Missing in Action: Louisville Opposes Michigan For First Time in NCAA Playoffs

In the Sweet 16, Kansas and Michigan met each other for the first time in NCAA Tournament competition. After coming from behind to beat KU, the Wolverines flogged Florida en route to the Final Four and opposing Syracuse for the first time in the NCAA playoffs at the national semifinals and meeting Louisville for the first time in NCAA competition in the championship game.

Although the NCAA tourney is in its eighth decade, there are attractive power school matchups that haven't occurred. Among the potentially entertaining intersectional playoff contests between storied programs never to take place in the NCAAs include:

• Georgetown vs. Indiana
• Georgetown vs. Michigan
• Georgetown vs. UCLA
• Louisville vs. Notre Dame
• Michigan vs. St. John's
• North Carolina vs. St. John's
• Notre Dame vs. St. John's
• Notre Dame vs. Syracuse
• Notre Dame vs. UCLA
• Notre Dame vs. Villanova
• St. John's vs. UCLA
• Syracuse vs. UCLA