Regan Ralstin – Purdue
The Purdue Boilermakers have certainly had a variety of adversities in past seasons, but this March could change the course of Purdue basketball forever. And after this weekend, it will!
Despite having an extremely talented Men’s Basketball program, Purdue has had quite a few bumps in the road in the past few years. Last March, the Boilermakers were ranked at the 1 seed, but ended up losing to Fairleigh Dickinson University in what might be the biggest upset game in NCAA history.
Although having historically bad luck in the tournament, Purdue has proven themselves thus far in the 2024 season. They have been ranked in the top 3 of men’s college basketball teams for almost the entire year and are currently making an impressive run in the tournament. This year is so special to Purdue because although they have a great reputation, the Boilermakers have not made it to the Final Four since 1980 and do not have a National Championship title. Zach Edey, Purdue’s two-time National Player of the Year winning big man, is looking to finally lead this team to the top.
In addition, many students and teachers at Cathedral will be rooting for Purdue this weekend. Junior Elizabeth Halvorson says, “I am really hoping that they can finally secure the banner.”
Ben Holmes – NC State
North Carolina State has made it to the final four, and will play on April 6th against the Purdue Boilermakers. The games are set up in Phoenix, Arizona. The big question everyone has is who is going to win.
Well, everyone can’t wait to see the DJ Burns vs Zach Edy matchup. One big muscular man that’s strong in the paint, and the other man standing at 7 ‘4 that dunks without jumping. North Carolina State hasn’t made the Final Four since 1983 making it a very exciting time for the school. North Carolina State is an 11-seed making everyone a bit surprised they even made this far. The team is very lucky to have a player like DJ Burns averaging 28.5 points per game.
To be honest Purdue has really stepped up their game this year but we have seen them lose to high seeded teams before like last year against Fairleigh Dickinson, so can they lose on Saturday? The lowest seed team to win March Madness was 8 seeded Villanova in 1985. So North Carolina State could make crazy history if they pull off the final four and the final game.
Katherine Nash – UCONN
When I think about who is going to win March Madness, I only think of UConn. Have I seen them play at all? No.
However, I know they have to be very good because in my bracket…that was made for me by my father, UConn is winning. So, of course they are going to win. Senior Jacquie Piper said, “I think UConn will win because they have great players and a great coach who enforces the idea of a team and what it means to be a team player.”
Upon digging deep into google for information on UConn, I have discovered many interesting facts that you all should know. First off, their mascot is a husky and that’s a very lethal mascot. Who can beat a dog from Alaska? No one. Additionally, Donovan Clingan is ‘7”2. Now, I know that Zach Edey from Purdue is a mammoth of a player, but I’ll put a bet that Uconn Husky Clingan can take mammoth Edey any day of the week.
Lastly, I want to give you the description of a husky. Huskies are often described as thickly coated with good endurance. Considering all of this, I think it is fair to say that no one stands a chance against the UConn Huskies.
Luke Spencer – Alabama
With March Madness coming to a close, we are down to the final four teams. Everyone seems to be talking about UConn and Purdue, the two remaining #1 seeds. NC State also has a lot of buzz, having won eight games in a row to get to this point as a #11 seed. With most of the publicity around the games going towards those three teams, one team has flown under the radar: Alabama.
Alabama seems to have been written off by pretty much everyone. They are a #4 seed, and will face UConn on Saturday night as a 12 point underdog. However, this team can surprise some people.
To be fair, UConn is really good. They are well-rounded and can score with anyone in the country. It makes sense for them to be the heavy favorite, but there is one problem with the Huskies, they haven’t faced a real challenge in order to get to the Final Four. They have won each tournament game by over 15 points. This could be viewed as a testament to UConn’s talent, or it can be seen as a it as a lack of competition so far. This Alabama team will provide UConn’s first true challenge since the Big East Tournament.
This Alabama team, if they get hot, can beat ANYONE. This team shoots the lights out, shooting 44% from beyond the arc in the Elite Eight game, which included seven threes from point guard Mark Sears. Sears averages 21.5 points per game, which will lead all players in the game on both sides. UConn’s highest average scorer posts only 15 points per game. This balanced scoring attack could be countered by Alabama’s pace and shooting. If Sears is on, the Tide can play with anyone. Senior Jack Sukurs feels confident in Alabama’s offense, saying, “I think they are the better three point shooting team.”
