The "Never Too Early" Final Four Predictions

This is only a glimpse of what I think the Final Four may look like next year in New Orleans.  I took a look at each team and identified their biggest concern.

In a year that has seen a revival (Indiana), a party crasher (Murray State) and the brawl (Xavier v. Cincinnati), there are three teams that distance themselves from the rest of the pack.  

However, I do like a dark horse to be walking Bourbon Street in April...

North Carolina Tar Heels

North Carolina entered the year as a consensus No. 1 team and they're overwhelming pick to with the 2012 National Championship.  However, they have yet to find an identity and Harrison Barnes is just not producing.

Biggest Win to Date: No. 7 Wisconsin, 60-57

Biggest Concern: Free Throw Shooting and Consistency

This team is an enigma right now.  Everyone knows they are the most talented team in the nation, but that hasn't produced the results Roy Williams was hoping for.  Their losses weren't bad (UNLV and Kentucky), but you can see in each game they struggle to get to the tempo they want to play at.

They are a machine...just not an well-oiled one yet.

Kentucky Wildcats

Of course, Calipari just reloaded.  He has the No. 1 pro prospect in Anthony Davis and a gritty Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.  They got beat in Assembly Hall to a very hyped-up Indiana squad who seems to have things turned around.  

Biggest Win to Date: No. 5 UNC, 73-72

Biggest Concern: As is in the case of a typical Calipari team = Youth

In terms of talent they are slightly behind North Carolina.  Keyword = slightly.  This team will grow as the year progresses, and their play and understanding of the speed of college basketball and Kentucky's system will follow.

Ohio State Buckeyes

If anybody watched Ohio State demolish Duke and beat Florida then you know how good this team is...with Jared Sullinger.  The preseason National Player of the Year is what makes this clock tick.  

Biggest Win to Date: No. 4 Duke, 85-63

Biggest Concern: The health of Sullinger

The imminent future for Sullinger isn't as bad as it appears.  It is unfortunate for injuries to happen, no matter who the player is, but with a talent like Sullinger's it could be crippling to a season with so much promise.

Missouri Tigers

I am taking a huge risk here:

Under first year head coach Frank Haith the Tigers have been nothing short of sensational.  They are second in the nation in scoring and field goal percentage, all while Marcus Denmon is earning some serious looks for National Player of the Year.

They haven't been truly tested but that is because they get off to fast starts and it stayed that way....

Biggest Win to Date: No. 18 California, 92-53

Biggest Concern: The loss of Laurence Bowers and having played the 305th-toughest schedule int he nation.

They do a lot of things really well but they might not keep it up when they hit conference play. They have been the most dominant team this year, and their style of play could really pay off in the tournament.