Way Too Early Final Four

Men's college basketball has arrived and it is time to look at who in the preseason looks the part to make it to San Antonio, Texas.

Kansas (1) is a perennial powerhouse and has the depth, coaching, and experience required for a Final Four run this season. Led by the best coach in college basketball Bill Self, Kansas is positioned perfectly for March and…April.

• Why Kansas? Kansas returns Hunter Dickinson, one of the top players in the country, who provides an interior presence that few teams can match. Coupled with returning key starters/transfers like Dajuan Harris Jr, KJ Adams Jr, Rylan Griffen, Zeke Mayo, Shakeel Moore, and AJ Storr, Kansas has the balance of scoring, experience, and defense necessary for a championship run.

• Why Not Kansas? Kansas has arguably the most talented roster in the country as they are loaded with guard talent. However, I believe there season is contingent on Hunter Dickinson staying healthy and on the court. Outside of Hunter, Kansas has only one other player on their roster that can play center in freshman Flory Bidunga (6’9 220). Although he is talented, his talent is raw as he is young. Kansas has a thin frontline. This could end up preventing them from making a Final Four if depth and match ups catch up to them.

Iowa State (2) has steadily risen under head coach T.J. Otzelberger, who has transformed the program into a defensive juggernaut. Cyclone nation your time is now.

• Why Iowa State? Tamin Lipsey is a star and it is about time the national media started covering him. He is everything that is right with college basketball and is the steady and relentless leader that people in Ames, Iowa have come to love and embrace. If the stars align, he will be on an All American team this year. Iowa State is known for its suffocating defense, ranking near the top in defensive efficiency. Their ability to control the pace of games, force turnovers, and limit opponent scoring makes them a nightmare matchup. With a combination of defensive-minded players and shooters, Iowa State has the flexibility to win games in different ways. Their physicality and toughness will help them survive the chaos of the NCAA tournament. THEY CREATE THE CHAOS. 

• Why Not Iowa State? Iowa State fans you know where I am going with this. It has been 80 years since Iowa State last reached a Final Four in 1944. That is not a typo. The Cyclones need to overcome history and cement themselves as a program that has officially arrived under the guidance of Otzelberger. Every Batman needs a Robin right? While the Cyclones have Lipsey, they will need a second scorer/playmaker to rise in either Keshon Gilbert or Milan Momcilovic. If neither are able to do so, the Cyclones chances of breaking through might end in agony again.

Gonzaga (3) is again primed for a deep tournament run. Head coach Mark Few has crafted one of the most consistent programs in the country, and this year’s squad is particularly dangerous.

• Why Gonzaga? Gonzaga will have the most efficient offense in the country. Led by the head of the snake, Ryan Nembhard runs the show on a team that also features Graham Ike, Nolan Hickman, Michael Ajayi and more. They also look to see jumps from rising sophomores Dusty Stromer and Braden Huff. Oh, they also bring in Khalif Battle from the portal (30 PPG over final 7 games last year). Gonzaga is loaded with versatility and return nearly everyone from last year. You blink and they will score 100.

• Why not Gonzaga? Gonzaga lost all 7 of its games last season when it scored under 80 points. They averaged nearly 85 PPG and were the most efficient offense in the country. The issue for the Zags were when they ran into teams who ran lots of sets and liked to play in the half court. Sure, you could say that Gonzaga simply needs to score more but it is deeper than that. Gonzaga needs to learn how to win those grind it out games this year or they will fall short once again.

Auburn (4) was a bit of a surprise team last year starting the season unranked and climbing into the Top 10 quickly. Outside of Johni Broome, Bruce Pearl didn't know what he had so the Tigers went with a deep rotation much of the year. This year? Pearl knows exactly what he has and that is a championship level roster.

• Why Auburn? The Tigers return 6 of their core players including consensus preseason All American Johni Broome. Chad Baker-Mazars and Denver Jones will look to take major leaps in year 2 under the Pearl system. The Tigers also bring in dynamic combo guard JP Pegues (18 PPG) from Furman. This coupled with impact freshmen Tahaad Pettiford and Jahki Howard joining the fold have the Tigers primed for a deep March Madness run.

• Why not Auburn? Although Auburn has another capable center behind Broome, there is not much beyond that size wise. The Tigers will use versatile forwards on their team to fill minutes at the 4 and 5 spot. Cardwell (back up center) will need to continue to play his role well. Auburn's season ended abruptly with their surprise exit to Yale. These types of losses can really mess teams up mentally. It will be critical that they don't let last seasons blunder get to their heads come March.

WAITING ROOM: Houston, Arkansas, UCONN, Alabama

SLEEPERS: Xavier, Wake Forest