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NOT IN THE FINAL FOUR — The NCAA Tournament’s four regions were decided Saturday and Sunday.
And some of the greatest moments involved basketball skills.
OK, just a few of them. Let’s look back at a Sunday of hoops.
Shoeless Orange drive to the Final Four
Syracuse’s run to the Final Four in Houston wasn’t just unlikely — it was historic.
The Orange came from behind to knock off No. 1 seed Virginia, 68-62, in Sunday’s midwest regional final, becoming the first No. 10 seed to advance to the Final Four since seeding expanded to 64 teams in 1985.
Unofficially, Orange shooter Tyler Lydon also became the best field goal shooter with one shoe in NCAA history, as well.
Lydon’s one-shoe field goal was his first make from the field of the game. He missed two shots prior with both shoes, but kicked the one off and drained a three for his first of 11 points, including three 3-pointers.
The Syracuse men’s basketball team became the second Orange squad to advance to the Final Four. The women’s team did the same thing this past weekend with an upset of historic power Tennessee.
Speaking of Syracuse …
Was Kevin Harlan’s game-ending call offensive?
Syracuse trailed Virginia by 13 points in the second half before rallying with a 20-4 spurt that sent them to the Final Four.
Turner Sports broadcaster Kevin Harlan used a perhaps all-too-familiar reference in the game-ending call to describe the Orange’s full-court press-fueled comeback bid, though.
Kevin Harlan’s final call: "Back from the dead on Easter Sunday" pic.twitter.com/RQ5akmGzDS
— Kenny Ducey (@KennyDucey) March 28, 2016
Harland pronounced, “Jim Boeheim and Syracuse have done it; back from the dead on Easter Sunday.”
Maybe an offensive call for the thousands of Christians likely viewing Sunday’s regional final.
What do you think? Was Harlan’s call offensive?
Notre Dame coach stays in until the last limb
The Fighting Irish’s postseason ended with an 88-74 loss to North Carolina in the Elite Eight. But no one can say Notre Dame coach Mike Brey didn’t coach until it was all out on the floor.
The long-time Irish coach paced the sidelines and moved his players around while wearing a walking boot in the final game of the season.
He almost got taken out on that last play but Irish coach Mike Brey moving around well in the walking boot pic.twitter.com/lsqCPU4p6L
— Angelo Di Carlo (@angdicarlowndu) March 28, 2016
Brey injured his calf during Friday night’s win 61-56 over Wisconsin, and there was some speculation that he might have torn his Achilles’ tendon.
Doctors diagnosed Brey with a severe calf pull, but suggested wearing the boot for added precaution — and not just a fashion statement by the tenured Irish coach.
