If you had told me on Selection Sunday that only one No. 1 seed would be in the men’s Final Four, and that No. 1 seed would be Texas, I would still be laughing. Then again, I think a lot of other people outside of those who wear burnt orange and white would have been doing the same thing. But here we are, days from the greatest spectacle in sports, and Texas is the lone No. 1 star.
Each Final Four has had its compelling stories, and this year is no different because there are plenty of stories that you will hear plenty of times this week about the players, coaches and fans of the four schools. Here’s what you’re probably going to hear over and over again from each school.
Kansas
Jayhawk coach Roy Williams has had arguably the best coaching start in history, reaching 400 wins before 100 losses in his career. Williams took his Kansas club to the national title game in his second year in 1991 and again to the Final Four in 1993 (played in the Superdome) but didn’t return to the Final Four until last season, when they lost to eventual champion Maryland.
Despite all the records and all the wins, Williams has never had the “One Shining Moment.”
Williams and his teams have been labeled as the “choke artists” of the tournament, garnering No. 1 seeds without results. This year, as the No. 2 seed in the tournament’s toughest region, the Jayhawks took out No. 3 Duke and No. 1 Arizona on their way back to the Final Four, where some say it could finally be Williams’ year.
Marquette
Legendary Marquette coach the late Al Maguire gave the Golden Eagles the national title in 1977 and retired shortly thereafter to pursue a career in broadcasting.
Maguire was an analyst covering the NCAA Tournament up until his death in 2001 and was loved by all in the basketball community.
Marquette has not been back to the Final Four since that magical 1977 run, and this time, Maguire protegZ Tom Crean is leading the Golden Eagles back.
It’s already been repeated quite a few times since Saturday afternoon, but the question you’re most going to hear is, “What do you think Al would say about all this?”
Syracuse
Just like Kansas, Syracuse has a coach who was always the bridesmaid and never the bride.
Coach Jim Boeheim has been around a lot longer than Roy Williams but has also never won a national title, despite two appearances in the national title game in 1987 and 1996.
Another story is the play of freshman Carmelo Anthony carring the Orangemen to their fourth Final Four appearance. Some believe that Anthony would be one and done in the college game, but after SU pasted Oklahoma on Sunday, Anthony said that he hopes this isn’t his last trip to the Final Four.
Texas
The Longhorns have not been to the Final Four since 1947, and coach Rick Barnes has never been as a coach or a player.
Texas is now the only No. 1 seed left in the Final Four, and will probably be the favorite to win their first ever basketball national championship.
By the way, there still has been no year in which no No. 1 seeds made the Final Four and there also has never been a year where all No. 1 seeds made the Final Four.