March Madness has taken a power turn as it turns to the Final Four. No more plucky underdogs, much as we enjoyed the run by Saint Peter’s. No more double-digit seeds looking for upsets.
This year’s Final Four is Duke and Carolina, Kansas, and Villanova, four powerhouses looking to add another national championship to their formidable resumes.
Teams
Kansas. The lone No. 1 seed left in the bracket may be Bill Self’s best chance to add an elusive second national championship to the one he and the Jayhawks won in 2008.Duke. You may have heard: Coach K in his final NCAA Tournament. A walk-off national title would be the perfect ending to a Hall of Fame career that includes the most wins in NCAA history.
Villanova. Another year, another Wildcats trip to the Final Four. Losing Justin Moore to a torn Achilles tendon is tough, but never count out a Jay Wright team.
Star Players
Paolo Banchero, Duke. Offense, defense, clutch plays—the 6-foot-10 freshman can do it all. No wonder he’s projected as a possible top-3 pick in the NBA draft.Ochai Agbaji, Kansas. The first-team All-American may be the best athlete in the Final Four—and that’s saying something in this bracket.
Armando Bacot, North Carolina. Will block your shot, then dunk in your face. Dominating at both ends.
Key Players
Mark Williams, Duke. Scoring over the 7–1 sophomore in the lane is an accomplishment. Getting dunked on by him is almost inevitable.Christian Braun, Kansas. The sharpshooter is perfect for Self’s high pick-and-roll offense. Surprisingly good finisher at the rim.
Caleb Love, North Carolina. The athletic freshman can score in bunches and loves big moments. He had 30 points, including two late 3-pointers in 37 seconds in the Tar Heels’ Sweet 16 win over the Bruins.
The Games
Villanova vs. Kansas, 6:09 p.m. ET Saturday (TBS). The Jayhawks have the depth advantage, particularly with Moore’s injury. The Wildcats are uber efficient, powerfully built and never back down. Nothing will be easy about this big-time match-up.Odds
Odds to win the national title, according to FanDuel Sportsbook: Duke plus-160, Kansas plus-180, Villanova plus-450, North Carolina plus-500.Final Four game odds: Kansas minus-4.5 vs. Villanova; Duke minus-4 vs. North Carolina.
Numbers
3—Hall of Fame coaches in the Final Four: Krzyzewski, Self and Wright.17—Combined national championships. Each team has won at least three, a first for the Final Four.
21—Final Fours for North Carolina, an NCAA record.
61—Combined Final Four appearances for Duke, North Carolina, Kansas and Villanova.
83—Villanova’s free-throw shooting percentage, on pace to break Harvard’s NCAA record of 82.2 percent set in 1994.