As the games began yesterday, I found myself wondering who I would be rooting for since Duke was out. And much like a lot of the basketball community, I couldn't help but cheer on VCU because of the fact that they were such an underdog and what a Cinderella story it would be. The Rams had an amazing run beating the number one ranked team, Kansas, in the Elite Eight. Unfortunately, they just couldn't keep the momentum going when they played number eight ranked Butler yesterday, coming up just short at 62-70.
In the 2009 College Basketball Encyclopedia, Pat Forde contributed a story about Cinderella stories. Now, in his blog, he explains how he wants to change his article on the issue by adding the VCU story as one of the best Cinderella stories ever. Here, he makes his case on the amazing season they had:
Their path to the Final Four: a 13-point victory over No. 11 USC; an 18-point victory over No. 6 Georgetown; an 18-point victory over No. 3 Purdue; a one-point victory over No. 10 Florida State; a 10-point victory over No. 1 Kansas.
Average margin of victory: 12.
Average seeding of defeated teams: 6.2.
Margin of victory is a clear indicator that VCU has had the most impressive run of the four. It has had just one life-and-death struggle to win, whereas the other three all had at least two games decided by five points or less.
By seed, the Rams played the weakest competition -- but they also played one more game than any of the rest, thanks to the advent of the First Four. Given an additional chance to lose, most lower-seeded teams would have.
In part because of VCU, this is the first time in history that the Final Four was without a No. 1 or No. 2 seed. VCU definitely surprised the basketball community and even though they didn't make it to the finals, they are the team that everyone will be talking about this year.
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