Final Four: Michigan To Meet Sister Jean And Her Loyola Ramblers

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – Forget the seeding. Forget the season records. Forget the stats. The 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball tournament has been anything but a picture of normal expectations. Michigan fans, your Wolverines are going up against this year's Cinderella story and it doesn't appear Loyola-Chicago Ramblers are going to fall easy – if at all.

>>> The Wolverines will meet the Ramblers at 6:09 p.m. ET in San Antonio. Tune into TBS for the TV broadcast.

The Ramblers, an 11-seed, appear blessed this tournament. The Wolverines, a 3-seed, charmed. Loyola has weaved its way through the March Madness, already knocking off one 3-seed, Tennessee. They also have offed Nevada and Kansas State. And, this Catholic university is playing the semi-final game on the eve of the holiest of holidays.

They also have someone who appears to be the best of good luck charms: Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, a 98-year-old the team chaplain who leads the team in prayer before each game.

But Michigan is rolling along. In this tournament, the Wolverines have defeated Florida State and Texas A&M. More significantly, though, the Wolverines have not lost since February and look to extend a 13-game win streak.

There is, however, one team with a longer current win streak – that's 14 games and it's owned by Loyola.

And about those seeds. Loyola is the fourth 11-seed to make the Final Four. Louisiana State University, George Mason and Virginia Commonwealth University also did it, but each bowed out in the semi-final games. Will Loyola be the first 11-seed break through to the finals?

And, then there is Michigan and its storied run at NCAA titles, including the ones in 1992 and 1993 that ended in defeat and featured Fab Five, including Jalen Rose. While she hasn't risen to the level of fame of Sister Jean, the Wolverines have Rose's grandmother, Mary Belle Hicks in their corner. Rose earlier this week posted a warning from his grandma for Loyola – and Sister Jean – to Instagram.

"Sister Jean, it's been a good ride, but it's over Saturday. Go Blue! 100!" Hicks said in the video.

The odds makers put their faith in Michigan, which is the 5.5 point-favorite over Loyola.

The winner of the game will face off against the winner of the second semi-final game on Saturday, featuring a pair of No. 1 seeds, Villanova and Kansas. That game is slated to begin at 8:49 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on TBS.

The winners of each game will meet at 9:20 p.m. ET on Monday for the championship game.

Photo: Naji Ozeir #25, Eli Brooks #55 and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman #12 of the Michigan Wolverines walk to the locker room during media day for the 2018 Men's NCAA Final Four at the Alamodome on March 29, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)