We have our Final Four, and this time it's not just Cinderella. It's her entire family!

Pick the winner:

• UConn
• Miami
• San Diego State
• Florida Atlantic

????

I want a first-ever champion, so no UConn.

9-seed FAU is the most Cinderella of them all. Go Owls!!

Aztecs

Want FAU, but I can't see anyone beating UCONN at this point. They are just playing above everyone, plus if they go to the finals I win my bracket.

I'm doing them no favors since I've been wrong a whole lot this year, but I think UConn looks like the team to beat. They seem better balanced. OTOH, a team that can stop other teams from scoring (SDSt), can win two games.

TXBEAR_bf said:

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Want FAU, but I can't see anyone beating UCONN at this point. They are just playing above everyone, plus if they go to the finals I win my bracket.

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Everybody in my bracket is now gone. My Final Four is a Final Zero.

I guess that means I can be impartial??

The last time there were 3 newbies in the FF was 1970: St. Bonaventure, Jacksonville and New Mexico St.

Jacksonville had Artis Gilmore. St. Bonaventure had Bob Lanier, but he tore his achilles in the Elite Eight win. NMSt was coached by Lou Henson, who later took Illinois to the FF.

None of the 3 were any match for UCLA.

I had UCONN as champ in my original bracket, so I'm rolling with my initial instinct.

Final Four

San Diego State will win by 7, although it will be close until late.

UConn will win by 15.

UConn will win championship by 13.

FAUccis

Dale.

- KKM

{ sipping coffee }

{ eating whole grain toast }

Logic would dictate favoring UConn in that field, but this Tournament has been so insane (even per the often crazy things that happen in the men's Tourney) that might just be the kiss of death for them and one of the newbies will end up taking it.

Johnny Bear said:

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Logic would dictate favoring UConn in that field, but this Tournament has been so insane (even per the often crazy things that happen in the men's Tourney) that might just be the kiss of death for them and one of the newbies will end up taking it.

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I've thought UConn was the favorite since watching their tournament opener, but I agree with you. Any team playing in the Final Four comes in playing good, confident basketball. Any of these teams can win IMO.

They all have different strengths, so it should be fun seeing how these matchups play out. I think FAU is a much better team than many give them credit for being. That bunch has the fewest weaknesses of any team remaining IMO. UConn is the most talented and is probably playing at the highest level. And then Miami (offense) and San Diego State (defense) are elite on one side of the floor or the other. All of these teams are capable of winning two more games if things play out right.

Miami's coach was a good player at Providence, and reached the national semifinal game with George Mason.

UConn but hoping and maybe SDSU

ilikebu said:

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Miami's coach was a good player at Providence, and reached the national semifinal game with George Mason.

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I would like to see a list of coaches who have led two programs to Final Fours. I can't imagine it's very long.

And I would imagine the number of coaches to lead two programs to their first Final Four could be counted on one hand.

Jim Larranaga is a great coach. And this run with Miami pretty much cements his legacy as an all-time great.

If FAU wins it, CUSA will have won all three post season tournaments. That would be a hoot.

They all could win. I think in order of least likely to winner:

Florida Atlantic....great job...last time we see you for a while; coach gets a big payday somewhere else
Miami....really like the coach, good team, but not this year; coach retires soon
San Diego State.....tough, tough bunch and they could easily win it all. I like the town, the school and the coach
Connecticut.....wow, they are on a roll.

Percentages of winning:

Florida Atlantic: 5%
Miami: 20%
San Diego State: 25%
Connecticut: 50%

Coaches to lead more than one team to the Final Four:

Roy Williams - Kansas (4), UNC (5)
Lute Olson - Iowa, Arizona (4)
Rick Pitino - Providence, Kentucky (3), Louisville (3)
John Calipari - UMass, Memphis, Kentucky (4)
Jack Gardner - Kansas State (2), Utah (2)
Forddy Anderson - Bradley (2), Michigan State
Eddie Sutton - Arkansas, Oklahoma State (2)
Gene Bartow - Memphis, UCLA
Larry Brown - UCLA, Kansas
Hugh Durham - Florida State, Georgia
Lou Henson - New Mexico State, Illinois
Bob Huggins - Cincinnati, West Virginia
Lon Kruger - Florida, Oklahoma
Jim Larrañaga - George Mason, Miami
Frank McGuire - St. John's, UNC
Lee Rose - Charlotte, Purdue
Kelvin Sampson - Oklahoma, Houston

I can try and look up how many of those were first time appearances later.

Thanks for compiling this list.