SI predicts Kansas, Michigan State, Texas and Villanova as Final Four

• Leonardo

  

  They have Kentucky, Purdue, North Carolina and West Virginia in the Elite Eight.
  
  They have Washington, Connecticut, California, Duke, Tennessee, Butler, Michigan and Ohio State in the Sweet 16.
• milehiiu

  I wonder if they knew if LewJack may be out for the season at Purdue when they predicted that ?
  
  Or that Devin Ebanks has been kicked off the West Virgina bench indefinitely, and his return is in serious doubt right now.
• Phog Allen

  I like the picks. Solid but I don't agree with Nova being in the Final Four again.
  
  IMO I see Kansas, Texas, UK, and Michigan St. as a bit above everyone at having a good shot at the Final Four. Those would be my four favorites of of that group of four I'm very confident Kansas and Texas are the top 2 teams in the nation and will be in Indy at the Final Four. Outside of those two it is a crap shoot though for my picks.
• reclegend22

  

  Duke is getting no love this season by the media, and that's fine. I expected that. With Duke's recent NCAA regional final drought still vivid in everyone's mind, the "demise of Duke" shtick is still hot. Cool. After SI's "Can anyone stop Duke?" front cover in '06, that mag has not been overly high on the Blue Devils. Justified? Perhaps, based on those recent results.
  
  From what I have seen so far -- and it is very early -- Duke is a top five team. Hands down. I don't think it's much of a debate, either. Once Mason Plumlee returns, the Blue Devils will have just as much talent as anyone in the country. When these boys start clicking, Duke will be tough to stop. Best Duke team in years. Since 2004's Final Four club.
  
  Kansas is Kansas, and, despite a close call the other night (to an underrated and overlooked Memphis team), the Jayhawks are still the team to beat early on. With almost everyone back (and all five starters), Kansas is chock-full of experience and talent. And Henry is going to be an all out stud. I know the talent Texas has, but have yet to see the Longhorns play. I guess I will hold my judgement on them until I see 'em.
  
  MSU is overrated, IMO. Let's be honest, Gonzaga is not the Gonzaga we have seen in the past. Gonzaga is obviously a pretty good team, but, still, I find it troubling (not sure that's the right word) that MSU was completely outplayed by the Zags at the Breslin Center. Gonzaga should never have lost that game (which translates into, "Gonzaga should have won"). Not a good sign for #2 Sparty, IMO. Same with UK. Going to have to wait and see a few more games as we progress toward the new year until I can place them in a select group.
  
  Right now, I like Kansas, Villanova (I really do like the Scottie Reynolds-led club), Butler and Duke for the Final Four. Which, I believe, is the same lineup I picked in the preseason Final Four pick thread. I still like it.
• Leonardo

  

  My final four:
  Kansas, Michigan State, Texas and Duke
• GOONx19

  

  Kansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and............. Michigan.
  
  But it's all about match-ups and draws when it comes to March Madness.
• reclegend22

  

  Michigan?
  
  I know Manny is great, but that's a bold pick. I like these types of picks, though.
  
  Last year, I picked Wake Forest as a Final Four team during the summer, when they really weren't on too many peoples' radars. It turned out to be a complete failure pick, but I looked brilliant in December and January.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  Nope. The picks are solid--but that's why this won't be the Final Four. You can't predict the Final Four, especially this early. But they predicted the 4 teams currently ranked 1-4, lol BOLDDDD!! And it won't happen because I doubt if that has ever happened. Does anyone know if 4 of the top 5 preseason ranked teams have ever made up the Final Four? I'm HIGHLY doubting it.