Bold predictions for men’s Final Four
One of the most electrifying men’s NCAA Tournaments in recent memory will feature four blue bloods facing off Saturday at the Final Four in New Orleans, with Monday’s national championship game awaiting the winners.
The madness definitely isn’t over yet – even as the calendar turns to April and Cinderella Saint Peter’s has left the Big Dance. The semifinal matchup between Duke and North Carolina (in Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final season) is shaping up to be one of the biggest games in college basketball history, while Kansas and Villanova are also in line for net-cutting in New Orleans.
A look at five bold predictions for the remaining games in the 2021-22 men’s college basketball season:
1. North Carolina plays spoiler again vs. Duke
There shouldn’t be any concern that this rivalry – arguably the greatest in sports history – will go downhill after coach Mike Krzyzewski retires. UNC going into Cameron Indoor Stadium for Coach K’s last home game and embarrassing the Blue Devils 94-81 made this team the ultimate villain. Could they play spoiler again? Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis has gotten this team to play with great intensity since that upset against Duke. They knocked off reigning national champion Baylor and another title favorite, UCLA, to reach the Final Four. Duke is hot (32-6), but so is North Carolina (28-9). Armando Bacot,Brady Manek, Caleb Love and R.J. Davis all scored more than 20 points in the March 5 victory against Duke.
2. Villanova sends Kansas, Bill Self home
With Villanova’s Justin Moore out with an Achilles injury and Kansas hitting its stride with explosive transfer guard Remy Martin, the Jayhawks are the odds-on favorite to advance to the national championship game and give coach Bill Self a shot at his second national title. But there’s also room for coach Jay Wright’s Wildcats to play inspired for Moore. The Wildcats (30-7) have a lot of experience, namely fifthyear senior Collin Gillespie.
3. Multiple-overtime thriller in title game
There have only been eight overtime games for a national title in Final Four history. Multiple overtimes have only happened once, in 1957, when North Carolina beat Kansas 54-53. Last year’s national semifinal of Gonzaga and UCLA that went into overtime proved to be one of the best Final Four games of all-time. What would punctuate this as one of the best Final Fours ever? A multiple OT championship game.
4. North Carolina wins the title
With Duke and Kansas receiving most of the hype to win the national title, looking past North Carolina could be a mistake, considering how well the Tar Heels are playing.
If Manek is hitting three-pointers in high volume, it gives this team a different dimension and opens up the court for guards Love and Davis to get into the lane and do their thing. Against Baylor, before Manek was ejected, this UNC team was pummeling the Bears by 20plus points.
The Tar Heels are peaking in March, and while the No. 8 seed is indicative of the entire season, cutting down the nets shouldn’t be a huge surprise.
5. An unsung hero wins MOP
Gauging the history of the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award winners, it’s often an unexpected XFactor player — not a future NBA star or the team’s best player — who excels on the big stage. Louisville’s Luke Hancock in 2013 and Villanova’s Donte DiVincenzo in 2018 are prime examples.
An unexpected MOP from each team this year:
Duke: AJ Griffin
North Carolina: R.J. Davis
Kansas: Christian Braun
Villanova: Jermaine Samuels