NCAA Bracket 2015: Updated Schedule and Predictions for Final Four

The 2015 NCAA tournament has been whittled down to four national semifinalists who will take the hardwood in Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium to decide a March Madness champion.

This year's Final Four features a number of usual suspects. Kentucky and Wisconsin are slated to tango at this late stage of the Big Dance for the second season in a row. Coach Tom Izzo has bucked the odds to guide Michigan State deep in March yet again as a seventh seed to face Duke.

Based on how strong Izzo's pedigree is, it isn't a total shock to see Sparty in Indy. For those who got bold in other parts of the bracket, the three No. 1 seeds held their own, to their credit.

Check out what the updated schedule looks like, in addition to predictions as to how the Final Four will play out.

Date	Game	Start Time (ET)	Network	Pick
Saturday, April 4	No. 1 Duke vs. No. 7 Michigan State	6:09 p.m.	TBS	Duke
Saturday, April 4	No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 1 Wisconsin	8:49 p.m.	TBS	Kentucky

Final Four Predictions

Most of the March Madness conversation has started and ended with Kentucky, so let's stick with that theme, because it's what is bound to happen in Indianapolis as is.

The Wildcats were probably going to have one severe hurdle to clear, and they did it in edging out Notre Dame 68-66 in the Elite Eight. Their wake-up call arrived after a 39-point shellacking of West Virginia, and a bit of a letdown was liable to happen on the heels of such a blowout.

To get an idea of the depth Kentucky has, look at these NBA draft rankings from ESPN expert Chad Ford, who has three starters and three reserves in the top 45:

Wisconsin forward Sam Dekker has played out of his mind the past two games, giving the Badgers a starring complement to stud big man Frank Kaminsky. It helped them emerge from the West, even against a revenge-seeking Arizona squad in the regional final.

SportsCenter highlighted the run Dekker went on:

Replicating such a performance against Kentucky is unrealistic to expect, and Kentucky is both deeper and better in the backcourt than the Badgers are. The troubles Wisconsin normally gives opponents with its combination of size and spacing can be mitigated by Kentucky's length and athleticism.

As far as who will meet the Wildcats in the national final, Duke looks like a fairly safe pick thanks to its superior talent compared to Michigan State.

But the Spartans have made those who counted them out as a seventh seed look rather silly so far.

If it's a tight contest, which it's bound to be, Izzo's track record can't be ignored (h/t Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman):

Michigan State will have a hard time getting inside because of Duke's quickness on the perimeter, the X-factor swingman Justise Winslow is and Jahlil Okafor's presence in the paint.

The ultimate test for Okafor figures to wait in the national championship, when he'd be tasked with battling Willie Cauley-Stein and Karl-Anthony Towns to help the Blue Devils overcome their lack of size across the board.

Winslow would help because of his versatility on both ends of the court, able to guard just about any position on the floor. Matt Jones stepped up with 16 big points in Duke's victory over Gonzaga, showing he can rise to the occasion even when his more celebrated teammates aren't playing their best.

But one thing that stood out about the Blue Devils' win on Sunday was that their bench scored zero points. Another huge factor is that this Kentucky team doesn't even know what losing is.

"We didn't play very well and Notre Dame, I thought, controlled the whole thing, but we made the plays," said John Calipari after the win over the Fighting Irish, per the Associated Press, via ESPN.com. "We figured out a way to win it. We've had other tests, but we have a will to win."

With the level of interior defense Kentucky can play and how many finishers it has close to the rim, Okafor is in danger of foul trouble and would have fresh bodies flying at him all game.

So even though Duke is the best candidate to knock off the mighty Wildcats, Calipari's loaded squad has all the makings of completing a perfect season and cutting down the nets in Indianapolis.