2013 NCAA Final Four Preview – Only four remain. After nearly one month, the stage has been set and the team’s have arrived, all with a chance to cut down the nets.
The Cardinals, Shockers, Wolverines, and Orange all average right around 70 points per game this season. Depending on your team or the style of play, college basketball fans should be entertained this weekend at the Final Four.
A pair of intriguing contests await the large crowd that will assemble inside Atlanta‘s Georgia Dome this Saturday evening for the 2013 NCAA Final Four.
NCAA Final Four Preview
The Favorite: Louisville Cardinals
During preseason, many analysts and publications tabbed Louisville’s backcourt of Peyton Siva and Russ Smith as the nation’s best. The pair played up to that billing with Smith topping the Cardinals in scoring (18.9) and Siva becoming Louisville’s career steals leader and ranking No. 2 in career assists. They put relentless pressure on opponents at both ends of the court. Cardinals’ head coach, Rick Pitino, has been there and done that which gives them an added edge. Not to mention the overall number 1 seed will have something to play for in Kevin Ware (click to see the link of one of the more brutal injuries college basketball has witnessed).
The Long Shot: Wichita State Shockers
The Shockers have fans of “The Valley” going crazy as their team has done the unthinkable marching all the way to the Final Four. Along the way they managed to knock off Pittsburgh (9), Gonzaga (1), LaSalle (13) and Ohio State (2) in some amazing performances. Their backcourt of Malcolm Armstead, Tekele Cotton and freshman Ron Baker will have to weather the storm. Their guards held up well against defense-oriented Pittsburgh and Ohio State, but Louisville is a different animal with its ability to pressure and trap in the open court. WSU can’t afford a rash of turnovers.
The Flashy Pick: Michigan Wolverines
Most draft experts expect Michigan’s trio of Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Glen Robinson III to all be first round picks; however, the unsung hero of this team is Mitch McGary. He has been critical to their success this postseason. The amount of shooters the Wolverines possess is going to really put Syracuse’s 2-3 matchup zone to the test. Nobody has ever questioned if they had the talent to win, it has been can they play to their abilities for 40 minutes. Burke has provided the necessary firepower to overcome bad starts, but they cannot afford to do that against a team such as Syracuse and/or Louisville for that matter.
The Dark Horse: Syracuse Orange
Syracuse has turned things around after losing seven of its last 12 games entering the Big East tournament. There is no secret to the team’s success: it’s a suffocating 2-3 zone that has been baffling opponents for years. This could be Jim Boeheim’s best defensive unit because of the Orange’s size on the perimeter. Holding Marquette to 39 points was not only an achievement, but something nobody really saw coming. Can Syracuse’s defense keep a stranglehold on the Wolverines’ offense? Syracuse’s 6’8″ Forward James Sutherland will be the key to that.
PREDICTION:
Louisville knocks off Michigan in one of the more thrilling championship games in recent memory.
I think it still anybody’s trophy, I’m not sure why nobody is giving the Shockers any type of chance they have had a very difficult schedule throughout the tournament, I wouldn’t mind throwing a little something small on whatever the money line is for them to take the whole thing down