The Men’s Final Four is set, as this year’s March Madness has brought everything a college basketball fan would like to see in a college basketball tournament. In the Elite Eight round, UConn, Illinois, Michigan, and Arizona emerged as the final four teams to advance from the Elite Eight to the Final Four, still playing for a national championship title.
The Final Four games will be played on April 4 in Indianapolis, with the winners of those games advancing to the National Championship on April 6.
UConn secured its spot in the Final Four with one of the most exciting shots in March Madness history. Facing Duke in the Elite Eight, the Huskies pulled off a narrow win, winning 73-72, ending with a deep buzzer-beating shot from the logo that sent fans into a frenzy. After the game, UConn head coach Dan Hurley said, “We believed the whole time. Even when things got tough, nobody on our team thought we were going to lose.”
Illinois, on the other hand, reached the Final Four with a great performance against Iowa. While not having as much of a dramatic finish as the UConn versus Duke game, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood emphasized the team’s mindset, saying, “It’s not about one guy, it’s about playing together and trusting each other every possession.”
Arizona earned its place in the Final Four with a convincing 79-64 win over Purdue. Arizona controlled its game with Purdue from start to finish. This is Arizona’s first time advancing to the Final Four in 25 years; they haven’t advanced to a Final Four since 2001.
Michigan had one of, if not the most dominant, Elite Eight wins ever, defeating Tennessee 95-62, beating them by 33 points. Michigan is looking forward to defeating Arizona to advance to the national championship. Following the win, Michigan Coach Dusty May talked about his team’s confidence, saying, “We’re playing our best basketball right now, and we know what we’re capable of when we stay locked in.”
As the tournament comes to an end, the focus now switches to which team can get it done and advance to the final game with only one team standing between them and a title appearance.
