FISLL Preview: A Final Four that Embodies Madness

FISLL Preview: A Final Four that Embodies Madness

By Joshua Heron (student at Howard University)

Only six brackets picked the Final Four perfectly. Although their brackets are not perfect, their nerve is quite impressive. For the first time in 53 years, the Final Four will host three new teams. There are zero AP Preseason Top 10 teams in the Final Four for the third time since 1962.?

Only UConn's participation is "understandable." The rest are pariahs. Madness is not merely the teams reaching this destination, but it is present in the journey.

UConn started the season 14-0 and misplaced their identity for a point in the season. Furthermore, the Huskies had only one tournament victory since their 2014 championship season.

Miami scored the final 10 points against Drake in the first round to secure a comeback victory. Since the Hurricanes hit four-seed Indiana and one-seed Houston, and two-seed Texas.?

San Diego State replaced its 18-year head coach Steve Fisher in 2017 with Brian Dutcher. What he has achieved with the program since taking over the reins is remarkable, winning 20 games in each of his first five seasons. However, the Aztecs first three NCAA tournament appearances under Butcher produced first-round losses. The fourth appearance and Butcher and his men are in the Final Four.

Since the NCAA introduced seeding in 1979, only three nine-seeds graced the Final Four. Florida Atlantic is one of the three. Their 32-win season is a school record. Many in the college basketball community failed to recognize the Owls'. Akin to an owl's incredible ability to camouflage, Conference USA hides the magnitude behind such an impeccable FAU season. They entered the tournament with a chip on their shoulder to prove their record was not a facade. How about knocking out four-seed Tennessee and three-seed Kansas State in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8, respectively?.?

Someone's mad run will continue. FISLL previews each matchup and deduces the victors.

San Diego State (5) vs. Florida Atlantic (9): Sequential Victories?

FAU averages 71.3 through the tournament's first four rounds. The Aztecs allow, on average, 57.3 points. FAU will depend on another collective effort, as displayed in their 79-76 Elite Eight victory over Kansas State.?

Star guard Johnell Davis didn't have the best game; however, his teammates filled the void. Alijah Martin and Bryan Greenlee combined 7-of-13 from behind the arc and dropped 17 and 16, respectively. Center Vladislav Goldin added 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting with 13 boards and two assists.

?Davis averaged 1.7 assists this season but had six in the Elite 8. He must dish the ball if his shot isn't there, so a top-25 San Diego State defense has multiple threats. San Diego upset one-seed Alabama in the Sweet 16 because they held the Crimson Tide to 11.1% from three. Alabama ranks 11th in three-pointers per game this season. The Aztecs held Creighton to 11.8% from three in their Elite Eight matchup.

Florida Atlantic is 13th in the nation in three-pointers made per game. San Diego needs to defend the three to win. Florida Atlantic needs to hit the three to win.

Defense usually wins games; however, Florida Atlantic's determination outmaneuvers any defense. The Owls beat the three and four seeds. Now, they face the five-seeded Aztecs. Sequential victories attract Florida Atlantic. Furthermore, no team seeded lower than eight has gone to the National Championship. That changes Saturday.

FISLL’s Prediction: FAU 75 vs. San Diego State 64

Where & When To Watch: Saturday, April 1 at 6:09 p.m. EST on CBS?

UConn (4) vs. Miami (5): One Clear Winner, but…

Victory is written all over UConn’s jersey in this matchup. Dan Harley’s team is consistently dominant. Their margin of victory in this tournament is 22.5 points.?

Sophomore guard Jordan Hawkins is averaging 17.2 points per game and shooting 51% from three in the tournament. Adama Sanogo, a 245-pound monster, averages 20 points per game in the tournament. He struggled against Gonzaga in the Elite Eight, shooting 27.3% from the field; however, he had six assists in UConn’s 82-54 blowout.?

Furthermore, the Huskies held Drew Timme, a 61.6% field goal shooter, to 5-of-14 from the floor. Their second-leading scorer and 46.9% field goal shooter, Julian Strawther, was held to 4-of-15. UConn is incinerating opponents on both ends.?

But if there is a team that can withstand UConn’s power, it is Miami. Texas had a 64-51 advantage over Miami with 13:30 remaining. Texas went on a five-minute scoring drought and only made six field goals in the final 13:30. The game finished 88-81 Miami. The Hurricanes locked in on defense.

The Hurricanes’ offensive play drowned Texas as well. Miami forward Jordan Miller dropped 27 points. He was quite literally, unlike the six brackets that predicted the Final Four, correct, perfect. He shot 100% from the field and free throw line. Miller joins Duke legend Christian Laettner as the only player to shoot perfectly in an NCAA tournament game. Additionally, all Miami starters scored in the double digits.?

Miami attacked the basket against Texas, attempting only eight shots front behind the arc. Their aggressiveness resulted in 32 free-throw attempts. The Hurricanes made 28 free throws. They got to the line and excelled at it, showing why they ranked 11th in free throw percentage this season.?

The same aggression, success at the charity stripe, defense, and all-around scoring is needed this Saturday if the Miami head coach Jim Larranaga wants to coach in a Final Four for the second time.?

Larranaga led George Mason to the Final Four in 2006. He beat UConn 98-92 in the Elite Eight to get there. To make history once more, another triumph over UConn is necessary. He did it once, and he will do it again.

FISLL’s Prediction: Miami 78 vs. UConn 75

Where & When To Watch: Saturday, April 1 at 8:49 p.m. EST on CBS?

You Heard It Here First

FISLL is calling it a ‘Florida Finale!’?

But whichever team laces up at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on April 3, 2023, deserves it. Brackets are indeed busted; however, the madness numbs the pain.?

May the hungriest team win.