SAN ANTONIO (AP) The Latest on the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament (all times local):
12 p.m.
It’s been an almost all-or-nothing thing for Villanova and Jay Wright when it comes to the NCAA Tournament.
The Wildcats reached the Final Four in 2009 before falling to eventual national champion North Carolina, then failed to get out of the NCAA Tournament’s opening weekend ~for another six years. That included a loss to North Carolina State as a 1-seed in 2015.
Villanova finally made its push a year later, beating Kansas in a regional final then beating UNC on Kris Jenkins’ walk-off 3-pointer for the national title.
But last year, Villanova lost as a 1-seed in the opening weekend again against Wisconsin.
This time, the Wildcats arrived at the Final Four as the highest remaining seed in the tournament.
Villanova plays Kansas on Saturday night in the second semifinal.
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10:30 a.m.
Loyola-Chicago had to win the Missouri Valley Conference championship to secure its spot in the NCAA Tournament then made a run as an 11-seed.
Yet Michigan coach John Beilein sounds like he thinks the Ramblers might have been good enough to win a title in one of the power conferences.
Loyola and Michigan play Saturday night in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.
Loyola-Chicago is only the fourth No. 11 seed to reach the national semifinals. Beilein says he thinks the Ramblers could’ve been seeded anywhere from No. 4 to No. 7 had they been in a bigger conference.
Beilein says he isn’t saying the seeding was wrong, but that ”it’s an inexact science to try and figure out.”
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10 a.m.
It’s game day at the Final Four in San Antonio.
Saturday night features two NCAA Tournament semifinals at the Alamodome. The first is West Region champion and third-seeded Michigan against South Region champion and 11-seed Loyola-Chicago. Both teams have had wins during this tournament with last-moment shots.
The second is a battle of No. 1 seeds between East champion Villanova and Midwest champion Kansas. They’ve both played at a high level all year and entered March Madness as popular picks to win it all.
All four teams are past national champions. The Wildcats are pursuing a second national title in three seasons. The Jayhawks are trying for their first title since winning one in San Antonio in 2008.
Michigan won the title in 1989, while Loyola-Chicago won it in 1963.
The winners of the games Saturday will meet Monday night for the title.
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More AP college basketball: https://collegebasketball.ap.org ; https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 and https://www.podcastone.com/ap-sports-special-events
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