Two games with two tickets to Atlanta on the line.
East Regional Final
No. 4 SYRACUSE (29-9) vs. No. 3 MARQUETTE (26-8)
Verizon Center ‐ Washington, D.C
#16/18 Syracuse (29-9) upset #4/t4 Indiana, 61-50, and moved on the NCAA Tournament’s “Elite Eight” for the ninth time in program history. The Orange will face #15/16 Marquette (26-8) on Saturday, March 30, with the winner heading to the Final Four.
The Orange and the Golden Eagles, both BIG EAST Conference members, met earlier this season. Marquette won at home, 74-71, on February 25.Syracuse has an 8-5 lead in the overall series. The two clubs met in the 2011 NCAA Tournament and Marquette won, 66-62.
Syracuse is 59-35 (.628) overall in the NCAA Tournament. SU won the 2003 NCAA Championship and advanced to the Final Four four times (1975, 1987, 1996, 2003). The Orange is in the tournament for the fifth straight season. Syracuse is now 25-5 in NCAA Tournament opening games during Jim Boeheim’s tenure as head coach. 2013 marks the first time Syracuse has played NCAA Tournament games in San Jose, Cal., and Washington D.C. Coach Boeheim has a 51-27 (.654) in the NCAA Tournament. He ranks fourth in career coaching wins in the event.
Marquette will be making its seventh trip to the Elite Eight when the team faces Syracuse Saturday afternoon at the Verizon Center. The program’s last matchup in the NCAA regional final came in 2003 and resulted in a trip to the Final Four in New Orleans, behind the leadership of guard Dwyane Wade. MU defeated top‐seeded Kentucky 83‐69 in Minneapolis, Minn., before falling to Kansas.
MU is now 41‐31 all‐time in the NCAA Championship and also advanced to the Elite Eight in 1955, 1969, 1974, 1976 and 1977 (NCAA Champions). A pair of BIG EAST competitors last matched up in the Elite Eight in 2009. Villanova defeated Pittsburgh 78‐76 that season in an East Region contest from Boston, Mass. MU is one of just six teams (Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Michigan St. and Wisconsin) to be selected to the NCAA field in each of the last eight years.
Syracuse basketball zone is familiar to Marquette
Southerland taking opponents to school
Marquette aims to crack Syracuse zone defense
West Region Final
No.9 Seed Wichita State (29-8) vs. No. 2 Seed Ohio State (29-7)
This is Ohio State’s 25th appearance in the NCAA tournament. Overall, Ohio State has a 48-23 record all-time in NCAA tournament play. The Buckeyes have advanced to play in 10 Final Fours, have finished as the runner up four times (1939, 1961, 1962, 2007) and own one title (1960). Ohio State finished third four times (1944, 1945, 1946, 1968). The Buckeyes have played in four-consecutive NCAA “Sweet 16s,” a record accomplishment for Ohio State. Ohio State had last accomplished three-consecutive “Sweet 16s” from 1960-62. No remaining team in the 2013 NCAA Tournament has played in the last four “Sweet 16s.” The Buckeyes have made 14 “Elite 8” appearances in NCAA tournament play.
The No. 2-seeded (West) Buckeyes entered the 2013 NCAA Tournament after winning the
2013 Big Ten Tournament in Chicago with a 3-0 record. Thad Matta, in his ninth year as head coach at Ohio State, has taken the Buckeyes to seven NCAA tournaments during his time in Columbus, including a title game appearance in 2007. The Buckeyes have appeared in the last five NCAA tournaments. Ohio State enters the game vs. Wichita State with a 29-7 overall record and as 2013 Big Ten Tournament Champions. The Buckeyes finished the Big Ten regular season with a 13-5 record, good for a tie for second with Michigan State. Ohio State was the No. 2 seed in the league tournament last week. The Buckeyes have won 20 Big Ten titles and are making their 25th appearance in the NCAA tournament.
Deshaun Thomas is averaging 22.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in NCAA tournament play this year. Sam Thompson has contributed 12.7 points along with a team-leading 7.0 rebounds a game. LaQuinton Ross (13.7 ppg.) and Aaron Craft (11.7 ppg.) also are in double digits offensively. Craft has 18 assists and a team-high nine steals. As a team, Ohio State is shooting 47 percent from the field (81-172/.471) while averaging 82.0 ppg. The Buckeyes are shooting 50 percent from 3-point range (23-46).
Wichita State no David against Ohio State
Wichita State’s Hall seeing clearly for the Shockers
Ohio St. faces Wichita State for trip to Final Four
Can Wichita State shock its way to the Final Four?
A look at Wichita State-Ohio State
Wichita State plays for Final Four relying on its strengths
Wichita State receiving less fanfare than mid-majors of days past
Marquette is doing a great impersonation of Indiana.
Does Buzz Williams really have to explain to his guys that they need to make passes which actually make the zone move?
SU’s transition is doing a solid job, but Marquette needs to push the ball with the pass instead of the dribble.
Marquette – 2-of-24 behind the three-point arc
Marquette debunked a theory for a day: outrebounded #Cuse 44-37 and still lost.
Shockers have outrebounded 32 of 37 opponents. Have 27-17 advantage at half.