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After all the upsets, buzzer-beaters, and tears throughout the last three weeks, four teams have made it to the semifinals. All of them are number one seeds. This is the first time since 2008 that this has happened. Even though a lot of people were looking forward to upsets this year, it was still a great tournament overall. All of the teams in the Final Four deserve the spot they have.
The first team that clinched a spot in the semifinals was the Florida Gators. They are led by superstar point guard Walter Clayton Jr. In fact, he was a key moment in them winning in the Elite Eight.
In the words of Coach Todd Golden, “There’s not another player in America you would rather have right now than Walter Clayton with the ball in his hands in a big-time moment.”
In the final moments of the game against Texas Tech, Clayton hit two three-pointers to continue the Gators’ run in the tournament. They are the second-favorite team to win the tournament, just behind the Duke Blue Devils.
Duke, the second team to earn qualification to the Final Four, beat Alabama to forge their path deeper in the tournament. They have arguably the best roster in the entire NCAA, with the likes of Cooper Kupp, the projected number one pick in the 2025 NBA draft (ESPN), Kon Knuppel, Tyrese Proctor, and Khaman Maluach. Knuppel and Maluach are both projected to go top ten in the NBA draft (ESPN).
They displayed an impressive showing against Alabama, beating them 85-65. Alabama was supposed to be a hot contender for the Blue Devils because they scored a record twenty-five three-pointers against BYU. But Duke simmered them down and made it so that they only scored eight threes that game
The third team punched its way into Houston. They played a dominant game against Tennessee, which has one of the most hyped players in its lineup: Chaz Lanier. But, led by LJ Cryer, Houston beat Tennessee 69-50. According to the NCAA, Houston is considered to have one of the best defenses this competition has ever seen, only letting its opponents score 58.3 points.
The final team to make it past the Elite Eight and into the Final Four is Auburn. They beat Michigan State 64-70, and it was a nail-biting game until the end. Auburn’s star forward, Johni Broome, is widely considered one of the best to play in this tournament, showing his scoring ability and his clever basketball IQ. He is the sole reason Auburn is still in the tournament. But, around halfway through the second half of the Michigan State game, he injured his elbow and had to sit out. This was a very alarming moment in the fans’ eyes. But, Auburn held on until the last second.
The Final Four games are this Saturday, April 5th. Florida vs. Auburn starts at 6:09 pm and is followed by Houston vs. Duke at 8:39 pm. You can watch both games on YouTube TV or Paramount+.