Iowa the only team to face each of the Final Four

The Iowa Hawkeyes are the only team that played everyone in the Final Four this season. The Hawks posted a 2-4 record against the semifinalists with victories over Louisville and Michigan State. Iowa coach Steve Alford says they’re four teams that know how to score, and he says Illinois and Michigan State are the better defensive teams. Alford says the tema that defends the best will likely win, or the team that gets hot and can score on the tough defense. After being maligned for much of the season the Big Ten Conference has made a strong showing in the tournament, with three of the final eight teams and Illinois and Michigan State heading to St. Louis. Alford says the Big Ten has traditionally been strong in the post-season. He says the attendance figures and the win-loss figures in the tournament show the conference strength. Duke is the only other team that has two wins against the field. The Blue Devils beat North Carolina and Michigan State.