The Duke Blue Devils will take on the Michigan State Spartans tonight in the NCAA Tournament Final Four. The game is scheduled for an 6:05 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on TBS. Currently the odds for the game have Duke set as the favorites to reach the national title game.
Mike Kryzewski and Tom Izzo are living legends, both taking several of their teams to this point in their history. To have this kind of Final Four with Wisconsin and Kentucky on the other side surely makes for a good amount of heavy hitters.
Michigan State has been on a Connecticut from last season type of ride. The Spartans lost in the Big Ten title game to Wisconsin, ended up as a seventh seed in the tournament and now have found their way to the Final Four. Izzo's team has looked very solid on both ends of the court at times this tournament, but they are going to have to play the best game against Duke in order to advance. Both Travis Trice and Denzel Valentine have been a big part of the success. Trice, a senior, has stepped up his game in the tournament and been the go-to scoring threat needed in order to survive and advance. The Spartans have also gotten great play from Branden Dawson and his teammates on the interior as well.
Duke's strength has come from freshman Jahlil Okafor, arguably the best overall player in college basketball this season. He's a dominant force down low and consistently demands a double team, allowing Justice Winslow and the Duke perimeter players to get nice looks and comfortable shots. Winslow has scored double digits in each of the last three Duke tournament games, hitting clutch shots and posting 21 points in a close win over Utah in the Sweet 16.
Both team will look to rebound, a point of quality play by both schools. Duke is full of freshman, Michigan State has some experienced players. But at this point, Duke's freshmen are old enough and have been through enough to be almost veterans themselves. Tyus Jones has been dynamite at the point guard position for the Dukies, helping lead them to victory and a spot in the Final Four.
Duke looks to be the more talented team on paper, and that has to count for something. Despite Michigan State being a seven seed in the tournament, talent-wise they were pretty close to being on par with Virginia, Oklahoma and Louisville. But Duke looks to be on another level with a starting five that is built to contend with Kentucky in the finals.
The Blue Devils win the battle inside, along with knocking down shots from the perimeter in this one.
Free Pick: Duke 72, Michigan State 64
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Teddy Covers & Steve Fezzik Preview The Final 4
Teddy Covers and Steve Fezzik from Pregame.com give a full preview of the upcoming Final 4 in the NCAA Tournament, which will take place on Saturday (04/04/15).
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