Between the most prestigious postseason men’s college basketball tournament and its rude, bloated imitation, 24 teams remain. Let’s check in on what each fanbase is looking for out of the two weeks ahead. Starting, of course, with the main event:
Vanderbilt: Feeling Good, Could Feel Great
The Commodores keep improving season-over-season under Jerry Stackhouse, and while they’ll take some momentum into the offseason either way, a Madison Square Garden trip or, heaven help them, a national championship would have the faithful feeling good. Something to not forget with these guys: Jay Cutler came to MSG when Lipscomb was in the Final Four. Or at least, I’m pretty sure I saw him there.
Xavier: Would Enjoy Success, Not Desperate
Xavier’s definitely in consolation prize mode, but it’s also a school that cares enough about basketball that all its fans are aware there’s a game tonight, and many of its fans will make the trip to NYC with a win. They’re looking ahead to the future, yes, but this isn’t meaningless to them.
St. Bonaventure: Feels Disrespected
Bonnies fans were going to show up no matter what. Bonnies fans were going to want to win. But this whole thing got a lot less humorous for them when they found out the NIT seed list had them lower than even Virginia. Not only did they unexpectedly not receive a home game, but they couldn’t even get one when playing an also-unseeded foe? Furious. They want this badly, and are going to be the saddest of anyone with a loss.
Virginia: Trying to Get the Mojo Back
Virginia hasn’t been clicking for a few years now. Reaching the championship game might be a little oil on the gears.
Washington State: Program on the Rise, Wants This
Kyle Smith’s getting the Cougars closer, and a trip to New York would fire some people up. A championship would really fire people up. It’s like Vanderbilt, but with less pretension.
BYU: Would Take This, But Not Pleased
BYU’s into this, but they’re still a little grumpy. They’re the most in the space of, “If we’re here, we might as well win,” of anyone left.
Texas A&M: Excited
Texas A&M’s always excited. Honestly, A&M fans probably are happier than they would’ve been getting left out in favor of Rutgers and losing to Indiana in the First Four (would’ve swapped opponents because of the Alabama game—I know my shit, guys). People talked about them more this way, and they’ll keep talking about them. Would not show up in New York like Bonaventure, but might show up like Xavier, especially given just how many Aggies are out there.
Wake Forest: Also Excited
Wake’s having a pretty good time athletically. Football’s doing well, basketball’s on the rise. They’re kind of like Vanderbilt but much, much happier before this season began.
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Ok, moving on to the undercard. To be clear, I don’t endorse how any of these programs are feeling. Just evaluating here.
Gonzaga: Win or Bust
If Gonzaga doesn’t win this tournament, it will be a failure of a season for them.
Arkansas: Would Be Thrilled to Win, Happy Regardless
Every single win from here is icing on the cake for the Hogs. They got to the Sweet Sixteen, Gonzaga’s a perfectly acceptable vanquisher, they’re the last SEC team standing. Lot of hay in the barn. Enough to last the winter.
Texas Tech: Hungry, But Also Full
Texas Tech wants terribly to beat Duke, but like Arkansas, they’ve already met the highest expectations for their program this year. Exceeded them, really. Unlike Arkansas. Who only met them. But also the ceiling has been proven to be higher at Tech? I think I got that all.
Duke: Needs to Lose to a Power that Isn’t North Carolina
If Duke loses to Gonzaga, UCLA, Arizona, Kansas, Villanova, or even maybe Purdue, their people will be fine with it. It’ll be an, “ahh, darn,” situation. If they lose to Texas Tech or Houston, they’ll be pissed because they’ll feel their opponent cheated by beating them up. If they lose to Arkansas, Michigan, Iowa State, Miami, or Saint Peter’s, they’ll feel they underperformed. If they lose to UNC, they’ll be brutally embarrassed.
North Carolina: Ultimately, Ahead of Schedule
Had UNC started hot, things would feel different, but the end-of-season run has a good-enough taste in their mouth that they’ll be happy with this year regardless.
UCLA: Wants Another Final Four
Make the Final Four, and this is successful for UCLA. Lose before then, and unless it’s a classic against Purdue, it’ll probably feel hollow. In the Final Four, only losing to Arkansas would probably actually make the overall vibe one of disappointment.
Purdue: Wants a Final Four
Purdue would probably be fine with an Elite Eight loss, but a Final Four would feel really good for the Boilermakers, and a little justifying after they failed to just be adequate on defense this year and thereby wasted an historically good offense.
Saint Peter’s: VIBING
Nothing can touch Saint Peter’s. You could burn that little arena down and they would dance in the ashes.
Arizona: I’m Not Sure
I have the worst read on Arizona out of any of these. I think this season’s been fun enough overall that they’re probably fine, though any loss will bring with it Kerr Kriisa what-if’s unless he goes off during the game. They don’t want to lose to Houston, but if they lose to Houston they can probably tell themselves they got screwed by the committee, and that wouldn’t be entirely inaccurate if you think the committee should seed teams based more on how good they are than on how good their résumés are.
Houston: Happy, Could Be Happier
The Cougs have done enough. Making the second weekend is enough for this program right now. But they’d sure enjoy going further, and they undoubtedly are aware they can win the championship this year.
Michigan: Fine, Could Be Happy
Michigan has righted a sinking ship over the last few days, and with a win over Villanova, this will be viewed as an ultimately successful season.
Villanova: Wants Elite Eight, Doesn’t Need Anything More
A loss to Michigan would be disappointing, but anything past that would be fine. The Wildcats are pretty satisfied overall, still, from four and six years ago.
Kansas: Needs Final Four
It’s right in front of them.
Providence: Happy Already
They’ve done enough.
Iowa State: Very Happy Already
Again, enough has been done. The Cyclones are in wonderland right now.
Miami: Happy Already
Another surprise. The committee really packed these in the Midwest, didn’t it? Because even Wisconsin and Auburn had elements of this going on.
