- Caitlyn Clark is now the face of college basketball.
It was the first time the women’s game shined the brightest, at least according to ratings, and Caitlyn Clark is now the face of college sports. Breaking almost every record at Iowa and known for her remarkable range, what Caitlyn Clark does is so special because she makes everyone around her better. Clark shows great leadership and maturity in her game. However, despite the tough matchup in the championship and losing to the undefeated South Carolina, Clark still remained center-stage. I would argue South Carolina hasn’t got the praise that they deserved but when your championship run is overshadowed by a stardom like Clark’s it’s not hard to understand why. And South Carolina took that personally and defeated Iowa, 87-75. This was the first time that the women’s national championship had more viewers than the men’s championship, according to the ratings. The arrow of women’s basketball is pointing up.
2. UConn wins back-to-back championships in dominant fashion.
Uconn men’s basketball and Coach Hurley have won back-to-back championships and very few people were surprised. That’s the level of domination they achieved. The UConn Huskies completed their season with a historic ending. Travelling to Phoenix, Arizona, the Huskies faced off against the #1 seed, Purdue Boilermakers in the NCAA National Championship, led by 7’4″ Canadian center, Zach Edey. Despite Edey’s 37 points and 10 rebounds against the Huskies, Purdue couldn’t catch up to the well-oiled machine that was the Huskies. Edey averaged an impressive 24.9 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, and 2.1 assists per game while shooting an efficient 62.5% from the field in the tournament and did everything he could to win the game. It wasn’t enough to beat the great Uconn.
3. Everyone still loves a good Cinderella story.
NC State’s run from 11th seed to a Final Four appearance was something to remember. Going from an expected snub to even getting into the tourney in the first place before the ACC tournament all the way to running the table in the South region bracket, basketball fans got a classic story to remember. There was nothing particularly different with this team from start to finish, other than they just got hot at the right time. Many people asked what was so special about them and this amateur sports analyst thought DJ Burns was the ultimate reason. Burns is a unique post player and a great passer with a sneaky left hand. He’s 6’9 275 lbs, which is a great size for a post player or a college football offensive lineman. NC State was 17-14 at the end of the regular season and there was very little chance to make the March tournament, let alone go on a 9-game winning streak. With wins against big names like Duke, Marquette and UNC. this Cinderella run will be remembered for a long time.
4. Oakland University (in Michigan) gave us the best upset of the tournament.
Some say they saw it coming but when a 14 seed beats a 3 seed, especially one with the reputation Kentucky has, most of us are surprised and delighted. Unless you’re a Kentucky fan, most of us still love to see the hopes and dreams of one of the “little guys” be realized on live TV. It’s what makes sports so great. The Horizon League’s champion, Oakland University’s Golden Grizzlies shocked everyone and it was one of my favorite things to watch. Here is a link to Oakland University’s online news site to find out more details.
