| 2023 NCAA FINAL @ Houston, Texas – The Floor | |
| The Road Ends Here | |
| #5-South (Seed #17, NET #14, AP #18) | #4-West (Seed #13, NET #8, AP #10) |
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| San Diego State University Aztecs (32-6) | University of Connecticut Huskies (30-8) |
| Mountain West Conference – Regular Season and Tourney Champs San Diego, California 1st Final def #12 College of Charleston 63-57 #13 Furman 75-52 #1 Alabama 71-64 #6 Creighton 57-56 #9E Florida Atlantic 72-71 | Big East Conference (4th Place) Storrs, Connecticut 5th Final (’99, ’04, ’11, ’14) def #13 Iona 87-63 #5 Saint Mary’s 70-55 #8 Arkansas 88-65 #3 Gonzaga 82-54 #5MW Miami 72-59 |
Sunday, April 2, 2023
UCONN UNDEFEATED IN TITLE GAMES; SDSU BIG UNDERDOGS
Just 2 prize up for grabs as those who entered multiple times benefited this year
FIRESTONE SCOUT RESERVATION, BREA, CA (smt) – If you count the WCC final (March 7) as the first day the madness begins, as that coronates Gonzaga, the first big mid-major to qualify for the tournament, then this Final would be the 28th day of madness. Appropriate for our 28th HWCI NCAA Pool.
It does seem like the field clears up when #4W-UConn makes the final as other than their first title against heavy favorite Duke in ’99, the past three have seen them play lower seeds, even if they were low themselves (e.g., ’14 they were #7 but faced a #8). Hence, UConn is a perfect 4-0 in finals and face lower seed #5S-San Diego St, who have won back-to-back games by one point, the last one on a buzzer beater. In a rematch of the 2011 Sweet 16, #3W-UConn beat #2W-SDSU 74-67 on its way to its 3rd championship. UConn will try to win a title in Texas for the 4th straight time, winning in San Antonio (2004), Houston (2011), and North Texas (2014). Everything is new for San Diego St (never advanced past the Sweet 16) while despite 4 titles since ’99, UConn has a hard time getting into the Blue Blood club as they have just made the tournament 4 times since ’14, losing twice in the 1st round and once in the 2nd. A streak of five straight #1 seeds winning the title ends this year with a #4 (only one was Arizona in ’97) or #5 (first time) taking it.
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