When Georgetown lost 63-48 at home to Creighton and fell to a 5-10 total on February 9, it seemed like the only good thing for coach Patrick Ewing was to do his job for a fifth season. retained, the fixed five-man is yard class he put together in the 2021 cycle. It seems the Hoyas got lost in court, as is often the case in Ewing’s early years.
But after what Georgetown did 66-58 in a semifinal of the Big East tournament on Friday night over Seton Hall, there is finally a performance on the track for Ewing tout. The No. 9-seeded Hoyas are heading to the Big East tournament title game for the first time in a decade, with their former star center on the sidelines.
That recruiting class – which is currently number 24 on 247Sports’ national rankings – is yet to come, and there is now some tangible progress to be made with the group. Winning Saturday’s final is the only way Georgetown (12-12) will qualify for the NCAA Tournament, but even if the Hoyas falter, the turnaround in the late season that Ewing designed should be considered high.
Unlike last season when the Hoyas lost seven in a row to end the year, this team is on the rise at the right time, making Georgetown and Ewing one of Friday’s obvious winners in college basketball.
Spoilage: Ewing was not the only major coach of the sport to score a No. 9 series during a game to qualify for the NCAA Tournament as we get closer to Selection Sunday.
Winner: Rick Pitino and Iona
Looks like there could be a Pitino in this year’s NCAA Tournament. While Richard Pitino’s Minnesota team has struggled in the direction of falling outside the battle for a big bid in the Big Ten tournament, his father’s first team in Iona is on the verge of gaining automatic qualifications. The No. 9 seed Gaels won their third game of the week by dropping Niagara, the fifth seed Niagara, in the semifinals to reach Saturday’s title game. If Iona wins, Pitino will join Lon Kruger and Tubby Smith as one of only three coaches to ever lead five programs to the NCAA Tournament.
Note, however, that the Gaels probably should not have been selected number 9 after playing 6-3 in the league during the regular season. They just landed that weak seed because the MAAC sowed its tournament according to the total number of wins instead of the winning percentage. – Cobb
In a normal year, Virginia and Kansas would have no reason to worry about going to play in the NCAA Tournament. Both teams have had good seasons, which makes them very worthy of receiving a great offer for the Big Dance. Instead, however, both programs are waiting on the pen and needles for the results of COVID-19 and contact tracing measures after they were eliminated from their conference tournaments on Friday, as each had a positive test for players.
Their issues with COVID-19 have come under fire over two of the most compelling conference tournaments, reminding everyone that the virus will be a force to be reckoned with during the NCAA Tournament. – Cobb
Winner: Arkansas stays warm, advances in SEC tournament
Arkansas won its 12th (!) Consecutive game over an SEC opponent in Missouri 70-64 on Friday. Very few teams have been as hot or deadly as the last two months, and it was a picturesque example of how balanced this team can be. Look at this: first-year star Moses Moody – the team’s leading scorer – scored just five points in the victory. But JD Notae, who averaged less than 13 points per game and had to deal with an illness, got the chance to score 27 off the bench.
“He played phenomenally,” Arkansas coach Eric Musselman told Notae. “He vomited at one point and then took a break again. I did not know if he would come out in the second half. I think it was a little food, to be honest with you. ‘
It’s a dangerous roster coached by Musselman, who gains confidence during the day and quickly improves his seed line in the process. They entered a 3-pies in Jerry Palm’s Bracketology that day and that apparently could not stop them from winning. If there is one team that does not get a real and legitimate title candidate, it is Arkansas. – Boone
Loser: Blueblood dominance in ACC tournament
Duke was forced to dive out of the ACC tournament because a player tested positive and North Carolina bowed out with a 69-66 loss to Florida State on Friday. That means Saturday’s ACC Tournament title game will be the first since 1996 in which neither Duke nor North Carolina will be seen. 1996! The year that “Macarena” finished year 1 on the Billboard Top 100. Makes you feel old? – Boone
Winner: Iowa takes out the Badgers three-turf
Iowa grabbed the broom and started sweeping late Friday night when it beat Wisconsin 62-57 in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament. It was the Hawkeyes’ third win over Wisconsin this season, but easily the most important, as it kept Iowa alive for a tournament and claimed its eighth victory in nine heats. – Boone
Winner: Cade Cunningham, Cowboys continue to sail
The state of Oklahoma won its eighth game in its last nine heats on Friday when it defeated Baylor, second in the Big 12 tournament, 83-74 in second place. It was a continuation of dominance for the Cowboys and for first-year superstar Cade Cunningham, who took the lead by 25 points and carried his team down the point. OSU entered the day for a projected No. 3 seed in CBS Sports Bracketology expert Jerry Palm, but the win over a projected No. 1 seed in Baylor and perhaps another Saturday in the title game against Texas, this team just as fast moving as any team in the sport at the moment. – Boone
There has been a festive feel around basketball in Wichita State in recent weeks. The Shockers ended the regular season strong to earn the top spot in the AAC tournament and removed the interim mark of coach Isaac Brown as a reward for the work he led this season following the resignation of Gregg Marshall .
But the Shockers suffered an almost shocking loss in the quarterfinals of the AAC tournament on Friday. They trailed No. 9 seeded South Florida 41-32 at halftime before winning 68-67. A loss would have been a crushing blow to their hopes of a big bid for the NCAA Tournament, and this team may not be clear yet. Wichita State must win its No. 5 semifinal against Cincinnati on Saturday, as even that would be considered a bad loss in the watered-down AAC. If the Shockers can claim one more victory, they may finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief and appreciate what a season of renewal was. – Cobb
Loser: the great hope of Seton Hall gets big hits
An already shaky CV for Seton Hall suffered a blow on Friday when it fell 66-58 for Georgetown Hoyas of Patrick Ewing. The Pirates (14-13) might be kissing their NCAA tournament hopeful goodbye to the one. They have dropped five of their last six games in the last three weeks with just one win over bubbling St. After penetrating the day that requires qualitative victories and still watching Jerry Palm’s tournament projections from the outside, this obstacle could cost them the chance to go dancing. – Boone
Winner: Alabama Looks Deadly
So if Alabama wins the SEC Tournament, can he steal the fourth No. 1 in the NCAA Tournament? This is a consideration worth considering, as the Crimson Tide looked absolutely deadly in an SEC Tournament quarter-final in Mississippi State. The 85-48 red tape over the No. 9 seeded Bulldogs provides a perfect display of the hard defense and 3-point shooter that carried Alabama to the SEC’s regular season title. If that also leads them to an SEC tournament title, you could make a compelling case for the Crimson Tide to be on the top seed line. – Cobb
Loser: Big ten sportsmanship
There was apparently a bit of meandering blood between Michigan and Maryland during the two regular season events. Whatever the beef was, it spilled over in an important way during the Wolverines’ 79-66 quarterfinal round of the Big Ten tournament. Michigan coach Juwan Howard made two technical errors and had to be dismissed in the middle of the second half to step into Turgeon. Turgeon also got T’ed up, and it looks like the ordeal has benefited Maryland at first. But after a brief 5-0 run for the Terrapins, Michigan shot to the heights for its third win in the series this season. – Cobb
Winner: Ohio State looks like itself again
After losing four straight games to end the regular season and then getting past a craggy Minnesota team in the second round of the Big Ten tournament, the state of Ohio finally started looking like itself again on Friday. The No. 4 seeded Buckeyes outscored Purdue, No. 5, 87-78, despite losing forward Kyle Young early in the second half after exploding 18 points in the first half. The resilience continued into overtime after leading scorer EJ Liddell conceded for the Buckeyes. This team was once on the projected no. 1 seed line in Palm’s Bracketology and fell on the number 2 seed line during their fight against the late season. However, the Purdue victory should help stabilize things. – Cobb
Loser: Jackson State’s tournament dreams shatter
March can be just as cruel as it is cool, and no team has learned firsthand the angst of defeat and the truth of the statement like Jackson State, who fell 84-81 in overtime in the SWAC semifinals. The Tigers played a perfect 11-0 series in SWAC’s regular season and lost by a loss on December 20, 2020, but the incredible obstacle shattered their hopes of the NCAA Tournament after a brilliant season. Texas Southern tackles Grambling State and Prairie View A&M winners on Saturday for the league’s automatic bid. – Boone
Winner: Florida State Prevents Annoying UNC Team
In its third ACC Tournament semifinal in four seasons, Florida State successfully advanced to the title game on Friday by defeating North Carolina 69-66. The Seminoles, a 4-series in Jerry Palm’s Bracketology, put down a Tar Heels team that exploded in the second half to overtake them 42-34 behind Balso Koprivica’s 17-point, 11-rebound outing . They tackle Tech Georgia on Saturday with the chance to win their second ACC tournament championship. – Boone