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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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Kentucky
Kentucky /

Kansas-Kentucky

Kansas gets the only double-up of the list, simply because there are so many good and intriguing teams left in the South. Sorry, UCLA fans — it’d be great to see you in the Final Four, and I know you beat Kentucky this year- – I just don’t trust that defense enough for a Final Four appearance. Considering the current state of my bracket, that might just bode well for you.

But a potential Kansas-Kentucky matchup just has so much to offer. They’re likely the most talented pairing possible remaining in the Final Four this year. Josh Jackson will likely go in the upcoming draft’s top-3, and a good chunk of Kansas’s players will at least have the chance to carve out some role on an NBA roster. And, of course, Kentucky is stupid-loaded, again. De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk will both be drafted the lottery, and make up the most dynamic backcourt in the country. Bam Adebayo has been a bit disappointing this year relative to preseason expectation, but he’ll still almost certainly go in the first round. And, if recent history is any indication, every Kentucky player will declare. Goodbye, Brad Calipari.

The pair are both top-7 KenPom teams, so it’s not just potential — they’re both national championship-caliber squads. And there’s great history here. Kentucky beat Kansas for the national championship just a few years ago, with a squad led by Anthony Davis triumphing. And Self beat Calipari while he helmed Memphis for the championship in 2008, behind some Mario Chalmers magic (oh, and a really good team).  And they’re two of the most successful and omnipresent programs in college basketball, with two of the best coaches(SLASH RECRUITERS, CALIPARI CRITICS) in the game, While only the coaches remain the same from the 2012 title game, the NCAA tournament rivalry is (sort of) real.

Next: NCAA Tournament 2017: 10 best moments from opening weekend

Good basketball? Loaded blue blood programs? Iconic coaches the rest of America loves to hate on? Check, check, and check. Sign me up.

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