After numerous battles this year in college basketball, we are finally down to one last game to decide a champion. While this year’s NCAA tournament may not have been as shocking as many may have hoped, it has provided followers of the game with some big upsets and reminded us why the cream of the crop tends to stick around into April.
How they got here:
While we will always have upsets in the Big Dance, it seems like the best team in college hoops finds a way to make it deep, and usually ends up in the championship game. This is exactly the case with Louisville. The Cardinals did not receive a real test in this tournament until their Final Four bout with Wichita State where Louisville found themselves down by 12 points to the No. 9 seed in the second half. But, as all championship caliber teams do, Louisville found a way to squeak out a win and get into tonight’s championship game.
Michigan, on the other hand, had a much different road to the championship. After cruising to the Sweet Sixteen, winning by an average of 20 points per game, the Wolverines were in big trouble late in their matchup against No. 1 seed Kansas. With 2:19 remaining in regulation Michigan trailed the Jayhawks by 10 points. Who losses a game when they are up by 10 with just over two minutes remaining in the game? This is when making even half of your free throws should get you on to the next round. But, a combination of Kansas mistakes and late magic by Michigan star guard Trey Burke gave the Wolverines new life. Capped by a miraculous three-point jumper by Burke from seemingly a mile away with 5 seconds remaining, Michigan found a way to get the game to overtime. This sparked comparisons to the 2008 championship game between Memphis and these Kansas Jayhawks. Lack of execution late for Memphis and some clutch shots got Kansas into overtime in that game, and the same scenario played out for Michigan in this contest. The Wolverines took their momentum into overtime and advanced onto the Elite Eight where they would dominate No. 3 seeded Florida, 79-59, to advance to the Final Four.
Michigan handled Syracuse through most of their Final Four contest, but let the Orange back into the game due to missed free throws late. Syracuse even had a chance to take the lead with 25 seconds remaining in the game, but a charge call on senior guard Brandon Triche erased any hopes of an all-Big East championship game.
What to expect:
Louisville will try to make this a fast-paced game as they normally do. The only problem with that is Michigan will most likely be fine with that fast pace as well. The Wolverines have guards that can get up and down the floor and convert on the fast break just like Louisville, so this game could easily come down to which back-court out plays the other.
Michigan may be the youngest team in the tournament, but they have mature players that have the “it” factor, so age isn’t as much of a deal as some may make it out to be. While the Wolverines found a way to win their Final Four game when AP Player of the Year Trey Burke had an off-night, don’t expect the same outcome if Burke is cold tonight. Louisville will do everything in their power to slow down the Sophomore-phenom, so Michigan will have to adjust to this approach as the game progresses.
Without breaking this contest down to every last element, I expect this to be a close game with the stronger, and more experienced team prevailing. By experience I am not referring to age, yet the amount of big-game experience that Louisville possesses. Michigan has played in some big games, but this current Louisville team has faced and passed many hurdles in the past three seasons and they have seemingly been on a collision course with the NCAA championship game since the opening tip of this season.
Look for Michigan to hang with the Cardinals through most of the first and even second halves, but the experience of Louisville should put them over the top and win the Cardinals their 3rd national championship in the school's history and send the Big East off in style.
Prediction:
Louisville: 74
Michigan: 65
Editor's note – If the Fab Five doesn’t attend this game, then that just isn’t right.
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