,000.

Then, how do you get to Salt Lake City?

If routine turbulence doesn’t frighten you, a flight out of Spokane International Airport currently is $517 nonstop roundtrip on Delta.

About an hour and 15 minutes in the air and you’ll touch down at Salt Lake City International Airport.

Waiting to pull the trigger could

strain the wallet even more. Prices are sitting anywhere between $800 and $1,000 roundtrip on Alaska or United with a stop or two thrown in for good measure.

Or maybe you have aerophobia like NFL Hall of Famer John Madden, a road trip east on I-90 and south on I-15 might be more your speed.

A straight shot to Salt Lake takes about 11 hours if you don’t utilize the rest stops or maybe you packed snacks and drinks to save time.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, the average fuel economy for a car/truck/SUV is 21.1 miles a gallon. A 1,442-mile trip would take about 68 gallons of gas.

Dividing 68 into three (for Montana, Idaho and Utah, the states you drive through and their average gas prices) gas would cost approximately $161, depending on your vehicle.

For the true budget option, albeit the most inconvenient, maybe it would be best to try the classic Greyhound bus ride experience. For $273, you could take a 17-hour bus ride departing out of downtown Spokane.

As brutal as a 17-hour bus ride might sound, there is free WiFi onboard and plenty of friends to make sitting around you.

Now – unless you decide to sleep in your mode of transportation – it’s time to find a hotel or motel close to the arena. There are myriad of choices ranging from $60 a night in a Motel 6 to as much as $350 a night for a

stay in a Marriott all within a mile of Vivant.

Don’t forget to look for a hotel with free parking (a necessity in a packed downtown with limited space for vehicles) and maybe a continental breakfast.

Take advantage of Google’s hotel search option, you can request specific amenities in your prospective hotels to find the perfect place to rest up before you scream your vocal cords raw in the same arena Stockton broke the NBA career assists record.

Continental breakfasts are awesome, as long as you don’t sleep in.

But not every hotel has that perk.

Plus, there are other meals to plan for anyway.

It is probably safe to assume about $13 a meal on average not including beverages, so over four days, food could add up, especially if celebratory/disappointment drinks are in the cards.

Factor in some sightseeing and activities while you’re there as well.

Maybe a trek to the University of Utah’s campus, or if you’re feeling really adventurous, a 43-minute drive to Provo, Utah to see BYU might peak your interest.

If you need to take an Uber or Lyft, rates should charge about $8-$10 a mile, which could double during surge times (times of increased demand from riders). So either pack your walking shoes or toss a bike on your rig if you want to cut those expenses out.

16 FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON From: Teaneck, New Jersey Coach: Greg Herenda Conference: Northeast Bid: Champion (20-13) NCAA Tournament record: 0-5, five years Last in: 2016 Last 10: 9-1 Scoring: Team – 75.4 ppg, 71.3 ppg allowed; G Darnell Edge 16.4, G Jahlil Jenkins 13.5, F Mike Holloway Jr. 12.5. Rebounds: Team 32.9; F Kaleb Bishop 6.3, Holloway Jr. 5.5, F Eyjah Williams 5.3.

Assists/turnovers: Team 14.1/13.3; Jenkins 3.0/2.0.

3-pointers: Team .404; Edge 84, G Xzavier Malone-Key 47, Jenkins 41.

16 PRAIRIE VIEW A&M From: Prairie View, Texas Coach: Byron Smith Conference: SWAC Bid: Champion (22-12) NCAA Tournament record: 0-1, one year Last in: 1998 Last 10: 10-0 Scoring: Team – 75.0 ppg, 72.5 ppg allowed; G Gary Blackston 15.2, F Devonte Patterson 13.4, G Gerard Andrus 10.0. Rebounds: Team 33.1; Blackston 7.0, Andrus 5.7, Patterson 4.9.

Assists/turnovers: Team 12.5/12/7; G Dennis Jones 4.1/2.7, G Taishaun Johnson 2.4/1.7. 3-pointers: Team .438; G Chancellor Ellis 46.

8 SYRACUSE From: Syracuse, New York Coach: Jim Boeheim Conference: Atlantic Coast Bid: At large (20-13) NCAA Tournament record: 65-38, 38 years Last in: 2018 Last 10: 7-3 Scoring: Team – 69.7 ppg, 65.7 ppg allowed; G Tyus Battle 17.2, F Elijah Hughes 13.4, F Oshae Brissett 12.4. Rebounds: Team 34.8; Brissett 7.5, C Paschal Chukwu 5.4. Assists/turnovers: Team 12.0/12.4; G Frank Howard 2.5/2.0.

3-pointers: Team .323; Hughes 81, Howard 51.

9 BAYLOR From: Waco, Texas Coach: Scott Drew Conference: Big 12 Bid: At large (19-13) NCAA Tournament record: 13-13, 11 years Last in: 2017 Last 10: 4-6 Scoring: Team 71.6 points per game scored, 67.1 points per game allowed; G Makai Mason 14.6, F Tristan Clark 14.6, G/F Mario Kegler 10.7, G Jared Butler 10.1. Rebounds: Team 38.0; G/F Mark Vital 7.2, Clark 6.3, Kegler 6.0. Assists/turnovers: Team 13.8/13.2; Butler 2.7/1.9; Mason 2.6/2.1. 3-pointers: Team .341; Butler 55, Mason 54.

LIBBY KAMROWSKI/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

Gonzaga head coach Mark Few speaks to the media on Selection Sunday in the McCarthey Athletic Center.

The Knights (20-13), from Teaneck, we apply whatever the coaches tell us New Jersey, are riding an eight-game in the scouting report and focus on Continued from 2 winning streak. They won 14 of their that for a day or two in practice before we play.” last 16.

If the Zags win their opener, they Prairie View A&M, located about na and Virginia.

Salt Lake City is fairly close for Zag 50 miles from Houston, has won its would face the winner of No. 8 Syrafans planning to attend. It’s roughly a last 11 games, including a 92-86 victory cuse and No. 9 Baylor. Syracuse has two-hour direct flight or 12-hour over Texas Southern in the South- knocked Gonzaga out of the NCAA western Athletic Conference cham- Tournament twice this decade. The drive.

“I’m sure they’re texting me right pionship. The Panthers (22-12), who 11th-seeded Zags fell to the 10th-seednow,” senior point guard Josh Per- also won the SWAC regular-season ed Orange 63-60 in the Sweet 16 in kins said of his Denver-based family. title, beat the WCC’s Santa Clara in 2016 and top-seeded Syracuse “I’m sure mom is going to hop in the their season opener before dropping thumped No. 8 GU 87-65 in the 2010 round-of-32. car and come see her baby boy for the 11 consecutive games.

Baylor (19-13) finished fourth in the Gonzaga thumped Texas Southern last time in March Madness.”

Big 12 Conference. John Jakus was Denver was hit hard by a midweek 104-67 in November.

This is the first time Gonzaga will Gonzaga’s director of operations for winter storm. “I think my fam might still be in Las Vegas because they got face a play-in winner in its first-round three years before joining Baylor’s stuck,” Perkins said. “Tough break, game. The Zags just went through a staff as an assistant coach in May, right? I think pops is loving it with the similar experience, not learning their 2017. Former Gonzaga walk-on Rem WCC Tournament semifinal matchup Bakamus is a Bears’ graduate assistheat and his friends.” ant.

The Zags will face a conference until a few days before the game.

Michigan is the West’s second seed, “They (coaches) will probably have tournament champion in the first round. Second-seeded Fairleigh 10 pages of stuff ready on either team,” Big 12 co-champion Texas Tech is Dickinson beat No. 1 Saint Francis 85- Crandall smiled. “For the players, we third and Florida State, which ended 76 to capture the Northeast Confer- usually focus on ourselves earlier in Gonzaga’s 2018 season in the Sweet 16, ence for the second time in four years. the week anyway. Later in the week is the four.

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THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

MARCH 18, 2019

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2019 NCAA TOURNAMENT

POMEROY IMPRESSED BY ZAGS Analytics guru likes GU’s chances

By Theo Lawson THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

Not unlike a majority of fans who’ll turn out this week, he doesn’t have a particular rooting interest in the games taking place at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Just a profound appreciation for college basketball that would lure any Salt Lake City resident away from the television set for a chance to see the NCAA Tournament played in their own backyard.

Like the rest of them, Ken Pomeroy will be interested to see if No. 1-seeded Gonzaga can shrug off a 60-47 loss to Saint Mary’s in the WCC title game and revert to the point-scoring juggernaut that many have already penciled in to make a second Final Four run in three years.

The man most college basketball purists turn to when they need to scratch their advanced statistics itch will be courtside in his hometown when the Zags play Fairleigh Dickinson or Prairie View A&M on Thursday in the first round of the 2019 tournament.

For the casual fan who may not find the same fascination in the analytical side of the sport, Pomeroy is the founder and manager of kenpom.com, a widely popular subscription-based website/archive that coaches, writers and basketball junkies use to track advanced stats, trends and predictive data, among other things.

Even in the wake of a sub-50point outing against the Gaels in Las Vegas, college basketball’s numbers whiz – and his acclaimed website – are particularly high on the Zags and their historically productive offense.

GU is at the very top of Pomeroy’s “adjusted offensive efficiency” chart, with a rating of 125.1.

The “AdjO” is computed using the points per 100 possessions a team scores over the course of a season, and then adjusted based on the quality of opponent. So, yes, Pomeroy’s model accounts for the quality of opponents the Zags play in January and February – months where the GU schedule is stuffed with lower-tier WCC foes.

It also accounts for recent games

and close games, “but the bulk of it is just schedule adjustment, basically,” Pomeroy said in a recent phone interview.

The 2018-19 Zags have skyrocketed to the top of Pomeroy’s board primarily because of their accuracy inside the 3-point arc.

Gonzaga is making its 2-pointers at a 62-percent clip, the best in the country.

“So it’s better than the secondbest team by almost three percent,” Pomeroy said. “They’ve really been able to get easy baskets and most of the time it’s not rocket science, but it’s the type of shooting that’s going to drive the good offense. That’s true for Gonzaga as well.”

“They do other things; they don’t commit many turnovers,” he added. “That’s kind of the secondbest thing they do, and they’re above average at getting fouled, they’re above average at getting rebounds, but it’s really the shooting combined with the turnovers that makes them so dangerous.”

And GU’s efficiency rating?

Well, it’s historically high for a team that has never surpassed 121.7 on the “KenPom” scale since Pomeroy launched his website in 2001. Only three other times during that 19-year stretch has Gonzaga reached the 120 threshold.

That’s not only good for Gonzaga, it’s one of the best ratings a team has ever registered in “KenPom” history.

The “KenPom” record for adjusted offensive efficiency was 129, set by Wisconsin at the end of the 2015 season. Villanova had a high mark last season, at 127.8, after winning the national championship. Oklahoma State’s 2017 team (126) and Notre Dame’s 2015 team (125.4) also did well.

“But 125 is up there, though, it’s obviously – when you’re first in the country, it’s pretty impressive,” Pomeroy said of Gonzaga.

Pomeroy just made his annual pilgrimage to the Pac-12 Tournament at T-Mobile Arena, t a few miles away from GU’s title-game loss to Saint Mary’s at the Orleans Arena. A historically good offense

TYLER TJOMSLAND/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

Gonzaga forward Brandon Clarke is ranked seventh on Key Pomeroy’s player of the year list. had a historically stagnant night, shooting just 37 percent from the field and 11 from the 3-point line.

The 47 points signified the Bulldogs’ lowest single-game output since 2009-10.

GU’s “KenPom” stock took a major hit, too. The Bulldogs are still No. 1 in AdjO, but not by nearly the same margin they were when they took the floor Tuesday night in Vegas.

“They were 127.8 before that game,” Pomeroy said. “That’s enormous, it’s really significant.

Just to give you an idea, they basically have not scored less than a point per possession all year in any game and in that game, they were, like, .78. So it was their worst offensive game by far.”

But Pomeroy, like every analyst, reporter and player on the Gonzaga roster, would caution not to read too deep into a single loss, or what it means for the Bulldogs moving forward.

“Saint Mary’s, traditionally they’re really kind of aggressive defensively on the ball,” Pomeroy said. “On the wrong night that can cause problems with anybody, but

I do think that game was as much Gonzaga not coming to play as it was any sort of defensive thing that Saint Mary’s did, because obviously that was the third time they played and the first two times, Saint Mary’s didn’t have a whole lot of luck stopping them.

“So yeah, I don’t know if there’s any secret formula to come out of that (loss).”

Pomeroy hesitates to make an apples-to-apples comparison to the 2017 Gonzaga team that reached the national title game – chiefly because the 2019 version is still five games from reaching that level.

But he likes this team’s prospects.

His website considers forward Brandon Clarke seventh in the kPOY (Player of the Year) standings and the junior’s “effective field-goal percentage” – a twist on the conventional field-goal percentage that places more weight on 3-pointers – is fourth nationally (70 percent).

“Clarke actually rates out as having more of an offensive impact because of his field-goal percentage,

and it’s so much higher than (Rui) Hachimura’s, he actually rates out a little bit higher,” Pomeroy said.

“But they both grade out really well.”

As for the old adage of “defense wins championships?” Not so fast, Pomeroy says.

“Generally speaking, teams that are led by their offense tend to have better prospects in the tournament,” he said. “It’s not a super obvious trend there, but it’s like a subtle trend, so in that respect that’s another reason to be kind of optimistic.

“But that said, it’s extremely difficult to get to the national title game, so if that is the standard by which we’re measuring these two teams by, I would guess this team will end up falling a little bit short.

Certainly by this point, they’ve both been pretty similar as far as their performance.”

College basketball’s foremost numbers guru will get to experience the eye test soon enough.

CONTACT THE WRITER:

(509) 939-5928 theol@spokesman.com

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THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

2019 NCAA TOURNAMENT EAST REGION

WEST REGION

WEST FEATURES DUKE EARNS DEPTH, STAR TOP OVERALL SEED POWER

MIDWEST REGION

SOUTH REGION

VIRGINIA HAS TOP-SEEDED CHANCE FOR TAR HEELS FACE REDEMPTION TOUGH DRAW

Associated Press

Associated Press

Associated Press

Associated Press

Gonzaga earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in seven years, topping a difficult West Region that includes Michigan, Texas Tech, Florida State, Marquette, Buffalo, Nevada and Syracuse.

The lower seeds include Baylor, Murray State, Vermont, Northern Kentucky and Florida. Arizona State and St. John’s will play in the First Four on Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio. The West Region concludes March 28-30 in Anaheim, California.

Must-watch game: The West Region includes one of the most intriguing first-round matchups in the bracket.

No. 5 seed Marquette and No. 12 Murray State not only are exciting teams to watch, they have two of the nation’s most dynamic players.

Markus Howard, Marquette’s 5foot-9 shoot-from-anywhere guard, is the nation’s fifth-leading scorer at 25 points per game. He had a Big East-record 53 points against Creighton and scored 45 twice, including a 40-point second half against Buffalo.

Murray State’s Ja Morant might have played himself into being a lottery pick during his sophomore season, scoring in bunches and dunking over bigger players with regularity. He led the nation with 10.0 assists per game and was eighth in scoring at 24.7.

Tough bracket: Teams in the West Region could make an argument they’re playing in the bracket’s toughest region.

Gonzaga might have more talent than the team that went to the national title game two years ago. Michigan opened its season with 17 straight wins after playing for a national championship last season and made it to the Big Ten title game.

Florida State is long, athletic and finished fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference, arguably the nation’s toughest league. Buffalo has a veteran team that knocked off Arizona in the NCAA Tournament last year and swept the MidAmerican Conference regular-season and tournament titles.

Syracuse and its difficult-to-decipher zone are almost always a problem in the NCAA Tournament, Nevada and Baylor have the talent to compete with anyone.

First Four sweat out: Arizona State and St. John’s had some anxious moments on Selection Sunday.

Both were considered bubble teams and had to wait until near the end of the reveal show to find out if they were in.

Bobby Hurley’s Sun Devils will be making consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time since 1979-81, despite losing in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals.

St. John’s appeared to be in trouble after being stomped by Marquette in the Big East Tournament, but had two previous wins over the Golden Eagles and knocked off another NCAA Tournament team in Villanova to reach the NCAAs for the first time since 2015.

Zion’s path to the Final Four goes through the nation’s capital.

Zion Williamson and Duke are the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Devils sit atop the East Region, and their road to Minneapolis could include matchups with Atlantic Coast Conference rival Virginia Tech – which beat Duke without Zion – and Big Ten champion Michigan State.

Fifth-ranked Duke’s top competition in the East comes from the second-seeded Spartans – who lost forward Kyle Ahrens to a left leg injury in the Big Ten title game Sunday – third-seeded LSU and fourth-seeded Virginia Tech. The Hokies beat Duke 77-72 on Feb. 26.

The Blue Devils (29-5) haven’t lost since Williamson returned, rolling through the ACC tourney by beating Syracuse, North Carolina and Florida State.

Krzyzewski hopes center Marques Bolden returns at some point in the tournament.

Duke opens the NCAA Tournament in Columbia, South Carolina, against the 16th-seeded winner of the First Four game between North Carolina Central and North Dakota State.

Assuming Duke gets through the first round, eighth-seeded VCU or ninthseeded UCF will be waiting. VCU star point guard Marcus Evans injured his left knee in the Atlantic 10 Tournament but is expected to return for the NCAA Tournament.

Spartans’ pride: Michigan State held off rival Michigan to win the Big Ten Tournament and rolls into a matchup with 15th-seeded Bradley. Guard Joshua Langford is already lost for the season, but the Spartans can still lean on Cassius Winston and strong rebounding.

More injuries: Virginia Tech’s Justin Robinson tweeted Sunday he’s ready to return after missing the past 12 games with a left foot injury. Virginia Tech opens the tournament against Saint Louis, which won the Atlantic 10 Tournament.

Bubble in: Temple was squarely on the bubble after losing to Wichita State in its first American Athletic Conference Tournament game Friday. But Fran Dunphy’s Owls will face Belmont on Tuesday for the right to be the 11th seed in the East and face sixth-seeded Maryland.

LSU without Dade: LSU goes into the NCAA Tournament having won nine of 11, but coach Will Wade remains under an indefinite suspension after a report he had been caught on a wiretap talking with a person convicted of funneling money to the families of basketball recruits.

LSU opens against 14th-seeded Yale, which beat Harvard to win the Ivy League Tournament.

Maryland, my Maryland: If Maryland gets through Temple or Belmont and then LSU or Yale, it’ll be playing a home game in the Sweet 16. Capital One Arena is just 12 miles from College Park and could be the site of rival factions of Duke and Maryland fans if the former ACC rivals both reach the third round.

Nothing will ever erase Virginia’s history as the first men’s No. 1 seed to lose its NCAA Tournament opener.

At least now the Cavaliers’ wait for the chance to make up for that unprecedented loss is nearly over.

The Cavaliers are the second overall No. 1 seed and back in the South Region bracket after losing to the University of Maryland-Baltimore County – better known as UMBC – a year ago. Virginia lost 74-54 to UMBC, becoming the first men’s No. 1 seed to lose to a 16 seed.

Virginia (29-3) will play an NCAA Tournament newcomer in GardnerWebb (23-11) of the Big South Conference on Friday in Columbia, South Carolina.

This is the seventh time Virginia has been a No. 1 seed and the fourth time in six seasons, though the Cavaliers still are looking to reach their first Final Four with coach Tony Bennett and first since 1984.

Second-ranked Virginia had been in the running to be the top overall seed before losing 69-59 to No. 12 Florida State in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament semifinals. The Cavaliers’ only other losses this season were to Duke, the overall No. 1 seed.

Reaching the Final Four in Minneapolis won’t be easy. The Cavaliers find themselves in a bracket with Tennessee, with the Vols hoping for a No. 1 seed until being routed in the Southeastern Conference tournament final Sunday. The No. 2 seed Vols open Friday in Columbus, Ohio, against Colgate (24-10).

Wisconsin, which reached the Final Four in 2014 and 2015, are a possible regional semifinal opponent in Louisville, Kentucky, on March 28. There’s also Villanova and Cincinnati, which just beat No. 11 Houston for the American Athletic Conference tournament title just before the brackets were released.

Shadow of Sister Jean: The Tennessee Volunteers (29-5) can sympathize with Virginia’s pain over an early NCAA Tournament loss. The Vols earned their first berth since 2014 only to lose in the second round last year, 63-62 to LoyolaChicago with famous fan Sister Jean watching. Now they play Colgate, the Patriot League tournament champ.

Defending champs: Villanova (25-9) will try to defend its title – and win its third championship in four years – as the sixth seed playing No. 11 seed Saint Mary’s (22-11) on Thursday in Hartford, Connecticut. The Big East champs haven’t been seeded this low since 2013.

Injury watch: Kansas State (25-8) is hoping to have senior forward Dean Wade back for the fourth-seeded Wildcats’ opener Friday in San Jose against UC Irvine (30-5). Wade, averaging 12.9 points, missed both games at the Big 12 Tournament, and he was still wearing a walking boot on his right foot Sunday.

Home sweet home: Cincinnati might not be happy being seeded seventh. But the Bearcats (28-6) only have to travel about 100 miles to Columbus to play No. 10 seed Iowa (22-11).

North Carolina was rewarded for navigating one of the nation’s toughest schedules, earning the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region after tying Virginia for the regular-season Atlantic Coast Conference title and taking Duke down to the wire in their conference tournament.

That’s just about the only reward.

The Blue Devils earned the overall No. 1 seed and were given the more preferable East Region, and that means the Tar Heels will be traveling all over the country in the NCAA Tournament. They’ll open against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament champion Iona on Friday in Columbus, Ohio, and could face eighth-seeded Utah State or ninthseeded Washington for a spot in the Sweet 16.

The Aggies, led by star guard Sam Merrill, haven’t lost since early February after claiming the Mountain West Tournament title. The Huskies were the class of the Pac-12 all season.

If the Tar Heels survive the opening weekend, they get a trip to Kansas City, Missouri, just down the road from where coach Roy Williams once led Kansas.

And who could await them but the fourth-seeded Jayhawks, who open against Northeastern in Salt Lake City.

The Jayhawks should be favored against the Colonial champs, but they could be in for a tough second-round matchup. SEC Tournament champion Auburn, fresh off a romp over Tennessee, is the fifth seed and will face No. 12 seed New Mexico State in the other matchup in Salt Lake City.

The Aggies went 30-4, rolled through the Western Athletic Conference and routed Grand Canyon to win their tournament.

The bottom half of the Midwest Region boasts just as much intrigue and pedigree.

Kentucky spent much of the season in the discussion for a No. 1 seed, particularly after a win over then-No. 1 Tennessee during conference play. But a narrow loss to the Vols in the SEC Tournament may have dropped the Wildcats a line and into a matchup with Abilene Christian.

If they advance, they would have to face seventh-seeded Wofford – the Southern Conference champ currently on a 20-game win streak – or Seton Hall, a team that already topped Kentucky once this season and knocked off Marquette and Villanova, too.

Third-seeded Houston won a schoolrecord 31 games along with its first regular-season conference title since 1992.

The Cougars, who will open against Sun Belt champion Georgia State, which will be trying to advance to the Sweet 16 after losing to Michigan in the second round a year ago.

Iowa State packed the Sprint Center as it won Big 12 Tournament. It figures to have even more support if the Cyclones get past Ohio State in the first round and the Houston-Georgia State winner to reach the Sweet 16.

Sunday features highs, lows Winners and losers abound in selection show

By Phil Rosenthal and Tim Bannon CHICAGO TRIBUNE

The bracket is out. The bubbles are burst. The NCAA Tournament got real Sunday as CBS’s “Selection Sunday” show revealed the field.

And as is always the case, with the telecast as well as the teams, there are winners and there are losers. Some shining moments, indeed.

Winner: Viewers.

CBS got through all four brackets in just 36 minutes. It should never take longer.

Loser: Michigan State.

The Big Ten Tournament champion and regular-season co-champion Spartans are the second No. 2 seed, yet they wound up in the East with No. 1 overall seed Duke.

Meanwhile the team the Spartans beat at the United Center in the conference tournament final, regular-season co-champ Michigan, is the last of the No. 2 seeds but landed in the West with Gonzaga, which is

the weakest of the No. 1 seeds.

Winner: The Big Ten. Last year, only four Big Ten teams made the tournament: Purdue, Michigan State, Michigan and Ohio State. This year a conference-record eight made it – the most of any conference. It was almost nine, with Indiana one of the first four out.

Loser: The state of Wisconsin.

While Wisconsin outshined neighbor Illinois with a pair of teams in the tournament – both No. 5 seeds – CBS’ announcement-show analysts predicted early exits for both. Clark Kellogg had Marquette opening with a loss to Murray State, and Seth Davis pegged Oregon to begin with an upset of the Wisconsin Badgers. Of course, it’s hard to see Bradley, the lone Illinois representative in the tournament, knocking off Michigan State.

Winner: Seth Davis.

In the first minute of CBS’ “Selection Show,” he said: “No one wants to hear me talk.” True that. And they went straight to the bracket.

Winner: Larry Bird.

It would have been enough that Charles See SELECTION, 11

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THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

MARCH 18, 2019

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SPECIAL 11

2019 NCAA TOURNAMENT WASHINGTON HUSKIES

UW breaks tourney drought, earns 9 seed

By Percy Allen SEATTLE – Midway through CBS’ hourlong NCAA Tournament selection show, Noah Dickerson started getting a little nervous when half of the 68-team field was revealed, and the Huskies hadn’t heard their name.

“We all started looking at each other like, what’s happening?” the Washington senior forward said. “But when we finally saw the name pop up everybody was happy.”

Finally, the drought is over, and after eight years the Huskies will dance on the biggest stage in college basketball.

Washington (26-8) returns to the NCAA Tournament as the No. 9 seed in the Midwest Region and will play No. 8 Utah State (28-6) on Friday in Columbus, Ohio.

Tipoff is 3:50 p.m. on TNT, and the winner will likely face No. 1 North Carolina in the second round Sunday.

UW players and coaches watched Sunday’s selection show at Mike Hopkins’ home during an afternoon filled with nervous anticipation and joyous celebration.

“This feeling just jumped on me,” UW guard David Crisp said. “I jumped out of my seat and was screaming. It was crazy. I can’t even explain it.

“Everybody is happy to finally end that drought. We’re going to feel good about it right and be happy, but then get ready for our game plan and get ready for Utah State.”

The Huskies gave themselves a moratorium on reveling in their journey from a 9-22 team two years ago to a Pac-12 regularseason championship squad that includes the league’s player of the year (Jaylen Nowell) and defensive player of the year (Matisse Thybulle).

Returning to the NCAA Tournament is particularly a satisfying accomplishment for UW’s four seniors Dominic Green, Crisp, Dickerson and Thybulle.

“We had a feeling going in and people were talking and saying we’re going to make it, but to hear your name get called and see

SELECTION Continued from 10 Barkley’s bracket buddy was a parrot named Larry perched on his shoulder – the envy of any pirate. But the coup de grâce of the credit-card ad from the ongoing series with Spike Lee and Samuel L. Jackson was the appearance of Larry Bird with his own bracket buddy, a dog he has dubbed Charles Bark Lee. Whoever set this up deserves a feather in their cap.

Loser: Pac-12 Conference.

Remember when they were a national power? Just three teams in the 68-team NCAA Tournament. None higher than No. 9 seed Washington.

Winner: The Atlantic

your name up there on the bracket is amazing,” Thybulle said. “I’ve never had this experience, and I know Husky fans have been waiting a long time, and it’s a dream come

COMING UP

SEATTLE TIMES

Friday: UW vs.

Utah State in Columbus, Ohio, 3:50 p.m.

TV: TNT

true.”

Rather than reminisce on the past four years, the Huskies are focused on the next five days and Friday’s game at Nationwide Arena.

“My immediate response was, OK what now?” Thybulle said. “It’s exciting, but none of us players know what it’s like to be in the tournament.

“We’re excited for the opportunity, but we’re excited to find out what we can go out there and what we’re capable of. My immediate reaction was let’s go.”

Crisp added: “This school hasn’t been to the tournament since I was in middle school or the sixth grade. So no one is just happy to be here. We have a chip on our shoulder, and it’s going to stay there because that’s what brought us this far.”

In many ways, Utah State will travel a similar path to Columbus.

The Aggies also snapped an eight-year NCAA Tournament drought under the guidance of first-year coach Craig Smith, who took over a team that hadn’t had a winning season in the previous three years.

That’s where most obvious comparisons end between the Huskies and Aggies.

Washington is a defensive team that allows just 64.3 points per game, whereas Utah State is one of the highest-scoring teams in the nation, averaging 79.2 points.

The Huskies are led by Nowell and its senior quartet, while the Aggies rely heavily on stars Sam Merrill and Neemias Queta.

Merrill, a 6-foot-5 junior guard who averages 21.2 points, 4.2 assists and 4.0 rebounds, won the Mountain West Player of the Year award. And Queta, a 6-11 freshman who averages 11.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks, claimed the conference’s defensive and freshman player of the year honors.

Coast Conference.

The ACC trailed the Big Ten in teams to qualify for the tournament, with seven teams to the Big Ten’s eight, but three of the ACC’s seven – Duke, Virginia and North Carolina – accounted for all but one of the tournament’s No. 1 seeds.

Winner: Richard Pitino.

The East matchup of Pitino’s No. 10 seed Minnesota vs. No. 7 seed Louisville gives Pitino the chance to get revenge on the school that fired his dad, Rick.

Winner: truTV. The first four games of the tournament from Dayton will be on this channel, which means basketball fans are encouraged to look up where it is again for the first time since last March.

Loser: Bradley Braves.

More like Bradley Cow-

ards. The Missouri Valley Conference Tournament champs returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 13 years overshadowed their own feelgood story. The athletic department tried to ban a longtime beat reporter from access, claiming he didn’t “promote the Bradley brand,” as if that was his role.

The Peoria Journal Star’s Dave Reynolds said coach Brian Wardle – who gained national attention in 2013 for bullying a player at Wisconsin-Green Bay – accused him of “always looking for the negative.” Bradley rescinded its ban in the face of criticism but only after establishing its “brand” to be one of insecure paranoia and strong-arm tactics.

Loser: Blue.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington's Nahziah Carter celebrates after his team defeated Colorado in the semifinals of the Pac-12 Tournament. UW will face Utah State on Friday.

It’s an understandable assumption considering Washington’s frightful second-half performance in its last outing, when it was outscored 40-22.

Hopkins said his biggest challenge this week in preparing Washington for the NCAA Tournament starts with demystifying March Madness.

“The bottom line is it’s all hype, and it’s excitement,” said Hopkins, who spent 22 years as a Syracuse assistant and appeared in 16 NCAA Tournaments, including the 2003 national championship team. “The key to this tournament is you got to be focused and go out and play well. You can’t get caught up in the moment; you just got to do what we do.

“We’re at our best when we’re playing good defense and we’re poised on the offensive end where we’re sharing the ball.

We kind of put some halves together lately, but we’re not playing to the level that we can. And it’s our job to get these guys ready and excited, but really going out and executing your game plan is the key to this thing.”

Since winning 15 of 16 games at midseason, Washington has been inconsistent while compiling a 4-3 record in its past seven games, including an embarrassing 6848 defeat to Oregon in the Pac-12 Tournament final.

Utah State is riding a 10-game winning streak that’s tied for eighth longest among the 345 Division I teams.

The Aggies tied for first in the Mountain West regular-season race at 15-3 and captured the program’s first conference tournament title with a 64-57 win over San Diego State to punch their ticket to the Big Dance.

“I truly believe our league is a league that’s on the rise,” said Smith, who spent the previous four seasons at South Dakota State. “I really believe that. And so now you get in a field of 68, and we want nothing more than to represent the Mountain West Conference (in) a first-class fashion the right way.”

CBS analyst Clark Kellogg favored the Aggies over the Huskies noting, “Utah State has size and they got scoring.”

Michigan lost the battle of the Great Lakes State.

Again. The Wolverines lost to the Spartans twice in the regular season. The last came Sunday in the Big Ten championship. With any luck, Michigan State and Michigan will meet again.

Despite the loss, Michigan still got a No. 2 seed.

Winner: Boiling Springs, N.C. The town of 4,647 in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains had been best known for the natural spring after which it is named.

But this week it’s best known as home to GardnerWebb University, which made the tournament for the first time after winning the Big South Tournament.

They are, by the way, the Runnin’ Bulldogs.

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MARCH 18, 2019

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

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