College Basketball Final Four Preview
In the first game of the NCAA College Basketball Final Four the Butler Bulldogs take on the Michigan State Spartans. Butler is making its first appearance in the Final Four while Michigan State is making their eighth Final Four appearance.
Butler may not have All-Americans dotting their roster, but they do have talent. Butler has won 24 games in a row and playing in front of a mostly home crowd should help them. Butler likes a grind it out game where playing tough defense and excelling in the half-court set offensively has been the key for them.
On the other hand, Michigan State is a team that has no one taller than 6 feet 8, but will crash the boards with everyone. Tom Izzo’s team rebound and do the small things you need to win. This is why he is in his eighth final four appearance. Look for Michigan State to run when it presents itself, but they can also run offensive sets well also.
The second game will pit Duke Blue Devils against the West Virginia Mountaineers.
This will be a game that the outcome may be determined by who rebounds better. Duke was able to control the glass against Baylor, but doing that against West Virginia will be a lot tougher. Bob Huggins coached teams always rebound well and West Virginia is no exception. The one achilles heel the Mountaineers do have is they do not have many ball handlers which could play into Duke’s hands.
Look for Duke to put pressure on the ball and try to get some turnovers for some easy points. West Virginia has one of the best defenses around and will ploy zones throughout the game. Duke has to be patient and drive into the paint and get easier shots. Trying to shoot over the West Virginia zone is tough. Penetration for Duke will be a key in this game if they hope to move on to the Finals.