40 Year NCAA Basketball Tournament - Midwest Region

 

One more Final Four team to name, lets play the MW region, with the top overall seed in the field, the 2001 Duke Blue Devils.  

1. 2001 Duke Blue Devils              41-4              National Champions (d. Arizona 82-72)

2. 1992 Indiana Hoosiers              31-8              2nd Big 10 (L Semis Duke 81-78)

3. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats           40-6         SEC Tourney Champ (L NCAA Finals Arizona 84-79)

4. 2008 Kansas Jayhawks             43-3              National Champions (d. Memphis 75-68)

5. 2015 Kentucky Wildcats           42-2              SEC Champs (L. Sems Wisconsin 71-64)

6. 2015 Duke Blue Devils         41-4                National Champions (d. Wisconsin 68-63)

7. 2000 Michigan St Spartans       38-7             National Champions (d. Florida 89-76)

8. 1989 Michigan Wolverines        36-7            National Champions  (d. Seton Hall 80-79)

9. 2013 Louisville Cardinals         41-5             National Champions (d. Michigan 82-76)

10. 1997 Kansas Jayhawks             36-3            Big 12 Champs (L Regional Semi Arizona 85-82)

11. 1998 North Carolina Tar Heels  38-5         ACC Tourney Champs (L Semis Utah 65-59)

12. 2006 Florida Gators                   39-6         National Champions (d. UCLA 73-57)

13. 1991 Duke Blue Devils             38-7            National Champions (d. Kansas 72-65)

14. 2000 Duke Blue Devils              31-6            ACC Champs (L Regional Semi Florida 87-78)

15. 2011 Ohio St Buckeyes              36-4            Big 10 Champs (L Regional Semi Kentucky 62-60)

16. 2022 Kansas Jayhawks              40-6            National Champions (d. UNC 72-69)

16. 2001 Michigan St Spartans       32-6            Big 10 Champs (L Semis Arizona 80-61)

PLAY IN GAME

2022 KANSAS 93  2001 MICHIGAN ST  82

-National Champion Jayhawks have to play their way in - they do, 24 for Ochai Agbaji.  Zach Randolph with 14 in the loss.

ROUND ONE

1. 2001 DUKE 102  16. 2022 KANSAS 74

-Duke's already got the plurality of teams in the Sweet 16 and the top seed in the MW moves to round 2.  23 for both Jay Williams and Mike Dunleavy.  26 in the loss for Agbaji.

8. 1989 MICHIGAN 106  9. 2013 LOUISVILLE 101

-OT battle between these National Champions.  Michigan led by 10 with 4:45 left in regulation, led by 6 with 31 seconds left, but two triples from junior guard Russ Smith sent the game to OT.  Louisville led 99-98 with 1:41 left, but got outscored 8-2 down the stretch to get sent home.  29 for Rumeal Robinson, 21 points and 8 boards for Glen Rice.  Double/Double for Gorgui Dieng in the loss.

5. 2015 KENTUCKY  80  12.  2006 FLORIDA 71

-15 pts, 10 boards for Trey Lyles, a double/double for Al Horford in the defeat.

4. 2008 KANSAS 90  13.  1991 DUKE 81

-Not every Duke team survives; sophomore Guard Sherron Collins scores 14, 7 assists, 5 steals. Christian Laettner scores 22 in the loss.

 

11. 1998 NORTH CAROLINA 97   6. 2015 DUKE 96

-Carolina took the lead 64-63 at 13:43 left and never gave it back.  Senior guard Shammond Williams scored 29, 22 points and 14 boards for Antawn Jamison. Jahlil Okafor scores 25 in the loss.

3. 1997 KENTUCKY 111   14. 2000 DUKE  102

-Duke teams drops 3 straight games. 26 for senior forward Derek Anderson, Shane Battier has 27 in the loss.

7. 2000 MICHIGAN ST 98   10. 1997 KANSAS 93

-The National Champs from 2000 head to round 2.  Senior forward Morris Peterson goes for 23 and 9 rebounds.  Double/double for senior guard Mateen Cleaves.  20 for Raef LaFrenz in the loss.

2. 1992 INDIANA  99    15. 2011 OHIO ST  96

-Round one is over; junior guard Calbert Cheaney scores 20 as the Hoosiers edge the Buckeyes; 31 for William Buford in the loss.

ROUND TWO

1. 2001 Duke v. 8. 1989 Michigan

5. 2015 Kentucky v. 4. 2008 Kansas

3. 1997 Kentucky v. 11. 1998 North Carolina

2. 1992 Indiana v. 7. 2000 Michigan St

We're about to finish Round 2 and our Sweet 16 will be set.

1. 2001 DUKE  113  8. 1989 MICHIGAN 109

-Duke places one final team into the Sweet 16. With 16 minutes left Michigan led by 10, less than 2 minutes later the game was tied.  With 11:50 left, Duke was up 6 - that's less than 5 minutes and a 16 point swing.  Michigan tied it up with 2 minutes to play.  With 66 seconds left, the game was tied at 106, Duke then scored the next 7 points and won the game. Shane Battier scores 43 points, has 8 rebounds, it's the new high point game in the tournament.  Glen Rice had 37 in the loss.

4. 2008 KANSAS   78   5. 2015 KENTUCKY 61

-Kansas places a team in the Sweet 16.  Balanced attack for the Jayhawks, senior guard Russell Robinson led with 14 points; Kentucky thoroughly frustrated on the night, just 9 points for Karl Anthony Towns.  

11. 1998 NORTH CAROLINA  82  3. 1997 KENTUCKY 73

-Both Kentucky teams go down in round two, 23 points and 11 boards for Antawn Jamison as the Heels make the Sweet 16.  Ron Mercer had 14 in the loss.  One spot left.

7. 2000 MICHIGAN ST 91  2.  1992 INDIANA 90

-We get a good one to close out round 2. Michigan St led by 7 at the half, 5 minutes later, a Calbert Cheaney 3 tied the score.  At the 10 minute mark, a Matt Nover 5 footer gave the Hoosiers a 6 pt lead.  Mike Chappell hit a midrange with 6 to play to tie the score at 78.  Indiana led by 1 with 2 minutes left, Jason Richardson scored on back to back possessions for the Spartans and they wouldn't give up the lead again. 23 for Charlie Bell, 21 for Morris Peterson. Cheaney had 24 in the loss.

Leaving us with these 4 teams to join the Sweet 16.

1. 2002 DUKE v. 4. 2008 KANSAS

7. 2000 MICHIGAN ST v. 11. 1998 NORTH CAROLINA

40 Year NCAA Basketball Tournament - West Region

 South

Half of the Sweet 16 is set, here's the other half of the bracket.

1. 1991 UNLV Rebels               38-2          Big West Champs (L Semis Duke 79-77)

2. 2025 Duke Blue Devils         39-5          ACC Champs (L Semis Houston 70-67)

3. 1993 North Carolina Tar Heels  40-4         National Champions (d. Michigan 77-71)

4. 2019 Gonzaga Bulldogs        36-5         WCC Champs (L Regional Final TTech 75-69)

5. 2010 Duke Blue Devils         41-5          National Champions (d. Baylor 61-59)

6. 1988 Arizona Wildcats         39-4          Pac 10 Champs (L Semis Oklahoma 86-78)

7. 2021 Gonzaga Bulldogs        35-2          WCC Champs (L Finals Baylor 86-70)

8. 2017 North Carolina Tar Heels  39-7   National Champions (d. Gonzaga 71-65)

9. 2001 Arizona Wildcats         33-8          2nd Pac 10 (L Finals Duke 82-72)

10. 1995 UCLA Bruins             38-1          National Champions (d. Arkansas 89-78)

11. 1990 UNLV Rebels              41-5         National Champions (d. Duke 103-73)

12. 2001 Stanford Cardinal      34-5         Pac 10 Champs (L Regional Final Maryland 87-73)

13. 2012 Kentucky Wildcats     44-2          National Champions (d. Kansas 67-59)

14. 2017 Gonzaga Bulldogs       42-3         WCC Champs (L Finals UNC 71-65)

15. 1986 Louisville Cardinals     38-7         National Champions (d. Duke 72-69)

16. 2011 Connecticut Huskies     38-9        National Champions (d. Butler 53-41)

16. 2004 Duke Blue Devils         35-7         ACC Champs (L Semis UConn 79-78)

PLAY IN GAME

2004 DUKE 92  2011 CONNECTICUT 89

Sophomore forward Shelden Williams goes for 20 pts and 11 rebounds and Duke knocks off the 2011 National Champs.  22 points and 7 assists for Kemba Walker in the loss.

ROUND ONE

1. 1991 UNLV 94   16. 2004 DUKE  72

-Easy win for Vegas to open the West.  Junior guard Anderson Hunt leads the way with 25.  21 points and 8 rebounds for senior forward Larry Johnson.  Double/Double for Shelden Williams in the loss. 

9. 2001 ARIZONA 106  8. 2017 NORTH CAROLINA 102

-The first OT game of the tournament.  Sophomore guard Jason Gardner hit a 3 from the top to tie it for the Cats at the end of regulation; with 95 seconds to play in OT, junior forward Richard Jefferson hit a corner 3 that put Arizona up 5, they never looked back.  20 pts, 8 boards, 5 assists from Jefferson. 19 points, 10 assists for Joel Berry in the loss.

 5. 2010 DUKE 107  12.  2001 STANFORD  99

-Junior guard Nolan Smith goes for 30 and the National Champion Blue Devils head to round 2.  25 points, 5 boards, 5 steals for junior forward Kyle Singler.  Casey Jacobsen had 28 in the loss.

 4. 2019 GONZAGA 97  13. 2012 KENTUCKY  87

-The Zags take out the National Champs from Kentucky and head to round 2.  Sophomore guard Zach Norvell has 25 points. 19 points/9 boards for Rui Hachimura.  Michael Kidd Gilchrist goes 18 and 8 in the defeat.

 

11. 1990 UNLV 97   6.  1988 ARIZONA 77

-The '90 National Champs reach round 2; 23 points/10 rebounds for Larry Johnson. 20 points for Sean Elliott in the loss.

14. 2017 GONZAGA  97  3.  1993 NORTH CAROLINA 73

-The two Vegas teams have moved on - and they are joined by the 2 Gonzaga teams.  21 for senior guard Jordan Matthews, Eric Montross with 11 points is the high point scorer for the Heels, they really got locked down.

7. 2021 GONZAGA  94  10.  1995 UCLA 85

-3 Gonzaga teams reach round 2.  23 points for Corey Kispert, 21 for Jalen Suggs.  18 for Ed O'Bannon and the National Champs get bounced.  (I fudged a little, slipping UCLA into the field, I lost one of the recent UConn title teams to the simulation not having it ready)

2. 2025 DUKE 86  15. 1986 LOUISILLE 73

-Cooper Flagg scores 25 and moves the Blue Devils into round 2.  22 for Milt Wagner in the loss.

SECOND ROUND

1. 1991 UNLV v. 9. 2001 Arizona

4. 2019 Gonzaga v. 5. 2010 Duke

11. 1990 UNLV v. 14. 2017 Gonzaga

2. 2025 Duke v. 7. 2021 Gonzaga

2 from Duke, 2 from Vegas and 3 from Gonzaga reach the second round.

9. 2001 ARIZONA 122  1. 1991 UNLV 115

-Arizona won the first OT game in the tourney in rnd 1 and now they win the second OT game to reach the Sweet 16.  51-49 Arizona at the half, neither team had more than a 5 point lead until 6 minutes remained in regulation when Arizona went up 7 with a Michael Wright putback.  3 minutes left, Larry Johnson scored from the block and UNLV trailed by 2.  A minute later H Waldman, a freshman guard, drilled back to back triples, and Vegas led 97-95. Arizona scored the next 5 - but with 22 seconds left Gilbert Arenas missed the second FT to open the door a crack - and at the buzzer, a Larry Johnson 3 sent the game into OT.  But the Cats were too much, sprinting out to a quick lead they'd never give back. Arenas led the way with 31. Wright had 15 points and 12 rebounds.  Johnson gave it all he had, 31 points, 6 boards, 5 assists, 4 blocks, but we lose our first number one seed.

5. 2010 DUKE 90  4. 2019 GONZAGA 80

-Duke places its third team into Sweet 16.  Kyle Singler scores 25, Nolan Smith 22.  Rui Hachimura goes for 22 and 8 in the loss.

11. 1990 UNLV 107  14.  2017  GONZAGA 83

-Vegas does find its way into the Sweet 16, Anderson Hunt scored 28, Larry Johnson scored 21 and had 13 boards.  21 for Nigel Williams Goss in the defeat.  

2. 2025 DUKE 112  7. 2021 GONZAGA 104

-All 3 Zags squads fall in round 2 and now 4 Duke teams are safely into the sweet 16.  Cooper Flagg could not be stopped, 38 points, 6 assists and 5 boards.  28 for Jalen Suggs in the loss.

Here's who heads to the Sweet 16 from the West

5. 2010 DUKE  v.  9. 2001 ARIZONA

2. 2025 DUKE v. 11. 1990 UNLV