March Madness Wrap Up: Breaking Down the Final Four Teams

For just the second time in NCAA history, the top teams will all move into college basketball’s biggest stage.

Auburn, Duke, Florida, and Houston have all proven to be the top teams in the tournament this season, and have set the stage for a truly historical championship game.

(Photo by Stew Milne/Getty Images)

While many will blame the transfer portal for the slew of top seeds still battling, there’s no doubt that all four squads have something special.

They each attack their opponents in their own way, which creates a varied field that will certainly lead to an unpredictable outcome.

Who will end up on top is anyone’s guess.

The Auburn Tigers

The first of the four one seeds is perhaps the most likely to go all the way. Auburn is a big, athletic squad who knows how to win at all stages.

They play large on the glass, but also have the ability to run the floor.

That combination of speed and size are why Auburn has gotten so far. They’ve dominated most of the teams they’ve played, and they’ve done it by out-powering them.

Auburn doesn’t get frazzled

They come out strong and use that quick start to grind their opponent right out of the game.

That style of play is a tried and true formula that has carried many teams to the Final Four. However, getting beyond that mark is not guaranteed.

Auburn might have been bigger and stronger than their previous opponents, but that’s certainly not the case now.

All of the remaining teams, including their next opponent, can match them pound for pound

That might not bode well for The Tigers. If they want a ring, they need to tighten up on defense and rely on their three shooting to carry them to the promised land.

The Florida Gators

While Auburn is big, Florida also has a large squad. They dominate the middle, play hard to the glass, and keep opponents off balance with a mix of inside and outside scoring.

They are also lethal from outside, which makes guarding their offensive attack extremely difficult.

They are led by the ever-dynamic Walter Clayton Jr., who has proved he’s the team’s heartbeat during multiple games this season.

He’s extremely clutch, not afraid of the big moment, and knows how to kick off a run

Florida will have their hands full with Auburn’s big men, but they have their own answer in Alex Condon. He’s a large body who moves much quicker and lighter than his size suggests.

He’s going to need to be strong down low if the Gators want to come away with a win.

Out of the four remaining one seeds, Florida is perhaps the most vulnerable

They’ve been down in a lot of their tournament games and been able to battle back in the second half. Against the Tigers, they can’t falter.

They need to strike first, press their advantage, and never stop until the final buzzer.

The Duke Blue Devils

Duke is without a doubt the hottest team in the tournament. They play hard, shoot well, and almost never make mistakes.

That combination, enhanced by their incredibly tough defense, is why they’ve easily taken down every opponent in this year’s tournament.

The Blue Devils have a lot going for them, and they are also led by perhaps the best player in college basketball: Cooper Flagg

The athletic guard knows how to lead, and his whole team is leaning on him going forward.

However, while everyone is focused on Flagg, it’s important to note that Duke can attack their opponents in various ways.

Their big men do a good job of keeping opponents off balance, while guard Kon Knueppel continues to put up huge numbers. His 21 points against Alabama led the team, and showed that Duke isn’t a one man show.

Many thought this team might be too top heavy heading into March

Now, they’ve proven they’re anything but that. Everything’s seemed easy for them so far, but things will definitely get harder in the next round. Still, they should be ready going forward.

The Houston Cougars

If there’s one team that can stop Duke’s forward momentum, it’s Houston. The Cougars are having one of the best years in their school’s history behind some of the best defense a college basketball team can play.

They aren’t just big, athletic, and fast, they are also relentless

While the other three one seeds do a great job of keeping their opponents off balance through their offense, Houston is a pure hustle team that runs their opponents off the floor.

The Cougars don’t hit a ton from outside, nor do they know how to score in huge numbers.

They aren’t a team that wins off of traditional runs, but their size and speed are going to be a tough matchup for the Blue Devils.

Duke might have a lot of the advantages of paper, but they haven’t faced much diversity

If Houston frustrates them and forces them to play their game, it could be the window they need to get back to the championship game.

If looking for March Madness tournament schedules, matchup breakdowns, and expert picks, head to our March Madness section.