The Final Four Teams
Here we are. The Final Four. After the seasons have changed and hundreds of college basketball games have been played, we are down to four teams duking it out on the final weekend of the season. Those teams are UConn, Alabama, NC State and Purdue.
Most people predicted UConn and Purdue to make deep runs, but it’s safe to say Alabama and NC State were unexpected at this stage. With that being said, it’s March Madness and anything can happen.
I’ll be going through each team and describing the path they have to take to lift up the big trophy on Monday night.
UConn
Starting with the reigning national champions, the key to success is fairly simple for the Huskies: continue dominating both ends of the floor.
Of the remaining teams in the field, UConn remains the best all-around team in the Kenpom ranking. The Huskies, unsurprisingly, rank first in adjusted offensive efficiency and fourth in adjusted defensive efficiency.
The analytics and the eye test show that UConn is the clear favorite heading into the Final Four, but what are the keys to defending their title?
Stick to the Identity
Head Coach Dan Hurley has stressed all season long the effort it takes to win at the highest level. If his Huskies keep making smart plays by sharing the ball and guarding at an elite level, there’s not much that can be done to stop this train.
The best trait about this team is their level of depth. In the Elite Eight 25-point win over Illinois, their First-Team All-American guard Tristen Newton didn’t make a single field goal in six tries. However, the bench production from Hassan Diarra filled in perfectly.
However, it’s no secret the Huskies have not shot the ball well during this tournament run. In the games after the first-round win over Stetson, UConn has shot 16-for-65 from three-point land. Luckily for them, it hasn’t mattered as they have had their way inside the paint every game.
But, with their next opponent being the fast-paced, high-volume three-point shooting Alabama, perhaps their poor shooting can catch up with them. It just doesn’t seem likely with how they’re rolling in every other area of the floor.
With unmatched depth and offensive and defensive schemes, UConn should face little adversity in their quest for another title.
Alabama
Moving on to UConn’s opponent, the Crimson Tide have had a tremendous journey to make the Final Four.
Head Coach Nate Oats challenged his team in the non-conference portion of the season with games against the likes of Purdue and Creighton. Through the first 11 games, Alabama sat at 6-5. All things considered, it looked like this team with a handful of transfers would take a step back from their SEC Championship season last year.
But with a terrific head coach at the helm, the Crimson Tide righted the ship and lost only five conference games. Beating a very good North Carolina and Clemson in the second weekend proves this team can battle with the best of them.
Outshoot Opponents
As I said before, UConn has not shot the ball well this tournament. It’s inevitable, however, that UConn’s firepower will overwhelm the 105th-ranked Kenpom Alabama adjusted defensive efficiency.
That being said, Alabama has the firepower to win a shootout over a team vulnerable in that category.
At 37.1 percent for the season, Alabama ranks 24th in three-point percentage in the country.
It’s a difficult task against one of the best defensive teams in the country, but crazier things have happened. With a game-changer in Mark Sears, who cashed in seven threes in the Elite Eight win over Clemson, anything’s possible.
NC State
Next, we have 11-seed NC State, the Cinderella of this year’s tournament.
Despite the odds stacked against them, the Wolfpack won five straight games in the ACC Tournament to clinch the ACC Tournament Title. Not many thought they would continue this run into the Big Dance, but here they are.
Their unique roster led by seniors DJ Horne and D.J. Burns has shocked the world and made the casual fan root for them. How can they lead their team to the school’s first national championship since Jim Valvano’s 1983 title team?
Run in Transition/Force Foul Trouble
Unfortunately for the Wolfpack, their reward for making the Final Four is matching up with the defending Player of the Year Zach Edey. The blueprint is there, although, for them to advance.
There aren’t many areas where NC State outshines Purdue, but the Wolfpack does like to play at a faster pace than the half-court offense of the Boilermakers.
In addition, Purdue can tend to turn the ball over at a high clip, 11.3 per game to be exact. If NC State can take advantage of this, that can keep them within striking distance.
At the same time, if the Wolfpack gets transition opportunities, that could lead to Edey back-pedaling and committing off-balanced fouls. If Edey is off the court for several minute stretches, that would force his supporting cast to make shots, which isn’t as reliable.
If NC State manages to take down Purdue with this style of play, and UConn advances to the final, I can envision them trying the same thing with Donovan Clingan.
It is easier said than done to get both elite shot-blockers in foul trouble, but both teams like to play in the half-court. Increasing the tempo and forcing the referees to make quick decisions could increase their chances.
With how the Wolfpack have been playing, who’s to say they can’t complete this miracle run?
Purdue
The Boilermakers have been on a revenge tour after losing in the first round to a 16-seed last season. They’ve played remarkably well thus far, but they’ve lost to a double-digit seed in the tournament in each of the last three seasons. Now they face 11-seed NC State.
It’s difficult to face all the criticism and noise surrounding their less-than-stellar tournament performances, but the team has done a fine job responding this season.
They have an experienced group who have gone through the highs and lows of a season and it seems to be coming together to finish the job.
Establish Edey
Everyone saw this one coming. It’s obviously going to be on all scouting reports, but establishing the best player in college basketball is a must if this team wants to win.
In the Elite Eight game against Tennessee, Edey by himself willed his team to victory. He put up an incredible stat line that consisted of 40 points and 16 rebounds.
What was arguably more impressive than his career-high in points was how he only committed one foul in 39 minutes. His ability to remain on the floor is unparalleled in college basketball and always gives the team a chance for victory.
Whatever production they can get from their backcourt would only help, but it’s clear Edey can win a game by himself.
Final Four Schedule
March Madness has delivered another set of highlight-filled matchups and this Final Four should be no different. For those interested, the first games begin on Saturday with NC State versus Purdue slated for 6:09 p.m. EST and UConn versus Alabama to begin at 8:49 p.m. EST. Enjoy the games!
Thank you for reading my article! Credit for my featured image goes to Chris Graythen of Getty Images. If you’re looking for more sports content, head over to Belly Up Sports.
