When the Red Sox outfielder isn't competing on the diamond this month, he'll be monitoring his alma mater –– Duke –– on the hardwood. Hassan considers Blue Devils guard Austin Rivers his favorite player and anticipates a strong showing in this year's NCAA tournament.
"You never really can count a coach [Mike] Krzyzewski team out," Hassan said. "He's had a really good track record in the tournament. I'm certainly pulling for him. I don't know what their chances are, but they'll always give everybody a tough game and hopefully, they'll be able to go really far in the tournament."
Duke opens up the tournament against Lehigh this Friday as the No. 2 seed in the South region. The very same day, Hassan and the Red Sox will take on the Twins in another Grapefruit League matchup.
But if the Blue Devils can't reign supreme and win it all, Hassan already has another team in mind that he'd like to take the crown –– Syracuse.
"My girlfriend is from Skaneateles, N.Y., in upstate, so they root for Syracuse," Hassan said. "So I want either Duke or Syracuse to win in. Those are my two favorite teams."
As long as Duke's rival, North Carolina, doesn't win, Hassan will be satisfied.
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