It’s Final Four Saturday, which means we will find out who will advance to Monday’s National Championship game, also taking place in New Orleans. All four teams are blue blood programs: Duke, North Carolina, Villanova, and Kansas. Let’s take a look at each Final Four team, and see how they got here:
Previews:
Predictions:
#2 Duke (32-6 overall, 18-5 ACC)
Duke had a strong start, becoming the first team to take down Gonzaga, which deservedly put them as the AP #1 on Monday before losing to Ohio State the next day. It’s Mike Krzyzewski’s final year as head coach, with Jon Scheyer taking over once their season ends. Duke has the top adjusted offensive efficiency in the country, according to KenPom. They’re a strong team for effective field goal percentage as well, especially inside the three-point arc with the use of Mark Williams in the paint. Paolo Banchero, AJ Griffin, Mark Williams, Trevor Keels, and Wendell Moore Jr. are all projected to be NBA Draft picks this year, with Moore being the only one not projected in the first round, according to ESPN. Banchero (17.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.1 SPG, 3.2 APG, 47.8 FG%, leads team in PPG and RPG) is the only All-American on the team (third team), while he was also first-team All-ACC, ACC Rookie of the Year, and the West Regional Most Outstanding Player. Mark Williams (11.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 71.9 FG%, leads team in FG%) was named third-team All-ACC, the ACC Defensive Player of the Year (2.9 BPG, leads team), and was a part of the West Regional All-Tournament Team. Wendell Moore Jr. (13.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 50.8 FG%, 81 FT%, 41.1 3PT%) is a second-team All-ACC player, and AJ Griffin (10.5 PPG, 50.2 FG%, 45.8 3PT%, leads team in 3PT%) was an All-ACC Honorable Mention. In my honest opinion, no one has been more important this tournament run than Mark Williams and Jeremy Roach (8.6 PPG, 41.9 FG%). Those two have been fun to watch throughout the West Region, especially in San Francisco. With Mike Krzyzewski on the sideline, the Blue Devils are in good hands.
#8 North Carolina (28-9 overall, 16-6 ACC)
The Tar Heels are the lowest-ranked team in this Final Four, as an 8 seed. Teams with those seedings don’t normally hoist the National Championship trophy, with Villanova with Rollie Massimino back in 1985 being the lowest-ranked team to win a National Championship. The 2014 Kentucky Wildcats made it to Monday night but fell to the UConn Huskies, who became the first 7 seed to win it all. Enough about the history of their seeding, let’s talk about the Tar Heels. Brady Manek (15.2 PPG, 49.5 FG%), who transferred to Chapel Hill from Oklahoma, has been one of the most important players on the floor for North Carolina, with Armando Bacot (16.5 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 1.7 BPG, 58.6 FG%), leads team in those categories) winning the East Regional Most Outstanding Player. In the backcourt, Caleb Love (15.7 PPG, 3.7 APG, 1 SPG, 86.5 FT%, leads team in APG) has taken charge. He and Manek helped the Tar Heels blow Marquette out of the tournament. They took advantage of Baylor’s leading scorer, LJ Cryer, being out for the first weekend, despite some controversial calls by the officials that led to a near 20-point comeback by the Bears and Brady Manek ejected with a flagrant 2 foul. Armando Bacot was named first-team All-ACC, while Love and Manek were honorable mentions. Thanks to their size in the frontcourt, they are one of the top defensive rebounding teams in the country, according to KenPom. They’ve suffered more losses than anyone else in this Final Four, but the magic all started in Durham, where the Tar Heels spoiled Duke’s Senior Night and Coach K’s final home game. However, that won’t be the last Duke-North Carolina matchup of the season. I suggest you stay up for the second game tonight. Has North Carolina had a slightly easier path than anticipated to get here? Yes. I mean, they destroyed 15 seed Saint Peter’s in the Elite Eight. However, they’re here nonetheless, and they’re ready to fight. I’ll be rooting for first-year head coach Hubert Davis, who took over for Roy Williams a year and one day ago.
#2 Villanova (30-7 overall, 19-4 Big East)
How does Jay Wright keep getting here? It’s unbelievable how great his teams have been in the last decade. Wright has been to four Final Fours, searching for his third National Championship, which would tie him with Hall of Famers Roy Williams, Jim Calhoun, and Bob Knight. This Villanova team has National Championship experience, with point guard Collin Gillespie (15.6 PPG, 3.3 APG, 1 SPG, 43.1 FG%, 90.5 FT%, 40.9 3PT%, leads team in PPG, APG, 3PT%), who won Big East Player of the Year, Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and was named to the South Regional All-Tournament Team, part of the 2018 National Championship team. He leads the team in free throw percentage, and this team is historic. They are one of the best free-throw shooting teams in NCAA history (83%). My dad’s favorite player in college basketball this year was Jermaine Samuels (14.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1 SPG, 39.7 FG%, leads team in RPG), who won Most Outstanding Player in the South Region. I was surprised to hear that because he’s a huge UConn fan like I am. But, I can see why he does, he’s arguably their toughest player. Marquette was Villanova’s kryptonite this year, but the Wildcats got the last laugh, winning the Big East Tournament Championship. Justin Moore, an All-Big East Second Team player, suffered a torn Achilles. This is where New Orleans native and Tulane transfer Caleb Daniels (10.2 PPG, 42.8 FG%, 85.1 FT%), who was named to the South Regional All-Tournament Team, can shine. He came off the bench for the majority of the season, but the way he plays makes him look better than most guards in the Big East, overshadowed by Gillespie and Moore. I knew in the back of my head that Villanova could end up being a Final Four team. On Selection Sunday, I didn’t think they got a favorable draw. However, the Wildcats fought through Ohio State, Michigan, and Houston to get back to the Final Four. Villanova plays an extremely slow tempo, which chews the clock significantly. They also happen to have a top-10 adjusted offensive efficiency, according to KenPom. Never count Villanova out.
#1 Kansas (32-6 overall, 17-4 Big 12)
The Big 12 Tournament Champions are back in the Final Four for the first time since 2018 when their opponent wasn’t supposed to be the star for Kansas, which was predicted to be Arizona State transfer, Remy Martin (8.6 PPG, 46.5 FG%). However, Ochai Agbaji (18.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 47.1 FG%) has led the Jayhawks and been one of the best players in the country, being named Big 12 Player of the Year, a first-team All-American player, and up for the Wooden Award. Speaking of Remy Martin, he was named the Midwest Regional Most Outstanding Player. Christian Braun (14.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 49.7 FG%) is the #2 guy for the Bill Self-coached Jayhawks. He was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team and was on the Midwest Regional All-Tournament Team. David McCormack (10.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 49.6 FG%) was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team and Midwest Regional All-Tournament Team. Jalen Wilson (11 PPG, 46.8 FG%) joined McCormack on that All-Big 12 Third Team and leads the Jayhawks in rebounds (7.4 RPG). Dajuan Harris Jr. (5.4 PPG) is the assists leader (4.2 APG) and was named to the Honorable Mention All-Big 12 List. He also happens to be one of the Big 12’s top defensive players (1.4 SPG, leads Kansas). Kansas has one of the best adjusted offensive efficiencies in the country according to KenPom, a trend seen out of the Final Four teams. They’re also a strong defensive team, especially behind the three-point line for opponents (29.6 opposing 3pt%). As the highest remaining seed, Kansas seeks their 4th National Championship.
Predictions:
#2 Villanova (30-7) vs. #1 Kansas (32-6) (-4)
Villanova is the best free-throw shooting team in the country, which is why I am completely not surprised to see them in New Orleans. Without Justin Moore, this game could become difficult. Collin Gillespie has been on a stage as big as this one, back in 2018, where the Wildcats won the National Championship. Caleb Daniels, a New Orleans native, is going to have a much bigger role with Moore out. Villanova has sharpshooters like no other team in the Final Four, and if they can pull away with the lead late in the game, free throws are their specialty. Kansas is a tough team, and Ochai Agbaji is extremely difficult to stop, along with David McCormack and Christian Braun. I think this will be a phenomenal game, but Villanova with the upset of the night.
Tune into Kansas vs. Villanova at 6:09 PM ET on TBS.
#2 Duke (32-6) (-4) vs. #8 North Carolina (28-9)
This is the first Duke-North Carolina matchup in the NCAA Tournament. How about that for what could possibly be Coach K’s final game? I’m not going to be all about him like some media outlets are. This is the Final Four, and with these rivals battling, it means more. I’m more excited about this game because it has so much history attached to this. However, I don’t think it will be as close as the first game. Duke has been the better team all season, but Hubert Davis and his squad also had Duke’s number in Durham on March 5. Could that magic happen again for the Tar Heels? I’m certainly rooting for them. However, I have to be an unbiased journalist. Well, at least as unbiased as possible. Duke is 11-5 in the National Semifinals. The last three times North Carolina made it to the Final Four, they made the National Championship Game, winning two of those three (2009 and 2017). Duke has far better talent, and I think the story continues for the Blue Devils.
Tune into Duke vs. North Carolina at 8:49 PM ET on TBS.
Calhoun's Corner 
Go UNC!!!!!
LikeLike