The Cougars, on the other hand, have quietly been among the best teams in the sport this season in their effort to reach the Final Four for the first time since the s. By Ben Kercheval. Apr 3, at pm ET 1 min read. Gonzaga vs. Tennessee vs. UConn vs. The Jayhawks are returning four of the top five scorers from a team that beat the national champion Baylor in February and earned a No. It's a really nice core that's being joined by Arizona State transfer Remy Martin , who was voted the Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year after averaging A lack of high-level NBA talent could be an issue eventually, if only because elite college basketball teams typically have more of that than Kansas appears to have on paper.
But nobody should be surprised if Self guides this program to the Final Four for the fourth time in his Hall of Fame career, and winning a second national title is obviously also a realistic possibility. The Volunteers are my why-the-heck-not pick, because the Final Four normally has at least one team that crashes the party and isn't a No.
Sometimes, well beyond that. Last season it was No. In No. The year before that, No. Going with the Vols -- a preseason top 20 team -- is hardly outlandish. UT gets my pick for their combination of coaching experience Rick Barnes has made a Final Four and is in his 35th season as a head coach , NBA talent freshman Kennedy Chandler might be a lottery pick , returning size John Fulkerson and Victor Bailey combined to average 22 points last season and should be be improved. Toss in Josiah-Jordan James and Auburn transfer Justin Powell and we've clearly got a squad capable of tearing off four wins.
One more: Tennessee rates as the best SEC team heading into the season, per multiple predictive metrics. When you've got a reasonable case to have the best player in the country, you've got a reasonable case to make the Final Four. I don't know if Kofi Cockburn will win national player of the year in March, but if he's better than last season Illinois is my pick for a second straight year due to the anticipated emergence of Andre Curbelo, the sophomore point guard who is THE breakout player candidate in the Big Ten.
Illinois gets the bonus year out of Trent Frazier , whose defense will be elite in his fifth season with the Fighting Illini. Brad Underwood's team has more than just that core three, but what a dynamic trio that is.
This is as much a system pick as it is a talent pick. Eric Musselman and his staff know how to properly position their players for success in a run-and-gun offense that embraces defense. That should again be the case in with Miami transfer guard Chris Lykes stepping in and sophomore Devo Davis set to take on a big role.
This team on the whole will have a ton of firepower bolstered by an even better defense. Recipe for another deep run a season after an Elite Eight showing. Coach K's farewell tour gets its proper send-off here with one final run to the Final Four. It's a feel-good story and one well within reach because of its roster. Freshman Paolo Banchero might be the best player in college hoops, A. Griffin has the talent to be an All-American and sophomore Mark Williams is in line to pick up where he left off after a strong finish to his freshman campaign.
This Duke team is long, balanced and -- I'd wager -- will be a brutal matchup for most teams because of its talent level. Ad Choices. New customers only. Visit site. BetMGM Sportsbook. The odds are subject to change. Note to readers: we may earn a commission from the offers and links on this page. USC predictions for their matchup,…. UCLA predictions for their matchup,…. Subscriptions NJ. News Local News N. Contribute to NJ. More on NJ.
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