Here are our teams making it into the Final Four:
Michigan State Spartans
Tom Izzo has a squad this year. Keith Appling and Gary Harris form one of the better backcourts in the country, and Adreian Payne is a stud in the paint. This team should be dangerous on the offensive end of the court, but should be even better on the defensive end. Along with the Sparty’s Big Three, Izzo has a number of role players to plug into the lineup that can be productive as well. There isn’t a more balanced college basketball team in the country right now than Michigan State.
Duke Blue Devils
Jabari Parker and Coach K may be the best player/coach fit in the country. Parker is exactly the versatile offensive threat that Duke had been looking for the past few seasons. With Quinn Cook, Rasheed Sulaimon and Andre Dawkins on the wings, Parker will have a lot of opportunities to attack the rim against only one defender. If Amile Jefferson and Rodney Hood can hold their own on the block, this Blue Devils team will be playing late in March.
Florida Gators
The Gators will face a lot of adversity early in the season. Florida has a few players injured to start the year, and starting guard Scottie Wilbekin and freshman Chris Walker are suspended to start the season. But when all of these players return to the court, this team has a chance to be special. The Gators have a lot of talented guards, and freshman point guard Kasey Hill is an absolute stud. Billy Donovan’s squad may struggle early on in the year, but when all their players get on the court together, watch out.
Kansas Jayhawks
If Michigan State is the most balanced team in the country, Kansas is the most talented team in the country. Andrew Wiggins is already being penciled in as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, and he’s just one of four super-talented freshmen on this team. Wiggins is the biggest name in the freshmen class, but Wayne Seldon, Joel Embiid and Conner Frankamp are all good too. These freshmen join a team that already had Perry Jones, Nadir Thorpe and other talented players. With Bill Self at the helm, this Kansas team should be one of the last teams standing in the Big Dance.
National Champions: Florida Gators
The early-season injuries and suspensions aren’t necessarily a bad thing for Florida. With some of the team's better players not playing early on, it forces other players to step up and fill those roles. From getting that playing time early on, it’ll only make this team stronger and deeper.
The Gators have the perfect combination of players this year, and once they all get on the court together they should be the team cutting down the nets in early April.
Agree or disagree? Drop your picks in the comments!
