Final Four Preview: Loyola-Chicago vs. Michigan

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Loyola-Chicago Ramblers, South Region No. 11 Seed

Cinderella has crashed the ball in spectacular fashion in 2018. With Sister Jean in their corner, the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers appear to have gained divine intervention, becoming just the fourth No. 11 seed to ever make the Final Four. After a series of heart-pounding games decided in the final seconds, the upstart Ramblers stomped the Kansas State Wildcats en route to their first Final Four since 1963. Loyola-Chicago is riding a 14-game winning streak heading into the National Semifinal.

Backcourt: The Ramblers have multiple ballhandlers and multiple three-point shooters in their almost positionless lineup. Clayton Custer is the team's leading scorer and disher, and was the Missouri Valley Player of the Year. However, Loyola's top four scorers are all 6-foot-6 and under. Donte Ingram, who hit the game-winning trey versus Miami in the tourney opener, is the leading rebounder for the Ramblers but shoots over five three-pointers per contest. 6-4 junior swingman Marques Townes hit the side-step three to seal the win over Nevada, and Ben Richardson comes off the bench to catalyze the second unit. Richardson and Custer have been playing ball together since primary school; suffice to say, there is some chemistry in the backcourt. The Ramblers have shot over 52 percent from the floor as a team this season, and are in the upper echelon of college basketball in assists per contest.

Frontcourt: Cameron Trautwig is the only true big man that receives meaningful minutes on the front line for the Ramblers. Trautwig is more of a complementary piece, though he also averages double figures in points and is second on the squad in rebounding. He's a space eater down low, and that is meant in the most positive way possible. Aundre Jackson is technically listed as a forward but stands at just 6-foot-5. The Ramblers are an underwhelming rebounding team due to their lack of height; however, Michigan is lacking in the rebounding area as well.

X-Factor: Clutch shooting. The offensive execution of the Ramblers down the stretch of games in the NCAA Tournament has been exceptional. Sure, the Ramblers blew out Kansas State in the regional final, but they won the previous three games by a total of four points. Unless you've been living under a rock, you've seen Donte Ingram's three-point Hail Mary to beat Miami, Clayton Custer's heavenly bounce to defeat the Vols, and the angelic three-pointer from Marques Townes to slay the Wildcats. The Ramblers were trailing in all three of those games in the last 10 seconds, and yet somehow, they won them all. Do the Gods favor Loyola-Chicago? Sister Jean's prayers have certainly been answered thus far in March.

Who They Beat to Get Here:

Miami, 64-62
Tennessee, 63-62
Nevada, 69-68
Kansas State, 78-62

They'll Win If: They continue to share the basketball. The Ramblers were among the more efficient teams on offense during the regular season, at least in terms of field goal percentage. They have a multitude of players that can hit clutch shots (Donte Ingram, Clayton Custer and Marques Townes all game-winning buckets in this tourney as alluded to above). The Ramblers tallied at least 15 assists in every tournament game, and that team concept with multiple players able to facilitate will be key against Michigan. The Wolverines are one of the top defensive teams in the nation, allowing just 63.1 points per game. The Ramblers must find easy baskets.

--Jessie Siegel

Michigan Wolverines, West Region No. 3 Seed

Two teams from the upper Midwest make their way to San Antonio. The Wolverines are a modest surprise to come out of the West, although they were the higher seed in each of their wins. They beat the 14, six, seven, and nine seeds on their way to the Final Four. Michigan will once again be the higher seed against the biggest surprise of the tournament.

Backcourt: It might said that all of Michigan's players – independent of height – play like guards. Even the forwards are perimeter based, but they play in the paint on defense. Charles Matthews is the leading scorer in the backcourt, but does most of his damage within the arc. The Kentucky transfer is converted just 32.0 percent of his 3-pointers and is converting just 20 percent of his long-range shots in the NCAA Tournament. Muhammed-Ali Abdur-Rahkman and Zavier Simpson share point guard duties and combine for 7.0 assists. Abdur-Rahkman scored 24 points in the blowout win over Texas A&M in the Sweet 16. Jordan Poole is a 6-4 freshman who hit the game-winner over Houston in the second round.

Frontcourt: Moritz Wagner and Duncan Robinson are the team's best 3-point shooters. The 6-11 Wagner is the team's leading scorer and has provided 15.0 points in the last three games. He had a rough game from long range against the Seminoles and missed all seven of his 3-pointers. He is bound to bounce back against the Ramblers. Robinson has hit 41.2 percent of his 3-pointers in the NCAA Tournament and the Wolverines have not lost when he scores at least six points (although that may have been more of a coincidence rather than causation).

X-Factor: Michigan's defense is excellent. Florida State simply couldn't find open shots and hit just 31.4 percent of their field goals. That was not an aberration. The Wolverines rotate beautifully and make up for what they lack in size by playing together. In the tournament, Michigan has allowed just 59.0 points and only Texas A&M has shot better than 37.0 percent from the field (and the Aggies were blown out from the beginning). According to KenPom, coach Jon Beilein has coached his team to the third most efficient defense.

Who They Beat To Get Here:

Montana, 61-47
Houston, 64-63
Texas A&M, 99-72
Florida State, 58-54

They'll win if: They hit the big shots at the end of the game. Both the Ramblers and Wolverines are going to prize each possession and put pressure on the opponent's defense by playing patiently. This game seems unlikely to be a blowout by either team and the winner might not reach the 60s. Robinson will have to score at least six points and the team will have to hit its open shots (unlike against Florida State).

--Perry Missner

PREDICTIONS:

Jesse: The past three times the No. 11 seed has made the Final Four, they've lost in the National Semifinal. This is (Clayton) Custer's last stand. The Ramblers will live in history with the VCU's and George Mason's of recent memory, but their run ends here. The Wolverines have shown they can play in low-scoring affairs, high-scoring shootouts, and even pull out some buzzer-beating magic of their own. The Ramblers have not seen a versatile, talented big man like Moritz Wagner, who will be the difference maker for Michigan. The worst sign for Loyola is that Michigan shot 4-for-22 from three-point land versus Florida State, and still pulled out the victory. In what is likely to be a low-scoring matchup, the Cinderella story finally ends for darling Sister Jean and Loyola-Chicago.

Perry: Loyola-Chicago is a solid team, but it might have played a little over its head in winning its first three games by a combined four points. The Ramblers were a little lucky. There does not seem to be much luck in Michigan's performance. Other than the blowout win over Texas A&M in which nearly all of their 3-pointers dropped through the net, the Wolverines have showed off an incredible halfcourt defense that simply does not allow open shots. They are comfortable winning a low-scoring game and will move on to the final for the first time since 2013.