Elite 8 Is Set, Now Who Will Be In Houston

When the brackets were set almost two weeks ago it seemed like these match ups were not necessarily inevitable, Connecticut versus Arizona, and Butler taking on Florida. Four different seeds, no number one seeds, with two of the four not even supposed to have made it to this weekend, if you go by those seedings. Then there was the storyline of Kyrie Irving coming back unexpectedly for the top seed Duke, Connecticut had just played five games in five days against the toughest competition a conference could have this year, and Butler coming in as more of an underdog than even last year's team. Here we are though, and you would assume at this point that we are going to have two great games, in a tournament that has been filled with games coming down to the last possession.

8Butler vs. 2Florida

Butler is at it again, Brad Stevens has led them back into the Elite Eight, and one game away from a completely unexpected back-to-back trips to the Final Four. Florida has a coach that has been there, three times, and won before, twice. As is the case most of the time Butler will not have the athletes that the other team will have, or even the talent according to some, but at this point is it not stupid to go in assuming they are not going to hang? They may get blown out, but it has reached the point where believing that will happen is not the prediction to walk in with.

When you look at the teams there are advantages that Florida will have, especially when you look down low. Matt Howard has seen the power conferences big front lines and has delivered already this tournament, but Florida will have the advantage, again, and he will have to prove himself up against it, again. Vernon Macklin, Alex Tyus, and Patric Young are all bigger and more athletic than Howard. They will have the numbers on their side, though Andrew Smith will be giving Howard all the help he can, and maybe the Gators will not find the advantage they expect.

On the perimeter you might look to Butler as having the advantage, with Shelvin Mack and Ronald Nored having experience and roles that they know and embrace. Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton have some experience themselves, and are both as confident as they come. Nored is a great college defender though, given the referees allow him to get away with the holds that he has seemingly gotten away with most of his career, and he may be able to shut down the ultra quick Walker. Mack should be able to rise and fire from the outside no matter which of the guards he sees across from him with the ball in his hands.

When the dust settles though, the superior athleticism of Tyus might prove to finally be too much for Howard, and though Walker may have trouble with Nored on him, Boynton should be able to score on Mack well enough. The match up that will win the game for Florida though is Chandler Parsons going up against Shawn Vanzant. Vanzant is another talented defender, but Parsons seems to be dialed in this tournament, and has such a height advantage on Vanzant that it will cause him problems. Then if Butler were to switch Khyle Marshall onto Parsons he will again have the height, and then the ability to take him off the bounce. Parsons will be the key to a Florida victory.

Florida 67 Butler 60

5Arizona vs. 3Connecticut

Connecticut is on a run that some may say will catch up to them with fatigue, but those that are fans of theirs will say it is a momentum that will not be stopped. Kemba Walker is on a roll that surpasses what he did back in Maui that thrust him to the top of the Player of the Year talk after the first real week of basketball. The young Huskies have grown up a bit through the rugged Big East, and now have more to their name than just Kemba.

Arizona has their own superstar to speak of though, as Derrick Williams put on a performance, especially in the first half keeping his team close, against Duke that put him into the conversation for player of the tournament so far. Arizona though, like Connecticut, is not just a one man show anymore, the supporting cast has really begun to step up, and take charge, and is a main reason that we have this match up. High school teammate, and friend to Kemba, Lamont Jones is ready to step up and say who is the top New York City point guard.

Williams will be sure to have the advantage on his match up against Connecticut, with either the quickness over Alex Oriakhi, or the strength over Roscoe Smith, and both on Charles Okwandu and Tyler Olander. Either way he is a mismatch for the Huskies in a one-on-one situation, so they will have to help a lot on him, meaning this surging supporting cast will have to step into the right spots and convert on their opportunities given to them from the double teams. The question will also be if Kemba will guard Jones, or they put freshman Shabazz Napier on him, because either one can guard him. Kemba would be a better cover, but it might take that much more out of him having to guard Jones on the defensive end.

Kemba will have the advantage on his offensive end, as he usually does, and will draw the help much like Williams will for the Wildcats. It is up to guys like Napier and Jeremy Lamb to be ready to step into their shots and make Arizona pay for sagging off of them.

I think Smith and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel will have a chance to slow Williams down, just because in that match up Williams would be better off down low, where Oriakhi will be able to come over for the help. Kemba has seemed unstoppable and there is no reason to think that will stop, and he should have a big game. Both of these teams want to get out and run, and they both have a similar array of athletes, so this should be quite a close and exciting game. Lamb should prove to be the difference though, as he has been lately in games against Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Louisville, and San Diego St. Jim Calhoun and his success out west should continue.

Connecticut 84 Arizona 78