NEW ORLEANS -- It's a blue-blooded affair in New Orleans this weekend, with 2022 Final Four participants Duke, North Carolina, Villanova and Kansas heading to the Superdome with a national championship on the line.
Three of the four winningest programs in history, with 61 combined Final Four appearances and 17 combined national championships. A group that has combined to win four of the past six national titles and seven of the past 13 titles. Three of the biggest brands in the sport, plus arguably the most successful program in the country over the past decade.
Despite North Carolina being considered at least a mild surprise to be here as an 8-seed, there is nothing under the radar about this year's Final Four. And there are also very few secrets at this point in the season -- especially when it comes to the side of the bracket featuring two teams that have faced each other twice this season and nearly 100 times since Mike Krzyzewski took over in Durham.
But nobody knows these teams better than the coaches who have had to prepare scouting reports for them multiple times per year for the past few seasons -- so we talked to a pair of veteran assistant coaches in each of the three leagues represented in the Final Four to get a feel for what to expect on Saturday -- and Monday.
Why has Duke turned things around defensively? What has made North Carolina so difficult to defend? How can teams defend Collin Gillespie? Who is the big key for Kansas?
Answers to those questions and more -- plus national championship game predictions: