Another premature exit for Kentucky… Eliminated in the first round last season, John Calipari’s Wildcats barely went an extra round this season, before falling to the Wildcats of kansas state (75-69).
In a very balanced and disputed meeting for 38 minutes, the changeover was thus made in the last two minutes, when Ismael Massoud And Keyontae Johnson each planted a huge award-winning shot to give their troops a two-possession lead.
But the star of the game and the main architect of the victory of the Wildcats (against the Wildcats…) was undoubtedly the pocket leader Markquis Nowellwho played the 40 minutes and dissected the Kentucky defense with his 27 points and 9 assists, eclipsing the XXL performance of Oscar Tshiebwe, author of 25 points and 18 rebounds for Kentucky.
” We got some great guys on this team » launched Jerome Tang, who therefore joins the “Sweet Sixteen” of the NCAA tournament in his first year as a “head coach”, even though Kansas State only had 14 wins and 17 losses last season. ” We can talk all we want about my staff, about all the technical stuff. At the end of the day, winning takes tough guys. And we have. »
On the side of John Calipari, a lot of regrets with regard to the face of the match, in particular dominated in large widths by his team in the field of the offensive rebound (19 taken to 4).
But the 16 ball losses and the overall inefficiency in attack of his players (41% on shots), likeAntonio Reeves who was totally holed up (5 points at 1/15 on shots) when he had played very well in the first round (22 points at 8/18 on shots), were too complicated to overcome, particularly in the “money-time” when the Kansas State players scored the important shots on their side…
” A bitter end summed up “Coach Cal”. ” Our guys gave their all, even if some didn’t manage to weigh in attack as they were used to. But these are the vagaries of this tournament. You can’t score all the shots, but you certainly shouldn’t miss them all. »
Next deadline for Kansas State? A tantalizing third round against Michigan State. Two teams that seem confident and ready to produce a “run” until the final square…
Michigan State (#7), the “contender” in the shadows?
A bit like the last of the NCAA version Mohicans, after the successive retirements of the legendary Roy Williams, Jay Wright, Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Boeheim over the past 48 months, Tom “Mister March” Izzo is not done with his career on the benches of the university circuit.
And yesterday, for the 15th recovery in 25 seasons, the second best ratio of all time, the coach of michigan state qualified his Spartans for the third round of the NCAA tournament, after a superb victory in forceps against Marquette (69-60), Big East champions and #2 seed in the East Region.
Intense battle, the meeting, at loggerheads throughout, found its outcome in the last three minutes, when the usual pair of offensive leaders composed of AJ Hoggard (13 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists) and especially Tyson Walker (23 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists) fueled a decisive 13-5 to complete the game and knock out the Golden Eagles for good. Already very solid during the first round, Joey Hauser once again brought a valuable volume of play with his 14 points and 10 rebounds.
And as in their first round meeting, the Spartans found their way to success by relying on their defense, which forced 16 loss of ball from Marquette, including 11 in the second half, for 19 points scored on these balls lost!
” It’s been a long year recalled a Tom Izzo, exhausted after this intense and above all emotional match, the still painful memory of the deadly shooting which claimed the lives of three university students and shook the East Lansing campus last month, in the lead. . ” As much to tell you that I am delighted for my guys. »
And Coach Izzo to then become fully aware, and to savor, after the premature eliminations of Purdue (#1), Duke (#5), Kentucky (#6) and therefore Marquette (#2), of the boulevard of his Spartans now open to the “Final Four” in the East region…
” We ain’t done dancing yet » he threw like this, in reference to the nickname “Big Dance” of the tournament. ” But no matter who we play, when we play, where we play, we’ll be ready and it’s going to be a hell of a game, and I can’t wait. he added, as Michigan State will now challenge the excellent team of Kansas State (#3) to the “Sweet Sixteen”.
A year without for the “Blue Bloods”
North Carolina is not even qualified for the tournament this year, while Kansas (#1), Kentucky (#6) and duke (#5) each lost in the second round this weekend (against Arkansas, Kansas State and Tennessee respectively): like two years ago, and for only the third time since 1980, there will be no “Blue Blood” in the third round of the “March Madness”!
The tournament this year is therefore taking place under the sign of renewal, and it is quite simple: among the teams still in the running, only Michigan State (Tom Izzo in 2000) and Baylor (Scott Drew in 2021) are coached by a tactician who has already won a title in the past. All the other teams are carried by tacticians in search of a first coronation. A new era on the university circuit…
Baylor (#3) sinks under the onslaught of Ryan Nembhard and Creighton (#6)
For the second year in a row after their title in 2021, Scott Drew’s Bears fall in the second round. After North Carolina last season, so it’s this time Creighton which brings down Baylor (85-76).
In the wake of a Ryan Nembhard absolutely sparkling with his 30 points (8/13), 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, the Bluejays spent a very pleasant evening in attack, collectively concluded at 47% on shots, including 46% behind the arc!
” The circle seemed huge to me tonight » joked Andrew’s brotherthe Pacers rookie, whileAdam Flaglerthe back of Baylor, logically carried the opposite speech, regretting that ” [les Bears] failed to get more defensive stops. »
” We don’t care who stands up against us because we respect everyone. And in the end, we are thought to be the best team in the country. concluded the leader of Creighton, who with his troop are preparing for a trick match in the third round, against the nice surprise Princeton and his seed #15.
