The Final Four is here and as always it is poised to be a fun night of games, as the four teams will play for a shot at a National Championship. The first game is a game of different styles, as the fast-paced Tigers take on the slow-paced Cavaliers. While the second game will see the great defense of Texas Tech try to slow down Cassius Winston and the Michigan State Spartans. Both these games should be good and for each game I will have a preview breaking down each matchup.
Auburn vs. Virginia
6:09 PM ET on CBS
Line: Virginia -5.5
Pick: Virginia
Against the Spread: Virginia
Final Score Prediction: Virginia 72 Auburn 58
Game Overview: This matchup will see the red-hot Auburn Tigers go up against a Virginia team trying to complete an incredible season with a National Championship. The Tigers got here by winning four games, three of which were against Blue Bloods, so they certainly have earned their way to the Final Four. Jared Harper and Bryce Brown have shown that they are more than capable of going off to lead the Tigers to a win, although without Chuma Okeke, who tore his ACL against North Carolina, it will be a tough ask for the Tigers to win this game. As for Virginia, they have gotten to their first Final Four since 1984, although it hasn’t been an easy run as their last two games have come down to the wire, although they have prevailed in both games. The Cavaliers defense is Top-5 as usual but the real reason that they are still alive is that they have three legitimate playmakers in Kyle Guy, Ty Jerome, and De’Andre Hunter who can score when they need a basket. For Auburn to win, obviously Bryce Brown and Jared Harper will need to have big games, as their offense is now even more critical with no Chuma Okeke, while they also will probably need to force at least 10 turnovers. As for how Virginia can win, they must take care of the ball and not let Auburn get in transition, while Kihei Clark will need to keep Jared Harper from getting downhill on offense. I think the fact Auburn is playing a key piece down, plus the fact Virginia can slow it down and avoid turnovers will mean a win for the Cavaliers.
Texas Tech vs. Michigan State
8:49 PM ET on CBS
Line: Michigan State -2.5
Pick: Michigan State
Against the Spread: Texas Tech
Final Score Prediction: Michigan State 60 Texas Tech 59
Game Overview: The second game in the Final Four will see the Final Four veteran team Michigan State go up against the new bloods in Texas Tech. The Red Raiders have won four games thus far, all by more than five points. Their defense was the best in the regular season and it has only gotten better in NCAA Tournament play. While Jarrett Culver continues to shine on the offensive end, while role players like Davide Moretti and Matt Mooney are stepping up big time in Tournament play. Michigan State has dealt with a lot of injuries this season but one thing remains the same and that is Cassius Winston, who has been fantastic this year, while players like Matt McQuaid, Xavier Tillman, Kenny Goins, and Aaron Henry have all stepped up when needed this season. The key for Texas Tech to winning will be making shots and slowing down Cassius Winston, obviously this is a much better team when their shots are falling but for Michigan State, everything runs through Cassius Winston, so Texas Tech will need someone to irritate him. For Michigan State to win, Winston is going to need to have a good night, while someone else needs to be a good secondary scorer, if they can get those things, the Spartans should advance. I think these two teams are about as even as they come, while they play somewhat different styles, they both have proven in this tournament that they can win anyway needed. With the spread being 2.5, I will take Texas Tech but I will still probably lean on Michigan State to win outright.
Sunday’s Picks: 0-2
Year to date: 421-363-18