Michigan is moving on to the national championship game for the first time since 2013 after ending Loyola-Chicago’s incredible run in the NCAA Tournament.
NCAA Tournament
Arike Ogunbowale’s jumper from the corner with a second left lifted Notre Dame to a 91-89 overtime victory over UConn on Friday night in the national semifinals.
The popular Final Four storyline that is No. 11 seed Loyola Chicago and its 98-year-old team chaplain on Friday did, in fact, relegate the Wildcats and Jayhawks to the back seat of media attention at the Alamodome.
Bruce Marshall’s daughter went to Loyola-Chicago, but the handicapper’s wife won’t be rooting for the Ramblers and Sister Jean — America’s favorite 98-year-old nun — in Saturday’s NCAA semifinals.
Michigan plays Loyola-Chicago and Villanova meets Kansas in the Final Four on Saturday in San Antonio.
The mid-major is becoming less and less of a presence in the 68-team bracket, a shame when you consider the terrific storyline that has been Loyola Chicago this NCAA Tournament.
Some featured comments from Sister Jean-Dolores Schmidt, the 98-year-old team chaplain for Loyola Chicago, at a news conference featuring her on Friday at the Final Four in San Antonio.
Yes, I’m going against Sister Jean during Easter weekend, but I’m not completely on my own. Remember this bit of history: Villanova was named after St. Thomas of Villanova.
To get you ready, we’ve got a rundown of the teams, the top players, the coaches and other tidbits about this year’s Final Four.
On an alternate point spread, Loyola-Chicago is a 3½-point favorite, at plus 290, over Michigan in Saturday’s national semifinal.
Handicapper Bruce Marshall went 12-5 ATS and hit both of his best bets to edge handicapper Kelly Stewart (12-5 ATS) by one point in the Review-Journal Madness Challenge.
Review-Journal sports betting columnist Todd Dewey, handicapper Kelly Stewart and CG Technology sports book vice president Matt Holt preview Saturday’s Final Four.
Austin “Chumlee” Russell is not a college-basketball handicapper. He’s better versed in the Fantastic Four than the Final Four. But Chumlee stands to win $5,000 in an NCAA Tournament bracket challenge.
Las Vegas casino owner Derek Stevens posted a poll Sunday on Twitter asking if he should hedge his bet or let it roll, and as of Monday afternoon, more than 3,400 votes were evenly split.
Move over Bill Self and Jay Wright and the turtle rat and the girl who throws her boyfriend’s stuff out the window in that NCAA Tournament commercial. The real stars of March Madness are Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt and her bobblehead doll.