SEMIFINALS

Kansas vs. Marquette

Herrion: “Not that I’m not for the conference but I thought Kentucky would win the regional. But Dwyane Wade — he’s just put that team on his shoulders right now. Kansas-Marquette? You know I think Marquette is going to beat ’em. I’m saying that right now because they’re playing great. Dwyane Wade just kind of singlehandedly beat Kentucky but Marquette has a great point guard in (Travis) Diener and they have physical strength up front with (Scott) Merritt and Robert Jackson. They can match up with anybody. “Their supporting cast is good, too. (Todd) Townsend and (Steve) Novak are good and they are well-coached. “Kansas has two great seniors with Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich and you wonder if it’s time for (coach) Roy Williams to win one. But I don’t know. I think Marquette beats ’em. “You look at Marquette. They’ve beaten Pitt, a No. 2 seed, and they’ve beaten Kentucky, a No. 1. They’ve beat some pretty strong people to get where they’re at. Marquette does a good job of switching defenses. That kid Jackson played in the SEC at Mississippi State and Merritt is virtually seven feet. They can play all styles. Kansas will obviously try to get up and down the floor and Marquette can play that way. “If the situation call for slowdown in the half-court, they can play that way. They can pound it inside to Jackson and Merritt.

Syracuse vs. Texas

Herrion: “I think Texas is going to win that game. The key obviously against Syracuse is that you’ve got to hit shots against that zone. Oklahoma shot 5 for 28 on 3-pointers on Sunday. T.J. Ford for Texas is not a great shooter but I think he’s quick enough to penetrate and give that zone trouble. Royal Ivey, Brian Boddicker and Brandon Mouton can really shoot the 3s. I also think Texas can offensive rebound if they shoot and miss. “Texas — I like that team. I like their pieces. I like the point guard, Ford. They’ve got guys who can shoot it and they’ve got great physical strength up front. “With Syracuse, the key with them is that if you don’t make your shots against the 2-3 zone, you’re probably not going to win. Oklahoma couldn’t throw it in the ocean. I think people underestimate Syracuse’s zone. They say, ‘It’s just a 2-3 zone.’ But it’s so long and so athletic. Carmello Anthony (Syracuse freshman) might be the best player in the tournament. “But if Texas makes shots, they win. And they’re going to guard Syracuse on the other end. T.J. Ford hasn’t been shooting the ball well. He’s a top 10 NBA pick if he comes out. If he shoots the ball, that puts a whole different dimension on it.”

FINALS: Marquette vs. Texas

Herrion: “Even though I’m trying to be loyal to the league, I think Texas wins it all. To get to this point, obviously you’ve got to have a heckuva team. There’s not a great team in the country like some years when you have a Duke or Kentucky that’s head and shoulders above everybody else. In this year’s finals, I think Texas beats Marquette. “Texas has great depth. If they get in foul trouble, they’ve got some bodies to put in there. I think they beat ’em in a great game. Both can play up tempo and both can play half-court. “The Final Four is as balanced as It’s ever been. Typically, you’ve got one team that’s head and shoulders above the rest but I really think any of the four can win it this year. I don’t think there are any upsets at this point. “I’ve said from the beginning of the season that the Big 12 is hands down the best conference this year. If Oklahoma gets by Syracuse, they’ve got three of four in the Final Four. I think their league may have prepared them better. They have been in flat-out wars every night. “The Big 12 and the SEC are the two best leagues in the country right now. “A lot of people would like to see Roy Williams (Kansas coach) and Jim Boeheim (Syracuse coach) in the final. A lot of people in the northeast would love to see Boeheim get one. From a sentimental standpoint, there’s no question those two are the favorites. As a coach in this business I’d love to see one of those guys get one. “Roy Williams has been knocking on the door and the thing he’s going to be evaluated on the rest of his career is ‘Can he win the big one?’ ”