A Closer Look At The 2016 Final Four

D R . VA L E R I E WA R D L AW

A C L O S E R L O O K AT T H E 2 0 1 6 F I N A L F O U R

V I L L A N O VA W I L D C AT S

L O C AT I O N : V I L L A N O VA , PA

Well-known for being members of the Philadelphia Big 5 and the Big East Conference, the Villanova Wildcats are the 8th highest team to make the most appearances in

NCAA history. The Wildcats were participants in the Final Four in 1939,1971,1985, 2009, and 2016. In 1985, the Wildcats became NCAA Tournament Champions.

F I R S T S E A S O N : 1 9 2 0 C U R R E N T H E A D C O A C H : J AY W R I G H T

C O L O R S : N AV Y A N D W H I T E N U M B E R O F N C A A T O U R N A M E N T A P P E A R A N C E S : 3 6

N C A A C H A M P I O N S H I P : 1

L O C AT I O N : N O R M A N , O K

O K L A H O M A S O O N E R S

The Oklahoma Sooners are members of the Big 12 and although the team lost to West Virginia in the Big 12 Tournament’s second round,

they were given the #2 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament.

F I R S T S E A S O N : 1 9 0 8 C U R R E N T H E A D C O A C H : L O N K R U G E R

C O L O R S : C R I M S O N A N D C R E A M N U M B E R O F N C A A T O U R N A M E N T A P P E A R A N C E S : 3 0

N C A A C H A M P I O N S H I P : 0

L O C AT I O N : C H A P E L H I L L , N C

N O RT H C A R O L I N A TA R H E E L S

F I R S T S E A S O N : 1 9 1 0 C U R R E N T H E A D C O A C H : R O Y W I L L I A M S C O L O R S : C A R O L I N A B L U E A N D W H I T E

N U M B E R O F N C A A T O U R N A M E N T A P P E A R A N C E S : 4 7 N C A A C H A M P I O N S H I P : 5

Winners of 5 NCAA Championships (1957, 1982, 1993, 2005, 2009), the North Carolina Tar Heels have played in a total of 160 NCAA tournament games, competed in 19 NCAA Final Fours, and 9 NCAA Finals. The Tar Heels have been in 44 NCAA Tournaments --the

second most all-time.

L O C AT I O N : S Y R A C U S E , N Y

S Y R A C U S E O R A N G E

F I R S T S E A S O N : 1 9 0 0 C U R R E N T H E A D C O A C H : J I M B O E H E I M

C O L O R S : O R A N G E N U M B E R O F N C A A T O U R N A M E N T A P P E A R A N C E S : 3 8

N C A A C H A M P I O N S H I P : 1

Under the leadership of their coach of 40 years, the Syracuse Orange have acquired an all-time record of 34 20-wins seasons. The Orange won their first NCAA title in 2003.

F I N A L F O U R P R E D I C T I O N S :

M A N Y FA N S A N D A N A LY S T S H AV E P R E D I C T E D T H E N U M B E R 1 S E E D , N O RT H C A R O L I N A TA R H E E L S , W I L L M E E T T H E N U M B E R 2 S E E D , V I L L A N O VA W I L D C AT S , I N T H E N C A A C H A M P I O N S H I P G A M E - - L E A D I N G T O T H E TA R H E E L S B E C O M I N G T H E 2 0 1 6 N C A A C H A M P I O N S . H O W E V E R , M A R C H WA S F U L L O F M A D N E S S A N D

T H I S Y E A R ’ S T O U R N A M E N T H A S P R O V E N T O B E V E RY U N P R E D I C TA B L E .

O K L A H O M A V S . V I L L A N O VA T I M E : 6 : 0 9 P M E S T

C H A N N E L : T B S

N O RT H C A R O L I N A V S S Y R A C U S E T I M E : 8 : 4 9 P M E S T

C H A N N E L : T B S

B E S U R E T O T U N E I N T O T H E F I N A L F O U R C H A M P I O N S H I P G A M E S O N S AT U R D AY, A P R I L 2 , 2 0 1 6 . S E E T H E S C H E D U L E F O R T I M E S B E L O W: