After 60 games of the 2014 Div. I Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament, there are only three games left of what has been a very exciting tournament.
In game one of the Final Four, the Connecticut Huskies will take on the Florida Gators.
The Gators, the country’s No. 1 ranked team, were picked by most people to be playing in North Texas on April 5. They showed the college basketball world that they shouldn’t look down on veteran teams.
Head Coach Billy Donovan is vying for an opportunity to win his third national championship and first since the 2006-07 season.
The Huskies are the most surprising team playing in the Final Four after an up and down season. In his second season as head coach and first season eligible for postseason play, Kevin Ollie has shown that he’s already one of the better coaches in the nation.
UConn gave Florida their last loss 30 games ago on Dec. 2. In this game, however, the Gators will be too much for the Huskies to handle.
The matchup that will be fun to watch is between point guards Scottie Wilbekin and Shabazz Napier. The AAC and SEC players of the year are the heart and soul of their respective teams and are the reasons they’re still standing in the tournament.
The difference in this game will be Wilbekin’s supporting cast of guards Michael Frazier II and forwards Patric Young and Will Yeguete. They will overmatch the rest of the Huskies, which will allow the Gators to cruise to an easy win.
Prediction: Florida 67-UConn 52
After inconsistent play all season, the Wildcats are finally hitting their stride and playing like the team everyone expected them to be. Despite some turnover issues, Andrew Harrison has finally been playing like a true point guard. His brother, Aaron, has been playing like one of the most clutch players in the country as of late, and his game-winner against Michigan was the shot of the tournament so far.
This is Bo Ryan’s best team during his tenure at Wisconsin. The Badgers have always been known as a defensive-minded team, but this year they are a high-scoring squad. Forward Frank Kaminsky has been one of the best players in the tournament.
I think Kentucky has too many weapons for Wisconsin to handle. Julius Randle will score 24 points and grab 13 rebounds as the Wildcats advance to championship Monday.
Prediction: Kentucky 68 -Wisconsin 61
The National Championship Game will feature the fourth matchup of the season between Florida and Kentucky.
This game will be different, though.
Kentucky is playing with a tremendous amount of confidence and have enough talent on their roster to beat any team in the country.
In this game, the key will be if Andrew Harrison can contain Wilbekin. Andrew Harrison has the size and strength advantage over Wilbekin, but he’s so difficult to guard because of how poised of a player he is.
In the post, Randle will be able to make sure Patric Young doesn’t dominate the boards. James Young will score 24 points in the finals and be named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player.
Prediction: Kentucky 71- Florida 68