2021 NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL FOUR SOUTH MIDWEST S S E BAYLOR HOUSTON E E E 1D BIG 12 BEARS 26-22 28-32 COUGARS AAC 2D LUCAS OIL STADIUM | INDIANAPOLIS 2021 APRIL 3 | 5:14 P.M. ET | CBS

Jared Butler JR | G-F

Justin Gorham SR | F

WHY BAYLOR WILL WIN COACHWHY HOUSTON WILL WIN COACH Put simply, Baylor has dominated nearly every time Houston coach Kelvin Sampson has the Cougars it has taken the court. The Bears are averaging peaking at the right time. Stars Quentin Grimes (18 74.5 points per game during the tournament, and points per game), Marcus Sasser (13.5 points per their most challenging contest was a nine-point win game) and DeJon Jarreau (10.8 points per game) have against No. 3 Arkansas. Baylor has only lost twice done their best to put their team within reach of its this season. At 83 points per game, the Bears trail first title in school history. The Cougars have won 11 only Gonzaga nationally in scoring offense among in a row and appear as locked in as any of the four remaining tournament teams. Scott remaining teams. Kelvin Drew Sampson WHY BAYLOR WON’T WIN 18th season WHY HOUSTON WON’T WIN 7th season Rebounding could be the Bears’ demise. Baylor is Much has been made about the Cougars reaching ranked 59th nationally in rebound margin at +3. Baylor’s the Final Four without having played a single-digit Houston will The Cougars, meanwhile, and their +9 margin is the men’s team seed up until this point in the tournament. Houston make its first highest of remaining tournament teams. Houston’s hasn’t been scratched out three-point and six-point wins against appearance skill at rebounding helped secure close wins against to the Final Rutgers and Oregon State, respectively. Lulls like in the Final Rutgers and Oregon State. Gonzaga isn’t far behind Four in 71 that against more talented teams will keep Houston Four since at +8. years. away from the title. 1984.

LUCAS OIL STADIUM, NATIONAL APRIL 5, 2021 INDIANAPOLIS CHAMPIONSHIP 9 P.M. ET

Drew Timme SO | F Johnny Juzang SO | F-G

WHY GONZAGA WILL WIN COACH WHY UCLA WILL WIN COACH Gonzaga is an undefeated team with tons of fire- Head coach Mick Cronin and his UCLA staff have power, led by senior forward Corey Kispert, been uncanny in their ability to make adjustments sophomore forward Drew Timme and freshman throughout the NCAA tournament. Sophomore guard Jalen Suggs. The Zags share the ball as well as swingman Johnny Juzang, a Kentucky transfer, is an any team in college basketball. They are the deepest impact offensive player who is tough to guard. Juzang team in college basketball, with eight to nine differ- is averaging 21.6 points in the tournament. UCLA has ent players capable of scoring in double figures in taken on the personality of Cronin and will fight and any given game. Mark scrap defensively every possession. Mick Few Cronin WHY GONZAGA WON’T WIN 21st season WHY UCLA WON’T WIN 2nd season The pressure of staying unbeaten (and becoming The Bruins, a First Four participant, are worn down the first team since Indiana in 1975-76 to do it) could Gonzaga is physically after playing five games in 12 days to UCLA is take its toll in the Final Four, like it did to UNLV in making its reach the Final Four. UCLA is prone to scoring in its 19th 1991 and Kentucky in 2015. The Zags are prone to second trip droughts. The team’s best inside player, junior Final Four occasional defensive lapses. Gonzaga relies heavily to the Final forward Cody Riley, often gets in foul trouble, and and has won on turnovers and getting in transition for points and Four (2017 the Bruins’ inside scoring and rebounding suffers 11 national could get bogged down in a halfcourt game. was first). without him on the floor. titles.

WEST EAST S S E GONZAGA UCLA E E E 1D WCC ZAGS 30-00 22-92 BRUINS PAC -12 11 D LUCAS OIL STADIUM | INDIANAPOLIS 2021 APRIL 3 | 8:34 P.M. ET | CBS

CONTENT: Kevin Brockway, CNHI Sports Indiana; Elton Hayes, CNHI Sports Pennsylvania | PHOTOS: NCAA | PHOTOS & DESIGN: Heather Bremer | CNHI Sports Indiana