SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The Latest on the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament (all times local):
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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