Sometimes, the four teams left standing in the Final Four are notable for historic upsets that got them there. Sometimes, like this year, it's just the opposite. For only the second time in history, all the No. 1 seeds from their respective brackets reached the men's semifinals—Auburn, Duke, Houston, and Florida. The only other time it happened was 17 years ago, notes USA Today. An analysis at the Wall Street Journal wonders if the game has changed for good thanks to new rules related to easier transfers and lucrative name-image-likeness deals for players.
"Because of the transfer portal, the talent has consolidated at the top," former Division I coach and ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla tells the newspaper. Meaning, a school in need of top talent used to have to recruit at the high school level and wait a few years for the prospect to deliver. Now, because players can change schools whenever they wish, deep-pocketed programs can lure elite players with hefty NIL checks. The games resume Saturday, with Florida playing Auburn and Duke playing Houston.
- Women's bracket: The Final Four on the women's side is not yet set, but it also could feature all top seeds. So far, No. 1 seeds UCLA and South Carolina have made it, and the other two teams will be the winners of the games between Texas (1) and TCU (2), and USC (1) and UConn (2). See the bracket at ESPN.
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