The March Madness spectacle unfolds each year under a keen scrutiny from fans, analysts, and former athletes alike.
The outrage this year stems from the questionable inclusion of Virginia in the NCAA Tournament despite their dismal first half, which left even seasoned analysts taken aback.
One of the most unforgettable talking points from the First Four this year was a 14-point first-half accomplishment by the Cavaliers, Virginia’s team.
Romping through their opening games, the squad missed 19 consecutive field goals, and this did not go unnoticed.
As the game progressively inclined to half-time, the bad run continued for the Cavaliers. For the last 9:20 of the first half and without a field goal for the final 10:30, they failed to secure any point.
Going scoreless for this extended period was a shocker for fans and commentators alike. After the break, one might have expected the Cavaliers’ fortunes to turn, yet the fiasco continued.
Their scoring drought extended well into the second half, hitting 19 straight missed field goals.
The team did not score until the 16:38 mark of the second half. It was only thanks to Reece Beekman that the Cavaliers’ scoreless drought was finally broken after a strenuous 12 minutes 42 seconds.
Despite this, during 51 minutes of actual gameplay, Virginia had failed to score, prompting outrage and disappointment from fans.
In light of their performance, questions have begun to circulate: “Why was Virginia invited to the NCAA Tournament, to begin with?”
The NCAA selection committee has faced significant backlash on social media following Virginia’s invite over other deserving schools, including Indiana State and Seton Hall.
Virginia’s devastating 67-42 loss added more fuel to the ongoing backlash. CBS Sports analyst Wally Szczerbiak was particularly vocal about the committee’s decision, accusing them of making an error by inviting Virginia into the tournament.
Szczerbiak explicitly called out the committee’s selection and listed several teams that, in his opinion, could’ve been better picks over Virginia.
“The way you perform in this tournament, it puts the committee on notice,” he stated in no unclear terms. “They 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.”
"It's unwatchable basketball the way they played today on national TV."
– Wally Szczerbiak unloads on the NCAA Tournament committee.pic.twitter.com/z96Au0sbAq
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 20, 2024
