Final Four 2018: Schedule, Bracket, TV Info and Predictions

The Alamodome in San Antonio is the host for this year's NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Final Four. That venue has been the Final Four home four times, with the last occasion featuring Kansas' overtime win over Memphis in the 2008 national championship game.

Ten years later, KU is back in the Final Four and hoping for some of that magic to return, but it will need to take down Villanova, who has the best offense in the nation.

On the other side of the bracket, two teams that have provided some of this year's best tournament memories (Loyola-Chicago and Michigan) face off. Loyola-Chicago last made a tournament appearance in 1985, which was the first year of the 64-team field. Michigan can make its fifth national championship appearance since 1989 with a win Saturday.

Here's a look at the Final Four schedule and television information, per NCAA.com, as well as a bracket and some picks.

Final Four Schedule and TV Information

No. 11 Loyola-Chicago vs. No. 3 Michigan: Saturday at 6:09 p.m. ET on TBS and March Madness Live

No. 1 Villanova vs. No. 1 Kansas: Saturday at 8:49 p.m. ET on TBS and March Madness Live

National Championship Schedule and TV Information

Loyola-Chicago/Michigan winner vs. Villanova/Kansas winner: Monday at 9:20 p.m. ET on TBS and March Madness Live

Bracket

Villanova vs. Kansas Predictions

1. Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges Both Score Over 20 Points

The dynamite Villanova guard duo of juniors Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges has proved to be a nightmare to defend all season. Brunson averages a team-leading 19.2 points per game and also hits 52.7 percent of his field goals. Bridges isn't far behind, posting 17.8 points a night. He's also been fantastic from the three-point and free-throw lines, registering 43.6 percent and 84.8 percent in those spots, respectively.

If this game proves to be a back-and-forth, high-scoring affair (more on that below), then Brunson and Bridges stand to play big parts in that effort, especially given how efficient they usually are from the field. In a game where both teams may score in the 80s, Brunson and Bridges should have big nights.

2. Udoka Azubuike Keeps Kansas in the Game

Kansas sophomore center Udoka Azubuike could present a serious match problem for Villanova. Azubuike is a 7-foot, 280-pound center, and he'll go up against the Villanova starting frontcourt of Omari Spellman and Eric Paschall, both of whom are 6'9".

Of course, Spellman and Paschall have played brilliantly at times this year and are key reasons Villanova is in the Final Four. However, they are both giving up three inches to Azubuike, in addition to some extra weight (Spellman is listed at 245 pounds, while Paschall is 255).

If Azubuike can stay in the game (he can sometimes get into foul trouble and has committed 14 in his past three games) and is effective against the tough 'Nova frontcourt, then KU could pull off the win.

3. Villanova 86, Kansas 80

Both Kansas and Villanova can score with ease: KU averages 81.4 points per game (ranked 29th in Division I), while the Wildcats lead all 351 D-I teams with 86.6 points per contest. Therefore, it wouldn't be surprising to see both of these teams engage in a high-scoring affair.

However, the edge goes to Villanova in this one. It's near-impossible for teams to stop Brunson and Bridges on a given night, and even if both guards are off, teams have to contend with the other four Wildcats who post double-digit scoring averages.

Expect this to be a close game until the end, but Villanova will knock down some late free throws to seal the win.

Loyola-Chicago vs. Michigan Predictions

1. Neither Team Cracks 60 Points

This matchup may prove to be the exact opposite of its Final Four counterpart. Both Michigan and Loyola-Chicago's defenses have been excellent, as they both rank in the top 10 in Division I in scoring defense. Furthermore, neither team likes to push the pace, as Michigan ranks 326th in adjusted tempo (per the Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings) while Loyola-Chicago isn't much higher (315th).

Given how well both defenses have played this year, coupled with the slow paces, both teams could have trouble cracking 60 points. The over-under for this game is already a fairly low total (130.5, per OddsShark), but expect this game to be even lower than that mark.

2. Zavier Simpson Proves to Be X-Factor

Michigan's defense has been stingy all year, but it has been even more impressive in tournament play. That's in part due to the efforts of sophomore guard Zavier Simpson, who has amassed 11 steals in his last three games (including six against Texas A&M).

Simpson has been tough for opposing offenses to deal with prior to the tournament (he averages a team-leading 1.3 steals per night), but he's been on fire of late and a key reason Michigan has forced three of its four tournament opponents (Montana, Houston and Florida State) into missing 63 percent or more of their shots. Look for him to continue his dominant defensive play on Saturday.

3. Michigan 57, Loyola-Chicago 56

This game seems like a toss-up on paper. Yes, Michigan is the better team per notable ratings systems (Pomeroy, Sagarin and RPI) and survived the Big Ten gauntlet this year, but the Ramblers might have one big advantage: The neutral fans in the Alamodome crowd may end up rooting for Loyola-Chicago, giving the underdog a quasi-home-court advantage.

Nearly everyone loves an underdog, and Loyola-Chicago fits that bill, as it became just the fourth No. 11 seed to make the Final Four in the expanded field of 64 teams. Combine that with Sister Jean and some wild finishes in its first three tournament games, and you have a team that could sway neutral observers toward its side.

That being said, Michigan is a tough, battle-tested team, and its defense might be a little too tough for Loyola-Chicago to handle. The pick here is Michigan in a close one, but either way, expect this to go to the last possession.