March Madness has lived up to everyone’s expectations.
The exciting NCAA tournament has provided tight finishes and Cinderella stories.
Here’s a look at the four teams left standing.
Eleventh seed Loyola-Chicago continues to be the darling of the tournament. The Ramblers are only the fourth number 11 seed to reach the Final Four. No lower seed has advanced that far.
In the clash of the blue bloods, the Kansas Jayhawks defeated Duke 85-81 in overtime to punch their ticket to the semis. Duke had the most NBA talent among the remaining teams, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the hot shooting of Malik Newman.
Here’s a more detailed preview of how the Final Four could play out.
From The Sporting News:
The 2018 Final Four matchups are set for the men’s NCAA basketball tournament at the Alamodome in San Antonio from March 31 to April 2.
No. 11 Loyola-Chicago will meet No. 3 Michigan in one national semifinal, and No. 1 Villanova will take on No. 1 Kansas in the second semifinal. The winners will meet for the title to conclude another wild installment of March Madness.
It’s never too early to take an early look at the field vying for that national championship, which features four teams capable of winning it all. Sporting News breaks down all four teams…:
No. 11 Loyola-Chicago
Why they’ll win it
For Sister Jean’s sake, Loyola has that team-of-destiny feel because of a selfless style on both sides of the ball. Point guard Clayton Custer leads a precise offense where a new guy steps up in each round. The defense has limited its last four tournament opponents to 63.5 points per game. This isn’t Cinderella. This is a team capable of winning the whole thing.Why they won’t
The Ramblers are up against a team that plays a similar style, and Michigan brings inside-out post players. Loyola is shooting 70.6 percent from the free-throw line, which is inflated by a 15-of-18 performance against Kansas State. The Ramblers will have to be even better than they were in the first two weekends. That’s asking a lot.No. 3 Michigan
Why they’ll win it
Halfcourt defense. Michigan has allowed just 59 points per game in four tournament victories, which is better than its top-10 defense in the regular season. Opponents have shot just 17 of 65 (26.1 percent) from 3-point range in the tournament.Why they won’t
Of course, Michigan had close calls against Houston and Florida State because of inconsistent 3-point shooting. The Wolverines shot 14 of 24 from 3-point range against Texas A&M in the Sweet 16, but they are 17 of 68 (25 percent) in the other three wins. Michigan can’t shoot that poorly from long range against the remaining competition.No. 1 Villanova
Why they’ll win it
This remains the most consistent team left in the tournament, and it has been a businesslike breeze through Radford, Alabama, West Virginia and Texas Tech. The Wildcats have won those games by 18.3 points per game. Villanova has hit 48 of 116 (41.4 percent) from 3-point range.Why they won’t
Nova had an off day from 3-point range but was still able to scratch by Texas Tech in the Elite Eight. An off night against the remaining competition would spell elimination. The Wildcats allowed 76 points or more in their four losses this season.No. 1 Kansas
Why they’ll win it
The Jayhawks are playing their best basketball at the right time, and the pressure is off now that Self put this team back in the Final Four. Devonte’ Graham and Malik Newman erupted for 29 and 28 points, respectively, in the first two rounds, and four Jayhawks scored in double digits against Clemson. Kansas is playing balanced and confident basketball.Why they won’t
Villanova knows Kansas well. The Wildcats beat the Jayhawks in the Elite Eight two seasons ago, and the Jayhawks might want to slow down the pace a little in this one. Kansas is 2-6 when opponents score more than 80 points against them, and the Wildcats can get there quick if the 3-pointers are falling.