It’s day eight of this 2018 NCAA Tournament and it may be the very first one that actually feels like one we may have anticipated. While the rest of the tournament has been dominated by the heroics of Loyola-Chicago, UMBC, Florida State, Marshall, Nevada and a host of others, we will complete the Final Four with some of the most recognizable names in college hoops royalty.
Villanova (1) vs.
Texas Tech (3)
Despite all the craziness, we are getting the expected matchup for the East Regional final. Top seed Villanova has been terrific through three rounds, easily dispatching its first two opponents and outlasting a very game West Virginia squad to reach the Elite Eight.
Jalen Brunson is a really good college basketball player and one of those guys who we’ll probably remember for his NCAA prowess and not much of an NBA career. But he’s the workhorse for Villanova, their quarterback on the hard wood. He gives them timely buckets, controls the pace of play and gets the right guys involved when necessary.
The Wildcats have a lot more fire power than the Red Raiders, but Texas Tech might be the best team that’s been under the radar most of the season. They came into the tournament on a bit of a down swing, dropping five of their final seven regular season games. But this is a team with a win over Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse, as well as wins over West Virginia, Nevada and a tournament win over Purdue. That’s a great resume and Villanova will need to take the challenge very seriously.
But the Wildcats seem poised to take that next step and they should be able to outrun and outgun the Red Raiders today, reaching the Final Four for the second time in three years.
The pick: Villanova 81, Texas Tech 70
Kansas (1) vs.
Duke (2)
There isn’t more that needs to be said to get college basketball junkies’ hearts pumping than “Duke versus Kansas.” Two of the historically great programs in NCAA history don’t face off often, but it’s a memorable occasion when they do.
The Jayhawks are just remarkable, year after year. Kansas has won 14 consecutive Big 12 championships and head coach Bill Self is cemented as one of the greats of this or any era. Kansas wins in a variety of ways and their biggest difference maker may be the big man, Udoka Azubuike. His presence on the floor is a huge deterrent for opposing offenses and he has a much more polished offensive game than he probably should as just a sophomore. But he’s now healthy and making Kansas a complete basketball team, once again.
For the Blue Devils, this will be a true test of their toughness, both physically and mentally. It’s a young team that is holding on to the veteran presence of Grayson Allen as a steward. But it’s Marvin Bagley III who takes Duke from a very good team to a great one.
Bagley is one of the smoothest offensive players in the tournament and at 6-feet-11, he can even step back and knock down the three-pointer. When a play needs to be made, it’s typically Bagley getting the job done at the big moments.
While it should be a back-and-forth affair, Bagley puts Duke over the top. He’s going to have to up the physicality level if Azubuike is able to stay on the court, but the Blue Devils win what has the makings of a classic.
The pick: Duke 74, Kansas 72
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David Simon can be reached at dsimon@thegardenisland.com.
