Sports

An essential guide to the Final Four

The Final Four is typical of this college basketball season — an eclectic group of four teams few of us predicted to reach AT&T Stadium in north Texas.

It includes one favorite in overall top seed Florida and three surprises, a No. 2 seed (Wisconsin) that was considered the third best team in its league, a No. 7 seed (UConn) that nearly lost its first tournament game and a No. 8 seed (Kentucky) that underachieved during the regular season.

There are more surprises on the way. Here’s a guide for what to expect in the sport’s biggest weekend.

Best coach: Billy Donovan

No matter which coaches were remaining, Donovan, 48, would be in contention. The New York native turned a football school into a basketball power, and this season — reaching his fourth Final Four at Florida – is his best job yet. Without a true star, he’s led a solid but unspectacular team to 30 straight wins and only two losses. In the past 50 years, only three coaches have won back-to-back national championships – John Wooden, Mike Krzyzewski and Donovan.

Best Defender: Scottie Wilbekin

His defense has been overshadowed because of how well he has shot the ball from the perimeter and the timing of those shots, but Wilbekin’s win — his best asset — is his on-ball defense. He’s a pest who picks up his man full-court, setting the tone for the Gators’ pressure defense, and gives him no room to breathe. The matchup Saturday night against UConn’s Shabazz Napier is worth the hefty price of admission.

Best scorer: Frank Kaminsky

There may be more prolific scorers, but no player has proven to be more dangerous with the ball in the NCAA Tournament than Wisconsin’s big man. Able to score in countless ways, Kaminsky, who broke the Badgers’ school record with 43 points in a game this season, is averaging 18.5 points in the tournament and shooting over 54 percent, tearing defenses apart on the perimeter and in the post.

Best shooter: Michael Frazier II

UConn’s Niels Giffey (49.1 3-point percentage) may have shot better behind the arc this season than Florida’s swingman (44.8 percent), but Frazier, who has taken more than twice as many attempts, still ranked 10th in the nation. More than a stand-still shooter, Frazier – a sophomore – is the key to the Gators’ often lackluster offensive attack, creating space for Patric Young and Co. in the paint.

X-Factor: DeAndre Daniels

UConn forward DeAndre DanielsGetty Images

Napier garnered all the headlines, but UConn wouldn’t be in north Texas if not for Daniels, its supremely talented yet inconsistent junior forward. The Huskies can cut down the nets Monday night, but only if the draftable DeAndre Daniels shows up — the one who scores inside and out, defends and rebounds at a high level — starting Saturday night.

Breakout Performer: James Young

His NCAA Tournament has been uneven, two stellar performances and two subpar ones, yet the 6-foot-6 wing has breakout star written all over him. Kentucky doesn’t beat Wichita State or Michigan without him. The freshman southpaw can wreck a game with his shooting touch from the perimeter and he’s begun to become more of a factor on the glass.

Draft Impact

A big weekend can do wonders. From Kentucky’s four freshmen (Young, Julius Randle, and the Harrison twins, Andrew and Aaron) to UConn’s Napier and Daniels, Wisconsin’s Kaminsky and Florida’s Wilbekin, there is opportunity for a few players to really make a name for themselves.

Clutch performer: Shabazz Napier

Who else? There may be no player in college basketball who has embraced the final moments of a game like Napier since former teammate Kemba Walker. The senior has carried the seventh-seeded Huskies to the Final Four against No. 1 Florida, a team he knocked off with a buzzer-beater early this season. There is no player you’d rather have with the ball in the final seconds.

Champion: Kentucky

The case can be made for any team, but no argument is stronger than for Kentucky’s overwhelming talent. It took the Wildcats longer than anticipated to put it all together, but the super-hyped freshmen class is playing better than anyone in the country, having knocked off three of last year’s Final Four teams to make this year’s final weekend – undefeated Wichita State, defending champion Louisville and No. 2 seed Michigan.