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NCAA Tournament 2019: Key storylines for each Final Four team

By Ryan Kay

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 05: A detail of giant NCAA logo is seen outside of the stadium on the practice day prior to the NCAA Men's Final Four at the Georgia Dome on April 5, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 05: A detail of giant NCAA logo is seen outside of the stadium on the practice day prior to the NCAA Men's Final Four at the Georgia Dome on April 5, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – MARCH 23: Bryce Brown #2 of the Auburn Tigers reacts to a play against the Kansas Jayhawks during their game in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 23, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – MARCH 23: Bryce Brown #2 of the Auburn Tigers reacts to a play against the Kansas Jayhawks during their game in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 23, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

The 2019 NCAA Tournament Final Four will be starting up Saturday. Here are the key storylines for all of the teams involved.

The storylines and events leading up to the actual games of the Final Four are more interesting than the national media is letting on. There are those who will argue that this field of Final Four teams lacks star power in terms of future NBA superstars. However, each of these teams who earned the right to play in this year’s Final Four and each has its own unique story.

Auburn

It is no secret that Auburn is widely considered a football school who last won a national championship in 2010 when Cam Newton was their quarterback.  Fast forward to 2019 and things have changed, at least a little. Still considered a football school but when head coach Bruce Pearl took over the Tiger’s basketball program, it was only a matter of time before Auburn would be challenging the likes of Kentucky for SEC titles and more.

The Tigers beat some quality opponents in the regular season in PAC 12 Champions Washington, Murray State, and Florida and Tennessee twice. However, they had nine losses on the season and even after winning the SEC Tournament they only earned a #5 seed in the tournament. After being the only 5 seed to survive and win their first-round game, Auburn arguably won the toughest region by impressively beating three blue bloods in consecutive order. They beat Kansas by 14, North Carolina by 17, and after losing star sophomore forward Chuma Okeke, who in the game against the Tar Heels scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds before his season came to an end with a knee injury towards the end of the game.

Auburn without Okeke, rallied and came from behind and beat Kentucky in overtime by a score of 77-71 to make it to their school’s first-ever Final Four appearance.  Even without Okeke, the Tigers still are a talented team with an opportunity to win a national championship. However, news broke that Auburn starter Jared Harper and a few of his fellow Tigers are dealing with some sort of illness this week. The good news is that he and his teammates should be near 100% for game time and ready to play.

The Tigers like the Red Raiders of Texas Tech known more as football schools have pleasantly surprised many in the college basketball world by making it to the Final Four. Whatever obstacles Auburn has faced and will continue to face, they seem like a team on a mission to win.

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