Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Things that don't suck: The Final Four

Here is some bracket-busting information, care of ESPN research:

Team Facts
(all-time NCAA Tournament record in parentheses)

Florida (17-12)
  • 8th straight appearance, all under Billy Donovan; before Donovan arrived, UF had been to the NCAA Tournament just 5 times in school history.
  • Since reaching the title game in 2000, Florida has failed to get past the 2nd round every year since, and has lost to a lower seeded opponent in doing so. And remember that they nearly went down in the 1st round in 2000 as well, if not for Mike Miller’s OT buzzer-beater vs. Butler.
George Mason (0-3)
  • Patriots seek 1st victory after coming up just short of an upset of No. 3 seed Maryland in their last appearance in 2001 (83-80).
LSU (19-21)
  • The Tigers have been disappointing in the last two trips under John Brady
  • As a No. 6 seed last year, they lost to UAB by 14
  • As a No. 8 seed in 2003, they lost to Purdue by 24
  • LSU did reach the Sweet 16 in its first Tourney appearance under Brady in 2000, but not before getting a big-time scare from No. 13 seed SE Missouri in the 1st round (64-61).
UCLA (85-32)
  • Seeking 1st win since 2002, when the Bruins advanced to the Sweet 16.
  • Ben Howland led Pittsburgh to the Sweet 16 in both trips he made with them in 2002 and 2003.
  • This year was the earliest UCLA has reached the 20-win mark since the National Championship season of 1994-95

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