Houston and Gonzaga faced off in a thrilling second-round NCAA Tournament game in Wichita, Kansas, a contest that held the intensity one might expect from a Final Four showdown. Both teams, led by Kelvin Sampson and Mark Few respectively, exhibited remarkable performances throughout the season.
Houston entered the tournament as the top team in scoring defense, outperforming other teams by more than half a point. Conversely, Gonzaga held the second position in scoring offense, nearly matching Alabama with an average of 87 points per game. Despite these statistics, Houston managed to secure an 81-76 victory over Gonzaga, advancing to the Sweet 16. The Cougars’ ability to adapt their style of play proved essential, as they not only curtailed Gonzaga’s usual high-scoring game but also elevated their own offensive performance beyond mere defensive prowess.
“Just win and advance,” stated Sampson. “Do what it takes. That’s all that matters.”
Surviving the first weekend of the tournament required teams to adjust their strategies when necessary. Success hinged on the ability to either transition quickly for points or reinforce defensive efforts to stymie the opposition. Mississippi has exemplified this adaptability during the tournament.
While the Rebels entered the postseason ranked within the top 50 nationally for scoring, their defense was merely average, standing at 175th out of 364 teams in men’s Division I basketball. They showcased defensive strength by limiting North Carolina to a 71-64 victory in the first round, despite overpowering opponents during the regular season with scores like 98 against Kentucky and 100 against Oral Roberts.
“Their defensive versatility is terrific,” praised Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger. “Their switch ability — guards on bigs, bigs on guards. They do a great job. Their defense really tries to frustrate you by not allowing the ball to get in the paint, and trying to keep it on one side of the floor. And when they’re at their best, they’re doing that really well.”
Next up for Mississippi is Michigan State, renowned for its versatility and ranked in the top 50 for both scoring and defense. Michigan State demonstrated their prowess by scoring 87 against Bryant and restricting New Mexico to 63 in their matchups.
“We’re just a team that can play multiple ways,” stated Spartans’ player Jaden Akins.
Duke stands as another formidable team, ranking fourth nationally in scoring and sixth in defense. Their opening weekend victories, 93-49 over Mount St. Mary’s and 89-66 over Baylor, were unsurprising given their balanced approach.
Kentucky, the sixth-best scoring team this season, demonstrated patience and tactical play in their 76-57 triumph against Wofford, despite being 315th in scoring defense. Arizona, averaging 90 points in victories against Akron and Oregon, surprisingly limited the Zips to just 65 points in the opening round.
Alabama, known as the nation’s highest-scoring team, showcased defensive strength to match their offensive capabilities, advancing with a tightly contested first-round win over Robert Morris and a solid performance against Saint Mary’s.
In the Sweet 16, Alabama will meet BYU, a team similar in playstyle to their own.
“I don’t know that I want to say it’s refreshing to go against somebody that plays like us,” Tide coach Nate Oats explained, “because I think we’re really tough to guard, and we’ve led the country in scoring the last two years. I don’t think anybody is saying it’s refreshing to play Alabama, whoever is running the defense for the other team. I mean, maybe it’s not such a smash-mouth game like playing football out there like some of these teams, but they’re not easy to cover.”
“We’re going to have to really lock in, and coaches are going to have to really do a good job getting our guys ready, and then our guys are going to have to execute what the plan is, whatever we decide to put in.”