ITSSSSSSS TIMMMMMEEEE!!! FINAL FOUR
- PC
- Apr 1, 2023
- 4 min read
Dude…
Houston hosts the most action-packed college basketball weekend of the entire season. Someone will be crowned as the king of the hardwood and will walk away with the 2023 NCAA basketball championship trophy. There are some household names such as the UCONN Huskies as they try to put another tally next to their championship list and put yet another championship banner in the rafters. We have big schools such as the Miami Hurricanes, eager to get the final dance since last year. We have a smaller school San Diego State whose terrifying defense has been a staple to their program for years. Finally, we have our Cinderella team, also known as the beach boys, in FAU who have continued to impress fans nationwide with their underdog story. 4 teams. 4 storylines. 2 games. 1 winner. It all comes down to this. Who will fold under the pressure of the big dance and who will rise to glory and be the last team standing? The Dudes and Sports crew got you covered on our predictions. Don’t worry we hope Kyle does better than he did last time.
We have a mid-major contest on our hands in the first matchup in the Final Four. The San Diego State Aztecs with Matt Bradley leading the way on the offensive end and Nathan Mensah leading the block party on the other end. San Diego State is known for its defense. They have only allowed 57 points per game. Nathan Mensah has been clutch for the Aztecs with his long arms being a force field that surrounds the basket. The Aztecs have beaten a lot of high-power offenses in recent weeks. They beat the gun patrol Alabama Crimson Tide and the Creighton Bluejays who can really light it up. San Diego State continues to surprise me every week. They continue to shut offenses down. The FAU Owls, however, is a sort of mystery team to me. I’ve watched them during the tournament and knew they were ranked for the majority of the season, but they play in the Conference USA so they have flown under the radar. This team just knows how to win games. Their leaders in Johnell Davis and Vladislav Goldin have continued to show day in and day out that they know how to get the job done. Their senior leadership and weird style of play. This game is definitely going to be a defensive contest. I don’t think the score will go over 125 points combined. I think that the Owls shock everyone and find a way to win like they have all season and squeak past the Aztecs to move on to the championship.
I think most experts and fans of college basketball will be tuning in for this game. The UCONN Huskies have shown how dominate they can be. Adama Sanogo continues to be a dominating force in the paint and Jordan Hawkins shoots the ball the way he did in the Elite Eight, there may not be a team that can beat Dan Hurley’s squad. The Huskies have DESTROYED all of their competition so far. That includes the old man, Drew Timme, and the Gonzaga squad they faced in the Elite Eight. The Huskies have beaten teams by over 20 points in most of their games this tournament and continue to outshoot and outmuscle their opponents. Their suffocating defense reminds me of San Diego State’s team, but can shoot the ball from anywhere on the court. The Miami Hurricanes shocked the nation after coming back from a 15 point deficit in the second half to beat the Longhorns in their Elite Eight Matchup. Their guard play from Isiah Wong, Jordan Miller, and Mr. March Nijel Pack, showed off their shooting skills to eat up the Longhorns down the stretch to win the game. Isiah Wong and their center, Norchard Omier need to play phenomenally to have a chance at beating this UCONN team. This matchup is going to come down to two things. One, who can shoot it better from range and two, who will win down low between Omier and Sanogo. I think the Huskies will win this game, but it will be a lot closer than most people think.
The National Championship
So, the big dance is set. The underdog beach boys take on a traditional powerhouse that looks to continue it reign over mid major squads. The Huskies will need to rely on Sanogo just like they have all year. Goldin will need to hold his ground and the guards of Davis and Forrest are going to need to be at their top form to make this a close game. It’s just hard to see the beach boys keeping up with this offensive prowess of the Huskies. Time and Time again the Owls prove people wrong and find a way to win. They beat Mr. New York City and the K-State Wildcats in an absolute thriller. Earlier in the tournament, they beat an extremely hot Memphis team at the last second as well. FAU is just made to win. They’re clutch from the free throw line and play stifling defense in clutch moments. They’ve figured out how to isolate shooters and get the ball out of their best players hands. Dusty May has done a terrific job as the Owls head coach and I think he will be looking for an upgrade next season. When it comes down to it, I think the hill is just too steep for the Beach Boys to climb. They have to figure out a way to stop Hawkins and Sanogo and that’s a really tough ask. Their senior leadership will help it stay decently close. However, I believe it is the Huskies to cut the nets down in Houston in a remarkable performance from Adama Sanogo and take the trophy back to Conneticut. The beach boys are good, the Huskies are just better.
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