March Madness 2015: Latest Bracket Predictions and Odds for Final Four

The NCAA tournament featured plenty of early upsets, but the truly elite teams were spared to give fans as good of a Final Four as anyone could have wanted.

Although No. 7 seed Michigan State is a bit of a surprise at this point, head coach Tom Izzo and a talented roster ensure this squad will be a tough out. Meanwhile, three No. 1 seeds in Kentucky, Duke and Wisconsin round out the semifinals with rosters loaded with future NBA stars to go with outstanding coaching.

As a result, we should prepare for two outstanding matchups in the Final Four no matter who wins. To make sure you keep up with the action, follow this guide with schedule and predictions for the upcoming games.

Time (ET)	Matchup	TV	Odds*
6:09 p.m.	Duke vs. Michigan State	TBS	Duke -5
8:49 p.m.	Kentucky vs. Wisconsin	TBS	Kentucky -5

Kentucky vs. Wisconsin

There is no denying Kentucky's overwhelming talent. Almost the entire rotation has a future in the NBA, and the group comes together to play some of the best defense college basketball has ever seen.

Scoring inside is almost impossible against this unit, and the pure skill of each player helps the offense get enough points to win.

However, Notre Dame created a blueprint to beat the Wildcats. Spreading out the floor with shooters brings the big men out of the paint, leading to easier baskets inside. The only thing the Irish couldn't do is keep Kentucky off the offensive glass due to a lack of size.

Wisconsin plays with five players on the floor who can shoot threes, which makes it a tough team to defend. Additionally, the squad ranks fourth in the nation in defensive rebounding percentage, according to KenPom.com.

Arizona coach Sean Miller was impressed by the Badgers' play in the Elite Eight win, via Jeff Potrykus of the Journal Sentinel:

"

When Sam Dekker does what he did, and I think some of the shots were very well defended...when he does that with [Frank] Kaminsky, maybe Kentucky is that school that can beat them. But I'm telling you, I don't know if there is another one out there when they're clicking with that one-two punch.

"

With Frank Kaminsky, Sam Dekker and Nigel Hayes, the Badgers actually have a frontcourt that can compete with Kentucky, something that team hasn't seen all year.

It would obviously take the Badgers playing a great game while making their shots, but they have what it takes to shock the world and pull off this upset.

Prediction: Wisconsin 61, Kentucky 60

Duke vs. Michigan State

For much of the season, Duke had an unstoppable offense but a questionable defense. Elite center Jahlil Okafor epitomized this with a great scoring ability in the post while often struggling to keep opponents from scoring in the paint.

However, the entire team has turned things around during the NCAA tournament. The play of Justise Winslow and others have transformed a weakness into an actual strength over the past two weeks.

Seth Davis of CBS Sports noted the change compared to earlier in the season:

Meanwhile, ESPN's John Gasaway broke down exactly how impressive the defense has been:

With Quinn Cook and Tyus Jones also making plays on the offensive end, the Blue Devils have all the tools necessary to take home a title.

This is bad news for Michigan State, which seems overmatched on paper in this one. The Spartans succeed thanks to great teamwork on both ends of the court, including an efficient offense that excels at making the extra pass to the open man.

The problem is there will be few open men in this matchup, which will slow down the offense. On defense, there simply won't be an answer for Okafor in the post. This will be a close game throughout, but Duke should pull away in the final moments to earn a relatively easy win.

Prediction: Duke 67, Michigan State 58

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