DUKE University, the 2015 titlist, is gone, having lost to West Regional top seed University of Oregon, 82-68, in a Sweet 16 game.
The Oregon Ducks, who subsequently dropped an 80-68 decision to second-seeded Oklahoma, 80-68, in their Elite Eight encounter, has bowed out of contention along with two other regional one-seeds Kansas, the nationally top-ranked team which fell to No. 2 seed Villanova, 64-59, in the South Regional finals, and Virginia, the nationally fourth-rated unit which was ambushed by 10th-seeded Syracuse, 68-62, in the Midwest Regional finals.
And surely, there will be a new champion in the 2016 U.S. NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball tournament following the early exit of the Duke Blue Devils.
Welcome to the Final Four (or national semifinals) of America’s premier college basketball competitions that saw only the University of North Carolina among the four regional top seeds advance to the national semifinals.
A year ago, three of four regional No. 1 seeds made it to the Final Four.
The UNC Tar Heels, ranked third overall in the country, subdued six-seed Notre Dame, 88-74, in the East Regional title game.
The Final Four matchups, to be held on April 2 (April 3, Manila time) at the NRG Stadium in Houston, will feature the Villanova Wildcats (33-5, ranked sixth in the nation) vs. the Oklahoma Sooners (29-7, ranked seventh in the country) and North Carolina (32-6) vs. the Syracuse Orange (23-13) in an all-Atlantic Coast Conference duel that assures the league of one finals ticket.
Oklahoma and Villanova qualified for the Final Four for the first time since 2002 and 2009, respectively.
North Carolina earned a Final Four berth for a record-extending 19th time, but this is its first since 2009 when the Tar Heels captured the last of their five national championships.
Syracuse reached the national semifinals for the sixth time overall, but this is the first since 2013. The Orange are the fourth double-digit seeds to advance to the Final Four, joining 11 seeds Virginia Commonwealth University (2011), George Mason University (2006, Philippine national teamer Gabe Norwood’s alma mater) and Louisiana State University (1986).
Syracuse secured its lone NCAA title in 2003 under Carmelo Anthony, now with the New York Knicks in the professional National Basketball Association.
Villanova snared its lone NCAA diadem in 1985 and Oklahoma, which is in the Final Four for the fifth time overall, has yet to win the national crown in program history although the Sooners were the losing finalists in 1947 and 1988.
The 2016 NCAA championship game will be played on April 4 (April 5, MT), also at the NRG Stadium in Houston.
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