The 2018 NCAA Tournament has been insane and day one of the Elite Eight didn’t disappoint fans. Brackets have been busted many rounds ago leading to eleven seed Loyola-Chicago and nine seed Kansas State in the first game while the second game featured nine seed Florida State against three seed Michigan. It was two games full of exciting basketball, amazing athletes, and Sister Jean.
Loyola-Chicago Goes Where Few Cinderellas Have Gone with Win Over Kansas State
The Ramblers have become just the fourth eleven seed ever to make the Final Four with a 78-62 win over the Kansas Wildcats. Loyola-Chicago has advanced to their first Final Four since the historic 1963 team. Ben Richardson set a career high in points with 23 and a career-high in three-pointers with six. The 11 seed Ramblers outscored the Wildcats in both halves and just refused to allow Kansas State any chance to come back despite their best efforts. Xavier Sneed led the Wildcats with 16 points and six rebounds.
The Ramblers shot 57.4 percent from the field and 50 percent from three compared to 34.8 percent from the field and 24 percent from three for the Wildcats. Loyola-Chicago also managed to rip down an impressive 36 rebounds. Kansas State star Dean Wade did not play once again after only playing seven minutes last round against Kentucky. Loyola-Chicago gets to cut down the South Region nets and will advance to the Final Four to take on the winner of Michigan and Florida State. The few 11 seeds that managed to advance to the Final Four have all lost in that round, but the Ramblers and Sister Jean aren’t ready to head home yet.
For the first time since 1963, Loyola Chicago is heading to the Final Four!
The 11 seed wins the south region!pic.twitter.com/Q5IYS2ejDA
— Def Pen Sports (@DefPenSports) March 25, 2018
Michigan Holds off Florida State Run to Advance to First Final Four Since 2013
Florida State had several chances late, but a series of head-scratching decisions that would ultimately see their comeback fall short against the Wolverines. Charles Matthews led the Wolverines with 17 points and eight rebounds while Florida State’s Phil Cofer led the Seminoles with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Florida State began fouling Michigan with a couple of minutes reaming and it appeared as if the strategy was going to pay off. Michigan just continued to miss free throws in the clutch. Fouling Duncan Robinson and a few ill-advised contested threes would see the Seminoles down four with 11 seconds to go.
Florida State who hadn’t had a timeout left during their entire comeback would decide not to foul and handed the Wolverines the game and a spot in the Final Four. The Michigan Wolverines would overcome shooting 38.8 percent from the field and just 18.2 percent from beyond the arc. Florida State’s amazing run that included knocking off one seed Xavier has come to an end. Michigan is now staring down the beloved Cinderella eleven seed Loyola-Chicago in the 2018 NCAA Tournament Final Four.
Michigan hangs on to win the West Region!
They’re moving on to the #FinalFour!pic.twitter.com/tCV87R19FP
— Def Pen Sports (@DefPenSports) March 25, 2018
