Amazing they turned-out to be the one team from the Pac-12 who survived to the Final 4. Gonzaga is really looking like the Real Deal, so I don’t give them much hope in the next game, but it is March Madness, er uh, April Madness now. Bill Walton must be going nuts. Go Bruins!
Honestly I didn’t think they had a chance against Michigan either. Michigan looked really damn good in their other games. UCLA has surprised big time in this tournament.
I think that it is weird that 2 of the “first four” games are for 11 seeds. Shouldn’t they all be for the 16 seeds? Seems strange to say that you are good enough for an 11 seed but have to play an extra game to even get in the traditional field.
The play-in game seeding changes from year to year, but that’s only because the level of play those play-in teams exhibited, merited a higher seeding than 16. Those 16th-seeded teams are never “at large” teams. They’re tournament winners of the weakest conferences in the NCAA who don’t merit anything higher. But, as conference tournament champions, they’re guaranteed an autobid.
The first four games include the 4 lowest rated conference champs (always 16 seeds and typically are teams that finished well below first place in the regular season in a weak league and caught fire in their post-season tourney) and the 4 lowest rated at large teams (usually tend to be 11th or 12th seeds).
Indeed UCLA may have been the last at large team selected.