And we are into the Final Four and Championship. A 1-seed, 2-seed, and a pair of 3-seeds survived their regions to make it to the semifinals. But who’s taking home the prestigious Observer-voted National Championship? Let’s find out.
No. 1 Kansas def. No. 2 Florida State 83-72
Florida State was named the ACC champion based on its regular-season title, and they’ve been a top 10 team all season, but Kansas was quite simply the most consistent team all year. In a season full of crazy upsets and shocking results, the Jayhawks never suffered any stunning defeat, and consistency will usually pull through in March. Kansas was a unanimous pick in this game, and they moved on to the National Championship.
No. 3 Michigan State def. No. 3 Seton Hall 77-70The preseason No.1, after a season of ups and downs, has ended up where they hoped to be in the fall. Xavier Tillman locks down Myles Powell, Cassius Winston hits a few clutch threes and the Spartans charge on to the National Championship, where they will attempt to unseat Kansas.
National Championship
No. 3 Michigan State def. No. 1 Kansas 87-84 (Overtime)
As this was a virtual tournament, we will never get to see this absolute classic of a National Championship, but it was a tightly contested bout. Our voters were virtually split on this game, as Michigan State’s shooting and potential clashed against Kansas’s talent and consistency. Ultimately, the Spartans received one more vote than the Jayhawks, as Xavier Tillman locked down Udoka Azubuike inside, and Michigan State did enough to counter a strong shooting performance by Devon Dotson. Winston and the Spartans are your 2020 (virtual) National Champions.
