Each game day during the NCAA tournament, the Post’s Marc Raimondi, Anthony Sulla-Heffinger and Justin Terranova will be providing you with their input for that day’s games.
For Saturday’s Final Four matchups, Raimondi is taking speed and guard play over superior defense.
(1) Louisville vs. (9) Wichita State: 6:09 p.m., CBS
Wichita State is that rare Cinderella story that hasn’t gotten all that much attention. The Shockers are not nationally renowned like a George Mason or a VCU. There isn’t some heart-tugging back story that draws in human-interest appeal. And frankly, Wichita State isn’t that fun to watch. The Shockers are an excellent defensive team that excels when it drags games into the mud. Gregg Marshall is a fantastic coach and should make a lot of money from some big program in the offseason.
That offseason will start Saturday night. Wichita State had a nice draw getting here – teams that weren’t all that fast and athletic. Louisville are both those things in a big way. The Shockers guards are going to have trouble staying in front of Peyton Siva and Russ Smith. Then again, no team has done that yet. Rick Pitino will be headed back to the national championship game after a complete victory by the Cardinals.
Prediction: Louisville 78-65
(4) Syracuse vs. (4) Michigan: 8:49 p.m., CBS
Going on an NCAA tournament run isn’t just about getting hot. It’s also about getting the right matchups. Syracuse has benefited from not really facing a good shooting team yet. Marquette couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. Indiana? Please. The Hoosiers relied on the inside play of Cody Zeller and the slashing of Victor Oladipo. Syracuse’s vaunted 2-3 zone negated both of those things.
Michigan has zone busters in its lineup. Nik Stauskas can really shoot the ball. Trey Burke makes 3-pointers. Tim Hardaway Jr. can stroke it. John Beilein has never beaten Jim Boeheim head to head, but he has the personnel to stretch Syracuse’s zone now. Once the Wolverines start making shots from deep, it’ll open things up inside for Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson III inside. Michigan will be headed back to the national title game for the first time since 1993.
Prediction: Michigan 71-64
mraimondi@nypost.com