On paper, this one’s a classic

OMAHA, Neb. — In a tournament defined by unpredictability, one regional final makes sense.

No. 1 Kansas and No. 2 Duke will square off in the Midwest final Sunday for the last spot in the Final Four — and the stakes are huge even by Elite Eight standards.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is looking to make his 13th Final Four, which would break a tie with UCLA legend John Wooden.

Kansas coach Bill Self, who recently joined Krzyzewski and Wooden in the Naismith Hall of Fame, is hoping to snap a two-year losing streak in regional finals and a 2-7 record in Elite Eights.

After scores of upsets produced some rather strange matchups elsewhere, it’ll be “Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk” vs. Coach K and the Blue Devils in a classic regional final.

“It’s great when you have two programs of this nature, this status in the history of our game, play for a Final Four berth. It’s great for the sport,” Krzyzewski said.

As for the latest chapter in the series, the top-seeded Jayhawks (30-7) are more like a plucky underdog — at least by their high standards — while second-seeded Duke (29-7) and its cadre of ridiculously talented freshmen appear to be rounding into title-contending form. Duke is the betting favorite despite being the lower seed.

“It’ll be a tough game, but it’s going to be a fun game,” Self said. “We know we’ve got our hands full. But we like to think they have their hands full too.”