Final Four Predictions 2016: Early Projections Following NCAA Bracket Release

Don't bet against Michigan State, Kansas, North Carolina and Oregon.

The committee may not have had the respect for the Spartans (29-5), that many of the NCAA bracketologists showed in the days leading up to the tournament selection, but head coach Tom Izzo has one of the best players in the country and the perhaps the best leader in Denzel Valentine.

The Spartans won the Big Ten tournament with a spell-binding victory over Purdue Sunday, and they should be in position for a memorable run through the tournament and will get to the Final Four for the second year in a row.

As good as senior guard Denzel Valentine is, Michigan State is not a one-man team. He gets plenty of help from Bryn Forbes, who is one of the best three-point shooters in the nation. Forbes is shooting 48.4 percent from beyond the arc.

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Michigan State in Virginia's bracket for a third straight year is so cold. One seed or not, Tony Bennett cannot be happy.

— Jeff Eisenberg (@JeffEisenberg) March 13, 2016"

The Spartans are the second seed in the Midwest region, and Izzo should use that insult as inspiration to put on a show throughout the tournament.

Matt Costello is a player who will sell out on every trip up the court. He is a dominant rebounder who will gladly absorb an elbow or a forearm if that's what it takes to get the rebound. As tough as Costello is, he is also a smart and instinctive player who will roll to the basket, get himself in the proper position and make the shot when it is most needed.

At some point during the tournament, the Spartans will need to hit a big shot to keep on playing or possibly win the championship. That's where Valentine comes in. He is a clutch shooter who has averaged 19.4 points per game, and he is also a sensational passer, rebounder and defender.

Valentine hungers for the big moment, and he appears to be as prepared to handle pressure as any player in the country. Look for Valentine to lead the Spartans to the Final Four.

Ed Zurga/Getty Images

Kansas (30-4) is the overall No. 1 seed in the tournament, and the Jayhawks should be able to run through the South bracket and earn a spot in the Final Four.

Bill Self's team won the Big 12 regular-season crown and followed up by winning the conference tournament.

The Jayhawks have been an up-and-down team in the tournament under Self, and the sting of last year's loss to Wichita State in the round of 32 had to hurt for a long time and should serve as inspiration for this year's team.

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Kansas: No.1 Overall Seed. 30-4 (15-3 in Big 12); Big 12 Regular season & tournament champion. pic.twitter.com/Luyh7H9dTi

— ESPN College BBall (@ESPNCBB) March 13, 2016"

Kansas has a strong and deep team, and their three best players are forward Perry Ellis and guards Wayne Selden and Frank Mason.

Ellis is the Jayhawks' leading scorer with an average of 16.7 points per game, and he is hitting 52.3 percent of his shots from the field. Ellis is also coming down with 5.9 rebounds per game. Ellis is one of the most consistent players in the nation as he scored in double figures.

Selden is averaging 13.3 points per game, and he is connecting on 47.4 percent of his shots overall and 40.8 percent of his three-point attempts. Mason is an excellent floor general who is averaging 13.1 points per game and 4.7 assists per game.

The Kansas trio may not be destined for top NBA careers, but they have adapted to Self's scheme, and the Jayhawks play outstanding team basketball. That's why they are a Final Four team.

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

It's hard not to be impressed by the athleticism and explosiveness of the Oregon Ducks (28-6), who ran away from Utah in the Pac-12.

The Ducks are the No. 1 seed in the West region, and head coach Dana Altman clearly has a team that can go a long way in the tournament.

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No. 1 Oregon faces the winner of Holy Cross and Southern

— SI College Hoops (@si_ncaabb) March 13, 2016"

Start with leading scorer Dillon Brooks, who is averaging 16.7 points per game. The Canadian is one of the most complete players in the game because he can beat you in so many ways. He is a big man who can dominate on the inside, but he can also step outside and score if opponents want to pack the paint on him.

Like nearly every other player on the Ducks, he loves to run when he gets the opportunity. He will get plenty of help from guard Tyler Dorsey, who was hot down the stretch of the regular season and even better in the Pac-12 tournament. Dorsey is averaging 13.2 points per game for the season and connecting on 45.1 percent shots from the field.

Forward Elgin Cook is the Ducks' second-leading scorer with an average of 14.3 points per game, and he is coming down with 4.9 rebounds per game.

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

North Carolina (28-6) has been the team to beat this season since the preseason. Head coach Roy Williams had a team that was loaded, and the Tar Heels may have had a few stumbles along the way. But they won the ACC tournament in impressive fashion, and there's no reason they can't make it to the Final Four.

Forward Brice Johnson is an explosive scorer who can get the best of the opposing defense in any game he plays. Johnson is averaging 16.7 points per game, and he wants the ball when the game is on the line.

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If it's North Carolina, I think that's really bad matchup for Kentucky in Sweet 16. Brice Johnson would be a major problem inside.

— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_CJ) March 13, 2016"

Williams' team did not play as consistently on defense as he would have liked the Tar Heels to play throughout the majority of the season, but that area picked up down the stretch and in the ACC tournament.

That defense must continue to improve if the Tar Heels are going to fulfill their potential and make it to the Final Four.

North Carolina may have a tough matchup in the second round against Providence, because the Friars have a stellar guard in Kris Dunn. If the Tar Heels don't make the mistake of taking the Friars lightly, North Carolina should make it to the Final Four.

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