Your Final 4 and why

Submitted by Zarniwoop on

This is my second favorite time of year for sports. How do you top March Madness (except for football season)?

What is your final 4? As much or as little detail as you want.

Mine is Michigan, Virginia, Purdue and Duke.

Why?

Michigan - because I'm a massive homer and if the layoff doesn't hurt them, I think they can beat Carolina if they shoot well. Carolina followed by Xavier or Gonzaga isn't nice, but I'd rather lose than win picking against us when we have a chance.

Virginia - holy shit are they good.

Purdue - we beat them because they missed everything they shot (except Haas). Kudos to our defense, but if they were more disciplined about pushing it inside the whole way until the other team changes defenses to try and stop it (and then raining threes)... I guess I think that on paper Purdue is a massive problem for anyone unless they go stone cold from the field like they did against us.

Duke - I hate Duke. But, I always pick against a Bill Self coached team in a close matchup (although I think Kansas has the better team on paper, easily).

I don't think anyone will beat Virginia again this year.

MWolverine7

March 12th, 2018 at 1:10 PM ^

Michigan - because I can’t pick against my school and I think they have a legit shot

Virginia- because they are good

Villanova - best guess

Kansas’s- went back and forth between them and Duke

Alumnus93

March 12th, 2018 at 1:10 PM ^

WHOA...  I have the same final four !    I have us beating Purdue in the final.

But I'm wondering to myself if I left out MSU due to bias.... wonder if I should have them making it.

PopeLando

March 12th, 2018 at 1:42 PM ^

I have a friend who picks MSU to win all games all the time.

And here's the kicker: he has MSU-logic to back it up! He always KNOWS that MSU's opponents will...
- lose momentum after a layoff
- be burnt out after a big win
- have a key player injured
- be looking ahead to the following week
- get confused or intimidated, and choke

He KNOWS

So don't worry about leaving MSU out. A large portion of their fan base is convinced that NOT winning the B1G tournament actually improved their chances...

SpartyJon

March 12th, 2018 at 4:53 PM ^

I know a former Michigan fan that changed to an OSU fan after last football season. Therefore, a large portion of Michigan fans are now OSU fans. /s

Actually the narrative is this: Under Izzo, MSU winning the regular season title has been a better predictor of NCAA tourney success than winning the BTT. This is true for Izzo, and is true for most P5 teams. (Go figure, an 18 game sample size is a better predictor than a 3-5 game sample size...)

Also, I'm pretty sure most fans of any school who's in the tournament put their teams further in the bracket than fans of other schools do.

Hotel Putingrad

March 12th, 2018 at 1:12 PM ^

Michigan over Duke for the title....UVA and Nova seemed like no-brainer s as the best defensive and offensive teams in the country, respectively. Duke seems like the most balanced and talented team in their region, though I wouldn't be surprised to see Auburn sneak in there. Michigan because we haven't list since Jim SF McElwain came on board... #McElwainEffect.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

March 12th, 2018 at 1:13 PM ^

I would add.... I have no idea why Purdue does anything but give the ball to Haas.  There's nobody who can stop him consistently.  The guy's a fricking mountain.  You can't foul him and he shoots 62%.  The rest of the team's job should be to shoot a three if too many of their defenders collapse on Haas.  Like two or three of them, which is what it would take.

Michigan4Life

March 12th, 2018 at 1:29 PM ^

3s are worth more than 2s which is exactly why opposing teams have elected to leave their bigs to fend or themselves and just stay home against their shooters.

You're just better off making 3s and letting them make 2s because you get one more point in a trade off on offense/defense which is exactly what Michigan has done.

Also, post are the most inefficient shot in basketball. Look at Purdue's losses, teams have defended Haas down low without double teaming and not allow Purdue to go off on 3 pt shooting.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

March 12th, 2018 at 1:29 PM ^

That works if you can shoot more than 41.3% from three, never foul, and snag every defensive rebound.  An all-Haas offense would be worth 1.24 points per possession under those circumstances.  Add the potential for and-1s and putbacks and you've got a problem on your hands if you want to keep up by shooting threes.

charblue.

March 12th, 2018 at 1:58 PM ^

Purdue sought to get the ball down low to Haas, how would that impact the rest of their team if he took most of their shots inside the paint? It would take the rest of his teammates out of the game, everyone collapses and forces Haas further from the hoop and put the ball on the floor to make moves he isn't used to making and then he has to throw it back out, to get it back in a more favorable position.

The Maize Halo

March 12th, 2018 at 1:16 PM ^

Virginia, Michigan, Purdue, Duke

Michigan, Purdue

Michigan

Also I am having a very tough time with MSU's bracket and it's all about the MSU / Duke game for me. Think either beats Kansas.

mgoblue2104

March 12th, 2018 at 1:15 PM ^

Michigan - just a homer pick and wishful thinking can't hurt

Duke - Just becasue I have them beating Sparty and don't think Kansas can hang with Bagley

Purdue - Haas and all those shooters are a recipe to give any team struggles

Arizona - seems to me they always underperform come tourney time but this year they have the best player in college basketball in DeAndre Ayton. I don't know how any team can stop him.

As a homer pick I have Michigan winning it all but if I had my choice in a pool, I'd take Zona.

mgowill

March 12th, 2018 at 1:24 PM ^

MSU has to love drawing Duke in their region. Izzo and his shiny 1-11 record versus Duke has to give them warm fuzzies.



North Carolina looks poised for a National Title run. Would love to play spoiler. I have no idea who I’d pick for the Final Four and may only do a bracket based on my rooting interests. I know this is bad, but when I’ve done one like that before it makes watching the games more fun because I can cheer for who I want.

charblue.

March 12th, 2018 at 2:06 PM ^

dispatch Duke and Carolina over the weekend, and seeing them play each other, I have no doubt that Virginia is the best of the three and clearly because of its defense which is actually closer to how Michigan olays.

MSU actually matches up very well against both Carolina and Duke, which explains why they beat the Tar Heels and had problems with Duke. Virginia is the best team in the tournament. But the Cavaliers can be beaten by a team like Michigan, which plays great team defense and shoot threes well.

 

DrMantisToboggan

March 12th, 2018 at 1:18 PM ^

I've got Virginia, Michigan, Villanova, and Duke, so very similar.

 

I was torn over that Nova-Purdue game in the elite eight, but seeing us shut down Purdue gives me pause to pick them over one of the few truly great teams in the tourney.

GoBlueDiggity

March 12th, 2018 at 1:24 PM ^

Zona (against much better judgment, M, Nova, Duke

Arizona- ayton is an absolute monster and i think they’re more athletic than UVA, enough so to get through that defense

M- because im also a homer but i do think we’re clicking at the perfect time, will be interesting to see if the layoff will affect us (i dont think it will) or how a potential off night for us shooting will turnout.

Nova- i dont think they’re as complete of a team as their NC team from two years ago, but they just win man, i do think VA tech will give them a very close scare assuming that they beat alabama

Duke- it’s either kansas or duke, and i self admittedly dont know much about kansas so ill just give duke the benefit of the doubt for now before doing more research

WorldwideTJRob

March 12th, 2018 at 1:26 PM ^

Michigan- Best team in the country



Cincinnati- Solid defensive team and I think Gary Clark will be too much for UVA.



Villanova- bracket sets up pretty well for them



Kansas- Lesser of all the evils in that region. Plus Graham is a player.

Indy Pete - Go Blue

March 12th, 2018 at 1:27 PM ^

Duke because I trust coach K more than Self or Dizzo.  Villanova b/c I don't trust Purdue in the tournament.  UVA because they just manage to win ugly games over and over again.  Michigan because of my heart and not that much of a stretch for my brain. 

Duke over UVA in the final.  (hoping to be wrong on that part of it)

mGrowOld

March 12th, 2018 at 1:40 PM ^

 

 

Michigan State

Oklahoma

Michigan State

Duke

I know the conventions of how the brackets are constructed make this kinda unlikely but man I really watch a lot of ESPN and based on their talking heads expert comments I dont see how this tourny could possibly go any other way.