SPORTS MARCH 11-12, 2021
College basketball coming to a close By: Mark Elliott Despite many disasters being caused by COVID, NCAA basketball still continued it’s full season. There were many surprises as to the team’s performances this year, such as Duke and North Carolina, traditionally two of the best teams in basketball, both had traumatic down years. Breakout teams also emerged this year such as Illinois, Michigan, and Florida State. As the year winds down teams are playing for conference championships and preparing for the dance. In the ACC, it was a very strange year compared to years in the past. In first place is Florida State, having a very dominant year. In second place is the defending NCAA champions, Virginia.
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defense all year long, but surprisingly are not in the driver’s seat to win the ACC this year. The two big shockers that have been mentioned are North Carolina in 7th place, a team that has been in and out of the final four each year. Also 10th place Duke, another team that is always dominating college basketball, this team is and always has been led by Coach K, so it is very strange to see this team along with North Carolina, as they are without the coach they have had for years upon year, Roy Williams. Although both teams are very young teams with a lot of potential to develop in the future, they had very disappointing seasons. The craziest part is both Duke and North Carolina
not making March Madness at all this year. For the Big 12, this was also unlike any other years previous. KU, who has been dominating the Big 12 for the past 15 years has to win the tournament to even share the Big 12 Title. Despite their slow start to the season and all of their struggles, they are second place. In first place is Baylor, having a very solid 3 point shooting team rallying to a one loss season before the Big 12 tournament. Baylor being a rising team all year has a very real chance at winning it all this year. One of the worst seasons in the history of the Big 12 is the 2-19 Iowa State team. They went 0-16 in Big 12 conference play, and this team shared the conference title just a few years before.
A team that recently, has been traditionally bad, Texas has had an up year, finishing 15-7. Texas hasn’t been anything in sports since Kevin Durant, and their old glory football days. They seem to have a good young future and could improve even more this year. One conference that has had a bunch of teams succeed this year is the Big Ten. In first place was Michigan, a team that has been on the brink of greatness for the past few years. This year they finally blossomed, dominating the paint and the boards, they have been a top team all year this year. In second place was a very surprising team this year, Illinois has been able to dominate most of the teams they’ve played this year, despite how little
