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The Breakfast Buffet: March Madness Edition

Who’s hungry for college basketball?

Here’s today’s installment of “The Breakfast Buffet”, a daily column that can be found here every single morning getting you caught up to date on everything that’s happened from the day/night before and everything that’s going to happen in the next 24 hours.

Mangia!

Things To Sample

Dan Hurley is two wins away from joining an exclusive club
The only head coaches to win three or more national titles are Jim Calhoun, Roy Williams, Bob Knight, Mike Krzyzewski, Adolph Rupp,, and John Wooden. That’s the type of company that Hurley is chasing later this week in Indianapolis. The 53-year old head coach led UConn to back-to-back national titles in 2023 and 2024 in dominant fashion, winning 12 games in March Madness by an average of 21.7 points. We’ll see on Saturday against Illinois if Hurley and the Huskies put themselves in position to play in their third national title game in the past four seasons.

Michigan’s bench has been a major factor
Even without L.J. Cason (8.4 points), the Wolverines are getting incredible mileage out of their reserves. In four games during March Madness, Michigan’s bench is averaging a whopping 26.5 points all while consistently elevating this team’s dominance. There were many questions about the quality of the Wolverines’ depth after Cason was lost prior to the postseason due a torn ACL, but those questions and concerns have been dispelled. Michigan still has enough off the bench.

Andrej Stojakovic is playing his best basketball in the NCAA Tournament
Illinois’ X-Factor is making a major difference at the most important time of the year. The 6-7 Stojakovic is averaging 15.0 points in four NCAA Tournament games all while excelling as a key reserve. He’s 22-37 from the field during that four-game span. After spending the first two years of his college career at Stanford and Cal, Stojakovic has found a home with Illinois, who’s playing in its first Final Four since 2005.

On The Side

  • Duke is a combined 70-7 over the last two seasons, but also has two of the most excruciating losses that we’ve ever seen in March Madness. This is the cruel side of the NCAA Tournament.
  • North Carolina’s head coaching search has no timetable and is not expected to conclude until two of the Tar Heels’ top candidates — Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd and Michigan’s Dusty May — are done playing in this week’s Final Four. Here’s my question: Who’s getting this job if these two guys stay at their current jobs and Billy Donovan also says no?
  • Michigan’s Elliot Cadeau has 33 assists and just seven turnovers in the NCAA Tournament.
  • I’ll say it again: The Postseason NIT and FOX’s College Basketball Crown should merge ASAP.
  • Illinois’ Brad Underwood will be today’s guest on INSIDE COLLEGE BASKETBALL NOW. The full interview will be available HERE starting at 10 AM ET.

Leftovers