by Aaron Fischman

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Trey Burke's heroics were on full display in Michigan's Sweet 16 come-from-behind victory over the No. 1-seeded Kansas Jayhawks. After a miserable first half, Burke made shot after shot to force overtime, erasing a 68-54 deficit in the final six and a half minutes of regulation. Kansas led by five with 21 seconds remaining when Burke went off, but Burke's game-tying three-pointer was the most impressive of all; the trey (pun intended) was nearly from 30 feet, an impossible shot. Burke scored five more in overtime to finish with 23 points in a thrilling upset.

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Michigan's Final Four opponent, Syracuse, is more workmanlike in its approach and make-up. The Orange doesn't have sons of former NBA players and don't score as many points, but they are undoubtedly the real deal. Syracuse's seemingly impenetrable 2-3 zone has enabled them to win seven of its last eight games falling only to Louisville in the Big East Championship, 78-61.

Syracuse Orange vs. Michigan Wolverines

AccuScore Forecast: Syracuse won 51 percent of more than 10,000 simulations

Average Score per simulation: Syracuse 66.8, Michigan 66.8

Game Projections: For this battle pitting Syracuse’s spectacular zone defense against Michigan’s high-octane offensive attack, thousands of AccuScore simulation results essentially yield a toss-up. AccuScore forecasts have determined that there is a 27.2 percent chance that the game will be decided by four points or fewer. Surprisingly, there is a much greater chance (45.6 percent) of a big win (by 10 points or more). According to the simulations, the Wolverines’ Trey Burke will lead all scorers with approximately 17.5 points, while the Orange’s top scorer, C.J. Fair, will notch nearly 15 points of his own. There’s a 52.4 percent likelihood that the teams will combine for more than 131 points.

Syracuse Record: 30-9
Head Coach Jim Boeheim (Final Four Appearances: 4, NCAA Titles: 1)

Michigan Record: 30-7
Head Coach John Beilein (Final Four Appearances: 1, NCAA Titles: 0)

Taking Down No. 1 Seeds: Michigan and Syracuse each upset a No. 1 seed in the Sweet 16. As mentioned above, Burke led a late comeback to derail the Jayhawks’ title aspirations. A day earlier, the Orange defeated Indiana, 61-50. Syracuse held the Hoosiers to 22 first-half points and limited Cody Zeller to just 10 points on 3-11 shooting. Zeller had averaged 16.5 points on 56 percent shooting this season. Each of the Final Four teams has upset a No. 1 seed this tournament except for Louisville who was the top overall seed in the bracket.

NBA Progeny: Tim Hardaway Jr. is one of the Wolverines’ top offensive options. While he has struggled to make shots in Michigan’s last two games, the junior guard has been a steadying force for his team in the tournament logging 37.3 minutes per game while committing just four total turnovers. Freshman forward Glenn Robinson III provides ample scoring and rebounding support for the team. Jon Horford, son of former NBA player Tito Horford and brother to current Atlanta Hawk Al Horford, plays fewer than 10 minutes per game and isn’t likely to make much of an impact in the Final Four.

In The Zone: In Syracuse’s last seven wins (including victories over Pittsburgh, Georgetown, Indiana and Marquette) the Orange have allowed just 51.4 points per game. The zone defense is working extremely well, but will be tested by an explosive and well-rounded Michigan attack. Syracuse’s offense is often fueled by its defense’s ability to force turnovers. Sophomore guard Michael Carter-Williams has been particularly effective, averaging 3.2 steals per game this tournament. During the season he scored 12.7 points while recording 2.8 steals per contest. Carter-Williams has transformed from a freshman who barely played into an impact sophomore logging more than 35 minutes a night.

Michigan’s Fabulous Freshmen: These “Fab 3” include Robinson III, Mitch McGary and Nick Stauskas. McGary’s modest 7.4-point, 6.2-rebound averages are misleading as he’s improved a great deal as the season has progressed. The big lefty has turned in monster numbers this tournament. Against Kansas, McGary had 25 points, 14 rebounds, 3 steals and a block. He also grabbed 14 boards against Virginia Commonwealth while scoring 21 points. Most recently against Florida, McGary had a well-rounded 11 points, 9 rebounds, 5 steals and 2 blocks.

Stauskas loves to shoot threes as he made nearly 45 percent of his attempts this season. In Michigan’s Elite Eight romp over the Gators, he nailed all six of his three-point attempts. You can be sure that Michigan will use Stauskas’ shooting abilities in an effort to stretch Syracuse’s zone. Michigan’s balanced inside-out play will also help in this endeavor.

History of Four Seeds: Both Michigan and Syracuse began the tournament as No. 4 seeds. That means that no matter what happens Saturday, a No. 4 seed will be playing for the National Championship. Since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, only Arizona in 1997 has been able to win it all as a No. 4 seed.  The Wolverines and Orange are the 12th and 13th four seeds to reach the Final Four in the 64-team era. That means a hypothetical No. 4 seed has an 11.2 percent (13 of 116) chance of reaching the Final Four in any given year.

Big-Time vs. Blue Collar: Jim Boeheim has remarkably led the Syracuse Orange to a Final Four in four different decades. He began serving as an assistant in 1969, three years after his Syracuse playing days ended. He has certainly more than earned his coaching stripes, but his narrative differs starkly from that of John Beilein.

When Beilein retired from playing in 1975, he coached at Newfane High School for three seasons, followed by a four-year stint at Erie Community College. He coached at little-known Le Moyne for nine seasons. Beilein was also at Canisius and Richmond for a combined 10 years. Finally, at the age of 60, it appears as if Beilein has reached the pinnacle of his career. The hard-working coach is finally getting the recognition he’s long deserved.

If Syracuse comes away with the victory, we could see a rematch of the Big East Championship game which Louisville won. Two teams from the same conference have not played for the national championship since Kansas beat Oklahoma in 1988.

If Michigan defeats the Orange, the Wolverines will find themselves one win away from their second championship in school history. Michigan’s only title came in 1989 when it beat Seton Hall in overtime by a single point. Glen Rice scored 31 points in the game, and Rumeal Robinson sealed the deal nailing two free throws with three seconds left.