Saturday's NCAA Tournament guide: Players to watch, keys to victory, more

Richard Mackson/Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Arizona guard Nick Johnson celebrates during the Wildcats' win against San Diego State

CORBETT SMITH
Staff Writer
corbettsmith@dallasnews.com
Published: 28 March 2014

Eight teams are one step away in the +NCAA Men's Basketball March Madness — but how meaningful that a step is, depends, on the program.

For the bluebloods of college basketball, getting past the Elite Eight means another crack at an all-important title. Otherwise, it’s just another item to update in next year’s media guide. But for those getting a rare — or even first-time — Final Four opportunity, the experience is potentially program-changing.

Here are my highly arbitrary rankings – from a “Meh” 1 to “Holy Smokes!” 10 – on the importance of a trip to Arlington.

SOUTH REGION

11. +University of Dayton (26-10) vs. 1. +Florida Gators (35-2)
5:09 p.m. today (TBS)

DAYTON: 9 (“Is that tear gas?”) +SPORTS CR3W finds little reason to not put this at a "10" though?! First since '47, why would it not be?

(Associated Press)

Dayton coach Archie Miller is most famous for being the younger brother of Arizona coach Sean Miller. During a Sweet 16 news conference, someone even called him Sean, then quickly apologized. “You don’t have to worry about that,” Archie, 35, said. “Everyone calls me Sean.”

The elder brother by 10 years, Sean was the Big East freshman of the year, eventually setting the career assists record at Pitt. Archie was no slouch, a four-year letterman at +North Carolina State, but he could never get away from comparisons to his brother, who actually gave him the nickname “Archie.” His birth name is Ryan.

Sigmund Freud, go nuts with that.

The Flyers made the NCAA title game in 1967, led by Dayton native Don May (who later had a nine-year career in the NBA, winning a title with the Knicks in 1970). +UCLA Bruins beat the Flyers, 79-64, led by 20 points from sophomore Lew Alcindor.

FLORIDA: 3 (Gators’ spring football in two weeks!) Sorry buddy, +SPORTS CR3W will point out that the Gators have become much more of a basketball school to Donovan's credit and over a decade of perhaps the strongest run in all of college basketball regarding programs. Football prowess or lack thereof, does not diminish what Gators' hoops has become.

(Associated Press)

Want a gauge of how much basketball matters in the state of Florida? There was some concern this March that fans of the football-crazed Gators wouldn’t sell out its opening-round games in nearby Orlando.

“If it’s not, the iconic Billy Donovan should leave Florida for a fan base that appreciates the amazing job he’s done in building an elite basketball program where nobody thought it was possible,” +Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi wrote.

Florida is the only program in the country to make the Elite Eight in each of the past four seasons. With another title, Donovan would become the sixth coach to win at least three titles (Florida won back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007), better than Dean Smith, Roy Williams and Denny Crum. Gator fans would be proud of such an accomplishment. But would they rather have a football title, like rival +Florida State Seminoles? Absolutely.

WEST REGION

2. +Wisconsin Badgers (29-7) vs. 1. +Arizona Wildcats  (33-4)

7:49 p.m. today (+TBS)

WISCONSIN: 8 (“On, Wisconsin!”) Another undervalued meaning, this is a "9" or "10"

Photo Courtesy: Official +NCAA Men's Basketball March Madness 

When Wisconsin won its only basketball title, 1947, the NCAA Tournament played second-fiddle to the NIT. There’s been a lot of basketball talent roll through Madison since then, both players and coaches.

The Badgers have been a solid but not spectacular program in the basketball-crazy Big Ten for more than a decade, making 16 straight NCAA appearances. +University of Michigan, +Ohio State Buckeyes, Michigan State, +Fighting Illini and +Indiana University Athletics have all had their time in the Final Four spotlight since Wisconsin’s last appearance. In 2000, former coach Dick Bennett led a workman-like No. 8 seed to the semifinals, beating No. 1 seed Arizona (with Gilbert Arenas) in the Round of 32 in the process. Wisconsin lost to Big Ten rival +Michigan State Athletics, 53-41, the year of Tom Izzo’s only national championship.

Current Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan is one of the best in basketball, but he also wears the badge of “best current coach to never reach a Final Four.” He does, however, have four Division III titles at Wisconsin-Platteville.

ARIZONA: 5 (“Bringing the dry heat.”)

(Associated Press)

When Lute Olson led Arizona to the 2001 Final Four, eventually losing to +Duke Athletics in the final, the Wildcats' were considered one of the preeminent basketball programs in the country. At that point, Arizona had the best winning percentage of any team over the previous 13 years. Well, it’s been 13 years since the Wildcats have played on the final weekend.

Current coach Sean Miller (see above) hasn’t made the Final Four in his career, despite making the Elite Eight twice before (with +Xavier University in 2008, and Arizona in 2011). But he’s probably not sweating it as much as his brother; after all, he has one of the nation’s premier jobs.

That said, this would be as good a time as any for a Final Four trip; star freshman forward Aaron Gordon isn’t likely to stick around. Gordon continues to boost his +NBA draft stock, going 7-for-9 from the field in a 15 point, six-rebound performance last round against +San Diego State Athletics.