All 68 teams were dreaming to making to the Final Four in order to go on to winning the National Championship. However, only a few universities can truly claim they have God on their side. There are eight Jesuit College and Universities in the NCAA Tournament. Here is a brief description of each.
Saint Louis Billikens: Saint Louis is a #9 seed in the West region. This is the first tournament that the Billikens have been in since 2000. The Bills have a 25-7 record and were briefly in the AP top 25 this season. The team is coached by Rick Majerus. This is his first time in the NCAA tournament since he was coach at Utah. The Bills have one of the best defenses in the country and have an experienced starting lineup. They will be a tough matchup for any team they face in the tournament. They will face Memphis in the second round.
Georgetown Hoyas: Georgetown is a #3 seed in the Midwest region. One of the most successful basketball schools in the nation, the Hoyas are also the first Jesuit College in the United States. They are the most successful Jesuit basketball program in this year’s tournament, but the question is: “What is a Hoya?” (and I thought Saint Louis had a strange mascot.) Even Georgetown does not know where precise term comes from , but apparently the term comes from the phrase “Hoya Saxa” which translates into “What Rocks.” It is beyond my understanding how that phrase resulted in a bulldog mascot. Anyway, the Hoyas are coached by John Thompson III, the son of legendary college basketball coach John Thompson. This year the team posted a 23-8 record with 12 wins in the Big East Conference. The team is led by Jason Clark who averages 13.9 points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game, and Hollis Thompson (no relation to the coach) who averages 12.7 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game. This is the Hoyas fifth NCAA tournament in the past six years. They will face Belmont in the second round.
Marquette Golden Eagles: Marquette is a #3 seed in the West region. Marquette is finally a team with a “normal” mascot. The Golden Eagles posted a 25-7 overall record and won 14 games in the Big East Conference. The team is coached by Buzz Williams and is led by two seniors, Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder. Johnson-Odom averages 18.5 points per game, 3.5 rebounds per game, and 2.8 assists per game. Crowder averages 17.4 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game. Williams is known for dancing while on the bench or after games. This is Marquette’s tenth straight NCAA tournament appearance. They will face Brigham Young University in the second round.
Gonzaga Bulldogs: Gonzaga is a #7 seed in the East region. This Jesuit institution was the first mid-major basketball power. Thanks to Head Coach Mark Few, Gonzaga is now a perennial NCAA tournament term out of the West Coast Conference. This Bulldogs are led by freshman Kevin Pangos who averages 13.8 points per game, Eilas Harris who averages 13.1 points per game and 8.7 rebounds per game, and senior center Robert Sacre who averages 11.7 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game. This team has experience and has been a bracket buster in previous years, but will have tough draw facing West Virginia first, and potentially a matchup with Ohio State if they beat West Virginia. This is Gonzaga’s 13th straight tournament appearance.
Xavier Musketeers: Xavier is a #10 seed in the South region. Xavier is a fellow Jesuit and rival of Saint Louis in the Atlantic 10. Xavier is a tough mid-major, but has had a bad year since their infamous brawl against Cincinnati. They finished the year with 21 wins. Xavier’s Head Coach Chris Mack has brought the team to the NCAA tournament all three years he has coached there. Xavier is led by the guard play of Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons. Holloway averages 17.1 points per game and 5.1 assists per game. Lyons averages 15.5 points per game. Xavier has been a traditional bracket buster, but the Musketeers will play another Catholic institution Notre Dame in the first round which will be a tough matchup for the Musketeers. This is Xavier’s tenth straight NCAA tournament appearance.
Creighton Bluejays: Creighton is a #8 seed in the Midwest region. The Bluejays won the Missouri Valley Conference championship and were nationally ranked this season. They struggled down the stretch, but won the MVC championship in overtime against Illinois State. Greg McDermott is in his second season coaching the Bluejays and his son Doug McDermott is the leading scorer averaging 23.2 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game. Doug McDermott is one of the leading scorers in the country and Rutgers transfer Gregory Echenique is a presence inside with 9.8 points per game and 7.4 rebounds per game. The last time Creighton appeared in the NCAA tournament was in 2007. They will face Alabama in the second round.
Detroit Titans: Detroit is a #15 seed in the Midwest region. Detroit got into the tournament by winning the Horizon League conference championship against Valparaiso. The team posted a 22-13 record this season. The team is coached by Ray McCallum and the best player on the team is his son Ray McCallum Jr. McCallum Jr. leads the team by averaging 15.6 points per game, 4.5 rebounds per game, and 3.9 assists per game and another player on Detroit to watch out for is senior guard Chase Simon. Simon is averaging 13.5 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game, and 2.4 assists per game. The last time Detroit appeared in the NCAA Tournament was 1999. Detroit will play Kansas in the second round.
Loyola (Maryland) Greyhounds: Loyola (MD) is a #15 seed in the East region. Loyola (MD) made the tournament by winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship. The team is coached by Jimmy Pastos. The team’s best player is Erik Etherly who averages 13.5 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game. Another standout player is Dylon Cormier who averages 13.4 points per game. The last time that Loyola (MD) appeared in the NCAA Tournament was 1994. The team will face Ohio State in the second round of the tournament.
