Upstate, N.Y. – It’s been a crazy March hasn’t it?
I bet you didn’t see Michigan State making the Final Four. I know I didn’t.
But the Final Four field is set! It’s Kentucky vs. Wisconsin and Duke vs. Michigan State! Like I said in my column two weeks ago, it’s a shame Kentucky and Wisconsin are on the same side of the bracket because they’re the best two teams in the field. But hey, that’s how the cookie crumbles.
Let’s take a look at the field!
Duke vs. Michigan State – 6:09 p.m.
The Duke Blue Devils are back in the Final Four, and they face a hot Michigan State squad. It’s sort of strange to call Michigan State a Cinderella Story, but they are a 7 seed. The Spartans have a stingy defense that could cause the Blue Devils some problems. With Jahlil Okafor struggling in his last two tournament games, Michigan State will have their shot.
If the Spartans want to pull off the upset they’ll need a big night from leaders Travis Trice and Denzel Valentine. But it’ll be tough to slow down the Duke big men with the Spartans’ lack of size, and for that reason, the Blue Devils move on.
Kentucky vs. Wisconsin – 8:49 p.m.
Kentucky played their toughest opponent Saturday night in Notre Dame, and look how close that game was. Wisconsin is just as good as the Irish, if not better. One thing the Badgers have that Notre Dame doesn’t is size, and that will be a big help if Wisconsin wants to take down the undefeated Wildcats. Wisconsin is going to need another big night from Sam Dekker if it wants to pull off the upset.
While we’d love to see the upset happen, and even need the Badgers to pull through if I want to win my bracket pool, Kentucky is just too deep
to go down. The Wildcats move on to face Duke.
Kentucky vs. Duke
Duke has the one front court that can match with the Wildcats. It’ll be fun to watch Okafor and Marshall Plumlee go at it against Karl-Anthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein. Matt Jones will need to find his stroke from behind the arc if Duke wants to stay with Kentucky.
But what Duke doesn’t have that Kentucky does, depth. But don’t feel bad Blue Devils, no one does.
The Kentucky Wildcats beat Duke to remain undefeated. Wildcats win 88-82.
