USATSI
The field for the 2022 Final Four is set, and only one No. 1 seed will make the trip to New Orleans. But there will be plenty of college basketball kings in attendance when the action erupts from Caesars Superdome next Saturday as Kansas, Villanova, Duke and North Carolina battle it out for the national title.
First up on Saturday at 6:09 p.m. on TBS is the game between the No. 1 Jayhawks and the No. 2 Wildcats. Then, after you’re done, No. 2 Duke will go up against No. 8 North Carolina.
With legendary Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski seeking his sixth national title before retiring at the end of the season, the Blue Devils will be big history. Despite relying on freshmen more than any other team, Duke is playing his best basketball of the season, giving Coach K a great chance to come out on top. First, however, the Blue Devils must get past the Tar Heels after their closest rival handed them a 94-81 loss in Coach K’s last home game on March 5.
The 2022 NCAA tournament taught us to expect the unexpected at this time of year, and a Final Four featuring this combination of teams is sure to provide some drama before a champion is crowned on April 4th.
Here’s a first look at the Final Four.
(2) Villanova vs. (1) Kansas
date: Saturday 2 April | Time: 6:09 p.m
location: Caesar’s Superdome in New Orleans
TV: TBS | stream: March Madness Live
- About the wildcats — Villanova has never been eliminated from the AP Top 25 this season, but the Wildcats slipped to 23rd in December after a 7-4 start. With losses to UCLA, Purdue and Baylor during off-conference play and a lone marquee win over Tennessee, it seemed like these Wildcats could only be good instead of great. But in the second half of the season, coach Jay Wright’s veteran side developed into national title contenders by getting all the little things right. The Wildcats shoot a national best 83% from the free throw line and commit just 9.9 turnovers per game. Those attributes and a stifling defense were on display in the Elite Eight’s 50-44 win over Houston, in which Villanova shot just 28.8% from the floor but hit 15 of 15 free throws. The Wildcats are not a deep team and could be particularly lean in the Final Four after shooting guard Justin Moore left the Houston game with an injury. Key reserve guard Jordan Longino is also out due to injury. But Villanova still has veteran stars Collin Gillespie and Jermaine Samuels. Having won 14 of their last 15 games, the Wildcats will be tough even with a thin rotation.
- About the Jayhawks — Kansas never left the top 10 during a catch-up season after the relative disappointment of a 2020-21 season that ended in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Jayhawks shared the regular-season Big 12 title with defending champion Baylor, then stormed to a Big 12 tournament title to enter the big dance with momentum. Victories over Texas Southern, Creighton, Providence and Miami sent KU from the Midwest region into the Final Four as the bottom No. 1 seed. Kansas trailed Miami 35-29 at the halfway point in their Elite Eight matchup, but edged the Hurricanes 47-15 in the second half to set a mark for New Orleans’ move. With Arizona State transfers Remy Martin beginning to realize his potential at point guard and senior wing Ochai Agbaji enjoying a renaissance season, the Jayhawks are strong in the backyard. The cast of role players, led by dynamic forwards Christian Braun and Jalen Wilson, is also extensive.
(8) North Carolina vs. (2) Duke
date: Saturday 2 April | Time: 8:49 p.m
location: Caesar’s Superdome in New Orleans
TV: TBS | stream: March Madness Live
- About the tar heels — When legendary North Carolina coach Roy Williams announced his immediate retirement on April 1 of last year, it meant this would be a transitional season for the Tar Heels. In the end, however, UNC’s 2021-22 season will end in familiar surroundings as the program advances to the finals for the 21st time under first-year coach Hubert Davis. As recently as mid-February, it was unclear if North Carolina would even make the NCAA tournament after losing at home to Pittsburgh on Feb. 16 while in the bubble. But UNC bounced back with five straight wins to wrap up the regular season, including a 94-81 win at Duke on March 5. The Tar Heels thrive offensively with a lean rotation with stars like second guard Caleb Love and junior center Armando Bacot and graduate transfer forward Brady Manek each bringing different scoring specialties to the table. Davis may be a first-time head coach, leading the program in his freshman season, but after a decade under Williams and a playing career of his own, he has guided his team to play the best basketball at the right time.
- About the blue devils — Duke’s final season under legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski started with a bang as the Blue Devils defeated Kentucky in a top 10 showdown to open the season. After also defeating Gonzaga, the Blue Devils briefly rose to No. 1 and enjoyed a mostly smooth ride through the ACC game until the end. Then, in Coach K’s last home game, the Blue Devils lost 94-81 to arch-rivals North Carolina and missed a chance to send Krzyzewski to the program’s close arch-rival with a regular-season win. A week later, an 82-67 loss to Virginia Tech in the ACC tournament title game sent the Blue Devils into the big dance with little momentum. But Duke’s young team has grown up in a hurry, and sophomores Jeremy Roach and Mark Williams play key roles to complement freshman phenomena AJ Griffin and Paolo Banchero. Duke excelled offensively in victories over Texas Tech and Arkansas during the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight. So far in this tournament, Krzyzewski has amassed 1,200 career wins, 100 career NCAA tournament wins and passed UCLA legend John Wooden for most Final Four appearances by a coach at 13. Now the only question is whether Duke Krzyzewski can bring a sixth national title.