Final Four is Set

A little late, but here it is, a look at the Final Four:

Butler:
Probably the surprise of the group, the Butler Bulldogs of the Horizon league make their first ever FInal Four appearance. Led by the tandem of, Howard and Hayward, Butler is a fundamentally sound team that beats you with defense and smart play. They rarely turn the ball over, so when they do, you better capitalize. They take good shots and aren't afraid of using clock. Butler is a tough opponent for any team in the nation.

Michigan State:
Not surprised that they made it this far, but I am surprised that they've done it without Kalin, twice. They beat the hot UNI Panthers and the Tennessee Volunteers without star point guard Kalin Lucas. The Spartans have not had an easy game yet, even being challenged by New Mexico State. Their road hasn't been easy, they needed a buzzer beater against Maryland and benefitted greatly from Tennessee's poor free throw shooting late in that game. If Summers can continue this streak, the Spartans will be in good shape, and who's gonna pick against Tom Izzo in March? I wouldn't.

West Virginia:
I called the one of the most overrated teams in the tournament, but they're here. They even managed to do it without starting point guard Darryl Bryant. They beat the red hot Kentucky Wildcats without a true point guard. I am impressed by what they've done so far, but their thin backcourt may catch up to them against Duke... Should be a good one.

Duke:
Called the worst of the one seeds, the Duke Blue Devils find themselves in yet another FInal Four and the only one seed still alive. Led by senior guards John Scheyer and Nolan Smith and junior guard/forward Kyle Singler, the Blue Devils have one of the most dynamic offenses in the nation. They can shoot the ball with anyone in the country, and that's the key to their success. But unlike other teams that tend to live and die with the three, Duke has something those teams don't: the ability to get the offensive rebounds. They dominated Baylor on the glass. Baylor was one of the best post teams in the country, but they couldn't keep Duke off the offensive glass. Look for offensive rebounds to be the deciding factor against the Mountaineers. If Duke gets the second chance boards, they will win, if not, West Virginia will be playing for the title.

Predictions:
I'm going to keep it short and simple. I'll take Michigan State over Butler because of coaching. State is more talented, not by much, but they are far better coached. And I'll take Duke because of the Big Three plus the offensive boards Duke always grabs.