5 storylines to watch in the Final Four

Kentucky's run at perfection

Everyone wants to see Kentucky lose, but they also want to see them go all the way. That's what happens when a 38-0 team is two games away from perfection.

The Wildcats knew they were good, but this good? For a moment it looked like Notre Dame was going to take down the nation's overall No. 1 but Kentucky's overwhelming offense came to play against the Fighting Irish, and it took a scare to show what the Wildcats are all about. 

Kentucky has already cemented its spot in the history books, but making it this far isn't good enough. A rematch of last year's Final Four versus Wisconsin will make for the toughest test yet. 40-0 is the only number that matters.

Coach K vs. Tom Izzo 

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo has sculpted a masterpiece. This year's squad is easily the least talented of the Final Four, yet somehow they've made it this far. 

When the team hits the court, it'll be Izzo's seventh trip to the Final Four, and one against college basketball's most revered head coach, Mike Krzyzewski.

Coach K has 1,016 wins under his belt and he'll be making his 12th Final Four appearance, tying UCLA legend John Wooden. But Duke's bench boss isn't done. To take down Izzo's Cinderella team, the Blue Devils will need to exemplify the same swagger it used to keep Gonzaga from catching fire in the Elite Eight.

Conventional wisdom suggests Duke should win this game. But with Michigan State and Izzo in the picture, a hero will rise and fall either way.

Okafor and Towns fighting to be No. 1 overall pick

Jahlil Okafor is no longer the dominant figure he was all season. Held to 7-of-16 shooting against Gonzaga, there's a lot to be said for good defense that can shut down one of the nation's best. 

Enter Karl-Anthony Towns. At 6'11", the Kentucky big man owns some strengths that make him a better overall player than the Duke star. His 10.1 points per game are exemplified by a common offensive strategy: leave him in the paint and Towns will score, foul him and he'll sink his free throws and score anyway.

It'll be tough to gauge who the better player is unless they go head-to-head, but given how both players have played in the tournament, it's safe to say that Towns has taken over the top spot as the likely No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft.

Michigan State: A David amongst Goliath's

Kentucky, Wisconsin, Duke, Michigan State.

Of the four, the Spartans are the ugly duckling. But if we're going by looks, let's take into account that Michigan State has fought to make it here when no one thought they would.

It's no secret that Duke is favored over Michigan State, making the Spartans so likable simply for being here.

Let's forget that the Blue Devils upended the Spartans by 10 on Nov. 18. Both teams are completely different beasts since: the Spartans have developed depth, while Duke has thinned out with the loss of Rysheed Sulaimon. 

If Michigan State can take down Duke and Coach K, a date with Kentucky or Wisconsin will set the stage for one of the more historic upsets in NCAA basketball history.

Big Ten? More like Bigger Ten

The obligatory tweet, courtesy of Wisconsin's Sam Dekker:

Sarcasm aside, the Big Ten has already put the nation on notice. Recruits will migrate to the conference after such a stellar showing, and with Michigan State joining Wisconsin as allies in a sense, the future looks bright. 

The national title game has a chance to feature two teams from the same conference. So if the average basketball fan is looking for one storyline to keep an eye on, look no further.