March Madness: Ranking the 5 most appealing Final Four matchups

These five potential matchups we could see in the Final Four would make March Madness even more exciting than it has already been this year.

The Elite Eight is here and tickets to the Final Four are on the line. Cinderella officially left the dance when Oral Roberts’ last-second shot to beat Arkansas bounced off the front rim, leaving essentially the cream of the crop still standing with a shot to reach the final weekend of the NCAA Tournament.

There are eight possible matchups left to set up over the next two days but all of them are not created equal. Let’s take a look at the five most appealing Final Four matchups we could see on Saturday with the hope that two of them materialize in the bracket.

The five most appealing Final Four matchups left in March Madness

5. Michigan vs. USC

Getting this matchup will be tricky since it will require USC to upset Gonzaga but the Trojans look like they can give the unbeaten Bulldogs a fight. Topping Gonzaga could set USC on a collision course with Michigan and set up a low-post showdown that will thrill both basketball purists and new-age hoops fanatics.

Michigan brings Hunter Dickinson, a true back-to-the-basket big in an era where they have become a dying breed, while USC has its own pair of twin towers in Evan and Isaiah Mobley. Evan is a stud NBA prospect who can do a little bit of everything so seeing him go toe-to-toe with Dickinson with a trip to the national championship game on the line would be a lot of fun.

4. Baylor vs. Oregon State

The only real longshot left in the field is Oregon State, which has been on a do-or-die run since they showed up at the Pac-12 Tournament. The Beavers have won six straight elimination games, including a brilliant defensive performance against Loyola-Chicago in the Sweet 16, to earn a shot at Houston in the Elite Eight.

Surviving that game would give Oregon State a chance to potentially take on Baylor, which is the best team left on the right side of the bracket. The Bears like to play a fast-paced game while the Beavers are a methodical half-court offense, creating an intriguing contrast of styles here.

3. Baylor vs. Houston

A little in-state flavor would be nice here as Baylor would get a chance to take on Houston for Texas bragging rights. The Bears have earned their due as the state’s best team over the past two years but Houston has flown under the radar, dominating the AAC under the guidance of head coach Kelvin Sampson.

The Cougars also have the defensive chops to slow down Baylor, checking into the Elite Eight as the nation’s sixth-most efficient defensive team according to the KenPom rankings. Houston also hasn’t been tested as much as the other top teams in the field, facing a path of Cleveland State, Rutgers, Syracuse and Oregon State to potentially reach the Final Four, so a showdown with the Bears could prove how good the Cougars really are.

2. Gonzaga vs. UCLA

Seeing whether or not Gonzaga can complete their undefeated dream makes any matchup with them worthy of the marquee time slot in the Final Four. A showdown with UCLA would be fascinating if the Bruins can finish off their run from the First Four to the Final Four by knocking off Michigan on Tuesday night.

UCLA showed its chops by knocking off high-flying Alabama on Sunday, slowing the tempo to a crawl and blitzing the Crimson Tide in overtime after surviving a gut-punching buzzer-beater three from Alex Reese to tie the game at the end of regulation. Taking down the Bulldogs is an entirely different beast but seeing Mick Cronin match wits with Mark Few and try to win with a less-talented, gritty team would be a lot of fun.

1. Gonzaga vs. Michigan

These two teams have been absolute heavyweights all season long and this matchup would be well worth the price of admission. Gonzaga hasn’t really been challenged all season long but the Wolverines are uniquely equipped to give the Bulldogs a real run for their money.

Michigan has a tremendous interior presence with Hunter Dickinson and is one of the best defensive teams in the country while there is still plenty of firepower (even without Isaiah Livers) to score with the Bulldogs. The winner of this game could be a solid favorite in the national championship game so seeing a Michigan-Gonzaga showdown would be quite the showcase for college basketball.

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