It all comes down to this. What wild things will go down in theFinal Four?
There have been some incredible moments that have made the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament unforgettable, truly encapsulating what makes March Madness such a spectacle. It only makes sense those instant classics continue on the sport's biggest stage, withArizona,Michigan,ConnecticutandIllinoisheaded to Indianapolis, two wins away from becoming national champions.
With just three games left in the season, it's time for one more batch of bold predictions, just in time for the 2026 Final Four.
King of the Blue Bloods?How UConn can pass Duke this weekend
See the best photos of Illinois basketball's run to 2026 Final Four
Buzzer-beating shot
There have beenso many clutch plays during this tournamentin the final seconds, why not go for another?
One thing that will carry over from last season's Final Four is all of the participants are pretty evenly matched. You could make a plausible case for every one of them to end up on top, which is why we will have some extremely close games in Lucas Oil Stadium.
All of the 2025 Final Four games were decided by six points or less, and that will happen once again. Whether its the semifinals or the championship, it goes all the way down to the final seconds, with someone becoming the hero for their team.
Iowa State Cyclones fans cheer against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nebraska's Berke Buyuktuncel celebrates with fans following a second-round game in the NCAA men's basketball tournament between Nebraska Cornhuskers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on March 21, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Arkansas Razorbacks cheerleaders in the second half against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Ore." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
A Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleader practices before the game during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities
Iowa State Cyclones fans cheer against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half in the second round of the2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournamentat Enterprise Center on March 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri.
UConn extends Final Four streak
The Final Four round is getting close to being called the Connecticut Invitational, and the Huskies will prove why on Saturday, April 4.
Advertisement
In its seven Final Four appearances, UConn has advanced and won the national championship game six times, currently riding a four-game winning streak in the semifinals. Dan Hurley has yet to lose after the round of 32, with a 10-0 record in the Sweet 16 or later. It's truly some mind boggling success UConn has on the biggest stage.
In the Final Four, UConn continues that run. The Huskies are going to have their hands full dealing with the scoring threat of Illinois, but the Huskies are one of the most experienced teams in the quartet. Alex Karaban comes up big down the stretch for some key buckets to get UConn its fifth straight Final Four round win, and back to the title game for the third time in four years.
See the best photos of Michigan basketball's run to 2026 Final Four
Big Ten title drought continues
This tournament has beenall about the Big Tens success. However, it won't be able to punctuate it with a national championship.
Getting two teams in the Final Four gives the Big Ten a 50% chance of claiming the title-winner, and there's a chance of it being an all-Big Ten championship game, which a conference hasn't done since the Big Eight had Kansas and Oklahoma in 1988. However, the Big Ten teams have some major task ahead of them. UConn's experience will come up clutch against Illinois, and Michigan faces a relentless Arizona team. Even though the Wolverines offense is on a level of its own, the Wildcats defense is able to limit it, and the deep rotation is able to land a few big blows to Michigan. Arizona makes the right plays at the end to win a classic.
With Illinois and Michigan losing, it means the streak without a Big Ten champion extends to 26 years, a tough ending after being the best conference in all of March.
See the best photos of Arizona basketball's run to 2026 Final Four
The West wins with Arizona taking it all
In 2026, the West Coast becomes the Best Coast.
Arizona was the last West Coast team to win a national championship, back in 1997, and it will end up being the next one to win it all again.The Wildcats shed off the March woesthat have plagued the program for most of the 21st century, thanks to a loaded team that can beat you in a multitude of ways. With too many weapons for teams to neutralize, Arizona powers through the field to claim its second national championship, winning it in the same city it won its first one in.
The West Coast has tried to claim the top prize this century, with Final Four trips from Arizona, UCLA, Gonzaga, Utah, Oregon and San Diego State all falling just short, but it will be the 2025-26 Wildcats that bring glory back to the region.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Final Four bold predictions: Who makes championship game, and wins it