Sixty eight teams began the tournament with a chance at a title, and only four remain. With each program rich with history and success, this year’s final four may prove one for the ages. Kentucky remains the overwhelming favorite as they were all season. However, I am an optimistic guy and The Chant is an optimistic newspaper, so here is the case for all four.

The Case For Michigan State: Tom Izzo did it again. With one of his lower-seeded, less talented teams, Izzo’s Spartans were not projected to advance far in the Big Dance. However, Travis Trice and Branden Dawson lead Sparty to upset victories over Oklahoma, Virginia, and Louisville to earn them a rematch with Duke in the semi-finals. Michigan State fell to the Blue Devils in November, but this team grew leaps and bounds since early winter. Although the month changed to April, this is still March Madness and the calendars in Indy read January, February, Izzo…

The Case For Duke: Jahil Okafor, an NBA lottery lock and the Blue Devils’ unquestioned leader, played relatively down to his standards in Duke’s Sweet 16 and Elite Eight wins as he scored only six and nine points, respectively. But Okafor is poised for a huge final four performance and his supporting cast will continue to contribute. Duke’s shooting percentage ranks top five in the nation and highest among the remaining four teams. Coach K, Okafor and the rest of this Duke squad possess all the tools to outlast Kentucky in the championship and shock the world.

The Case For Wisconsin: The 35-3 Badgers return to the Final Four for the second straight year and third time in school history. Seven footer Frank Kaminsky, a Wooden Award candidate, can shoot from three-point range as well as perform down low and will undoubtedly cause problems for Kentucky. If Sam Dekker continues to knock down three-pointers like he did against Arizona in the elite eight, the Badgers will avenge last year’s disappointment.

The Case For Kentucky: With perfection in sight, Kentucky must remain focused to complete their historic run. With a roster loaded with future NBA players, Kentucky is by far the most talented team in the country. Big men Willie Cauley-Stein and Karl-Anthony Towns physically dominate the paint while Devin Booker and Tyler Ulis light it up from the three-point line. John Calipari built his deepest team yet as no player averages more than 11 points or plays over 30 minutes a game. The country expects a Kentucky championship, and with a talented roster such as this, stopping them appears to be a near-impossible task.