Monday, February 2, 2026

Final Four Contender or Pretender Part 1

 

Arizona – Being the number one seed without question at this point in the season is dead give away that Arizona is going to be a Contender but let’s look at the numbers and be quick about this team.  Number 2 at KenPom with top 5 offense and defense is a great start.  Bart Torvik has them 2 as well.  They are undefeated with a NCAA leading 9 Quad 1 wins.

Verdict: Contender

Michigan – Two easy ones to start.  Arizona sits #2 at KenPom and Torvik while Michigan sits at #1.  They do have a loss to Wisconsin which counts as a Quad 2 at the moment but that’s the only blemish.  And, let’s be honest here, Wisconsin shot the lights out and probably Michigan probably wins that game 9 out of 10 times.  I still don’t trust Elliot Cadeau but that could be my Carolina bias shining through.  I had them in the Final with my pre-season picks and I see no reason to change that.

Verdict: Contender

Nebraska – Two losses in a row never looks good but they did play 2 top 10 teams in Michigan and Illinois.  The metrics for the Cornhuskers are solid with most numbers falling in the top 20.  The lone exception is KP Offense which ranks 26th.  On top of that they don’t get to the free throw line very often, which was evident in the last two losses where they shot a total of 9 free throws.  This is a good story for the mayor but a Final Four run may be asking a bit too much.

Verdict: Pretender

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