Loading ...Final Four Breakdown: Storylines are Everywhere
This year’s Final Four has to be one of the most interesting in a long, long time. One thing is for sure, there is no end to the number of great storylines.
Kyle Singler didn't make a jump shot against Baylor, but the Blue Devils still advanced to the Final Four.
First is Butler, the hometown team that nobody gave much of a chance. If they wanted to, the Bulldogs could parade their way down the streets of Indianapolis all the way to Lucas Oil Stadium. That’s what happens when your campus is about a fifteen minute drive away from where the Final Four is being held. After a decade of being a good team, the Bulldogs have finally gotten over the hump and become a national force.
Next is Michigan State, a team that everyone counted out when its leader, Kalin Lucas, went down last week with a season ending injury. A Korey Lucious jump shot against Maryland, a close win over Northern Iowa, and a Durrell Summers free throw have the Spartans in the Final Four for the second straight year.
West Virginia, another Final Four team nailed with an injury last week, has played through the loss of Darryl Bryant to get to Indianapolis. The good news for the Mountaineers is that it looks like Bryant may be able to play on Saturday, if he can stand the pain of his broken foot. West Virginia hit ten threes and jumped on Kentucky and then held on when the Wildcats three point shots kept drawing iron.
The last Final Four team is Duke, the team most critics believed had no business being on the number one line on Selection Sunday. The Blue Devils used 23 offensive rebounds–yes, 23–to knock off a Baylor team that was nearly playing a home game in Houston. Kyle Singler didn’t make a jump shot, the first time in his collegiate career that he’s never made one, but Duke still did enough to get to the Final Four.
So who’s the favorite?
Probably Duke, although every poll I’ve seen has West Virginia winning the national title. Butler’s homecourt advantage throws a curveball into picking this Final Four that we haven’t seen before. Michigan State is the only team that has any player on its roster with any player that has been in the Final Four though. Doesn’t that experience have to mean something?
I truly believe any of the four teams could win the title, although I put into writing two weeks ago that Duke would win the championship. They were my preseason pick to win the national title and I’m sticking by them.
No matter who wins it, we are in for a great show in Indy.
