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With all one-seed, two-seed and three-seed teams knocked out before the final four and three of the four finalists being there for the first time, it seems like any of the teams can win March Madness this year.
The University of Connecticut, Miami, San Diego State and Florida Atlantic University have all amazed fans across the country with runs through the bracket, as out of the 20 million fan brackets, only 37 predicted these four teams to make it this far.
With so much uncertainty to come in the next few days, here is the case for each of the Final Four teams to win it all.
UConn – the familiar face
The least surprising of these four teams to see here is UConn. The Huskies have been here before and won it all in 2011 and 2014. The team’s wins this time around look not just as good as when the team won it all in 2014, but UConn looks even better this time around.
Its closest game in the tournament this year was a 70-55 win over St. Mary’s College, but every other game has been an over 20-point win, including a 23-point win over Arkansas and an incredible 28-point win over Gonzaga in the Elite 8.
The team’s defensive success and the scoring duo of Jordan Hawkins and Adama Sanogo all on top of centers like 7-foot-2 Donovan Clingan have made the Huskies impossible to crack for opponents.
“We’re an elite defensive team, we’re a top five offensive team and we generally beat the other team up on the glass,” Dan Hurley, the head coach for the Huskies, said. “Sometimes, when people see us for the first time, it’s overwhelming.”
With its history behind the team, its current form and decimating wins against some of the best in college basketball, UConn stands out as the favorite to win this year.
Miami – can not guard them all
The opponent for UConn will be the Miami Hurricanes, the representative out of the Midwest region. While the Huskies are a very solid defensive team, it seems like the Hurricanes’ starting five are the strongest remaining in the tournament.
All five players have scored double-digit points in the last two games and each can take over a game when necessary. A different player has scored at least 26 in the teams’ last three games, including a perfect 7-7 from the field and 13-13 free throw performance from Jordan Miller in the Elite 8.
“I’ve said it all season long, he’s the most underrated player in the country because he’s good at everything,” Jim Larrañaga, head coach for the Hurricanes, said. “He is a great, great, player.”
The Hurricanes faltered in the Elite 8 last year, but this year, the team rose to the challenge. The program is on the rise and still climbing into the Final Four.
FAU – hard work over luck
While it is surprising to see a 9-seed make it this far, especially a mid-major school, it is not surprising to see FAU succeed on a national level this season.
The Owls may have not played the highest-tier schools in college basketball, but its current 35-3 record speaks for itself. The mid-major program has worked for every win this year and that effort shows on the court.
Kansas State looked unstoppable coming into the Elite 8, but with 7-foot-1 Vladislav Goldin controlling the boards, FAU out-rebounded the Wildcats 44-22 and took the win 79-76.
“Really, it just comes down to how much work you put in, and we already had a good chemistry last year,” Bryan Greenlee, a junior for FAU, said. “Just one unit of guys who loves to work and compete.”
The Owls have been a surprise to make the final four, but there is no doubt when watching the team’s games. From rebounding to scoring and hustling, FAU is far from lucky.
San Diego State – defensive dominance
The lowest scoring games of the teams remaining have to be from San Diego State. The Aztecs have the deepest roster of the Final Four and make it the hardest on opposing teams to score.
The program has been on the rise for years, and head coach Brian Dutcher has separated the team from the rest with defensive prowess and a deep roster. The 57-56 win over Creighton was a battle all the way through and while SDSU struggled to score, its opponents did too.
“Everything had to be earned tonight,” Dutcher said. “They made some important plays, but there was nothing for free tonight … It was just a war of attrition, and we came out on top.”
That is the SDSU style of basketball. Nothing comes for free and everyone in the rotation gets good minutes to stay fresh and play good defense. All nine players that took the court against Creighton played 15 minutes or more.
Overall, while UConn might be the favorite to take it all, the three new faces to the Final Four have a case to prove and are all programs on the rise, hungry for more.
