Final Four 2017: 5 bold predictions
![Mar 24, 2017; Glendale, AZ, USA; The basketball court for the NCAA Men’s Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. The court is made from 397 4’ x 7’ panels of Northern Hard Maple, weighing approximately 188 pounds each. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic via USA TODAY NETWORK Mar 24, 2017; Glendale, AZ, USA; The basketball court for the NCAA Men’s Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. The court is made from 397 4’ x 7’ panels of Northern Hard Maple, weighing approximately 188 pounds each. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic via USA TODAY NETWORK](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/cbe311ef4f75fd8386ba679117f396706caf49e4062df1260d6220c6cf145899.jpg)
1. North Carolina Wins By Double-Digits, South Carolina Shocks Again
The Tar Heels winning over the Ducks on Saturday night wouldn’t necessarily be a shock. North Carolina is the Vegas favorite to cut down the nets on Monday night, thus they’re favored in this matchup. However, the bold part of this prediction is that I believe that they simply run away from Oregon in this matchup.
Granted, even if the win is emphatic, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the Tar Heels are going to bury the Ducks by 20 points. But coming off of a last-second win over Kentucky and having barely escaped Arkansas earlier in the NCAA Tournament, an emphatic win might come as a surprise. Put simply, though, North Carolina is a terrible matchup for Oregon with their size in the frontcourt.
The Chris Boucher injury hasn’t affected the Ducks to this point, but largely because they haven’t played anyone with a dominant group of big man. Dillon Brooks is going to be guarding Isaiah Hicks in this matchup. That is a problem, and less so for Carolina as Hicks is quick enough to step out and defend on the perimeter. Thus, it’s just a mismatch that UNC should take full advantage of.
Then in the other matchup, things are going to be tight—as evidenced by the fact that I’m predicting multiple overtimes. In that type of matchup, though, teams need a hero to step up and shoulder the load when the game is on the line. If you haven’t figured it out yet, Sindarius Thornwell is the exact type of player to be able to do that. And I think he does in one of the overtimes to push the Gamecocks to the National Championship Game.
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If these predictions hold true, buckle up for an All-Carolina title game. If you thought things have been crazy leading up to the Final Four, just wait for that matchup on Monday night.