Final Four 2018 Schedule: TV Info, Live Stream and NCAA Tournament Picks

Each of the 2018 Final Four participants carry similar qualities, but they are also different in their own regard.

No. 1 Kansas, No. 1 Villanova, No. 3 Michigan and No. 11 Loyola-Chicago possess guard-heavy rotations, but they all utilize their star players differently due to the quirks in each head coach's system.

What makes Saturday's games so difficult to pick is you could make a legitimate case for each team to win the national championship, which is something that doesn't happen every year.

Michigan and Villanova enter as favorites, but they are far from guarantees to pick up victories in San Antonio.

Final Four Schedule

No. 3 Michigan vs. No. 11 Loyola-Chicago (6:09 p.m., TBS) 

No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 1 Villanova (8:49 p.m., TBS)

All Times ET

Games can be live-streamed on March Madness Live

Picks

Michigan

When you go up and down the rosters of Michigan and Loyola-Chicago, it's hard to find a distinct advantage for either team that is going to separate the pair of programs from the Midwest.

Michigan enters with a stable of guards capable of cutting to the rim and knocking down three-pointers, while the Ramblers are an unselfish group that isn't afraid of making the extra pass before hitting key shots.

The one area in which the Wolverines hold a slight advantage is the frontcourt, as Moritz Wagner is more versatile than his counterpart Cameron Krutwig.

Orlin Wagner/Associated Press

But just because Michigan has a big man who can extend the defense and shoot doesn't mean it is a surefire lock to win Saturday's opener.

Michigan holds an edge in experience, as the Wolverines made it to the Sweet 16 a year ago and won two consecutive Big Ten tournaments.

Of course, you could always point to head coach John Beilein's success, as he guided Michigan to a second-place finish in the Big Dance in 2013.

After breaking down all the minute details, the one that gets Michigan over the hump and back to the National Championship is its depth.

The Wolverines have more they can throw at Loyola because of eight solid contributors, while the Ramblers rely on six players to carry most of the load.

If Wagner is shooting well, Beliein could opt to bring in Jon Teske to clean up down low, which would then give the Wolverines two tall paint presences on defense.

Duncan Robinson could come into the contest to make up a guard-heavy lineup of shooters that would eventually leave someone open from beyond the arc.

Jae Hong/Associated Press

The real X-factor for the Wolveries could be Zavier Simpson, who earned praise for his defensive efforts throughout the postseason.

If Simpson shuts down one of Loyola's key playmakers, whether it be Clayton Custer or Marques Townes, it could throw the Ramblers out of their rhythm since they rely on all five players touching the ball on each possession while searching for the best shot possible.

If the Wolverines constrain Loyola's shot possibilities, it could force a few bad looks, which they can turn into transition opportunities to create momentum and pull ahead.

Loyola is going to keep the game close because of its disciplined style of play, but Michigan has too much talent to falter in the end.

Villanova

If you thought the first game was hard to pick, that is easy compared to choosing between Villanova or Kansas.

Villanova may be the team you choose at first glance because of how dominant it has looked throughout the NCAA tournament, but when you break down the matchups, Kansas possesses a solid chance to come out on top, too.

AP National Player of the Year Jalen Brunson headlines the Wildcats roster, and he will most likely square off against Kansas' senior point guard Devonte' Graham.

Elise Amendola/Associated Press

If Brunson and Graham neutralize one another, the onus is on the supporting cast to make plays inside the Alamodome.

Villanova's roster contains a collection of impressive guards in Mikal Bridges, Phil Booth and Donte DiVincenzo, while Kansas counters with Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Lagerald Vick and Malik Newman.

While the matchup in the backcourt is a push, Villanova holds an advantage down low with Omari Spellman and Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree.

Spellman is one of the most versatile frontcourt players in the country, as he is able to flash out for three-pointers and control the game on the blocks.

In Cosby-Roundtree, the Wildcats have an insurance policy for Spellman, as the freshman is able to clean up on the glass and provide a few key baskets if called upon.

Charles Krupa/Associated Press

Over on the other side of the floor, Kansas only has Udoka Azubuike as a dominant paint presence. Although Mitch Lightfoot and Silvio De Sousa provided the Jayhawks with key minutes while Azubuike was injured, there's a steep drop off in talent between their starting center and the backups.

If Azubuike gets into foul trouble in the first half, the door is wide-open for Spellman, Cosby-Roundtree and Eric Paschall to control the paint, while also setting up open looks for the Villanova guards on the perimeter as they draw extra attention inside.

While it is possible for Azubuike to put in a dominant performance, the margin of error is slim since there is not much behind him on the depth chart.

With that in mind, Villanova holds the slightest of edges to get back to the National Championship for the second time in three years.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.