This weekend marks the end of the 2011 NCAA tournament, with the Final Four in Houston. Here are my picks for the final three games of the year.
Kentucky vs Connecticut
The bigger of the two Final Four matchups, UConn vs Kentucky, will be the most watched of the two games.
In this one, Kentucky will use the skills of their freshman Terence Jones and Brandon Knight, who are the top scorers on the team and high NBA prospects.
They will need another big game from starting center Josh Harrleson, who stepped up big time against Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger.
UConn’s attack will be built around All-American guard and one of the countries’ best scorers in Kembla Walker. If the Huskies can feed Walker, they should get through this matchup unscathed.
I think the task will be too much for the Wildcats, however, and the Huskies should make it to the championship game in a close one.
Virginia Commonwealth vs Butler
For the first time in NCAA history, two 8 or higher seeds play in the final four.
The Bulldogs of Butler are the favourites going in to this one, and are primed to make back-to-back championship games. Led by seniors Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard, they should be too much for the Colonial League VCU Rams.
The Rams will base their championship attack around the penetration and floor-running capabilities of Guard, Joey Rodriguez. If they can get good penetration, and can knock down their threes, they will have their best shot at this one.
This game is going to be very close and could easily swing either way.
My tip is that the experience of Butler should have them into their second back-to-back championship game after a close one with VCU.
I’m cheering for the Wildcats to secure their first national championship in 13 years. My head says, though, that Big East champions, UConn, will be able to get a third championship under Coach Calhoun in 14 years.
Either way, I think the winner of the UK-UConn game will take out the championship match in an epic finish to a great tournament.
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