6 biggest takeaways from Day 4 of the NCAA Tournament
4.) Kentucky’s freshmen deliver
Wichita State was given a chance at revenge, after being upset as a number one seed by Kentucky in 2013. The Wildcats entered Sunday’s game as the two seed in the south, facing the Shockers, a much maligned 10 seed.
Wichita State went toe-to-toe with Big Blue, led by freshman Landry Shamet who was sensational, scoring 20 points. In the end, it was Kentucky’s freshman pulling through, with big baskets from Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox down the stretch, plus a rejection of Shamet’s potential game-tying three at the buzzer by Bam Edebayo.
The Shockers tested the resolve of this Kentucky team, and John Calipari has to be pleased with what he saw from his group of freshman moving forward in this tournament. Kentucky’s next test will come on Friday against UCLA in the Sweet 16 in what may be the most anticipated game of the round. The Wildcats will be looking for revenge after falling at home to the Bruins in early December.
5.) Michigan’s wild ride lives on
The Michigan Wolverines have been riding a wave of Karma and togetherness since their team plane skidded off the runway last week prior to the Big Ten Tournament. Since that frightening incident, the Wolverines have won six games in a row, including Sunday’s meeting with Louisville.
Michigan’s offense was surgical in its defeat of Rick Pitino’s vaunted Louisville defense. Every possession down the floor, the Wolverines found a match-up that favored them and took advantage. After Derrick Walton had 26 points in the first round, he shifted his role Sunday, with only 10 points but 6 assists and 7 rebounds. It was German sophomore Mortiz Wagner leading the Michigan scoring attack, with 26 points and a bucket on the game’s biggest possession.
The Wolverines now advance to Kansas City, with no sign of slowing down. They’ll face Oregon, which has won two games in the tournament despite the loss of big man Chris Boucher, who tore his ACL in the Pac-12 tournament.
6.) Sunday’s impact on the coaching carousel
Day four of tourney play offered a perfect stage for three coaches on the forefront of the rumor mill regarding open positions across the nation. With Indiana, Oklahoma State, and California (among others) still in search of a head coach, the NCAA Tournament is the perfect audition.
Gregg Marshall’s Wichita State squad fell to Kentucky in a tightly contested game. Marshall has been vocal about his displeasure with his Shockers’ seed in the tournament, and this is not the first year he’s felt that way. Sick of being seeded as a Missouri Valley team, having difficulty scheduling power conference foes, Marshall could favor heading to a bigger name program. If you can’t schedule them, join them? It will take quite a bit to pry Marshall from Wichita State, where he could become the Midwest Mark Few if he’d prefer that route.
Danny Hurley from Rhode Island could also see his team’s tournament success as a way to launch his career forward. He has the name and pedigree to attract power school attention and now has proven himself capable as a coach on the court. Look for Hurley’s name mentioned as the wheels of the coaching carousel continue to churn.
Lastly, we saw Mick Cronin’s Cincinnati team lose to UCLA in the nightcap of Sunday’s action. Cronin has built a strong program and culture at his alma mater, something bigger programs with deeper pockets could take notice of. Though Cronin is Cincinnati born and bred, and went to UC, it would be hard to imagine he’d not consider a new opportunity at Indiana or, more realistically, Oklahoma State. Two years ago, people thought Fred Hoiberg was comfortable at his alma mater and would never leave, until the money and prestige of the NBA came calling.
The coaching carousel is often not a perfect circle, but a winding roller coaster with twists and turns. When the dust settles, this tournament will have had a crucial effect on which head coach lands at each open spot.
Shane McNichol covers college basketball for Larry Brown Sports. He also blogs about college basketball and the NBA at Palestra Back and has contributed to Rush The Court, ESPN.com, and USA Today Sports Weekly. Follow him on Twitter @OnTheShaneTrain.
