Final Four Preview

The Final Four is here and college basketball is sadly almost over. It should be a great final weekend, just as the rest of the tournament has been. Neither Greg nor Andrew can score any more points. We both thought Florida would be here, but we missed every other team, and we both picked Michigan State to take out Florida. Because of that, our Tourney Challenge is complete and the final results are below:

Greg - 61 Points

Andrew – 57 Points

It came down to one game actually: Arizona vs. Wisconsin. Greg chose right, I missed it. Had the result been flipped, I would have prevailed. It was close the whole way!

But as for the preview, comments are below. I analyzed each team and posted at the bottom what I want and think will happen. Enjoy!

South Regional Champion: Florida Gators

Andrew: Florida expected to be here, and we all thought they would be too. At this stage, they are big favorites to win it all. The funny thing is, they actually lost to their Final Four opponent (UCONN) last time they played (early December). It was on the road and with an incomplete team, but it was the last time they walked off a court losers. Here are my keys for them this time around:

1. Contain Napier. Simply put, if they do this, they win with ease. If not, anything is possible.

2. Control the glass. Florida should be able to dominate the glass against Connecticut. But I thought Michigan State would too, and that didn't happen.

3. Get Prather going. Casey Prather has been great the entire year, but hasn't played that way in the tournament. They need him though this weekend if they want to win it all.

East Regional Champions: Connecticut Huskies

Andrew: As a 7 seed, Connecticut isn't the worst seed remaining, but they are the most surprising team in the Final Four no less. I have been impressed with them in each and every game so far in the tournament. They seem to keep playing better and better, which bodes well. They have a tough task ahead of them though, even though they beat Florida during the season. Here are the keys:

1. Use their speed to overcome size. UCONN doesn't have many beasts inside, and the guards are small. But they have great quickness which can set them apart. They used it against MSU effectively. Florida is even bigger though.

2. Get contributions from role players. Shabazz will have to get his, but contributions but Boatright, Daniels, Calhoun, Kromah, etc. will be needed to pull off another upset (or two).

3. Keep it close. UCONN has been terrific in clutch moments this season, mainly due to Shabazz Napier. If they can get in that position again, we may see another big shot.

West Regional Champions: Wisconsin Badgers

Andrew: Wisconsin has been straight up impressive in the tourney. They blew out opponents early, including a Baylor squad that had blitzed Creighton. Then, they beat Arizona in an absolute thriller. The offense and defense have been solid, and I really think they are the only team left capable of beating Florida. What are the keys?

1. Continue to feed Kaminsky. This dude is a matchup nightmare and is playing at a career level. Keep giving him the rock.

2. Free up Ben Brust for some open looks. When Brust is knocking down 3's, this team is tough to beat. But he can't create looks for himself, so I'd set some plays to get this guy some looks.

3. Gang rebound. Kentucky has some beasts down low and Wisconsin often plays with only 1 true big. That means rebounding and even defense down low needs to be a team effort.

Midwest Regional Champions: Kentucky Wildcats

Andrew: At the start of the year, their presence here was expected. But not at the start of the tournament. They've made a terrific run and their freshmen have grown up before our very eyes. While that may mean they all go pro now, that also means they can go out winner. Here are the keys for them against Wisconsin:

1. Move the ball. When they are playing together and getting open looks for Aaron Harrison and James Young (and others), their offense is tough to stop. 1 on 1 ball makes them so much easier to guard.

2. Get Randle established early. If Kaminsky guards Randle, then I'd pound it inside for either scores or fouls on the valuable big man. If Kaminsky doesn't guard him, then Randle has a massive advantage over whoever does. So I'd pound inside for buckets then too.

3. Make someone other than Kaminsky beat you. If you've watched the tourney, you know why.

What I Want to Happen

Andrew: I am a Big Ten guy so I clearly want Wisconsin to win. That and I hate Kentucky. Florida and UCONN have both had success lately, but I'd love to see Shabazz continue his run into the Championship game. Bo Ryan and Kevin Ollie are the two coaches here without a title.

What I Think will Happen:

Andrew: Starting with the easier call, I think Florida will prevail. As for the tougher game, I think Wisconsin will pull off the "upset". In fact, I don't see how they aren't favored. They've been the best team in the tournament in terms of results. And they just beat a team similar to Kentucky. Kaminsky is also a matchup nightmare and has been the tourney MVP to date. They will struggle if Kentucky attacks the paint, but the Wildcats may settle. We'll see...

By: The Sports Guys