This may be the only region in the country that values ‘yet to occur’ news on NFL Free Agency over the immediacy of the NCAA Tournament.
It’s understandable that fans of the Bruins and Celtics might be preoccupied with their teams’ success of late – or perhaps even enamored with what the Red Sox have been accomplishing through the early portion of spring training.
This isn’t intended as criticism. It IS intended as a little fodder for when you shoot off your cannon over the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day weekend, as you attempt to sound like you know what you’re talking about when the rest of the free world is already focused on college basketball.
Ok, maybe that’s a bit sarcastic. You’ll get over it.
For the uninitiated, there are three New England NCAA Division I men’s college basketball teams that have reached the country’s month-long sporting spectacle, aka March Madness, aka the NCAA Tournament.
Providence, UConn, Vermont. That’s it. Two state schools and one de facto state school, with all due respect to the University of Rhode Island. UConn has won this tournament four times in its glorious past. Providence has reached seven of the past 10 tournaments that have been held, rekindling memories of glory years decades ago that are now long past us all.
UVM? They’ve been the dominant program in America East, reaching the NCAA tourney in five of the past six seasons. They upset Syracuse as a #13 seed back in 2005, giving real definition to the term “Cinderella” when it comes to sports.
They also have a 15-game winning streak – the second longest in the country – coming into this year’s event where they’ll face (gulp!) Big East champ Marquette.
If you’re looking for a regional favorite for your own bracketology, or just want to sound like you know what you’re talking about around the watah coolah, consider the following:
Vermont (15 seed) vs. Marquette (2 seed) – East Region (Columbus, OH)
The Catamounts (kin to an east coast cougar) may be named for an extinct species of cat, but this basketball team is very much alive and dominant within its own realm. They lost seven of eight games back in November, then got their act together in time to dominate conference foes in America East, going 14-2 in the regular season and defeating UMass-Lowell in the conference tournament.
UVM is comprised of veteran players, starting either fourth- or fifth-year seniors and grad transfer students. Their two top players are fifth-year senior Dylan Penn, who transferred to Vermont from Bellarmine of the Atlantic Sun Conference (where?) and Finn Sullivan, another fifth-year senior from San Diego.
But can these Cats shoot well enough to stick with the Big East champs from Milwaukee, who got great point guard play from Cumberland, RI’s Tyler Kolek, the Big East Player of the Year (and Bob Cousy Award candidate, Celtics fans) and a defense molded by the conference Coach of the Year, Shaka Smart?
A two-seed has lost to a 15-seed just eight times since 1985. Sure, it could happen again.
But here? Only if the Golden Eagles get caught researching what a Catamount, um, actually is. And fall asleep.
Providence (11 seed) vs. Kentucky (6 seed) – East Region (Greensboro, NC)
The Friars (21-11) have brought back the glory days from Joe Mullaney and Dave Gavitt with their play over the past decade, reaching the NCAA Tournament for a seventh time in the last 10 years and 22nd time overall in school history. Last season, the Friars advanced to the Sweet 16, where they lost to eventual national champ Kansas by just five points, giving the Jayhawks their biggest sweat on the way to winning it all.
This year, PC traveled a bit different route, even though the destination wound up the same. After a mediocre 5-3 start to the season in November with eight new faces in the lineup from last year, the Friars rolled into December and the new year looking very much the part of last season’s edition.
Providence was 17-5 overall, 9-2 in the Big East and tied for first in the league with a #17 ranking in the Associated Press poll. They then lost six of their last 10 to almost fall off the tournament bubble completely. Is it time to get hot again?
Kentucky (21-11) finished third in the SEC at 12-6 but lost five of their last 11 games – twice to Vanderbilt…who didn’t make the tournament. Yes, these Cats still have last year’s national player of the year in Oscar Tshiebwe, who averages better than 16 points and 13 rebounds per game. But they’ve also had some injuries in the backcourt of late.
And, oh yeah. Providence sophomore forward Bryce Hopkins WAS a Kentucky Wildcat at this time a year ago, before transferring. He’s a finalist for the Karl Malone Award as the best power forward in the country. Think he’ll have any motivation Friday night?
UConn (4 seed) vs. Iona (13 seed) – West Region (Albany, NY)
Aside from the fact that a West Regional game can be played in New York’s state capitol, this is one of the more intriguing first-round games to be played this week.
UConn began the year 14-0 and ascended to #2 in the national polls, before crashing back down to earth in January. Still, a red-hot finish to the season has the Huskies ascending as a potential Final Four contender with their combination of shooting from Jordan Hawkins (soon-to-be-an-NBA pick), defending from Andre Jackson and rim protection from Big East first-teamer Adama Sanogo and Big East all-freshman center Donovan Clingan…who is listed as 7-foot-2, but looks like he’s 7-foot-4 and plays like he’s 7-foot-6.
Iona? Rick Pitino coaches the Gaels. Do you need any more than that?
Pressing, playing at a fast pace and shooting a lot of 3s is something his teams have always done, dating back to his days at Providence in 1987. UConn, however, was 14th nationally in defending the three. 27-7 Iona, on the other hand, has the size (they start 6-10 and 6-11 in their front court) that might match up with what the Huskies have.
There you have it. Consider yourself educated – at least a bit – on New England’s entries into the Madness. Go ahead and indulge, you’ll look smaht.