In an outcome that anyone and everyone who watched them over the past month, the Virginia Cavaliers lost to Colorado State in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament. But clearly the tournament’s Selection Committee didn’t see it coming, much to the frustration of CBS’ Wally Szczerbiak.
In the post game discussion following the game – a 67-42 loss that saw the Cavaliers fail to score 20 points in the first half – Szczerbiak went off on the Selection Committee. He said that everyone with any understanding of brackets knew that they would struggle and that they should be ashamed of putting such an unwatchable team on television.
“[The committee] made a mistake putting Virginia into the NCAA Tournament. Every bracketologist was saying it. They go out and play like this. It’s unwatchable basketball the way they played today on national TV,” Szczerbiak said.
No lies detected there. Since February 13 the Cavaliers had gone just 4-5 and had been held under 50 points four times heading into the game. While they had been ranked No. 21 in the nation during the second and third week of February, by the end of the season they were at best of fringe team that should only have gotten in if there was a gluten of at-large bids available – which there were not.
Virginia’s loss certainly vindicated a ton of college basketball teams that were outraged to be left on the outside looking in. St. John’s, Indiana State and others will have a lot to feel furious about in the days to come.
Does Virginia’s inclusion in this year’s NCAA Tournament rank among the worst decisions in tournament history?