Are you excited about the Final Four, but left out in the cold without a team to root for since your beloved squad got bumped? We went ahead and weighed the benefits and downsides to rooting for each of the teams left.
Kansas (31-6) Midwest No. 2 Seed
Road to the Final Four
Remember how the Jayhawks were supposed to get upset by a double-digit seed before they reached the final four? Somehow, that didn't happen like it always does. Three of those teams had a shot: No. 15 Detroit hung around for a while, No. 10 Purdue had the best shot but bungled it away in the final minute, and No. 11 NC State couldn't make the shots to hang on. Then a neutered No. 1 North Carolina got blown away in the second half of the regional final without Kendall Marshall. There is Dr. Jekyll Kansas and there is Mr. Hyde Kansas. The former has a thing for letting Cinderellas walk all over it, the latter plays with an inherent ownership of the game.
History
Like you don't already know. And if you don't, don't worry, a Jayhawk fan will be happy enlighten you on the virtues of Kansas basketball. Dr. James Naismith, Phog Allen, Wilt Chamberlain -- Jayhawks invented the game, and they believe this is their birthright.
Underdog status/Will they get back to the Final Four soon?
That depends on if Bucknell, Bradley, Northern Iowa or VCU make the tournament. Sorry, that was shameless and too easy. The reality: the Jayhawks always have better than a puncher's chance in March. This won't be their last national semifinal.
Best Player
Thomas Robinson is not only one of the most captivating players on the court this season, he's also got a harrowing story off the court. During last season, his grandmother died. Three weeks later, his grandfather died. And most tragically of all, his mother passed away from a heart attack. It was an emotional hammer blow for a homesick star far from his family in Washington, D.C. Now he plays for his much younger sister, Jayla, and is an expected NBA lottery lock this summer. Robinson's a hard one not to root for.
Famous Alumni
Paul Rudd, Rob Riggle, Scott Bakula
The Verdict
If you...are a sucker for the oldest of traditions, an immensely heartwarming subplot, enjoy an occasional (or not-so-occasional) episode of 'Quantum Leap,' and believe Missouri is the scourge of the Earth, Kansas may be for you.
Louisville (30-9) West No. 4 Seed
Road to the Final Four
The first lesson: beware the winner of the Big East Tournament. The Cardinals stormed through a tournament that Syracuse was supposed to win, and then outlasted the Orange to be the last Big East team standing in the tournament. Louisville topped No. 13 Davidson and No. 5 New Mexico by a combined 11 points, then handled No. 1 Michigan State by double digits. Then, in the best regional final of the weekend, Rick Pitino topped his greatest protege, Billy Donovan, as the Cardinals beat Florida.
History
It's the second Final Four of Pitino's tenure at Louisville, which is exactly what the Cardinal faithful hoped would happen when he signed on. But it's been far from smooth sailing, especially in the last two years, with an extortion scandal becoming the prevalent association with Pitino, not winning basketball. But that's OK. The Cardinals have been party crashers for decades, riding the magic of Denny Crum to steal the Kentucky hoops spotlight from the Wildcats more than a few times, and they have a chance to do that again, in the underdog role they've perfected in their home state.
Underdog status/Will they get back to the Final Four soon?
Who knows how much longer Pitino will coach, but it's clear as long as he's at the helm, his teams will be able to harness a little magic from time-to-time. That reality aside, if you enjoy watching a unanimous favorite meet its demise at the hands of its most hated and antagonistic rival, the Cardinals are in prime to position to make you smile.
Best Player
This is tough because Louisville has thrived while not having a standout star. Do you go with the driving force that is Peyton Siva, even though he's sometimes the most mercurial player on the floor? Or do you go safer and more logical with Kyle Kuric and Chane Behanan, the only Cardinals to earn all-Big East accolades? Truth is, they all have to work together to succeed, and they're on their best run together of the season.
Famous Alumni
Wes Unseld, Diane Sawyer (did not finish law school), Mitch McConnell
The Verdict
If you…like the plucky underdog, coaching revivals, hate the Kentucky Wildcats with the fire of a thousand suns, and enjoy your news read by a lady, Louisville is your kind of team.
Ohio State (31-7) East No. 2 Seed
Road to the Final Four
The Buckeyes have emerged fairly unscathed thus far. Running through their first three games while barely breaking a sweat, they found themselves up against No. 1 Syracuse in the Elite Eight. They caught a nice break there as well, with the 'Cuse missing star center Fab Melo. Since they are THE Ohio State University, they won by seven and now find themselves in the Final Four. The Buckeyes are the last remaining team from the Big Ten, considered by many analysts as the best conference in the nation (if you love the combined score to hover below 85).
History
Slim. Won the national championship in 1960. Made two more Final Fours in the '60's, then took a long hiatus until 1999 (which was later vacated due to eligibility issues). Went dormant again until Greg Oden and crew showed up in 2007, where they lost the title game to Florida. They Buckeyes have had a nice run with big men. Evan Turner followed Oden and current BMOC Jared Sullinger anchors the ship now.
Underdog/Will they get back to the Final Four soon?
Tough to say. Sullinger is gone in a matter of days, and he will be tough to replace. But Thad Matta has proven that he can recruit and build relentless winners, so we might be seeing the Buckeyes around for the next couple of years.
Best Player
The aforementioned Sullinger. Could have easily left last year and been a lottery pick. Averaged 17/9 this year, he is one of the dominant big men in the game. Seems like a nice guy too, if that kind of thing matters to you. He missed the earlier game against the Jayhawks this year with back spasms, so he should be up for this one.
Famous Alumni
George Steinbrenner, Lil Jon, R.L. Stine (Who didn't love Goosebumps?)
The Verdict
If you...are sickened at the mention of Michigan, loved to be scared as a kid (seriously ... Goosebumps was awesome), and miss the days when Greg Oden actually played basketball, then get behind the Buckeyes.
Kentucky (36-2) East No. 1 Seed
Road to the Final Four
Cakewalk. The Wildcats have rolled this season. Their only real loss was the buzzer-beater to Indiana. We're not going to count the loss to Vanderbilt in the SEC Tourney, since it was meaningless to them at that point. (Somewhere, a Commodore seethes!) They haven't really seen a test in the tourney either. Their smallest margin of victory is 12, and even that game wasn't that close.
History
Rich and compelling ... don't act like you're not impressed. Seven national titles should tell you all you need to know. Four of those belong to the legendary Adolph Rupp. They have won 2,052 games, which makes them the winningest program in Division I history. So, yeah, they have a nice back story.
Underdog/Will they get back soon
Definitely not the underdog, and should be back to the final four in due time, unless they end up with the Calipari curse and vacate whole seasons of wins and scholarships. Ask UMass. And Memphis. Coach Cal doesn't have the cleanest of records, fair or not.
Best Players
Anthony Davis. This kid is a physical anomaly. The 6-foot-10 freshman has a 7-foot-3 wingspan and dominates in the paint. He finished second in the nation with 4.8 blocks per game, and won a slew of awards including Freshman of the Year, SEC Player of the Year and First Team All-American. He also has a really sweet unibrow, so you gotta give him points for that.
Famous Alumni
Ashley Judd (does she go to many games?), Mitch McConnell (flip-flopper!), Brandon Webb
The Verdict
If you...enjoy being the powerhouse frontrunner, appreciate a deep history (and a striking unibrow), and loved 'Double Jeopardy,' root for Kentucky.
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