Connecticut has a pedigree but hasn’t made a deep run since 2014. Florida Atlantic plays in a small gym on a campus that’s an owl sanctuary. San Diego State got in on a free throw. And Miami’s coach likes his self-help advice.
The Hurricanes were unusually loose against the Cougars, the last No. 1 seed in the men’s N.C.A.A. tournament. Now Miami, not Houston, is pushing for a Final Four.