Probably the most anticipated Closing Fours in a while will top-off Saturday night time in San Antonio with an SEC battle between Florida and Auburn adopted up by the nightcap between Duke and Houston.
Earlier than the motion will get going contained in the Alamodome, listed here are 10 issues you must find out about this 12 months’s semifinals and the 4 groups left standing.
1. For simply the second time in Closing 4 historical past, the quartet of groups remaining are all No. 1 seeds.
The one different time in match historical past that every one 4 No. 1 seeds have survived regional play was again in 2008. In that season, No. 1 total seed Kansas hammered North Carolina within the semifinals earlier than toppling Memphis in extra time in probably the most memorable nationwide title video games in match historical past.
Maybe omen for this 12 months’s No. 1 total seed, Auburn.
2. Duke’s total Internet Effectivity Ranking in Ken Pomeroy’s mannequin (the Bible of faculty basketball) is 39.63. That’s the second-best score of any group for the reason that inception of KenPom, which matches again to the 1996-97 season.
The one group with a greater total rating? The 1998-99 Blue Devils. That group was surprised by UConn within the nationwide championship sport.
3. This 12 months’s Closing 4 will characteristic three of the 5 Related Press First Staff All-Individuals.
Nationwide Participant of the Yr front-runners Cooper Flagg (Duke) and Johni Broome (Auburn) had been each consensus first teamers, whereas Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. — maybe essentially the most thrilling participant of the NCAA match up to now — was the third main vote getter.
There hasn’t been a Closing 4 in a while with this degree of star energy.
4. The SEC was 30-4 towards the ACC this season, a quantity which turned notable once more if Duke is ready to topple Houston and advance to face the winner of Auburn-Florida.
Equally notable: A type of 4 ACC victories was Duke toppling Auburn again on Dec. 4.
5. Houston is one of the best defensive group within the nation, they usually’re particularly dominant within the sport’s opening half.
The Cougars enable a median of beneath 26 factors a sport within the first half, and held Tennessee to simply 15 of their Elite Eight victory. If Duke is scoring at its typical fee after 20 minutes, it’ll doubtless be signal that the Blue Devils will probably be taking part in on Monday night time.
6. Saturday’s sport will mark the primary Closing 4 contest between the nation’s finest offensive group (Duke) and the nation’s finest defensive group (Houston) since Wisconsin spoiled Kentucky’s excellent season 10 years in the past. In that sport, it was the extra offensive-minded squad that prevailed.
7. Houston has misplaced a grand complete of 1 sport in regulation this season.
The group that pulled off the feat? Auburn, which toppled the Cougars, 74-69, on the primary Saturday of the season again on Nov. 9.
Houston would go on to lose extra time video games towards Alabama, San Diego State and Texas Tech earlier than beginning its present 17-game profitable streak, the longest within the nation.
8. This season, Florida turned simply the fifth group in faculty basketball historical past to beat two completely different AP No. 1 groups in the identical season (Tennessee and Auburn).
The Gators can turn into the primary to defeat three in the event that they knock off Duke for the nationwide title on Monday night time.
9. Houston has been a member of the Large 12 for simply two years, and the Cougars have already got three convention championships (two common season, one match). The Cougars are the primary Division-I group since 1922 to hitch a serious convention and win its first two common season titles.
10. Two of the final 5 nationwide champions have been applications that had beforehand by no means minimize down the nets earlier than (Baylor in 2021 and Virginia in 2019).
That quantity may go to 3 if Auburn or Houston win two extra video games. Auburn is taking part in in simply its second Closing 4, whereas Houston is in its seventh Closing 4 and has twice beforehand misplaced within the nationwide championship sport.
Duke is seek for its sixth nationwide championship, whereas Florida is 2 wins away from its third.