SLAM Final Four Picks

We prep you for March Madness with some predictions.

We’re a few hours from weeks of college basketball madness, as the the field of 64 is set and teams are ready to duke it out for the right to call themselves National Champions. A lot has gone down over the last week and it’s damn near impossible to get caught up with every team. But don’t fret, the SLAM fam has you covered.

Anthony Davis and Co. are the heavy favorites, but plenty of teams are vying for their spot at the top of the college basketball world. Will the Wildcats get it done? Or, is an under-the-radar team gearing up to crash the party and captivate the sports world? Nobody knows for sure, and that’s the beauty of it all.

For the next two and a half weeks, the NCAA Tournament will dominate conversation. People will be enthralled by upsets, beguiled by the masses, win and lose copious amounts of money and witness unbelievable feats of athleticism. Players and teams will take the country by storm and the squad that takes home the gold will be forever remembered by fans and alumni as legends.

One thing is for sure: it’s gonna be a helluva ride. Here’s a collection of predictions, courtesy of SLAM’s own editors and writers.

Ben Osborne, Editor-in-Chief
Final Four: Kentucky, Michigan State, Ohio State, North Carolina
Finals: Kentucky-North Carolina
Champs: Kentucky
Why? Kentucky has the best players, my favorite competitor in the country (Michael Kidd-Gilchrist) and a coach who deserves the title before he goes back to the NBA. I have high hope for a fun, high-profile Final Four since it’s in New Orleans and the Big Easy rarely disappoints at this time of year. Kentucky over UNC in a classic would seem to fit the bill. See you there!

Susan Price, Managing Editor
Final Four: Kentucky, Wisconsin, Missouri, North Carolina
Finals: Kentucky-North Carolina
Champs: Kentucky
Why? It’s been 14 years since Kentucky has won it all, so they’re due, and I think Anthony Davis and his awesome eyebrows (KU’s real Sixth Man) will be the reason why they get it done.

Tzvi Twersky, Senior Editor
Final Four: Kentucky, Michigan State, Florida State, Kansas
Finals: Kentucky-Kansas
Winner: Kentucky
Why? I really have no idea who will advance to the Final Four. I am pretty sure, however, that this is the year Coach Cal finally gets it done.

Ryne Nelson, Online Editor
Final Four: Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio State, North Carolina
Finals: Kentucky-North Carolina
Champs: Kentucky
Why?: Kentucky returns to the Tournament with a vengeance. With the reigning NCAA POY and an experienced supporting cast, Coach Cal has the tools to win his first Tournament. Syracuse’s shot at challenging UK went out the window with Fab Melo’s ineligibility.

Lang Whitaker, Editor-At-Large
Final Four: Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio State, North Carolina
Finals: Kentucky-North Carolina
Champ: Kentucky
Why? I don’t know jack about college basketball. I rarely have a chance to watch it, because the NBA always trumps it on my schedule. The only game I’ve watched in full the last few years was the UNC/Duke game when Austin Rivers hit the game-winner, and I only watched that entire game because I happened to actually be there. Despite, or perhaps because of, my collegiate hoops miseducation, I’m picking Kentucky because they seem like they have a lot of really good NBA-ready players. And I know Calipari has never won the big one, so maybe this is his year. Or not. Who knows? I don’t. When do the NBA Playoffs start?

Adam Figman, Associate Editor
Final Four: Kentucky, Missouri, Florida State, North Carolina
Finals: Kentucky-North Carolina
Champs: Kentucky
Why? Because every time I watch Kentucky and/or UNC, I find myself (probably not-so) randomly thinking they look like inevitable National Championship contenders with all of the necessary tools: leadership, depth, height, coaching, etc. I’ll go with UK to take it, because it’s gotta happen for Coach Cal eventually, right? Now seems like a decent time, what with their insane collection of talent and all.

Franklyn Calle, Assistant Editor/PUNKS Editor
Final Four: Kentucky, Louisville, Florida State, North Carolina 
Finals: Kentucky-North Carolina
Champ: Kentucky
Why? The Wildcats just have too much talent for any team to really match. Although they count on freshmen, such as Anthony Davis, Mike Kidd-Gilchrist and Marquis Teague, they also have returning players Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb to add experience to the roster.

Abe Schwadron, Editorial Assistant
Final Four: Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio State, Kansas
Finals: Kentucky-Kansas
Champs: Kansas
Why? Because Thomas Robinson is a stud, because John Calipari-coached teams are prone to mental meltdowns, because no one else is picking Kansas and because I like to live dangerously.

Peter Walsh, Intern
Final Four: UNLV, Michigan State, Ohio State, Kansas
Finals: Michigan State-Kansas
Champs: Michigan State
Why? Michigan State and Kansas are both battle-tested, senior-laden, and above all, talented teams. Plus, both teams have coaches with championship pedigrees who know how to get it done in March. Every time Michigan State has been a number one or two seed under Tom Izzo, they have reached the Final Four and that’s a tough stat to bet against. Sparty will cut down the nets in NOLA and complete a season that saw them go from unranked to National Champions.

Eldon Khorshidi, Intern 
Final Four: Kentucky, Florida, Vanderbilt, North Carolina
Finals: Kentucky-North Carolina
Champs: Kentucky
Why? I’m kind of bummed that Kentucky, Baylor and Xavier are in the same region because I had all three (along with North Carolina) in my original Final Four. So considering the bracket that is, I think Kentucky will make it to the Final Four based off sheer talent, length and ability. In the West, I think Florida is severely overlooked—they have crazy firepower from outdoors with Walker, Boynton and Beal, and Young is a tough cover inside. I took UNC because they have more talent than any other team in their region, and went with Vandy because they start four seniors and one junior. In the end, though, John Calipari will get his first NCAA Title, beating North Carolina for the second time this season.

Yaron Weitzman, Intern
Final Four: Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio State, North Carolina
Finals: Kentucky-North Carolina
Champs: North Carolina
Why? I’d say Kentucky and North Carolina are the two most talented teams in the country. But why UNC over the Wildcats? In one game, I’ll take Roy Williams over John Calipari.

Ed The Sports Fan, Contributor
Final Four: Kentucky, Michigan State, Florida State, Kansas
Finals: Michigan State-Kansas
Champs: Michigan State
Why? Three reasons. One, I don’t believe in elite teams running zone, thus I have Syracuse bowing out to Florida State in the Elite 8. Two, a more seasoned and cagey Sparty gets revenge over Kentucky, thus getting to the final. Three, I believe in the Dancing Bear and the internet phenom that is #DraymondGreen. Draymond will prove that he is the best college big man in America. Sparty 67, Jayhawks 60.

Cub Buenning, Contributor
Final Four: Kentucky, Missouri, Vanderbilt, Kansas
Finals: Kentucky-Kansas
Champs: Kentucky
Why? Vanderbilt is loaded with experience; Kansas can be dominate when 7-footer Jeff Whithey shows up and Missouri has the best collection of guards in the country, but Kentucky is far and away the class of this tournament. The distance between the Wildcats and the next set of teams is quite substantial. Are they beatable? Of course. But, when Terrance Jones is playing like the one from a year ago, the ‘Cats are the easy choice to get six straight wins.

David Cassilo, Contributor
Final Four: Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio St, North Carolina
Finals: Kentucky-North Carolina
Champs: Kentucky
Why? Anthony Davis is the biggest difference maker in the country. Almost every shot the opponent takes inside the perimeter is changed because of him. Davis and the rest of the Kentucky defense will propel this team to a title.