A colorful breakdown of the 2014 NCAA Tournament
By Ryan Darcy
Purple (4 teams, 2-4 record, .333 winning percentage, 0 Sweet Sixteen teams)
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
For as obscure a color as purple is to find in the college basketball landscape, they represented themselves very will despite having two of its members, the Albany Great Danes and Weber State Wildcats, as No. 16-seeds. The Danes defeated Mount St. Mary’s in the First Four to advance to the second round before falling to the Gators. Albany also had the ugliest uniforms in the tournament, hands down.
The feel-good story and team that held the banner for the color was the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks, who came in to the tournament riding a 28-game winning streak. They made it 29 in a row after an upset win over VCU, 77-75. Their run would end as they fell to UCLA in the third round, 77-60.
The fourth and final member of the purple brigade was the Kansas State Wildcats, perhaps the best known of the group. They managed only 49 points in a 7-point second round loss to Kentucky.
Anytime purple wins a game (or two) in the tourney, it’s a good year for the color.
Purples No Longer Dancing:
- Albany Great Danes
- Weber State Wildcats
- Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks
- Kansas State Wildcats