Well well it’s the Final Four and what can I say? It has been a wonderful year full of upsets, buzzer-beaters, and blowouts. But I did call UNC being in the Final Four. As of right now, my bracket looks like it got hit by an 18-wheeler on the highway. But on Saturday, the games will start no matter how bad my bracket is. It will be the Villanova Wildcats versus the Oklahoma Sooners and the UNC Tar Heels versus the Syracuse Orange.
Here is how we got here. Let’s start with the Wildcats vs the Sooners.
The Wildcats and the Sooners matchup in the tournament will be a rematch from an early matchup this year. In Hawaii, the Sooners crushed the Wildcats 78-55. But that game should not play in this Final Four matchup because the Wildcats went completely frozen from behind the arc. They shot 12.5% from the three, while their season average is around 35%. They also only shot 31.7% from the field, while their season average is closer to 47%. They will shoot the ball better in this game, I promise. But the Wildcat defense will have to find out a way to slow down the Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield. In this tournament, Hield has averaged 29.3 points per game. Easy to say that he is on a hot streak.
Prediction: It should be a great game because both teams are riding high since they both just beat 1-seeds in the Elite Eight to get here. But I am going with Oklahoma to win this matchup behind the play of the best player in the nation, the Senior guard from the Bahamas, Chavano “Buddy” Hield.
Now to the other matchup between the second ACC final of the year, Syracuse versus UNC. One team could have been the overall 1-seed while the other team might have been playing in the three-letter tournament. This matchup in the NCAA Tournament will be the 3rd time Syracuse and UNC have played this year. Syracuse lost both games but in Chapel Hill late in the season Syracuse played them close and only lost by 5. To easily beat the zone of Syracuse is to drive to the basket and pass to the wing for a three.
UNC has not been a great three-point shooting team this year at a season average of 32%, but during NCAA tournament play they are around 38%. While during this NCAA Tournament, the Syracuse zone has held teams to a 34% from the three-point line.
Prediction: UNC goes for the third win against the Orange this year. They might not shoot well from three this game, but UNC will be able to finish in lane against this team with their big men. Brice Johnson and the other great UNC big men will feast down low against Syracuse on Saturday.
On Monday, it will be the two best players in the nation on the same court at the same time. Double-double monster Senior forward Brice Johnson of the UNC Tar Heels versus sharpshooting Senior guard Buddy Hield of the Oklahoma Sooners.