March Madness 2023 Predictions: Final Four Sleeper Picks For The NCAA Tournament
Most teams that make the Final Four are among the top seeds in their March Madness region, but there is usually at least one sleeper pick that wins its side of the bracket.
No. 8 North Carolina made it all the way to the national championship game last year's NCAA Tournament. Two years ago, No. 11 UCLA proved to be the right Final Four sleeper pick.
A double-digit seed has reached the Final Four in three of the last six NCAA Tournaments. In eight of the last nine tournaments, a team seeded worse than No. 5 has made a memorable March Madness run to the Final Four.
Here's a sleeper pick from each region to make the Final Four for March Madness 2023.
South: No. 6 Creighton
The Blue Jays were ranked ninth in the preseason AP Top 25 Poll because of all the offensive talent in their starting lineup. All five Creighton starters average at least 11.9 points per game. Creighton pushed Arizona to the limit in an 81-79 loss in November. The result could be different if the two teams meet again in the Sweet 16. Second-leading scorer Trey Alexander is shooting 51.8% from 3-point range in his last 11 games.
East: No. 8 Memphis
The Tigers looked incredibly impressive during their AAC Championship run. In beating No. 1 Houston 75-65 in the championship game, Memphis sure looked like a team that could reach the Final Four. The Tigers have proven they can play with the best teams in the NCAA Tournament. In addition to beating Houston, Memphis came up just short against No. 1 Alabama 91-88 early in the season. Tigers guard Kendric Davis averages 22.1 points and 5.6 assists per game.
Midwest: No. 11 Pittsburgh
Playing in one of the First Four games could work to the Panthers' advantage. Pittsburgh enters the first weekend of March Madness with some momentum. Two teams have gone on to make the Final Four after winning their First Four matchup. The Panthers have a very realistic path to the Sweet 16. Pittsburgh faces No. 6 Iowa State and its 173rd-ranked offense in the country in the first round. The Panthers could then face No. 14 Kennesaw State, which is a candidate to pull off a first-round upset. Pittsburgh ranks 25th in offensive efficiency.
West: No. 8 Arkansas
The Razorbacks have come just shy of making the Final Four in each of the last two years. Arkansas upset overall No. 1 Gonzaga to reach the 2022 Sweet 16. Two years ago, eventual national champion Baylor kept Arkansas out of the Final Four. Nick Smith Jr. can potentially carry Arkansas through the West. The freshman guard might be the second player in the NCAA Tournament who is selected in the 2023 NBA Draft. Along with Smith, Ricky Council gives Arkansas one of the most talented backcourts in March Madness.
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