One of the vital anticipated Remaining 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 below are 10 issues you want to learn about this yr’s semifinals and the 4 groups left standing.
1. For simply the second time in Remaining 4 historical past, the quartet of groups remaining are all No. 1 seeds.
The one different time in match historical past that each 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 time beyond regulation in one of the crucial memorable nationwide title video games in match historical past.
Maybe omen for this yr’s No. 1 total seed, Auburn.
2. Duke’s total Internet Effectivity Score in Ken Pomeroy’s mannequin (the Bible of school basketball) is 39.63. That’s the second-best score of any staff because the inception of KenPom, which works again to the 1996-97 season.
The one staff with a greater total rating? The 1998-99 Blue Devils. That staff was surprised by UConn within the nationwide championship recreation.
3. This yr’s Remaining 4 will characteristic three of the 5 Related Press First Crew All-Individuals.
Nationwide Participant of the 12 months 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 so far — was the third main vote getter.
There hasn’t been a Remaining 4 in a while with this stage 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 kind of 4 ACC victories was Duke toppling Auburn again on Dec. 4.
5. Houston is the very best defensive staff within the nation, they usually’re particularly dominant within the recreation’s opening half.
The Cougars permit a median of below 26 factors a recreation within the first half, and held Tennessee to only 15 of their Elite Eight victory. If Duke is scoring at its typical fee after 20 minutes, it’ll probably be signal that the Blue Devils might be taking part in on Monday night time.
6. Saturday’s recreation will mark the primary Remaining 4 contest between the nation’s greatest offensive staff (Duke) and the nation’s greatest defensive staff (Houston) since Wisconsin spoiled Kentucky’s good season 10 years in the past. In that recreation, it was the extra offensive-minded squad that prevailed.
7. Houston has misplaced a grand whole of 1 recreation in regulation this season.
The staff 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 time beyond regulation 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 staff in school basketball historical past to beat two completely different AP No. 1 groups in the identical season (Tennessee and Auburn).
The Gators can turn out to be 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 Massive 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 staff since 1922 to hitch a significant convention and win its first two common season titles.
10. Two of the final 5 nationwide champions have been packages that had beforehand by no means minimize down the nets earlier than (Baylor in 2021 and Virginia in 2019).
That quantity might go to 3 if Auburn or Houston win two extra video games. Auburn is taking part in in simply its second Remaining 4, whereas Houston is in its seventh Remaining 4 and has twice beforehand misplaced within the nationwide championship recreation.
Duke is seek for its sixth nationwide championship, whereas Florida is 2 wins away from its third.
