2016 Final Four

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As usual, this year’s NCAA Basketball Tournament has lived up to expectation.  The fireworks began in the first round with Michigan State.  Michigan State won the Big Ten Tournament with a 66-62 victory over Purdue.  Last year, Michigan State felt slighted by the selection committee after receiving a #7 seed in the NCAA Tournament and ultimately advancing to the Final Four.  This year, they were granted a #2 seed and considered a favorite to win the NCAA Tournament.  Middle Tennessee State had other ideas and defeated Michigan State in the first round, 90-81.

Undoubtedly the best comeback win of the NCAA Tournament came in the second round with Texas A&M defeating Northern Iowa in double overtime, 92-88. With 44 seconds left in regulation, Texas A&M erased a 12-point deficit to force Northern Iowa into overtime.  Good defense led to four Northern Iowa turnovers and a tied game by the end of regulation.  With 5.9 seconds left in overtime, Texas A&M scored another tying basket forcing a second overtime.  After giving Northern Iowa all they could handle, Texas A&M came away with the victory.  It was such an amazing comeback that many Texas A&M fans had left the arena before the end of regulation. 

All four #1 seeds made it to the Elite Eight, but only one, North Carolina, made it to the Final Four.  In fact, a late tournament upset propelled #10 Syracuse into the Final Four with their 68-62 victory over #1 Virginia.  Had Virginia defeated Syracuse, their Final Four matchup with North Carolina would have been a rematch of the ACC Tournament final.  All four teams in the East and Midwest regions represented the ACC Conference ensuring that two ACC teams would reach the Final Four.  As #2 seeds, Villanova and Oklahoma defeated the top seeds in their respective regions to round out the Final Four.

These four remaining teams take the court tonight to decide who will reach Monday’s NCAA Championship Game.  At least one of those teams will be from the ACC Conference.  Tune in to see some of the best basketball you will witness in your life.  They don’t call it March Madness for nothing.  

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