Allen among Duke veterans with NCAA Tournament impact

Even though Duke was put in the same bracket as the No. 1 overall seeded Villanova Wildcats, Duke will advance to the Final Four out of the East and head to Phoenix en route to its sixth national title in program history.

During the televised NCAA selection show, audible gasps were reportedly heard in Villanova’s team room when Duke was announced as the No. 2 seed in the East. From chokers to champions.

After disposing of UNC-Asheville and Iowa, the Wildcats became the first team to beat four consecutive AP Top 10 teams on way to the crown: Miami, Kansas, Oklahoma and North Carolina.

Varnado wasn’t recruited by big schools, but he’s a talented offensive player who could make a name for himself this week and catch the eye of National Basketball Association scouts in town watching players from Duke and UNC.

“Obviously, we would like to repeat”, said senior center Darryl Reynolds. We’re going to compete.

“Ever since star point guard Maurice Watson went down for the season with a torn ACL, this team hasn’t looked the same”. The Wildcats waited 78 years to play in the NCAA Tournament and the Commodores want to spoil it.

The Wildcats had failed to get past the first weekend in four consecutive NCAA appearances, and that was all they heard about before their six-game title run. Rounds one and two in Buffalo. Duke does have two recent NCAA Tournament trophies, in 2010 and 2015, but those teams were drastically different from one another.

“It comes with experience, and that’s not just with me but with our players”, Wright said Tuesday morning as Villanova practiced at Canisius College and tried to kill a snow day in frigid Buffalo.

“I lived in Rochester for two years, so I know exactly what this is”, Villanova coach Jay Wright said. But, you know, it is what it is. Not only that, they are both known as tremendous teammates.

“It’s good we’re getting out tonight because the snowstorm is coming tomorrow”.

The other seven teams are Bucknell, Notre Dame, Princeton, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the victor of Tuesday’s play-in game between Mount St. Mary’s and New Orleans.

Louisville F Deng Adel: If there was any saving grace to take from the Cardinals’ short stay in the ACC Tournament in Brooklyn, it was the play of the 6-foot-7 sophomore. And it has the coaching acumen that compares favorably with many. I was blessed with the ability, my length and the opportunities I get in the game, but defending is the main thing for anybody. Buffalo host committee spokesman Matt Reitnour says Wisconsin is chartering in by plane and is scheduled to land Tuesday afternoon, as is Notre Dame. With that being said, Duke had as many losses as they did because of the rigorous schedule that they played.

If so, let me tell you a little bit about what Villanova has been up to since last you saw them. He initially endured three straight losing seasons, and his coaching style was heavily predicated on game strategy and stringent adherence to his playbook, with his players expected to strictly adopt the same mentality. Don’t sleep on the Florida State Seminoles as the third seed, either.

The 13th-seeded Buccaneers might be perfectly suited for an upset.

Despite falling to Duke 93-83 as four-point chalk in the ACC Tournament semifinals, the Tar Heels enter March Madness as the No. 1 seed in the South Region, and face 16th-seeded Texas Southern as massive 26 1/2-point chalk Friday afternoon.

VIRGINIA-UNC WILMINGTON: The Cavaliers and Seahawks bring drastically contrasting styles.

Fifth-seeded Virginia has a chance to make a deep run.