Who will Cut Down the Nets in Indy?

by Sharon Thorsland

Well, my NCAA Tournament bracket got busted in the first round when UNC lost, and I’m sure many others went up in flames when Duke went down on Sunday. But we’ve still got some excellent basketball to look forward to in the Final Four. There are no Cinderellas left to root for; instead, we’ve got a pair of number one seeds in Arizona and Michigan, along with two seed Connecticut and three seed Illinois. The Huskies and Illini face off first on Saturday night at 6:09 in Indianapolis, with the Wildcats and Wolverines taking the court at 8:49.

Any one of these teams could win the whole thing, although Arizona is the betting favorite right now. The Wildcats are loaded with talent, starting with outstanding guard Jaden Bradley. He teams with freshman Brayden Burries to form one of the best back courts in the country. And their coach, Tommy Lloyd, is being courted by the Tar Heels to replace Hubert Davis. It’s hard to believe this is the first time the Wildcats have been to the Final Four since 2001, when they lost to Duke in the national title game. This year’s version will be looking to finish the job. Michigan stands in their way, though, and the Wolverines present quite the challenge. Four starters average in double figures, including former Tar Heel Elliott Cadeau, and they’ve been dominant in the tournament, beating teams by an average of over 25 points. This will be one heck of a game but I think Arizona will pull it out.

Illinois is probably the least-known team of the four, but the Illini certainly have no lack of talent. Freshman point guard Keaton Wagler is a projected top-five draft pick who was named the South Region’s Most Outstanding Player. Center Tomislav Ivisic is a force inside, the junior is 7’1 and averages over 10 points and five rebounds per game and has 19 blocks on the season. The question is, do the Illini have enough to knock off UConn? The Huskies gained a bunch of fans when they knocked off Duke, even though coach Dan Hurley is difficult to cheer for. They’re going for their third title in four years, and seventh in program history. Freshman guard Braylon Mullins, who hit the game winner against the Blue Devils, is expected to go in the top three in the NBA draft. Every one of UConn’s starters averages in double figures, and guard Malachi Smith comes off the bench and is shooting nearly 47% from three. Their depth combined with Hurley’s tournament experience should lead to UConn advancing to set up a national title matchup with the Wildcats. This will be a great game but Arizona has the edge inside. I say they get it done and wins its first national championship since 1997 under the great Lute Olson. Go Wildcats!