The college basketball season is coming down to the home stretch, and with that, the regular season is about to end and conference tournaments are on the horizon. At this point, it’s not too early to investigate some of the teams that may make it to the Final Four this year. Over this past weekend the top two teams in the country, Auburn and Duke, lost against Floria and Clemson, shedding light that they can be beaten. There are also underdogs every year that will make it far in March. This year it should be no different, as there are many mid-major teams that are hungry and underrated.
Below are my predictions for this year’s Final Four.
Auburn Tigers
The Auburn Tigers have been a powerhouse this season and this might be the year that they go all the way. Led by head coach Bruce Pearl, the program is on a rampage as of late, with a 21-2 record on the year. The Tigers have multiple players that can attack and score with high efficiency. Johni Broome is the leading scorer for the team, averaging a double-double per game along with just under three blocks a matchup The rest of the starters average around 10 points per game, showing that Pearl’s team is truly balanced when spreading the wealth. If they can continue their recent consistent play, there is no reason they should not be the favorites to win it all.
Duke Blue Devils
Just behind Auburn in the current rankings, sit the Duke Blue Devils who are poised to add another National Championship to their long-lasting history. The Blue Devils are led by star freshman phenom, and arguably the best player in college basketball Cooper Flagg. The almost seven-footer is a dangerous scorer who is dependable on both sides of the ball. Flagg leads the team in every major category of the season other than steals. Freshman Kon Kennel is also a big piece on the roster, as he is silently their second-best player. Duke will go as far as Flagg takes them and what should be his only shot at a title, as he is projected to go No. 1 in next year’s draft.
St. John’s Red Storm
St John’s has been one of the storied squads of the year, as they have vastly improved from last season where they were mediocre. Led by legendary head coach Rick Pitino, the Johnnie’s have gone on a tear this season as they stand at 21-3 on the year. RJ Luis Jr. has been a tremendous asset for the squad, as he is their go-to scorer, averaging over 17 points a game. Their strong suit is their defense as they are ranked in the upper tier of college basketball. The program’s defense will take them to this years Final Four, along with their full-court press and grit on the court.
Iowa State Cyclones
Our final team is Iowa State, another team in the top 25. On the year, the team has amassed a record of 18-5, as they look to finish off the season strong heading into March. This is another well-rounded team, as they don’t have a go-to player. Curtis Jones leads the team in scoring, however, most of the starting lineup averages just over 10 points per game. Milan Momcilovic is also cleared to play, after suffering an injury a couple of weeks ago. He will be big down the stretch for the Cyclones and if he can stay healthy, Iowa State is going to be a force to be reckoned with. Right now, they are projected at a two seed for the tournament, giving them some hopefully favorable matchups in the early rounds.