This March Madness has been like no other, with respected high-rank teams losing their perspective spots to the underdogs. Ohio State being #2 lost to #15 Oral Roberts. A small Christan school located in Tulsa, OK that no one even heard of till they made it to the tournament and started knocking off top seeds left and right. Though Ohio State wasn’t the only Big Ten team that was one and done. #11 Michigan State lost its match to #11 UCLA 86-80. #4 Purdue lost to #13 Northern Texas, who won their first NCAA tournament win in program history. And #10 Maryland, #9 Wisconsin, #1 Illinois, and #10 Rutgers didn’t go that far in the tournament this year. Leaving the Big Ten Champions #1 Michigan the only Big Ten team remaining.
But of course, Cinderella Stories are very much common during March Madness. Such as in 2018 when #11 Loyola Chicago, with the help of Sister Jean (a legendary icon in March Madness), making it to the Final Four. After the upsets, this postseason and the Elite Eight official being decided for, now comes the ultimate question(s): who will make it to the Final Four and who will be crowned NCAA National Champion?
Let’s analyze this.
South Region
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Baylor vs. Arkansas
Midwest Region
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Oregon State vs. Houston
East Region
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Michigan vs. UCLA
West Region
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Gonzaga vs. USC
South Region There is no doubt that Baylor will overcome Arkansas. After watching Arkansas’s comeback against the #15 Oral Roberts, there is no doubt that Baylor won’t make the same mistakes Oral Roberts did when facing off against Arkansas. Though Arkansas has their leading scorer, Moses Moody: first-team all-SEC guard and SEC Freshman of the Year. One man can’t take on five men alone. Baylor has been shooting deep with 41.5 percent coming from beyond the arc. When the Bears are not relying on their threes to get the job done on the court, the Bears have the power in both their starting guards Davion Mitchell (Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year) and Jared Butler (first-team All-American), who forced 16 turnovers on the Villanova Wildcats. As the saying goes, “The Team with the most turnovers is bound to lose the game.” And the Wildcats did just so, losing to Baylor 62-51. If the Baylor Bears can cover Moody and the guards can create turnovers then it will be all over for the Razorbacks.
Midwest Region After beating out the favored Loyola Chicago, Oregon State has made its way into the elite eight with the possibility to make it to the Final Four. Oregon States relies on its defense to get the job done, which has been very successful with many other teams that have entered into the March Madness in the past: Texas Tech, Michigan State, UNC, and UCLA. Though the Oregon State is that of itself another Cinderella Story to add to the various historical markers of March Madness. I think that this Cinderella team will meet their match with Houston charging through their defensive lines. Houston also has a very good defense as well, with an 11th ranking on KenPom. Overall this game between the Oregon State Beavers and the Houston Cougars will be an interesting one to watch.
East Region In regards to the Michigan Wolverine moving through the bracket undeferred, there is no doubt that the team has been very successful without their formidable starter, Isaiah Livers who is out after a stress injury in his right foot. Though I find that the Wolverines will meet their match with the UCLA Bruins, considering that no other team has come close to matching the Wolverines-expected for maybe LSU. The Bruins lead starters are Tyger Campell, John Juzang (15.0 Pts, 4.1 Rebounds, 1.6 Assists), and Jaime Jaquez Jr (12.4 Pts, 6.1 Reb, 1.5 Assists). The Bruins recorded an average of 73 points per game, rebounded 35, turnovers per game are just 10 and assists are 13 per game. Not to mention the Bruins record 5 steals per game. The Michigan Wolverines have a field goal percentage of 48.5%, a 3-point percentage of 38.3%, and free throws are 77.4%. The Bruins beat the Spartans back in week one of March Madness and if I recall from memory the Spartans beat the Wolverines at the Breslin before the Big Ten tournament. Though the Spartans haven’t been the most accurate after the loss of star player Cassius Winston as point guard. The Wolverine’s luck will soon run out in regards to the loss of Livers, which is why I find the Bruins to beat the Wolverines and make their way to the Final Four. There is more to be expected out of the Pac-12 this year, considering that no Big Ten teams [other than the Michigan Wolverines] have journeyed this far into the tournament. But Michigan didn’t receive a worthy competitor in Florida State, with Hunter Dickinson and Franz Wagner cutting through the Florida State defensive like butter. But even if the Michigan Wolverines made it to the Final Four and NCAA Championship game, history might repeat itself for the Wolverines have been unlucky when it comes to winning the NCAA Championship, having last won the championship back in 1989. In Michigan’s last two runs to the NCAA Championship, they lost both times: Louisville in 2013 82-76 and in 2016 Villanova 76-62. Without their star player, Michigan is bound to find the faith of all other Big Ten teams in this year’s tournament: lose.
West Region Gonzaga destroyed Creigton with a score of 83-65 to advance to the Elite Eight. Together the team has collected a percentage of 59.6 on shots from the floor. Though if Gonzaga defeats USC to make it to the Final Four and wins the NCAA Championship, they would become the first undefeated NCAA champion since Indiana won the title back in 1976. Though there is no doubt that USC is a good team after winning against Oregon 82-68 with a 57.4 percent shooting. The brother duo from USC is a formidable team, with both brothers comboing for a total of 23 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists. Gonzaga has recorded 40 rebounds per game, allowing only 11.2 turnovers, and has recorded over 7.4 steals per game. For three points per game, Gonzaga has a record 7.4% versus USC recording 6.4%. The Gonzaga Bulldogs are a close second to the USC Trojans, the Trojans having 53.5 percent for field-goal percentage versus the Bulldogs who have 52.5 percent. The Trojans also have recorded 63.6% points per game, 35% on three points, only allowed 68.9 points per game. Seeing as how the Pac-12 is making a name for itself this March Madness, I’m going to say that Gonzaga is going to lose to the patrolling and guarded brothers of USC. Though this game will mainly be about who gets the most when it comes to turnovers and free throws.
FINAL FOUR: 1. Baylor 2. UCLA 3. USC 4. Houston
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHUP: Baylor vs. UCLA
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER: Baylor
Some sources to look at: