With the NCAA Tournament down to sixteen teams, let’s look back at how staff writers Jorge Murillo and Sam Fortney did in predicting the outcome of the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four and national championship.
Jorge Murillo’s Final Four:
No. 1 Auburn vs No. 4 Maryland
No. 1 Duke vs No. 2 Tennessee
National Championship:
No. 1 Auburn over No. 1 Duke
Auburn was the best team in the country for much of the year, and its recent losses came against top-four seeds. The Tigers are the number one overall team for a reason, and I expect them to turn it back on again.
Maryland is my dark horse pick to make the Final Four. The Terrapins’ starting five, the Crab Five, is one of the best units in college basketball. I think they will do serious damage in the tournament.
It is expected to be concerned about the Blue Devils’ pre-tournament injuries. However, Duke beat a red-hot Louisville team in the ACC title game without Cooper Flagg. Flagg should be healthy by the time Duke reaches the Sweet Sixteen. Therefore, I do not expect the Blue Devils to have trouble reaching the Final Four.
It can be challenging to trust Tennessee in March, but this is a much different Volunteers team. Like Tennessee squads from previous seasons, this team is still an excellent defensive team. But the difference is that they plugged their offensive holes with the addition of Chaz Lanier. This is the year Tennessee will reach its first Final Four.
Auburn and Duke have been the two best teams this season, but overall experience is key to winning in March. Auburn’s squad is loaded with experience, featuring nine seniors. On the other hand, my concern is that Duke’s squad is too inexperienced. As great as Cooper Flagg is, it is worth noting that only two freshman-dominant teams have won the national championship: 2012 Kentucky and 2015 Duke. Auburn’s experience and well-balanced roster put them over the top for me. I am picking Auburn to cut down the nets this season.
Sam Fortney’s Final Four:
No. 1 Florida vs. No. 9 Creighton
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 8 Gonzaga
National Championship:
No.1 Florida vs No.1 Duke
While they will be the popular picks to make it to the Final Four, Duke and Florida have been nothing short of dominant on both sides of the ball all season long. Duke is led by freshman phenom and potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft Cooper Flagg, with a supporting cast that includes three other five-star recruit freshmen and experienced veterans like guard Tyrese Proctor.
Florida is one of the most well-put-together teams in college basketball. It is led by All-American guard Walter Clayton, as well as other talented players like guards Will Richard and Alijah Martin and big men like Alex Condon. Florida’s depth and size at the forward and big positions make it hard for teams to guard them in the paint and win the rebounding battle, especially with the return of center Micah Handlogten.
Gonzaga and Creighton are the two teams that are my outside picks to make the Final Four. For Gonzaga, the veteran leadership of talented guards like Ryan Nembhard and having a hall-of-fame coach in Mark Few make this team a dangerous threat in the tournament. By all metrics, they are also a team that was vastly underseeded coming into the tournament.
For Creighton, the talented duo of center Ryan Kalkbrenner and guard Steven Ashworth has powered this team to a Big East final and looks to make another Sweet 16 run. Creighton’s efficient three-point shooting and quick ball movement have them set up to be a force to be reckoned with if the team can get hot in the tournament.
