The semifinalists of the 2019 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament make for quite a surprising bunch — this year's Final Four isn't made up of college basketball's normal stalwarts. Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina? All absent. But that doesn't mean there aren't several intriguing storylines. Here's what you need to know before Virginia tips off against Auburn on Saturday evening at 6:09 p.m. on CBS.
Virginia's redemption tour — Virginia, the only no. 1 seed left in the field, reached the program's first Final Four since 1984. But the trip comes just one year after they became the first-ever no. 1 seed to lose to a 16-seed, when UMBC beat them in last year's first round matchup. Now, the Cavaliers are looking to transition from humiliation to glory as they chase the title.
The end of the Big Ten's drought — Michigan State, led by coach Tom Izzo who is in his eighth Final Four, is the most historically successful program left in the field. But the conference they represent, the Big Ten, has not produced a national champion since Izzo's Spartans cut down the nets in 2000. Junior point guard Cassius Winston will look to change that.
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The upstarts — Texas Tech and Auburn are usually known for their football programs, but these two squads are not just happy to be in Minneapolis. Texas Tech is the best defensive team in the country and Auburn, known for its 3-point shooting, knocked off Kansas, North Carolina, and Kentucky to reach the Final Four.
First-time champion? — Aside from Michigan State, no team in the Final Four has ever won a national championship. The NCAA has not seen a first-time champion program since 2006 when Florida beat UCLA to take home their first title in school history. This year provides the best opportunity for a new champion to emerge in quite some time.
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