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NCAA Tournament 2017: Five best potential Final Four matchups

By Will Schreefer

Feb 25, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; A view of the arena and the banner for the 2017 NCAA Women's Final Four game before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the New Orleans Pelicans at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 25, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; A view of the arena and the banner for the 2017 NCAA Women's Final Four game before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the New Orleans Pelicans at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Michigan-Butler

This is clearly one of the more unlikely matchups. Michigan, a No. 7 seed, would need to get through No. 3 seed Oregon and (probably) Kansas to make it to the Final Four, while Butler would have to topple UNC and one of UCLA or Kentucky to make it in their own bracket. But what a fun matchup — you know, for people who aren’t fans of those teams above.

Michigan and Butler are the recent gate-crashers of the NCAA tournament. Butler made the NCAA tournament championship game as a No. 5 seed and an No. 8 seed in consecutive years between 2010 and 2011, when Brad Stevens was still at the helm. Though they lost both, that combination of runs remains one of the more incredible tournament happenings of all time. Michigan followed it up the year after (2013) with a title appearance as a No. 4 seed, though they would eventually also fall in the title game.

And they’re back again this year as underdogs! Butler has made its first Sweet 16 since Brad Stevens departed – -they’re under the direction of Chris Holtmann this year. And, as a No, 4 seed, they’re hardly expected to make it past UNC — let alone all the way to the Final Four. Their guard-oriented, pass-first style is a lot of fun to watch, and they’re still one of the smartest and most physical teams in the field. Sound familiar? There may yet be a little Butler magic left, yet.

And Michigan, though its run as ‘dark horse’ is probably over — they’ll undoubtedly be the subject of at least 200 BUT THEY COULD WIN IT articles by Thursday — remains one of the most fun teams left in the tournament. John Beilein’s offensive style, with five shooters on the floor, and guided by the trash-talking, sweet shooting Derrick Walton Jr., With Moe Wagner enjoying his own breakout with  the upset against Louisville, there are plenty of characters and a fun style of basketball to root for, here.

Enjoy underdogs and mixing it up? You’ll have fun rooting for this Final Four matchup.

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