After two weeks of intense basketball action, the Final Four of the NCAA tournament will square off in Dallas on Saturday, with four teams looking to book their tickets to Monday night’s final.
If your pick has already been knocked out and you’re wondering who to cheer for, here’s a breakdown of how the Final Four stack up against each other.
Florida Gators vs. UConn Huskies
Revenge will be on the South Region and No. 1 overall seed Florida’s mind when they face-off against the East Region’s No. 7 UConn.
The red-hot Gators have only lost twice all season, with their last defeat coming from the Huskies in November.
Since then, they’ve won 30 straight games and will be looking to get even when it matters most.
The Gators will have to try and slow down Huskies guard Shabazz Napier, who is averaging 23 points per game.
Napier has been outstanding for the Huskies, helping secure key victories against No. 2 Villanova, No. 3 Iowa State and No. 4 Michigan State.
Fortunately the Gators boast one of the best perimeter defenders in point guard Scott Wilbekin, who won the SEC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year Award.
Wilbekin missed the last four minutes of the Gators’ game against the Huskies in November – a game in which Napier sank a buzzer-beating three to clinch the victory.
With Napier being the Huskies leading rebounder, UConn will be at a disadvantage on the glass against a Florida team that has the size to get the offensive rebounds and second-chance opportunities.
While it will be a close affair, the Gators will use their defensive edge and book their place in the finals.
Wisconsin Badgers vs. Kentucky Wildcats
You can expect this showdown between the West Region’s No. 2 Wisconsin and the Midwest’s No. 8 Kentucky to be another nail-biter.
The Wildcats have made a lot of noise getting to the Final Four knocking off last year’s Cinderella No. 1 Wichita State along with last year’s champions and finalists, No. 4 Louisville and No. 2 Michigan respectively.
The Badgers will have their hands full trying to contain Julian Randle and the Harrison twins, Aaron and Andrew, from getting in the paint as well as their ability to draw fouls while doing so.
Kentucky’s hot streak behind the arc has been impressive with Aaron Harrison sinking 14 of 27 threes in the tournament including the game winners in the last minute against both Michigan and Louisville.
The Badgers who knocked off the West Region’s No. 1 Arizona, will respond with their offensive weapon in Frank Kaminsky, who has averaged 22 points in the last three games.
The seven-foot junior is impressive from inside and outside the paint and will cause a lot of problems for Kentucky, who is missing their best defensive player in Willie Cauley-Stein due to injury.
Both teams are known for their rebounding skills but the edge and what will likely be the difference in this match is Kentucky’s impressive offensive rebound prowess, something that will see them edge Wisconsin and book a place in Monday’s finals.
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