By: Matt Vandenburgh, Staff Writer
68 teams started the men’s NCAA basketball tournament, and now there are four remaining. Kentucky, Wisconsin, Duke and Michigan State remain in the quest for the national title. These four teams now head to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. for games on April 4 and 6 to crown the national champion.
This is the first year the more than one number one seed has made it to the final four since 2009, and the first with three or more since 2008.
The University of Kentucky Wildcats remain the clear favorite, as the current top ranked team in the nation has an unblemished 38-0 record this season. If Kentucky holds on to win the title, they will be the first 40-0 team in NCAA men’s basketball history, and the first undefeated men’s basketball national champion since the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers.
Led by Associated Press first team All-American Willie Cauley-Stein and the ESPN number one NBA prospect Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky is a dangerous team that can dominate the inside, or pass the ball to gifted shooters such as Aaron Harrison and Devin Booker to score from the outside.
Even though Kentucky is favorited, they face off against a dangerous team in the national semifinals in Wisconsin.
The University of Wisconsin Badgers are led by another AP first team All-American, Frank Kaminsky, who was the only unanimous pick of the All-Americans. If Kaminsky, who is 7 feet tall, can plug the lane and force Kentucky to only rely on Harrison and Booker, Wisconsin has a chance to pull off the upset.
Meanwhile, the Duke University Blue Devils will face off against the only non-number one seed left in the tournament, the Michigan State University Spartans.
Duke features another top NBA prospect in center Jahlil Okafor, who will look to control the game with his height, as he is 2 inches taller than anyone on the Michigan State roster, at 6-foot-11.
Duke should be able to control the game and earn a win, but it is never a wise idea to discount Tom Izzo, as he has an innate ability to get the most out of his teams, which keeps Michigan State a dangerous team always.
That said, the predictions from the experts paint a bleak picture for all teams except Kentucky. ESPN projects Kentucky to take the title, topping Duke in the finals, and it is hard to argue with that.
NCAA Women’s Final Four Ready to Take over Tampa
The NCAA brings the Women’s Final Four to Tampa, Fla. for the first time ever this year. On April 5 and 7, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Connecticut, and Maryland will compete for the NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship in the Amalie Arena.
This is the first time since 2012, and only the third time in history, that all four number one seeds make it to the Final Four in the women’s tournament. This year also bears a striking resemblance to last year’s Final Four, as the University of Connecticut, Notre Dame University and the University of Maryland have now made back to back Final Fours.
Even more, as UConn and Maryland will compete in one semifinal, and Notre Dame and South Caroling competing in the other, there is the possibility of a rematch of last year’s national championship game, where UConn beat Notre Dame.
The University of South Carolina is making their first Final Four appearance in school history after dispatching Florida State University in the Elite Eight. Led by talented guard Tiffany Mitchell, the Gamecocks will look to make even more history in Tampa.
When talking to Fox Sports, South Carolina Head Coach Dawn Staley acknowledged Mitchell’s importance to the team.
“”Tiffany Mitchell is the person we want the ball in her hands when we need a basket,” Staley said.
Picking a favorite will be difficult for this Final Four, as no team lost more than two games all season long.
The smart pick, however, would likely be UConn, as the Huskies are seeking their third straight championship.
UConn is headed by Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, who scored 27 points on March 30 to defeat the University of Dayton Flyers to reach the Final Four.
Mosqueda-Lewis is not only excited for the Final Four, but that she also has a guaranteed place in history as she converted seven three-point shots to set a new NCAA record for career three-points successfully made.
When talking to Yahoo! Sports, Mosqueda-Lewis acknowledged that the record had been in her thoughts.
”It eases my mind a lot,” Mosqueda-Lewis said of getting the record. ”Now I only have one thing to worry about – a national championship.”
