A March Madness underdog and a heavy favorite come out of the Pittsburgh region and into the Sweet 16 for (11) NC State (South) and (3) Creighton (Midwest).
The Pittsburgh region showcased some of the best basketball we have seen in March Madness so far with the double overtime thriller of Creighton and Oregon, two double-digit seeds going head-to-head for a spot in the Sweet 16, and the creation of the legend, Jack Gohlke. Gohlke’s 10 three-pointers shocked the college basketball world and sent home Kentucky, a team that was considered by some to be a Final Four contender.
Pittsburgh Region Most Outstanding Player
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
Kalkbrenner’s size makes him very hard to play against both offensively and defensively. His ability to work low in the post and find ways to score makes him a dynamic player. Over the two games in Pittsburgh, Kalkbrenner shot 75% from the floor and connected on a big three-pointer in double overtime against Creighton. He scored 23 points in the win over Akron and 19 in the win over Oregon.
Pittsburgh Region First Team
- G: Jermaine Couisnard, Oregon – 2 GP (36.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.0 BPG, 49% FG%)
- G: Trey Alexander, Creighton – 2 GP (19.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 38% FG%)
- F: DJ Burns, NC State – 2 GP (20.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 70% FG%)
- C: N’Faly Dante, Oregon – 2 GP (25.5 PPG, 13.0 RPG, 2.5 APG, 2.0 SPG, 2.0 BPG, 66% FG%)
- C: Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton – 2 GP (21.0 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 4.0 BPG, 1.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 75% FG%)
3 Takeaways
#1: Creighton’s depth proves why the Bluejays could make a Final Four run
So much of the focus on Creighton going into the NCAA Tournament was on Baylor Scheierman, Trey Alexander, and Ryan Kalkbrenner. The Bluejays, though, had three players have one or two strong games in the NCAA Tournament in Steven Ashworth, Mason Miller, and Jasen Green. Ashworth and Miller round out an extremely balanced lineup while Green provided a strong rebound presence off the bench.
Creighton coach Greg McDermott highlighted Green’s significance in the win over Oregon and his ability to come off the bench and provide some help on the rebounds against N’Faly Dante. Green has seen very limited time this season, but he used the game as his moment to shine. Having six that can change the game instantly makes Creighton much more dangerous than originally thought.
#2: Who needs rest if you’re NC State?
As a 10 seed in the ACC Tournament, NC State played five games in five days as the Wolfpack went on to win the conference title. Add in two games over the span of three days in the first and second rounds, NC State took the court seven times in 12 days which is similar to a pace that teams play at during the peak of the regular season. Despite that, the Wolfpack have thrived to this point with the circumstances they have been given.
While Kevin Keatts’ team has its toughest matchup of the tournament coming up against Marquette, the Wolfpack will get the longest rest they have had in quite some time. Some teams find another gear with the extra rest while others lose focus and fall on their face because of the change. NC State will have a lot of eyes heading into the Sweet 16.
#3: Even though Oakland has been eliminated, the story will live on forever
Jack Gohlke, Trey Townsend, and Oakland head coach Greg Kampe said that the biggest goal of the tournament was to put Oakland on the map (and no, it’s not in California). The Golden Grizzlies did exactly that as Gohlke’s 10 three-pointers led them to the shocking upset win over Kentucky. They forced overtime with NC State and were five minutes away from going to the Sweet 16.
Townsend averaged a double-double in the pair of games, including 30 points and 13 rebounds in the loss against NC State. Gohlke has caught the eyes of basketball fans around the world in light of his performance and jokes about him being a future insurance agent. Even Louisville fans started buying Oakland merchandise to show support for the Golden Grizzlies. Mission accomplished, gentlemen. Oakland is now more than just “on the map.”
Lookahead for NC State
The Wolfpack have surprised everyone to this point, and it’s a surprise they have gotten this far. The Cinderella run from NC State is a testament to how well Keatts has done with embracing the “Survive and Advance” mentality. The next challenge is a Big East powerhouse in Marquette, a top 10 team in the country.
All eyes from the Golden Eagles will be on DJ Burns, and it will be interesting to see how Marquette chooses to defend him. Mohamed Diarra and DJ Horne will have to step up significantly as the stakes get higher. Colorado did take Marquette down to the wire, so I would expect there to be a lot of conversations in the next few days between Kevin Keatts and Tad Boyle.
Lookahead for Creighton
Creighton has one of the toughest, if not the toughest matchup in the Sweet 16 against Tennessee. The matchup is one that you would expect to see in the Elite 8 or Final Four, but we get a taste of it one or two rounds ahead of schedule. The Bluejays will need to see more dominance from the guards in Scheierman and Alexander.
In the win over Oregon, Creighton struggled at times to make shots even when the players had great looks at the basket and put a lot of extra pressure on the defense. The Bluejays got away with it once, but it doesn’t always work out that way. Containing Dalton Knecht is going to be easier said than done, but Greg McDermott will have a plan for him as he showcased in the opening two rounds just how creative he can get with his game plan.