Another weekend, another Final Four. This weekend, April 2nd through the 4th, the last four teams in the NCAA tournament will be facing off to go to the NCAA National Championship. In the first game on Saturday night, the #1 seed from the Midwest Region, the Kansas Jayhawks, will take on the #2 seed from the South Region, the Villanova Wildcats. Both teams had 3 tough games on their way to claiming Final Four spots to go to New Orleans. The storyline here isn’t quite the same as the Duke vs North Carolina matchup but will still be a great game to watch. 

Villanova is trying to win their 3rd title in the past six seasons. On the other hand, Kansas is looking for its first national championship since 2008. Villanova will be without one of their top scorers in junior guard Justin Moore, who averages just under 15 points per game. He suffered an Achilles tear in the final minutes of their Elite Eight win over Houston. Villanova only plays 6-7 players a game, and they will need to depend on other guys to step up to the challenge. However, Kansas has a strong bench that provides a valuable boost to their team.

Villanova comes in as the top free-throw shooting team at 83% which is much needed in a big Final Four game. They also shoot 35.7% from the 3 point line, showing their capability of burying shots. Kansas comes into the game averaging 78 points per game, showing they can easily score with anyone. Like Villanova, the Jayhawks shoot a strong 35.6% from the 3 point line, also showing their shot-making ability from beyond the arc. The game will come down to defense, free throws, and smart possessions down the stretch. 

This year is different for two of the Final Four teams: Duke and UNC will face off for the 100th time in Coach K’s career. Coach K, Duke University’s storied head coach, will be retiring at the end of the season after an incredible 40 years of coaching. Coach K will be coaching in his 13th Final Four game, and if Duke wins, this will be Coach Krzyzewski’s 5th National Championship appearance. This past year, Roy Williams, legendary head coach at UNC, retired after 33 seasons. This means Coach K is one of the last head coaches of his legendary era. This game could either be another achievement added to Coach K’s unreal list of accolades or could define the early coaching career of UNC’s Hubert Davis.

Kansas Jayhawks vs Villanova Wildcats picks: Keegan: Kansas 72-66; Jimmy: Villanova 70-67

Duke Blue Devils vs North Carolina Tar Heels picks: Keegan: Duke 66-60; Jimmy: Duke: 75-68

National Championship: Monday, April 4th

Keegan’s National Championship Prediction: Duke vs. Kansas Winner: Kansas 67-65

Jimmy’s National Championship Prediction: Duke v. Villanova Winner: Duke 80-72