The 2023 NCAA Tournament has been a wild ride that features four unlikely teams in the 2023 Final Four. On this side of the bracket, the fifth-seeded Miami Hurricanes will face off against the fourth-seeded UConn Huskies. The winner will play in the 2023 National Championship against either the fifth-seeded San Diego State Aztecs or the ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic Owls. This Final Four is a bit different from the Blue Blood-filled 2022 version but nonetheless gives us a great matchup in the primetime slot with Miami and UConn. The pace should be fun, the shotmaking should be excellent, and the matchup has a chance to be the game of the weekend so let’s break down how each team can win and what may be their downfall in this matchup.
2023 Final Four
Miami Hurricanes
The biggest thing Miami has going for them is their guard play. It’s been on display the entire tournament so far but their guards just make plays and make shots at an exceptional clip. It’s become cliche but guards win in March and the Hurricanes have the best group of them in the 2023 Final Four and probably by a reasonable distance. Nijel Pack has been very good, including making seven three-pointers vs Houston in the Sweet 16 to help complete that upset. Isaiah Wong hasn’t shot it well outside vs Indiana in the tournament but has been consistently very good since the rough night vs Drake in round one. The ACC Player of the Year could be due for a ridiculous shotmaking game and could be a Final Four darling come Monday night. Jordan Miller was awesome vs Texas, scoring 27 points, and could be the difference with UConn’s stopper Andre Jackson likely guarding Wong most of the game.
The Miami Hurricanes are headed to their first EVER Final Four!!! #MarchMadness
— Def Pen Sports (@DefPenSports) March 26, 2023
The big issue with Miami is the defense. It’s been an issue all year but in the tournament so far they’ve been able to just outscore their opponents although the defense did keep them in the game vs Drake allowing them to sneak by. Texas was able to build their 13-point lead in the Elite Eight game because they were getting whatever they wanted. The Longhorns were 7/13 in the first half from three. When Miami finally did get some stops in the second half they were then able to mount their comeback and get to this game. UConn is a different beast and they’ve got a lot of options to go to offensively but if they can limit Jordan Hawkins it will be a start.
UConn Huskies
UConn has been the most dominant team in the tournament, absolutely running through the west region with ease on their way to the Final Four. They beat Gonzaga by nearly 30 in the Elite Eight after dismantling a talented Arkansas team in the Sweet 16 two nights earlier. The thing with the Huskies is that they don’t do just one thing well, they’re just a well-oiled machine who can knock down shots from outside, score from post up and excel in transition. Defensively they are long, athletic, and committed on that end of the floor. If they continue to play fast and unselfish it truly is hard to believe they won’t be cutting down the nets come Monday night. They struggled in January and lost confidence but the tweaks the coaching staff made, specifically with Andre Jackson on offense to involve him more of the ball have been excellent.
It’s all UConn right now! #MarchMadness
— Def Pen Sports (@DefPenSports) March 26, 2023
UConn has so many ways offensively to beat you so a cold shooting night isn’t a killer for them although they’ve yet to have one in the tournament so far. The biggest worry for them Saturday night is Miami getting hot. The Hurricanes guards can beat you in so many ways so finding a way to limit a guy or two will be pertinent. Andre Jackson will likely get either Isaiah Wong or Jordan Miller so it’s easy to think one of those two will be limited. The other two in Pack and whoever doesn’t draw Jackson could be a problem. The remainder of UConn’s backcourt isn’t bad defenders but are nowhere near the level of Jackson so keeping the committed and focused will be key. Miami shot Houston right out of this tournament and Houston is excellent defensively and on the glass. UConn is built in a similar mold where defense and rebounding are part of their ethos and containing the Miami guards will surely be Danny Hurley’s emphasis all week in practice.
