DAYTON, Ohio — With Wright State’s win over Bryant in Wednesday’s First Four game, one Ohio father will have a busy few days, ensuring he can catch both sons competing in the NCAA tournament.
Brett Norris, a Hilliard Bradley basketball coach, is the proud father of two sons competing in the round of 64, Wright State freshman Keaton Norris, and Loyola Chicago junior Braden Norris.
For the past week, the Norris family's schedule has revolved around basketball, with everyone doing their best to make it to every tournament game they could.
“My wife and I and our younger two sons had six straight days of in a car, in a hotel room, from Dayton to St. Louis back to Indy,” Norris said.
In St. Louis, they got to watch Braden help clinch Loyola’s tournament berth as the Missouri Valley champions, before reuniting to Indianapolis to see Keaton do the same with Wright State in the Horizon League tournament.
“To see our oldest two sons win a championship to qualify for what I think is the greatest sporting event in the county is nothing short of amazing,” Norris said.
Then it was only a matter of days before there was another game, and another historic win for the family to celebrate.
Wright State earned its first NCAA Tournament win at UD Arena, defeating Bryant 93-82. As a freshman making his tournament debut, Keaton scored three points and added three assists.
“The environment and the way the team played tonight in that environment, really special. so happy for him,” his father said.
Wright State will go on to play No. 1-seed Arizona in San Diego, meanwhile, No. 10-seed Loyola will head to Pittsburgh to play Ohio State. With both games on Friday, Norris said his family is planning to split up to cheer their sons on at both games.
“My youngest and I are getting on a plane tomorrow at 6:30 (a.m.) and fly to San Diego and my wife and our high schooler are gonna head tomorrow afternoon to Pittsburgh,” he said.
Norris isn’t just cheering his boys on as their father, but also as their former coach. He said he’s proud of the way all of his boys have fallen in love with basketball and taken the skills they learned at Hilliard Bradley to the next level.
“When you know how hard kids have worked to chase their dream, just so happy and proud for them,” he said.
The family has some experience making it out to March Madness. Norris said he was fortunate to watch Braden and the Ramblers head to the Sweet Sixteen last year. This year, he said he’s looking forward to seeing where both his sons will go next.
“For them both to have the opportunity to continue to play in this event has just been incredible for us,” he said.
Both Wright State and Loyola are underdogs going into their next matchups, but Norris said his boys are undeterred and so is their cheering section.
“It’s one of those things where you always want one more,” he said. “16-1 has only happened one time but you have nothing to lose.”