Final Four Predictions: Louisville + Michigan to Meet in Final

The storylines are a plenty.  Some of the players?  NBA worthy.  Two of the coaches?  Hall of Fame worthy, one already in, one will be in shortly.  So away we go.  Two match-ups in Atlanta.  Who wins?

Syracuse-Michigan.  This is the first time two 4-seeds have met in the NCAA Tournament.  But the coaches are the story.  Jim Boeheim, with nearly four decades in coaching, all at SU, has faced it all the last few years.  Injuries, sanction rumors and retirement rumors.   John Beilein is the All-American coaching dream.  Erie Community College to Lemoyne to Canisius to Richmond to West Virginia to Michigan.  Take Michigan.  Their guards are too good and can break that zone.  Burke and Hardaway Jr.  77-72 Wolverines.

Wichita State.  Who?  This has 2006 George Mason written all over it.  But Cinderella's slipper fits until your foot grows again.  And the foot has stopped growing.  Because Louisville is too good.  They are better and deeper and faster and longer than everyone in the country.  The defense breaks opponents down and it makes any team with any style feel uncomfortable.  And the coach, Rick Pitino, should be in the Hall of Fame soon.  And the Cards want to win for hometown kid Kevin Ware, injured against Duke.  84-70 UL.

-By Mike Lindsley.  Follow @1045theteam on Twitter for more on Mike.