The Final Four: The Complete Guide To The Last Four Teams | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Sports

The Final Four: The Complete Guide To The Last Four Teams

Which team is the most qualified to win?

5
The Final Four: The Complete Guide To The Last Four Teams

With the Final Four and the finals of March Madness right around the corner, everyone has to be wondering: what can I expect from each team heading into the Final Four? After much research, many “grueling” hours of watching March Madness and watching my bracket go down the toilet, I’ve done my research on the last four teams in the tournament. I went 2/4 with my Final Four picks, but now I’ve learned a ton about every team and I think this will help you all learn more about the last four teams.

South Bracket: Villanova Wildcats

The Wildcats went into this tournament with sky-high expectations and have succeeded in fulfilling every one of them so far. Jay Wright has long been criticized for being great in the regular season, but has failed to produce in the tournament since 2009, when Villanova unexpectedly went to the Final Four. This year, the Wildcats are lead by seniors Ryan Arcidiacono and Daniel Ochefu, two four-year players groomed under Wright’s tutelage. Two stamps put on the Wildcats is that they are tenacious on the defensive end and they always play as a single unit. The Wildcats step into the Final Four with no real stars, but the ability to stifle any offense and that gives them a great choice to win the tournament.

West Bracket: Oklahoma Sooners

Star senior Buddy Hield has led the Sooners all year. Hield is a sharpshooting, basket attacking, and high-powered offensive juggernaut. All year, Oklahoma has been expected to be one of the best teams in the nation, but haven’t reached their ceiling until the tournament, which is the right time to catch fire. Hield has put the Sooners on his back all season, ever since the Big 12 Tournament. He has averaged over 25 points a game in the tournament and shows no signs of slowing down. If he and the Sooners don’t spring any leaks on the offensive end (they get more than 40% of their points per game from behind the three-point line), then the Sooners are in prime position to make a serious challenge for the title in Houston.

East Bracket: North Carolina Tar Heels

The Tar Heels were a popular pick to win the title before the season even began. They have two NBA-ready players in Brice Johnson and Marcus Paige and head coach Roy Williams is one of the most experienced coaches in the history of the game. The Tar Heels have one of the most high-powered offenses in recent history, with Johnson and Paige leading the way. Paige has recently escaped a prolonged shooting slump and is back to his normal routine of scorching defenses while Johnson has become an all-around force during this season, being nominated for the player of the year award. The only problem with the Tar Heels is that they’re reluctant to play defense. They are so focused on putting 100% of their effort into offense that they sometimes forget that they need to play two ways. However, when the Tar Heels are firing on all cylinders, they’re one of the best teams in the nation and are almost impossible to stop.

Midwest Bracket: Syracuse Orange

The Cinderella story of the 2016 tournament, Syracuse has gone through a relatively easy road to get to the Final Four, with the only real challenge being the #1 seeded Virginia Cavaliers. The Orange are led by their two star guards Michael Gbinije and Malachi Richardson. Richardson torched Virginia in the Elite Eight, outscoring the Cavaliers on his own in the second half. Syracuse’s head coach, the great Jim Boeheim, has rallied this team into an improbable run after they were supposed to miss the tournament all together. The Orange play a tenacious, trapping 2-3 zone that brings opposing offenses to their knees by forcing contested three-pointers. Syracuse could run into problems on the offensive side of the ball however. They are sometimes inconsistent shooting the ball and their offense sometimes becomes stagnant, forcing them to shoot 3s, which isn’t their bread and butter.


Ultimately, I believe that the final two teams in the tournament will be Villanova and UNC. The Wildcats will stifle Buddy Hield and the Tar Heels will outscore the Orange. In the title game, I think the Tar Heels' high scoring offense will be too much to handle for the Wildcats, who certainly won't be a pushover. I believe UNC will win in the finals over Villanova by about 5-10 points. All four of these teams have hit their strides at the right time, but only one can be crowned the champion. Who will it be? We’ll find out in a few weeks.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

15 Times "Parks and Recreation" Summed Up Your Library Experience

"I've only slept nine hours over the past four days, so I'm right on the verge of a nervous breakdown." - Leslie Knope

4817
Parks and Recreation excitedly gathered around a laptop at a table in an office setting.

The library. Club lib. The place every college student goes when they want to try and be a productive member of society. Who better to explain your experience than Parks and Rec?

1. When you've finally found the energy to leave your dorm room and walk into the lib like

Keep Reading...Show less
Taylor Swift in orange dress playing a moss-covered piano on stage with bright lights.

A three-and-a-half-hour runtime. Nine Eras. Eleven outfit changes. Three surprise songs. Zero breaks. One unforgettable evening. In the past century, no other performer has put on an electric performance quite like Taylor Swift, surpassing her fans ‘wildest dreams’. It is the reason supporters keep coming back to her shows each year. Days later, I’m still in awe of the spectacle ‘Miss Americana’ puts on every few days in a new city. And, like one of Taylor’s exes, has me smiling as I reminisce about the memories of the night we spent together.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

A Few Thoughts Every College Freshman Has

The transition into adulthood is never easy

29183
Mays Island
Courtney Jones

Today I started my third week of college at Minnesota State Moorhead. I have survived welcome week, finding my classes on the first day, and being an awkward loner in the dining hall. Even though I have yet to be here for a month, I have already experienced many thoughts and problems that only a new college student can relate to.

Keep Reading...Show less
Students walking on a sunny college campus with trees and buildings.

"Make sure to get involved when you're in college!"

We've all heard some variation of this phrase, whether it came from parents, other family members, friends, RAs, or college-related articles. And, like many clichés, it's true for the most part. Getting involved during your college years can help you make friends, build your resume, and feel connected to your campus. However, these commitments can get stressful if you're dealing with personal issues, need to work, or aren't sure how to balance classes and everything else going on during the semester.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

9 Reasons Why Friends Are Essential In College

College without friends is like peanut butter without jelly.

12815
Bridgaline Liberati and friends
Bridgaline Liberati

In college, one of the essential things to have is friends. Yes, textbooks, a laptop, and other school supplies are important but friends are essential. Friends are that support system everybody needs. The more friends you have the better the support system you have. But you also have someone to share experiences with. And don’t settle for just one or two friends because 8 out of 10 times they are busy and you are studying all alone. Or they have other friend groups that do not include you. Don’t settle for just one or two friends; make as many friends as you can. After the first couple of weeks of college, most friend groups are set and you may be without friends.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments