-
Myron MedcalfESPN Staff Writer
After four months of chaos followed by three weeks of surprises -- um, South Carolina is in the Final Four, y'all -- the 2016-17 season will end with the Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, in one week. This is not 2015, when a stacked, undefeated Kentucky squad blazed into Indianapolis with Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker. This is not 2013, when most rightfully assumed the same Louisville squad that lost to Kentucky in the 2012 title game would win the crown that year in Atlanta.
Every team in Glendale is soaring now, but the rocky chapters of their seasons prove they're far from insurmountable.
Without an overwhelming powerhouse among the remaining teams, anything can happen.
And if you don't believe that, ask the Villanova and Duke squads that went home before the Sweet 16. Or the two teams, South Carolina and Gonzaga, in the Final Four for the first time.
This scrappy South Carolina team could win its first national championship. And this skilled Oregon squad could win a title for the first time since 1939 even though it's missing Chris Boucher. North Carolina looks like North Carolina again, which means Roy Williams could grab his third ring. Gonzaga? Mark Few's program can finally eliminate all doubters with a run to the podium on Monday night.
So what are the strengths that could propel these squads to a title -- and what are the weaknesses that might hold them back?
Jordan Bell's versatilityThe Final Four is full of star athletes who can create shots and affect the game with their playmaking abilities. That's, in part, how these teams reached this point. But teams that win the national championship often boast a player who changes the rhythm of a matchup without dominating the ball. That's Jordan Bell, the most versatile player in the Final Four. He's a smart offensive player who collects putbacks, dunks and layups, and he's also one of the most disruptive defenders in the country. His eight blocks against Kansas established an NCAA tournament record for a Pac-12 player. Kansas struggled inside (5-for-19 on contested shots in the paint, per ESPN Stats & Info) because Bell protected the rim. He's a special player who can guard multiple positions. Every remaining team has strong guards, but only Oregon has Bell.
Why Oregon will leave Glendale without a championship: This is when the Ducks will miss Chris Boucher.
During a semifinal win in the Pac-12 tournament, Boucher suffered a season-ending knee injury. The 6-foot-10 forward had averaged 11.8 points per game, 6.1 rebounds per game and 2.5 blocks per game before he tore his ACL. Yet the Ducks have rumbled to the Final Four, their first trip in 78 years. The teams they beat to get here -- Iona, Rhode Island, Michigan and Kansas -- all presented favorable and similar guard-dominated schemes. Oregon's guards can play with any college team in America. But North Carolina's size is a tremendous advantage against Oregon, especially with Boucher out. Gonzaga would be a handful, too. Against Kentucky on Sunday, the Tar Heels won the battle in the post with 34 points in the paint to the Wildcats' 26. So the Ducks will need all the big bodies they can muster. They could suffer from Boucher's absence particularly in the Final Four.
