When I’m old and gray and my grandchildren ask me what I remember most about covering Caitlin Clark in Iowa City all those decades ago, it will probably be outside of Carver Hawkeye. It must have been the sudden snowstorm that caused the Chevy to skid past me. Arena, almost prevented this story from being told.
Dayton (+9.5) vs. Arizona
The Flyers won’t go quietly. they never do. They couldn’t win against Nevada, trailing by 17 points with less than eight minutes remaining. They haven’t done that all season, losing only one game by double digits. Dayton lost by 14 points to top-seeded Houston, which made 4 of 18 3-pointers. The combination of the nation’s third-best 3-point shooting team and 6-foot-10 All-American Darron Holmes II will put the Flyers under pressure against a 4-1-1 team. Arizona’s struggles every March, including back-to-back years under Tommy Lloyd, can only help.
Texas (+6.5) vs. Tennessee
My pick to win it all is still the Vols, but Rick Barnes is up against the program he led for 17 years. Texas is a rare team with the No. 3 defense in the nation and has already faced the top two teams three times, losing in overtime to Houston and losing by five points to Iowa State.
The Longhorns have the balance, talent and experience to lead the upset, the fourth-oldest team in the nation and led by former tournament star Max Abmas.
Washington State (+6.5) vs. Iowa State.
There are few coaches in this country who are as good at X’s and O’s as Kyle Smith. That was evident in his six seasons with Columbia, culminating in a season with 25 wins. That was evident in his three seasons in San Francisco, where the Dons achieved three consecutive seasons of 20 or more wins for the first time in nearly 40 years.
Pullman, which has a team in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 16 years, has added reinforcements. This season, the nation learned about the coach who led the Cougars to a dominating regular-season victory over second-seeded Arizona.
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Oakland (+6.5) vs. NC State
In some cases, analysis must be ignored. Sometimes you have to act on your intuition. The NCAA Tournament doesn’t follow logic. It’s a moment Greg Kampe, Division I’s longest-serving coach, has been waiting for since he arrived on Oakland’s campus in 1984. “We’re not a Cinderella story,” said Jack Goelke, the hero of Kentucky’s first-round upset. . He’s wrong, but it certainly helps that the Golden Grizzlies (who trail 10-3) don’t think that way.
This season: 18-20
Records from 2011-23: 349-308-12
