Half of the Final Four has been decided, with Illinois and Arizona punching their tickets to Indianapolis after second-half comebacks in Saturday’s Elite Eight.
ESPN’s college basketball crew breaks down how both contests were decided — and how each winner made a run together so deep into March.
Relive the live action
How Arizona won: For the first time since 2001, the Wildcats have reached the Final Four. Against an experienced Purdue team, Arizona was led by its talented freshmen – Braden Burries (14), Ivan Kharchenkov (18) and Koa Peat (20) – with a combined 52 points, which was nothing short of the biggest of their young careers. Senior guard Jaden Bradley added 14 points.
The Wildcats looked poised to put the Boilermakers to sleep early after taking a 19-12 lead at the 12:37 mark of the first half. But even after Purdue star Trey Kauffman-Renn picked up his second foul early, the Boilermakers clawed their way back. A key change came when Purdue coach Matt Painter added second-year big man Daniel Jacobsen just as Arizona’s first-half lead grew to seven points. The 7-foot-4 center had only played four combined minutes in the previous two games, but his size was much needed and his presence helped turn the situation around. However, this did not last long. Arizona needed less than six minutes in the second half before taking the lead.
The Wildcats broke the program record for single-season wins (36) that had stood since 1988, when Arizona reached the first of four Final Fours under legendary coach Lute Olson. This team, led by fifth-year coach Tommy Lloyd, has a chance to pass them all as the best in school history. –Kyle Bonagura
Wildcats’ Final Four opponents: Winner of Michigan vs. Tennessee (Sunday)
The No. 1 factor that helped Arizona reach the Final Four: The Wildcats’ consistency in the paint has been unparalleled, and it carried them when it mattered in the NCAA Tournament.
For the season, Arizona ranked fifth in the nation in paint points, averaging over 42 in that area. It also led the nation in free throw attempts with nearly 20 points per game. Against another dominant paint team in Arkansas in the Sweet 16, Arizona had perhaps its most efficient interior performance yet seen in March: the Wildcats had 60 paint points and 30 points from the free throw line, the most combined points in an NCAA Tournament game in the last 20 years. Then, when Purdue played them at a low level in the first half of their Elite Eight showdown, the Wildcats played with a sense of urgency and imposed their will in the second half. The Wildcats finished with 40 paint points and 20 points from the free throw line, outscoring the Boilermakers by a combined 28 points in those areas.
It’s not just the post scoring of Peat or Motijes Krivas or the offensive rebounding of Tobe Awka – it’s also the consistent offense of Bradley, Burries and Kharchenkov. Tommy Lloyd preaches paint point, and it is reflected in every aspect of his team’s offense.
How Illinois won: Brad Underwood believes that the best player on the team should get the nod. Their star freshman Keaton Wagler certainly played well on Saturday, scoring 25 points to send the program to its first Final Four in 21 years and end Iowa’s Cinderella-like run.
Wagler was captain of the ship, but the Fighting Illini’s victory was not guaranteed at the outset. After falling behind 12-2 early, they struggled to find solutions for Hawkeyes star Bennett Sturtz. The second-team All-Big Ten selection had 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting at halftime. According to ESPN Research, he did not score until the 16:17 mark of the first half – his second-longest stretch without a point to open a game this season. But they were able to contain Stritz after the break, limiting him to 2-for-6 shooting in the second half while allowing 43 of 71 points in the final 20 minutes. – Myron Medcalf
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Andrej Stojakovic’s late and-1 helps send Illinois to the Final Four
Andrej Stojakovic drove to the paint and scored an and-1 bucket, allowing Illinois to defeat Iowa and reach the Final Four for the first time in 21 years.
Fighting Illini’s Final Four opponents:Winner of Duke vs. UConn (Sunday)
The No. 1 factor that helped Illinois reach the Final Four: The Illini’s offense is one of the most efficient kenpom history, but it was his defense that propelled this run to Indianapolis. They held VCU to 55 points and 0.83 points per possession in the Round of 32, held Houston to 55 points and 0.94 points per possession in the Sweet 16, and then held Iowa to 59 points and 1.08 points per possession in the Elite Eight. He has protected the rim and paint at an incredibly high level, limiting all three of the above opponents to under 48% from inside the arc. Iowa had only seven 2-pointers on Saturday.
This is a dramatic improvement from their defensive performance at the end of the regular season, when the Illini allowed six of their last nine opponents to score at least 1.17 points per possession, while losing five of eight in that span. Their offense hasn’t let up, but their defense is suddenly looking like a top-10 unit, which is a season-changing development for Brad Underwood’s team. –Jeff Borzello
