For four teams, the road to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship ends in Indianapolis, Indiana, starting this Saturday at the famous Lucas Oil Stadium.
This year’s Final Four features a matchup between the No. 2 UConn Huskies and No. 3 Illinois, and a brawl between Arizona and Michigan, who are both No. 1 seeds.
Before the madness officially begins, let’s take a look at each matchup and what to expect.
Final Four Matchups
No. 2 UConn (33-5) vs. No. 3 Illinois (28-8) – Saturday at 6:09 p.m. EST
The storyline:
Earlier in the season, the Huskies defeated the Fightin’ Illini 74-61 on Black Friday at Madison Square Garden. Though UConn was without both Tarris Reed and Braylon Mullins, a more neutral site in the Midwest givesthe Illini more of an edge this time. If the Huskies continue to struggle from the three-point line, they could be in serious trouble.
How UConn got here:
- 82-71 win in the round of 64 over No. 15 Furman
- 73-57 win in the round of 32 over No. 7 UCLA
- 67-63 win in the Sweet 16 over No. 3 Michigan State
- 73-72 win in the Elite Eight over No. 1 Duke
How Illinois got here:
- 105-70 win in the round of 64 over No. 14 Penn
- 76-55 win in the round of 32 over No. 11 VCU
- 65-55 win in the Sweet 16 over No. 2 Houston
- 71-59 win in the Elite Eight over No. 9 Iowa
Players to watch:
- Tarris Reed, C, UConn — 14.7 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.4 APG
Reed is currently the backbone of a Huskies offense that is averaging just 29.6% from the 3-point line in the tournament. His post play has dominated opposing centers thus far, making him nearly unguardable.
- David Mirkovic, Illinois — 13.5 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 2.6 APG
The freshman from Nikšić, Montenegro, has raised eyebrows this tournament, recording double-digit rebounding performances in three of the Illini’s four games. Seeing Reed and Mirković battle for boards should be a sight to see.
Prediction:
UConn 81, Illinois 76
We saw the Huskies’ heart of a champion in their come-from-behind, buzzer-beater win over Duke last week, and we’ll see it again on Saturday. UConn wins a high-scoring offensive affair to punch its ticket to the national championship game.
No. 1 Arizona (36-2) vs. No. 1 Michigan (35-3) — Saturday at 8:49 p.m. EST
The storyline:
The thought of this matchup has had college basketball fans frothing at the mouth since the release of the bracket, as many claim this as the national championship. Both have notched double-digit victories in every tournament game, taking rather different paths to the Final Four than UConn and Illinois.
How Arizona got here:
- 92-58 win in the round of 64 over No. 16 Long Island
- 78-66 win in the round of 32 over No. 9 Utah State
- 109-88 win in the Sweet 16 over No. 4 Arkansas
- 79-64 win in the Elite Eight over No. 2 Purdue
How Michigan got here:
- 101-80 win in the round of 64 over No. 16 Howard
- 95-72 win in the round of 32 over No. 9 Saint Louis
- 90-77 win in the Sweet 16 over No. 4 Alabama
- 95-62 win in the Elite Eight over No. 6 Tennessee
Players to watch:
- Koa Peat, F, Arizona — 14.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.7 APG
It’s rare for a freshman to lead a team through the tournament, but Peat is living proof that it can happen. He’s projected to be drafted in the first round of this year’s draft, and his performances in the Big Dance are only boosting his stock.
- Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan — 15.2 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.3 APG
Lendeborg, by far, is one of the most intriguing players in the tournament. Having transferred from mid-major UAB, he’s dominated the NCAA Tournament, averaging 21 points per game. He’s a true example of what mid-major basketball has to offer.
Prediction:
Michigan 78, Arizona 71
Both teams are playing their best basketball of the year right now. However, Michigan’s ability to control the tempo, defend the paint without fouling and stretch the floor offensively will be the difference.