This year’s Final Four has three of the best teams in college basketball, but the seven-seed Michigan State shouldn’t be counted out.
The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is one of the biggest annual events in sports. Some of basketball’s most-historic players have won an NCAA title and gone on to crush the competition in the NBA. Simply put, some of the best players play their best games in the Final Four and this year is set to be just as great.
The biggest story line in this year’s tournament is top-seeded Kentucky’s pursuit of a perfect season. Willie Cauley-Stein and twin guards Andrew and Aaron Harrison will lead the undefeated Wildcats into their second-consecutive Final Four appearance.
Kentucky is two games away from becoming the first team in almost 40 years to have a perfect season.
Standing in the way of the Wildcats is Naismith Award Finalist Frank Kaminsky and Wisconsin. After winning the Big Ten Championship, the Badgers were given their first No. 1 seed in program history. This is the second consecutive year the Badgers have met Kentucky in the Final Four, and Kentucky won by a single point last year.
Although many players from last year’s matchup are back, do not expect it to be the same game. Last year Wisconsin was a No. 2 seed and Kentucky was a No. 8 seed. Needless to say, both teams have improved dramatically, and Wisconsin’s lethal frontcourt, including Kaminsky and Sam Decker, might be the trick to ending Kentucky’s dominance.
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From the beginning, this has been the Wildcats’ tournament to lose, but Wisconsin might just be the high-caliber team that can send Kentucky packing.
On the other side of the bracket is Michigan State and Duke. Freshmen stars Jahlil Okafor and Tyus Jones lead the Blue Devils, another top-seeded team. Duke might have a sensational starting five, but it lacks depth. In fact, Duke’s bench didn’t score a single point in its win against Gonzaga during the Elite Eight game.
Michigan State, a No. 7 seed, is the only team in the Final Four that is not a No. 1 seed. This year is the third time ever when three of the four top-seeded teams have all made it to the Final Four, but don’t count the Spartans out simply based on their rank. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo has taken his Spartans to the Final Four seven times.
Speaking of coaches, this might be one of the best coaching lineups the Final Four has seen in quite some time. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is entering his 12th Final Four — tying the record for most ever. Kentucky coach John Calipari is entering his sixth Final Four, while Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan enters his second. The four coaches have combined for 27 Final Four appearances.
But it will take more than Izzo’s coaching to help Michigan State beat Duke. Although the Spartans might not possess the talent the Blue Devils do, they make up for it in experience.
Krzyzewski’s Blue Devils are the youngest team in this year’s Final Four, while 10 of Michigan State’s 16 players are upperclassmen. Duke might be favored to win, but anything can happen in March Madness. In fact, No. 7 seed Connecticut won the title last year over a No. 8 seeded Kentucky team.
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