Biggest NCAA tournament disappointments

This has been a disappointing NCAA tournament for many area basketball fans. Here are the top five disappointments of the tournament so far, from bearable to gut-wrenching:

5. DUKE: The Blue Devils fans were starting to believe after 10 wins in 11 games. Coach K seemed to have righted the ship, and then it all fell apart Thursday night against Villanova.

4. CLEMSON/FLORIDA STATE: You guys lost to Michigan and Wisconsin, and both in the first round. Whatever happened to that domination of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge? And where were the Tigers who beat Duke by 27 points?

3. MEMPHIS: The Tigers had been crying about a lack of respect when they received a No.2 seed instead of a top spot. They also seem to believe that Conference USA should be considered one of the country’s top leagues. Yeah, and pigs can fly. Missouri quickly silenced all that blather.

2. WAKE FOREST: Dino Gaudio’s Deacons had three players consistently ranked in the top 15 in NBA mock drafts. The talent was overwhelming; the poise and coaching were not. For this bunch, a first-round loss to the no-names of Cleveland State is not only unacceptable, it’s ridiculous.

1. THE ACC: All year, fans of the league kept drumming into us how the ACC was the best in the country. I believed it. So seven league schools received bids. Four lost in the first round. Maryland lost in the second. Only Duke and UNC made the Sweet 16.

Meanwhile, the Big East has four -- that’s right, four -- teams still playing.

--Stan Olson