Predictions For Saturday's Final Four Games

(The Mega Star and the Destroyer of Dreams)

It feels like it's been long enough to enjoy college basketball again, hasn't it? I'm not going to jinx things...but if a certain two teams meet in the championship game (regardless of the eventual winner), I win one of my pools. You can say I'm invested in the results of today's games. Here are my predictions for tonight's Final Four games. I'm sorry I didn't post these earlier...so that others could jump in with their own predictions in the comments section. But a lot of people bitched and moaned about wanting a Pitt/Villanova post...then didn't read it, or didn't comment on it. I figure that we're all about square. Enjoy the games.

Connecticut over Michigan State

Reasons:

• As I've said before...if you think a little bump-in-the-road like a "recruiting scandal" is going to slow down Jim Calhoun and the UConn Huskies, you're dead wrong. These accusations are just pissing Coach Calhoun off! As if he and the Huskies needed proper motivation. He's got (way more) than 1.6 million reasons to win this game!
• When in doubt, go with the team that Pitt defeated twice this season when they were ranked #1 in the country. You better believe I'm going to keep cramming Pitt into this blog at every opportunity.
• I decided not to doubt the abilities of Tom Izzo and a Big 10 team last weekend when I chose MSU over Louisville. It paid off. But I can only give that kind of credit once per NCAA Tournament...and the Spartans used up that voucher in the Great Eight.
• If you think that there is a "home court" advantage for Michigan State playing in Detroit...you're clinically insane. There's gonna be a bunch of random middle-aged white guys at this game, the press, and some empty seats. Yeah...that bodes really well for Michigan State.
• Most of you have been reading this blog for awhile. Most of you have been watching the NCAA Tournament. Go ahead...name me TWO players from Michigan State. I dare you! It's ok...I'll wait.
  
• UConn is simply the better team. Everyone knows this. The reason that the press is hyping up Tom Izzo's success and the "home court" advantage for MSU is because they (and everyone else) knows that UConn should kick ass in this game. They are the favorite. They have the talent. They will have the victory.
• Confidence in this pick: 8.7

North Carolina over Villanova

Reasons:

• You don't defeat the Pitt Panthers on a last second shot, denying the best Pitt team in history their first trip to the Final Four, and expect to keep advancing. There are repercussions to your actions Villanova! The road ends here! F*** off!
• If you think the nation is done hearing about Tyler Hansbrough...you have another thing coming! We're not done seeing #50 on the court and being subjected to announcers detail his passion (whiteness) and talk about how he came back for his senior year to win a national championship. It almost makes me wish Billy Packer was doing these games, just to hear him gush with Hansbrough related man-love.
• Ty Lawson plays for North Carolina. Enough said.
• What makes the Final Four games different than the Great Eight games is preparation time. These teams have had 6-7 days to prepare for the Final Four (opposed to about 36 hours of prep time for the Great Eight). When given time to practice, game plan, and prepare...the better team will win 9 out of 10 times. Point UNC.
• If I pick against North Carolina, Liz and Emily might kill me. I value my life right now, so I'm going with the Tar Heels. (I also made a promise to root for UNC unless they were playing Pitt, so I'm going to be a man of my word and keep rooting for Lil Wayne Ellington and company)
  
• I guess this is a huge day for Matt. He was about 3 years old the last time Villanova reached the Final Four. Props to you Matt...your team made the Final Four. Enjoy it for all it's worth, because it's going to end very soon when North Carolina beats you.
• Confidence in this Pick: 9.3

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