Four More Teams...

So a couple weeks ago I wrote about four teams I think could make the Final Four. I still believe those four teams have a great shot at making it that far.

If you missed the column, the teams are UCLA, Florida, Ohio State and Alabama. I know UCLA and Alabama lost last week, but no one goes undefeated in college hoops anymore. And Alabama is still pretty banged up (Check out my Final Four Frontrunners column here).

Anyway, here are four other teams I think have a shot to go deep into March and three of which have a legitimate shot at playing on the first Monday in April. I’ve decide to throw in one wildcard that has a chance to go deep, but certainly stands out from the rest (everyone likes an underdog).

North Carolina – They might be young, but so is Ohio State. Sophomore Tyler Hansbrough might be one of the best big men in the country. He is averaging better than 18 points and nearly eight rebounds per game. Freshmen Brandan Wright and Wayne Ellington are better than advertised, combining for 28 point and 10 rebounds per game. The team has been incredibly strong on offense, hitting nearly 52 percent of its shots – as a team! The strong shooting has them averaging nearly 90 points per game. Granted, things will get more difficult during conference play, but still, a team shooting 52 percent at this point in the season in phenomenal and cannot be overlooked. If the offense continues to be strong, the Tar Heels could make the Final Four.

Wisconsin – Alando Tucker is one of the best players in the country. It’s just that simple. Well, it’s not actually that simple. He has a great supporting cast, including Kammron Taylor. Tucker is averaging 20 points per game and Taylor nearly 13. With the Big Ten down a bit this year, the Badgers have the chance to put up a gaudy conference record (they will compete till the end of the season with Ohio State for Big East supremacy). Like its football team earlier this year, the basketball team is flying under the radar, but shouldn’t be. Catch Wisconsin on television and you’ll see a team that is athletic and has great depth (nine players average more than 10 minutes per game and only two average more than 30), which allows them to wear down opponents.

Texas A&M – The Aggies have only lost two games this season. Both were on the road – at LSU and at UCLA (well technically a neutral court, but practically in the Bruins backyard). Texas A&M has great balance between its front and backcourts. Acie Law IV is one of the 10 best point guards in the nation and leads the team in scoring (15.3 points per game) and assists (5.7 per game). The frontcourt is led by junior Joseph Jones who averages more than 14 points and nearly six rebounds per game. The balance between the players in the paint and on the perimeter gives them multiple options. Teams will find it difficult to collapse into the middle when the ball in passed into the paint because a quick dish to the outside can lead to easy mid-range jumper or three-point by Law or Josh Carter (6-foot-7 sophomore guard is shooting 53 percent from three-point range).

Butler – I am really unsure if another mid-major could make the Final Four this year, but if anyone can do it, it’s Butler. They’ve already shown they can win a tournament this season (Preseason NIT). They’ve beaten some very good teams – at Notre Dame, Indiana, at Tennessee, Gonzaga. That’s an impressive enough resume that they don’t need to win their conference tournament to make the Big Dance. But they are likely to win the Horizon League this year. Butler is very experienced (top eight scorers are all juniors and seniors), which should help come tournament time. The one thing that could hold them back is their size. No one on the team is taller than 6-foot-7 and a high-scoring big man could be their Achilles heel.

I seriously contemplated making Air Force my wildcard, but they don’t have as many big wins as Butler, though they do have one of the most efficient offenses in the nation. Playing a version of the Princeton offense, they milk the clock and almost always get a good look at the basket. Their defense is solid. If they can impose their style of play, chances are they’ll win the game.

Photo Sources: nbadraft.net, columbiatribune.com