And then there were Four.
The Final Four matchups are set for Saturday in San Antonio. It's the first time since 2008 that all four No. 1 seeds have advanced to the championship round.
Who do you like? Auburn? Duke? Florida? Or Houston?
We asked our resident experts, a.k.a., our columnists and college beat reporters. They're definitive about their picks and what will happen during Saturday games.
Tony Garcia, Michigan beat reporter
In an SEC showdown, this game goes down to the wire. Walter Clayton Jr. continues to star for the Gators, while Johni Broome looks like the best former mid-major transfer in NCAA tournament history. Eventually, something has to give, and it's Florida's length that causes fits for Auburn around the rim (as it did in the regular season) and the Gators advance. The pick: Florida over Auburn.
On the other side, Houston has the home crowd on its side playing in nearby San Antonio, but Duke is a juggernaut of a higher order. From Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach to Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor, the Blue Devils are just too deep for LJ Cryer and company. The pick: Duke over Houston.
Carlos Monarrez, columnist
Now that Florida has tightened up defensively it can make even bigger runs when it needs to behind the excellent play of Walter Clayton Jr. In the other game, Cooper Flagg and his elite teammates will take over in this high-scoring brawl. The picks: Florida 78, Auburn 72; Duke 91, Houston 86.
Jeff Seidel, columnist
Houston we have a problem – and it’s Duke. The Blue Devils will take down Houston in one semifinal. The other is up in the air. .... If Auburn forward Johni Broome were healthy, I’d go with Auburn. But I seriously doubt he’ll be healthy enough to make a difference. Maybe, he gives Auburn a momentary emotional lift. But not enough to broom the Gators. The picka: Duke 72, Houston 67, Florida 82, Auburn 76
Chris Solari, Michigan State beat reporter
The Gators showed in early February on the road that they can handle the Tigers. That was before Auburn’s late-season swoon and the shoulder injury star Johni Broome suffered against MSU in the Elite Eight. Florida has too many weapons at both ends of the floor and moves on to its first title game since winning it all in 2006 and 2007. The pick: Florida 86, Auburn 79.
Kelvin Sampson’s swarming defense has been the Cougars’ calling card all season, with their offense doing just enough to get through the second weekend of the tournament. They haven’t had to stop such a multifaceted opponent such as Duke, nor have they faced a player of Cooper Flagg’s talent. But the Blue Devils’ depth and complementary scoring assures Jon Scheyer of his first trip to the final as a head coach. The pick: Duke 80, Houston 68.
Shawn Windsor, columnist
The SEC was the best conference this season. Duke is the best team. With four No. 1 seeds, this is a Final Four from the (good?) old days, when Cinderellas were out by the Sweet 16 and the power teams from power conferences met in the semifinals for high-level and memorable college basketball. The picks: Florida over Auburn, Duke over Houston.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Final Four predictions? Picks are in from ...
