Monday's question of the day: Who do you expect to see in the NCAA basketball title game?
Reporters from around the Tribune family tackle the question of the day, then you get a chance to chime in and tell them why they are wrong.
David Teel, Newport News
Since picking chalk is about as much fun as tasting chalk, let’s forgo a Kansas-Michigan State final and delve deeper into the pool of contenders for Texas and Butler. The Longhorns have earned 11 consecutive NCAA invites under Rick Barnes, among the best active coaches without a national title, and return wing Damion James to complement transfer point guard Jai Lucas. Headlined by guard Shelvin Mack and forward Matt Howard, the Bulldogs have everyone back from the team that extended LSU to the limit in last year’s first round. A Final Four would take Butler back home again to Indianapolis.
Andre D. Williams, Allentown Morning Call
There’s no Florida- or North Carolina-like dream team in college basketball this season, a team that you figure is a lock to cut down the national championship nets. Still, it will be a very exciting season into the final game, likely between Kansas and Villanova.
The two teams -- led by senior All-American guards who also are national player of the year candidates in Sherron Collins (Kansas) and Scottie Reynolds (Villanova) -- score at will.
Collins has 6-foot-11 Cole Aldrich to dish to, and the two form a potent one-two combination. Villanova has multiple gun-slinging guards who’ll also press the pants off teams. The 'Nova fleet of guards will make this a memorable season that ends with a title showdown against Kansas in Indianapolis that will seem like an Indy car race.
