NCAAM teams
Jay BilasJeff Goodman 10y

Updated Final Four predictions

Insider Men's College Basketball, Kansas Jayhawks, Michigan State Spartans, Arizona Wildcats, Syracuse Orange, Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals

Each week during the college basketball season, ESPN Insiders Jay Bilas and Jeff Goodman will weigh in on the biggest questions of the sport.

The discussion: If you had to give your Final Four picks as of today, which four would you take?

Jay Bilas: In October, I had Duke, Michigan State, Kentucky and Louisville in my Final Four. Now, having seen everybody play 20 games or so, I would go with Arizona, Michigan State, Kansas and Syracuse. I would have Duke and Wichita State (both potential No. 1 seeds) as the next teams in that group. Michigan State is 19-2 and hasn't been healthy yet, and I am projecting the Spartans to be healthy heading into March. Arizona is the best team and has a tough-minded group that can meet challenges, especially on the road. Kansas is getting better by the week. Even with all of the criticism and the recent attention on Joel Embiid (all of it deserved), Andrew Wiggins keeps getting better, too. Despite some shaky perimeter shooting, at the end of the season, the Jayhawks can still be as good as anyone.

Syracuse is an outstanding team at both ends of the floor, but it has stayed unbeaten more because of its poise at the end of games. The Orange, like the Blue Devils, must stay healthy going down the stretch. Syracuse cannot afford to lose to anyone. The one team that I struggled with putting in there is Wichita State. The Shockers do not just have a goal, they seem to have a mission. Just going by personnel, I favor five teams ahead of Wichita State. On toughness and grit alone, I favor none above the Shockers. It wouldn't be a shock to see them in Dallas.

^ Back to Top ^