The eight most intriguing potential Final Four combinations
With eight teams left in the NCAA tournament, there are only 16 potential Final Four combinations left. Here’s a look at the eight most compelling, some of which were chosen for basketball reasons and others of which were chosen for reasons scarcely related to basketball at all.
1. North Carolina, Virginia, Oklahoma, Kansas — Grudge match Final Four
Comment: Kansas swept Big 12 rival Oklahoma in the regular season including an epic triple-overtime thriller in Lawrence that was among the best games of the past decade. North Carolina and Virginia split a pair of games with the Cavaliers winning by five in February and falling by four in the ACC semifinals. Would anyone have an issue with a pair of rematches on an even bigger stage? Didn’t think so.
2. North Carolina, Virginia, Oregon, Kansas — All No. 1 seeds Final Four
Comment: Only once in NCAA tournament history have all four No. 1 seeds reached the Final Four. Kansas, North Carolina, UCLA and Memphis made it to San Antonio in 2008 with the Jayhawks capturing Bill Self’s only championship by edging the Tigers in the title game. Mario Chalmers memorably sent that game to overtime with a game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation.
3. Notre Dame, Syracuse, Oklahoma, Villanova — Zero No. 1 seeds Final Four
Comment: When all four No. 1 seeds fail to survive the regional finals, the Final Fours have produced mixed results. In 2011, third-seeded UConn edged Butler in a cold-shooting national title game. In 2006, third-seeded Florida dismantled George Mason and UCLA en route to the first of its two straight championships. But in 1980 Louisville rallied from a four-point deficit in the final minutes to stun UCLA in a classic title game.
4. North Carolina, Syracuse, Oklahoma, Villanova — NCAA’s doomsday Final Four
Comment: Any combination that includes both North Carolina and Syracuse is going to produce negative storylines. The Orange are still serving penalties from wide-ranging NCAA violations that forced them to sit out the postseason last year. North Carolina received a notice of allegations from the NCAA last year due to widespread academic fraud and is expected to learn its punishment later this year. Throw in an Oklahoma program five years removed from major sanctions, and this is not the NCAA’s dream Final Four.
5. North Carolina, Syracuse, Oklahoma, Kansas — Most successful coaches Final Four
Comment: North Carolina’s Roy Williams, Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim and Kansas’ Bill Self have combined for 13 Final Fours and four national championships. The odd man out is Oklahoma’s Lon Kruger, and all he has done is take five different schools to the NCAA tournament. Tubby Smith became the only other coach to do that this season when Texas Tech received a bid.
6. Notre Dame, Virginia, Oregon, Villanova — New Blood Final Four
Comment: Notre Dame last made the Final Four in 1978. Virginia last made it in 1984. Oregon hasn’t been since the very first NCAA tournament in 1939. That makes Villanova the most frequent visitor among this quartet and the Wildcats have been once since their lone national championship in 1985. Forward Dante Cunningham and Scottie Reynolds lost to eventual national champion North Carolina in the national semifinals.
7. Notre Dame, Virginia, Oklahoma, Kansas — Coaches who were ballers in their day Final Four
Comment: The most accomplished of this quartet is Tony Bennett, an all-conference guard at Green Bay who went on to play 152 games in the NBA before injuries cut his career short. Mike Brey played four seasons at Northwestern State and George Washington, Bill Self started at point guard for Oklahoma State and Lon Kruger was a two-time Big 8 player of the year as a point guard at Kansas State and played professionally in Israel.
8. North Carolina, Virginia, Oklahoma, Villanova — Coaches with most unexpected musical taste
Comment: CBSSports.com’s Matt Norlander polled every NCAA tournament coach for their favorite band, and coaches who made some of the most surprising picks are still playing. Would you believe that Lon Kruger went with Chicago? Or that Tony Bennett is a diehard Boyz II Men fan? Or that Roy Williams favors country singer Luke Bryan? The less unusual pick among this quartet is Jay Wright going with Bruce Springsteen, a popular choice among Elite Eight coaches. That was also Mike Brey’s and Jim Boeheim’s pick.
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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
