How current Portland Trail Blazers fared in the NCAA Tournament
One Shining Moment
Only a select few can say that their school was able to make it to the Final Four. Even when players move on to become pros, they still consider those moments on college basketball’s biggest stage to be among their most cherished.
On the Portland Trail Blazers, only three players can say they reached this pantheon. Only two of them can call themselves NCAA champions.
Zach Collins
Zach Collins’ Final Four memories are still fresh, as he was just there less than a year ago with the Gonzaga Bulldogs. The Zags went 32-1 during the 2016-17 regular season and West Coast Conference tourney. They proceeded to defeat opponents by 14.5 points per game in NCAA Tournament play before meeting up with North Carolina in the championship game.
Collins, who served as a backup center all season, chipped in nine points and seven rebounds off the bench in the title game. However, Gonzaga was unable to close the deal, falling 71-65 to the Tar Heels.
Ed Davis
Ed Davis, on the other hand, tasted championship glory during his time at North Carolina. Davis spent two seasons in Chapel Hill, only making the tourney his freshman year as a backup big. Once was enough.
The 2008-09 Tar Heels went 28-4 during the season and had little issue getting through the NCAA Tournament. North Carolina defeated tourney opponents by an average of 20.2 points per game.
UNC took down the Michigan State Spartans, 89-72, to take home the title. Davis averaged 8.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game during the tournament. He chipped in 11 points and eight rebounds in the championship game.
Shabazz Napier
Backup point guard Shabazz Napier is the most accomplished NCAA Tournament player on the Blazers roster. His Connecticut Huskies took home the national title twice while Napier was in Storrs.
The first time came in 2010-11. This was Napier’s freshman year, where he served as a backup point guard to Kemba Walker and played under head coach Jim Calhoun. UCONN went 12-0 in non-conference games but had a middling 9-9 record in Big East play.
As the conference tournament rolled around, it was fair to overlook the Huskies as a national title contender, but Walker put the team on his back and took UCONN for an incredible ride. Connecticut went 11-0 through the Big East and NCAA tournaments. The Huskies defeated Butler 53-41 to take home the national title. Napier averaged 6.0 points, 2.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game during the streak.
The second time around In 2013-14, it was Napier’s team to run. Now helmed by head coach Kevin Ollie and playing in the American Athletic Conference, the Huskies were much less of a surprise heading into the tournament.
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Nevertheless, Connecticut pushed through, beating Kentucky 60-54 to win their fourth title in school history. The senior Napier averaged 21.2 points, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game during the tournament, earning Most Outstanding Player honors.