Scott Clark
Apr 07, 2024 - 02:10

N.C. State, Alabama, Purdue, UCONN Advance Men's NCAA Final Four Milwaukee Courier Weekly Newspaper

NC State shocks with wins over Marquette and Duke, advances to Final Four. UCONN dominates, favored to win back-to-back titles.

The 2024 NCAA Men's Tournament has been full of surprises, with NC State emerging as the dark horse of the competition. On March 29, 2024, they stunned everyone by defeating #2 seed Marquette with a score of 67-58. DJ Horne was the star of the game, scoring 19 points and leading the Wolfpack to victory. Marquette struggled with their three-point shots, missing 27 out of 31 attempts, and played a tight game. This victory marked a significant achievement for NC State, as Marquette had not reached the Sweet Sixteen since 2013.

Just two days later, on March 31, 2024, NC State continued their winning streak by beating Duke in the Elite Eight. DJ Burns, Jr., who has been the heart and soul of the Wolfpack team, scored a career-high 29 points, with 21 of those points coming in that game. The team breezed past Duke with a convincing 76-64 win, securing their spot in the Final Four for the fourth time in team history. The last time they reached this stage was in 1983 when they were coached by the legendary Jim Valvano and clinched the title with a last-second dunk by Lorenzo Charles.

NC State's journey to the Final Four as the #11 seed has been remarkable, making them only the sixth team to achieve this feat. DJ Burns expressed his disbelief at their success, stating that it usually takes a day to sink in. Their next challenge is against Purdue on April 6, 2024, and they will need to maintain their high level of play to secure a spot in the championship game.

On the other side, Purdue has been on a roll, beating Tennessee in the Elite Eight with a score of 72-66 to reach their first Final Four since 1980. Zach Edney has been a standout player for the Boilermakers, scoring an impressive 40 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in the game. Although he struggled from the free-throw line, his dominance on the court has been undeniable.

Alabama has also made history in this tournament, upsetting #1 seeded North Carolina in the Sweet Sixteen and defeating Clemson in the Elite Eight to advance to their first Final Four. Their next opponent is UCONN, the favorite to win back-to-back titles for the first time since Florida in 2006-07. UCONN's performance in the tournament has been exceptional, with an average margin of victory of 27.8 in their four games.

As the competition heats up, all eyes are on UCONN as they face Alabama in the upcoming game. With their impressive track record and strong performance, many predict that UCONN will secure a victory against Alabama and advance to the championship game, where they may face off against Purdue. The excitement and anticipation for the Final Four and the championship game are at an all-time high, with fans eagerly awaiting to see who will emerge victorious in the 2024 NCAA Men's Tournament.