And then there were eight...

We hope you’ve been enjoying our tournament thus far. We know that nothing comes close to the real thing, but we’ve had fun with this in lieu of our typical activities this March. We hope you’re all staying safe and healthy. For those keeping tabs on bragging rights, here we go. Here’s your Sweet 16 recap:

South Region: The #1 seeded Hardwood Floors saw its reign come to an end Monday night. It was a tight match-up the entire game, and one of four games tied at the half. It came down to rebounding and defense. #4 Fenced Backyard’s game has been defense all season-long. Living up to their namesake, they literally put up fences, blocking 5 of 13 shot attempts in the last five minutes of the game. Hardwood Floors will not get the opportunity to defend their title, as they make their earliest exit of the tourney since 1999. 

Not surprisingly, #3. Finished Basement will once again reach the Elite 8, as they knock off #15. 1+ Acres. It’s been quite the Cinderella Story for the Acres team this year, but alas, the clock has struck midnight and their time is up. 

Regional Championship: #4 Fenced Backyard v. #3. Finished Basement

East Region: The perennial powerhouse of the Great Outdoors Athletic Conference (GOAC) went down, as #4. Large Backyard couldn’t quite generate enough offense to overpower #1-seed, Single-Family Home, who will once again reach the Elite 8 for a National Realtors Athletic Association (NRAA) record of 25 consecutive seasons. 

While this first match-up in the East Region doubleheader was forgettable, the second was one for the ages. #3. Short Commute overcame a double-digit deficit in the third quarter to come back to tie the game. A breakaway steal and lay-up by sophomore Slug Line proved to be the tying basket with a mere three seconds left. While his name may have you believe otherwise, this sophomore is super speedy, and his efforts sent his team into overtime. Once in overtime, senior stud Express Lane took over, dominating the paint, grabbing rebound after rebound for the easy put-backs and eventually the win. #7. Granite Countertops should be proud of their efforts though. They kept things interesting down to the last minute of competition.

Regional Championship: #1. Single-Family Home v. #3. Short Commute

Midwest Region: The Midwest Region has always lived up to the hype of March Madness, and this last round was no different, as both match-ups were decided in extra periods. In the tip-off game, #1. Open Concept Living/Kitchen and #5. Family-Friendly Neighborhood traded buckets for the entire game. It wasn’t until junior Vaulted Ceiling and senior Kitchen Island really got hot with the two-man game in the 4th that it looked like their offensive power would be too much for Family-Friendly. Low Crime and Small Park each sank late-game free throws to tie it up and force OT, but their man-to-man defense wasn’t enough and they had to go zone, which isn’t their bread-and-butter. 

In the late game, #3. Quiet Neighborhood overcame #2. Dual Vanities in a similar fashion, using coach HOA’s suffocating defense to limit the twin duo of His and Hers Sinks and keep them in check the entire overtime period. Neither twin made a single-shot in the extra time. 

Regional Championship: #1. Open Concept Living/Kitchen v. #3. Quiet Neighborhood

West Region: For as close as our other regions were, the West was completely uneventful. Both our #1 and #2 seeds completely dominated from start to finish. 2+ Car Garage easily handled Washer & Dryer Bedroom Level, and had its B-team in by the 3rd quarter to finish out the game. #2. Highly-Rated Schools definitely taught #3. Breakfast Bar/Island a thing or two about the game as well. Their offense went untested and they held Breakfast to a mere 25% shooting from the field. 

Regional Championship: #1. 2+ Car Garage v. #2. Highly-Rated Schools

Well, there you have it folks. Our 64 teams have been whittled down to our Elite 8, and the match-ups promise to be fantastic. Be sure to vote and spread the word! Which features would you like to make it to the Final Four. Punch their tickets by clicking the following link, and be sure to enter your information at the end for another chance to win a $50 gift card to the establishment of your choice. Link: https://forms.gle/sN1NL32hiTwJXwYE8