Here’s what’s crazy.
I re-watched the last 5 minutes of all the games in the first round involving single digit seeds against double digit seeds that were one possession games inside 5 minutes.
- There was soooo much pressure on the higher seeded players. It was palpable, tangible, suffocating, crushing.
- Complete freedom for the lesser seeds knowing there were no outside expectations for them.
Here are those 7 teams listed that were under immense pressure. Then I will rank them according to how they did under pressure as far as staying calm and executing on both ends.
Arizona, Virginia, San Diego State, Xavier, Miami, Purdue, TCU
Tennessee was close but always had at least a 3 point lead with the ball.
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Miami - Down by 8 with 4:30 left and closed on a 16-1 run to end the game. 10/12 on FT’s and 6/8 on FT’s to take control as they kept driving the ball and forcing the defense to make decisions.
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Xavier - down 13 with 9 min left - just continued to hit singles and stay with it. Huge 3 pointer that gave them a 2 point lead with 1:44 left.
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TCU - down 8 with 4:35 left - same - hit singles but also threes were a big factor - hit 3 threes in the last 5:11
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San Diego State - Tie game with 3 min left and closed it 10-4. A big three to go up 5 but lots of drives resulting in a layup and 5 made FT’s.
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Virginia - Lost a 12 point lead because zone by Furman and our insistence (Kyle Guy tweet) of going under screens on their shooters. BUT, did not wilt and came back to take control of the game and get a 4 point lead with 20 seconds left. And basically had the game won. Throw-in with 12 seconds left and a 2 point lead and simply needed to be strong with the ball and accept the foul. In fact Pegues had already started fouling Clark before he threw the pass. The amount of poise by our guys after losing the lead to come back and take control of that game was encouraging and HUGE!
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Arizona - could not execute at all and only got the ball to their All American once in the last 5 minutes. Lots of contested jumpers.
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Purdue - could not execute at all and only got the ball to their All American once for a shot attempt in the last 12 minutes. No one could make a three - 5/26 for the game - to make them come out off Edey.