Florida/Houston and U.Conn/ South Carolina Final Game Tilts

The final round games in both the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, are set as Connecticut is a 6 point favorite vs South Carolina, in this afternoon’s women’s tilt, while Florida is (-1) vs Houston, in tomorrow night’s title tilt.

Connecticut in its 24th national “semi,” all under Luigi “Geno” Auriemma, is seeking a twelfth crown, against only one title tilt loss.

Meanwhile, “South “Caro,” no slouch, and defending champions are bidding for a fourth crown, all with Dawn Staley as coach. In 2022, they handed U.Conn their lone title tilt defeat.

Houston, in its 7th national semi (2 with the great player Elvin Hayes, but vs the even greater and nearly a foot taller Lew Alcindor/Kareem Abdul Jabbar in ’67 and ’68 and 3 straight with the great and eventually true/all-time type great and largely forgotten, Hakeem Olajuwon, 3 straight seasons (’82-’84), and seeking its first basketball or for that matter football or basketball crown, made a great comeback to eliminate Duke.

However, this time let’s just say, emphasize the Duke (-) play and not the Houston (+) play.

At one point in time, Duke had been to 8 national semis, sans a title, losing 4 times each in the semis and the final game.

That changed in ’91, when first they were relieved favorite and arch rival, North Carolina had been upset by Kansas in the first “semi,” and then they went out and upset defending champion and 9 plus point(s) “fave” U.N.L.V.

A title game win and another title in ’92 followed. There were 3 more crowns so there are no real “tears” for Duke unless …..

In the “semis” opener yesterday, again Florida trailed and won, not as demonstrably as vs Texas Tech the week before and again ’twas Walter Clayton Jr.’s brilliance, (33 points), that led them. Florida won consecutive titles in ’06 and ’07. Auburn is (0-2) in national semi-final games.

They do not make them like this/Woody any longer. Truly regrettable!