Sports
 

Final Four set with big boys

Son of former NBA star hits key shot to help OSU advance

by Barrett Goldsmith
The Daily Cougar

Though the Men's NCAA basketball tournament is known for Cinderella's, upsets, improbable antics and wild finishes, viewers this weekend found that only one of those held true for the Final Four.

Photo courtesy of the Connecticut Daily Nexus

---

Junior center Emeka Okafor and head coach Jim Calhoun had a strong regular season, but the Huskies have become white-hot in the postseason.

No unsung heroes or Cinderella teams won on Saturday or Sunday, as the No. 3 seed Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets were the lowest-seeded team to advance to the Final Four in San Antonio. But there were some fantastic finishes, including an overtime game and a game that was decided by a last-minute three-pointer by a second-generation star.

Here's a look at how the four regions were decided.

East Rutherford region

No. 2 Oklahoma State, down 61-62 to No. 1 seed St. Joseph's on OSU's final possession of the game Saturday, put its season in the hands of John Lucas, son of the former NBA player by the same name.

Lucas didn't disappoint, hitting a three-pointer with 6.9 seconds remaining to put the Cowboys up 64-62.

All-American Jameer Nelson missed a last-second shot that would have tied the game for St. Joseph's, but the shot, and St. Joseph's spot in the Final Four, came up inches short.

Phoenix region

The No. 2 seed Connecticut Huskies destroyed an Alabama team Saturday that had recorded impressive wins against No. 1 seed Stanford and the defending national champion Syracuse Orangemen. Connecticut won 87-71, but the game wasn't even that close.

All-American center Emeka Okafor, who left in the first half because of an elbow injury, scored only two points, but his teammates more than picked up the slack.

Ben Gordon scored 36 points and Rashad Anderson scored a career-high 28.

Atlanta region

No. 1 Duke knocked out the last Cinderella team remaining when the Blue Devils defeated No. 7 seed Xavier 66-63 Sunday in a game that went down to the wire.

By winning the game, Duke becomes the only No. 1 seed to advance to the Final Four this season, and has ensured that Duke will have played in four Final Fours in 14 seasons.

Duke will now face UConn in the national semi-final game at 8:30 p.m. Friday.

St. Louis region

In the wildest finish of the Elite Eight round, Georgia Tech squeaked by No. 5 seed Kansas 79-71, though the Yellow Jackets added a handful of last-minute free-throws that padded the score in their favor. 

Tech was without its top scorer, guard B.J. Elder, but received a career performance from Jarett Jack, who finished with 29 points in the game.

The Yellow Jackets will face OSU at 6:07 p.m. Friday in the national semi-final game.

 Send comments to dcsports@mail.uh.edu