The NCAA men’s tournament is down to the final four teams, set to compete in San Antonio for this year’s national championship. For just the second time, all four No. 1 seeds have made it to the national semifinals, shaping up an exciting showdown between Auburn and Florida, followed by Duke taking on Houston. Each team brings a mix of top coaching talent and star players.
Auburn, led by coach Bruce Pearl and standout Johni Broome, will face off against Florida, who relies on guard Walter Clayton to lead them. Duke, with freshman Cooper Flagg and coach Jon Scheyer, will go up against Houston, coached by Kelvin Sampson, in their quest for a first national title.
Experts weigh in on the matchups:
Florida vs. Auburn
Jordan Mendoza predicts a close game with Florida edging out Auburn, relying on Walter Clayton’s clutch performance.
Paul Myerberg highlights Auburn’s experience and maturity, but predicts Florida’s depth and 3-point shooting to be crucial for their win.
Erick Smith sees Auburn’s maturity giving them the edge over Florida in a tight matchup.
Eddie Timanus sticks with his pick of Florida as the winner despite Auburn’s strong presence.
Blake Toppmeyer emphasizes Walter Clayton Jr.’s impact on the game and predicts a solid win for Florida.
Duke vs. Houston
Jordan Mendoza anticipates a close battle, with Houston’s defense proving vital in their narrow victory over Duke.
Paul Myerberg expects Houston to challenge Duke on the offensive end, potentially slowing down the game and making it a tough matchup.
The game is shaping up to be an intense clash between two powerhouse teams vying for a spot in the national championship game.
Duke is playing too well to be stopped now, and Houston will struggle to keep up with them. While Houston may have an edge in experience, Duke’s dynamic players, led by Cooper Flagg, are likely to make the difference in this matchup. Duke is predicted to come out on top with a score of 71-58. On the other hand, the potential for a higher-scoring game favors the Blue Devils, as they are expected to outscore Houston 70-66, according to Erick Smith’s prediction. Eddie Timanus also believes that Duke’s offensive capabilities will give them the upper hand, predicting a score of 84-75 in favor of Duke. However, Blake Toppmeyer emphasizes Houston’s strong defense and depth in scoring options, leading him to predict a close victory for Houston with a score of 75-71.
