After all the grueling battles and close-knit victories, we have finally arrived at the NCAA Final Four. The matchups begin on Saturday, April 5th, and will conclude on Monday, April 7th. The teams represented are Duke, Auburn, Houston, and Florida; coincidentally, all these teams were 1st seeds this season. This instance marks the 2nd time in March Madness history since 1979. That being said, let’s break down in the post which teams will match up.
First, Auburn State vs Florida. The Auburn Tigers have a plethora of guards who satisfy the fundamentals. Players such as Miles Kelly, Denver Jones, and Tahaad Pettiford are excellent foul shooters. They can get you to the line while attempting a shot, but their biggest enemy is their free-throw shooting. Yet with point forward Johni Broome on your team, they can be able to hinder opposing defenses. They just have to use Broome correctly in that scenario to continue their almost perfect turnover ratio play.
The Florida Gators are an elite offensive rebounding team provided by the big men, Kevin Pazimo and Micah Handlogten – who are also great passers and facilitators. However, the player that truly takes them to a new level is guard Walter Clayton Jr. He has been shown through the tourney to create his own shot – an offensive mercenary. Alijah Martin has also proved important in the offense as well providing needed scoring and clutch rebounds.
Second, Duke vs. Houston. The Duke Blue Devils, as per usual, have been led by the dominant two-play of Cooper Flagg. But aside from him, the team is filled with multiple specialists in different positions and skill sets. You have Tyrese Proctor for your catch and shoot mechanics with sneaky defense. The elite scoring of tournament MVP Kon Knueppel, who can get a bucket at will. Finally, the South Sudanese defensive center Khaman Malauch provides rim protection and dominance in the paint. A team that has multiple threats is one to look out for that also has the best free-throw shooting of the four.
The Houston Cougars are the most defensively-minded squad in the four, but in the nation as well. Big men such as Joseph Tugler, J’Wan Roberts, and Ja’Vier Francis are athletic, lengthy defenders who can rebound as well. However, that’s not the only side of the ball where they’re aggressive. Guards L.J. Cryer, Emanuel “Crash” Sharp, and Milos Uzan are all lethal at the 3. The former two are relentless and dynamic scorers, they can lit up an opponent on the court all night. The Cougars have the most “dog” of all the Final Four, a mindset that can make alum Jamal Shead proud.
Overall, this will be a series of games to remember. All four are among the most efficient in NCAA Basketball history. They are also rated in the Top Ten in both offensive and defensive efficiency. A pretty impressive feat that will definitely translate into great basketball. Tip-off is starting this Saturday at 6:09 PM ET, so make sure you check it out. Broadcasted by CBS, the Alamodome in San Antonio will be a night to remember.
