With 2 (or 3, depending on who you ask) rounds complete, it is time to make some predictions on who will make the Final Four.
EAST
1 Ohio St over 4 Kentucky
The Wildcats are just as talented as the Buckeyes, but there is no making up for the experience difference. When toughness is needed, I trust guys like William Buford, David Lighty, and Jon Diebler more than I trust anyone on Kentucky.
2 North Carolina over 11 Marquette
I think UNC caught a bit of a break when Marquette knocked off Syracuse, because UNC would have struggled with the Orange zone. Buzz Williams is one heck of a coach, so expect this to be a tight game, tighter than the talent difference would indicate. But in the end, Marquette doesn't have anyone as good as Harrison Barnes.
1 Ohio St. over 2 North Carolina
Much like the Buckeyes previous game against Kentucky, the Heels have the talent to stick with Ohio St., but not the experience. Buckeyes will not be denied, as nobody has looked better so far in the Tourney.
WEST
1 Duke over 5 Arizona
Arizona is very fortunate to have gotten this far. They needed a last second block by Derrick Williams to get past Memphis (when there arguably could have been a foul called on the rebound), and they needed a 5 second call on Texas (which arguably should have been a timeout granted for the Horns) before their winning basket. Derrick Williams is the X Factor, because he is playing as well as anyone in the country, but Duke just has too many horses for Arizona to stick around.
2 San Diego St over 3 UConn
The Aztecs won perhaps the worst March Madness double OT game in history, but don't hold it against them, they simply win. They got a bad game from their star and still beat a good Temple team. Against SDSU's big and athletic front line, Kemba Walker could find those holes to the basket closing more quickly than he is used to.
2 San Diego St over 1 Duke
If there is anyone that Duke is susceptible to, it would be an athletic team with a talented front line. The Aztecs fit that bill. While Duke will have a decided edge in the backcourt, look for SDSU's frontcourt to take command. Also, this game will be in Anaheim, making it a virtual home game for the winner of the Mountain West.
SOUTHWEST
1 Kansas over 12 Richmond
Richmond is a great story, but they simply don't have the horses to compete against KU. The Jayhawks will be able to throw plenty of athletes at Kevin Anderson, and the Spiders need big things from him to advance. Not going to happen.
11 VCU over 10 Florida St.
The Seminoles were extremely impressive in their win over Notre Dame, but they had perhaps their best offensive game of the year, something we have not seen consistently from them. I don't think we will see it again this week. VCU is playing as well as anyone.
1 Kansas over 11 VCU
Don't feel bad for Shaka Smart though, he appears ready to cash in on a big payday.
SOUTHEAST
4 Wisconsin over 8 Butler
Everyone (including myself) underrated the Badgers for their miserable Big 10 performance, but this is a very quality team. They don't turn the ball over, are efficient on offense, and have two studs in Jordan Taylor and Jon Leuer. This will be a slow game and won't be one to tell the grandkids about, but I like Wisconsin. First to 50 wins.
3 BYU over 2 Florida
Don't underestimate Jimmer. Not sure how BYU will be able to slow down Florida inside, but I like them to get up and down, and for Jimmer to score just enough. Hopefully we get another game like their first round battle last season.
4 Wisconsin over 3 BYU
The Badgers become the second Big Ten team in the Final Four, as Bo Ryan shows his genius by controlling tempo and frustrating Jimmer.
What are your picks?
Showing posts with label NCAA Tournament. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NCAA Tournament. Show all posts
Early Conference Tournaments
Sunday, March 6, 2011
On Saturday, three conference tournaments played their championship game, meaning 3 teams clinched their spot in The Big Dance. A quick look at all of them.
Big South - UNC-Asheville
They took care of top seeded Coastal Carolina, who was decimated by injuries and suspensions (they had 8 active players). UNC-Asheville was the 3 seed out of the Big South, and they took out 6th seed Charleston Southern and 7th seed High Point before taking down Coastal Carolina. Despite being a 19 win team, look for them to potentially be in the play-in game. They could win that, but their chances of winning a Tourney game are minimal.
Atlantic-Sun - Belmont
The Bruins are about to become very popular in America. That is because they are a 30 win team that has lost to Tennessee twice, Vanderbilt, and one fluky conference loss to Lipscomb. Other than that, they are unblemished on the season, and won their conference championship by 41 points over North Florida (who was the 6 seed in the conference). Look for Belmont to a be about a 13 seed and a popular upset choice in the first round.
Ohio Valley - Morehead St.
The Eagles are led by Kenneth Faried, one of the best big men in college basketball and one of the best rebounders in recent college basketball history. Though the much anticipated rematch with Murray St. did not happen, it was still an entertaining game in their win over Tennessee Tech. While I am not sure if they have the guard play to spring an upset (Demonte Harper notwithstanding), I don't think any team is going to be eager to take on Kenneth Faried in the first round of the Tournament. It is fitting for the OVC Player of the Year to end his career playing in the Tourney.
Do any of these teams have a chance to win a game in The Big Dance?
Big South - UNC-Asheville
They took care of top seeded Coastal Carolina, who was decimated by injuries and suspensions (they had 8 active players). UNC-Asheville was the 3 seed out of the Big South, and they took out 6th seed Charleston Southern and 7th seed High Point before taking down Coastal Carolina. Despite being a 19 win team, look for them to potentially be in the play-in game. They could win that, but their chances of winning a Tourney game are minimal.
Atlantic-Sun - Belmont
The Bruins are about to become very popular in America. That is because they are a 30 win team that has lost to Tennessee twice, Vanderbilt, and one fluky conference loss to Lipscomb. Other than that, they are unblemished on the season, and won their conference championship by 41 points over North Florida (who was the 6 seed in the conference). Look for Belmont to a be about a 13 seed and a popular upset choice in the first round.
Ohio Valley - Morehead St.
The Eagles are led by Kenneth Faried, one of the best big men in college basketball and one of the best rebounders in recent college basketball history. Though the much anticipated rematch with Murray St. did not happen, it was still an entertaining game in their win over Tennessee Tech. While I am not sure if they have the guard play to spring an upset (Demonte Harper notwithstanding), I don't think any team is going to be eager to take on Kenneth Faried in the first round of the Tournament. It is fitting for the OVC Player of the Year to end his career playing in the Tourney.
Do any of these teams have a chance to win a game in The Big Dance?
NCAA Tournament Thoughts and Predictions
Monday, March 15, 2010
Hello all!
I have been writing some on another blog... if you are interested in any thoughts and predictions on the NCAA Tournament, please check out Roundball Thoughts.
Midwest Region thoughts
West Region thoughts
East Region thoughts
South Region thoughts
Only a couple more days until game time!!
I have been writing some on another blog... if you are interested in any thoughts and predictions on the NCAA Tournament, please check out Roundball Thoughts.
Midwest Region thoughts
West Region thoughts
East Region thoughts
South Region thoughts
Only a couple more days until game time!!
How many NCAA Tournament teams from the Big East?
Sunday, February 28, 2010
As we begin to approach March Madness, the annual question begins to come up... how many teams are going to make the tournament out of the Big East? It was a conference that was expected to be down a bit at the beginning of the season, but it has been as strong as ever.
There are, of course, a few locks to make it in. Syracuse, West Virginia, and Villanova have been in the top 10 for most of the season, and they will be dancing. Pittsburgh has also been ranked for much of the season, and their ticket appears to be punched. Ditto for Georgetown.
After that, I wouldn't want to be setting any college basketball betting lines for how things will shake out.
Connecticut looked like it would have a tough time getting in as recent as a couple weeks ago, but they have made some big statement wins. They have wins over West Virginia and Villanova, but they are also only 7-9 in the Big East.
UConn will be hurt by their loss to fellow bubble contender Louiville, improving the Cardinals to 10-6 in the conference. They look like they will be in after their win over the Huskies.
Similarly, Marquette beating Seton Hall on Sunday might have been close to a play-in game, as both teams are right on the bubble. Marquette won 84-83 in OT, improving them to 10-6 in the conference, while the Pirates fell to 7-9. While Marquette has a middling RPI, their 10 conference wins (and counting) will be difficult to ignore.
Most penciled Notre Dame out of the tournament when Luke Harangody went down with injury, but they have played very well without him. They scored two big wins against Pittsburgh and Georgetown in the past week, and have a great chance of playing themselves into the tournament at the end of the regular season.
Cincinnati and South Florida have had their moments throughout the year, but I am not sure that their overall body of work will be enough to get them in.
As of now, I see 9 Big East teams in the Tournament:
Syracuce
Villanova
West Virginia
Georgetown
Pittsburgh
Connecticut
Louisville
Notre Dame
Marquette
What do you think?
There are, of course, a few locks to make it in. Syracuse, West Virginia, and Villanova have been in the top 10 for most of the season, and they will be dancing. Pittsburgh has also been ranked for much of the season, and their ticket appears to be punched. Ditto for Georgetown.
After that, I wouldn't want to be setting any college basketball betting lines for how things will shake out.
Connecticut looked like it would have a tough time getting in as recent as a couple weeks ago, but they have made some big statement wins. They have wins over West Virginia and Villanova, but they are also only 7-9 in the Big East.
UConn will be hurt by their loss to fellow bubble contender Louiville, improving the Cardinals to 10-6 in the conference. They look like they will be in after their win over the Huskies.
Similarly, Marquette beating Seton Hall on Sunday might have been close to a play-in game, as both teams are right on the bubble. Marquette won 84-83 in OT, improving them to 10-6 in the conference, while the Pirates fell to 7-9. While Marquette has a middling RPI, their 10 conference wins (and counting) will be difficult to ignore.
Most penciled Notre Dame out of the tournament when Luke Harangody went down with injury, but they have played very well without him. They scored two big wins against Pittsburgh and Georgetown in the past week, and have a great chance of playing themselves into the tournament at the end of the regular season.
Cincinnati and South Florida have had their moments throughout the year, but I am not sure that their overall body of work will be enough to get them in.
As of now, I see 9 Big East teams in the Tournament:
Syracuce
Villanova
West Virginia
Georgetown
Pittsburgh
Connecticut
Louisville
Notre Dame
Marquette
What do you think?
Rock, Chalk, Championship
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
I'm speaking, of course, of the play on words that Jim Nantz has after the final buzzer sounds. Not a bad effort. He didn't really seem to have a lot to work with, as the Kansas Jayhawks is not something that lends itself very easily to a play on words.
If Memphis had won, he probably would have had it easier because of Derrick Rose. Some things he could have used for Memphis:
- "Memphis is smelling like roses."
- "Kissed by a rose."
All in all, bravo Jim Nance, bravo. You're the one thing we can count on every year.
On a sidenote, does Mario Chalmers have ice water in his veins or what? Wow.
If Memphis had won, he probably would have had it easier because of Derrick Rose. Some things he could have used for Memphis:
- "Memphis is smelling like roses."
- "Kissed by a rose."
All in all, bravo Jim Nance, bravo. You're the one thing we can count on every year.
On a sidenote, does Mario Chalmers have ice water in his veins or what? Wow.
Final Four Picks
Saturday, April 5, 2008
I'm getting these up really late, but it's before gametime, so it's legal. I just wanted to be on record with my picks.
First, I'll obviously take UCLA over Memphis. I like the Bruins to slow the game down, and effectively run it when there is something open. Memphis is not great offensively in the half-court game, and I think the Bruins can make it one. The two keys to this one are whether Joey Dorsey can slow down Kevin Love, and whether Josh Shipp can finally get his shooting stroke back, because they are going to need him against a very good Memphis defense.
UCLA 73, Memphis 70
In the next matchup, I think the Tar Heels are just playing a little bit too well right now. Their offense is firing on all cylinders, and Kansas is coming off of a game in which they struggled a bit against Davidson. I don't see the Jayhawks bigs stopping Tyler Hansbrough down low, who should have another big day. The Jayhawks balance will allow them to run with the Tar Heels, but I think UNC is just a little more efficient offensively.
North Carolina 81, Kansas 77
First, I'll obviously take UCLA over Memphis. I like the Bruins to slow the game down, and effectively run it when there is something open. Memphis is not great offensively in the half-court game, and I think the Bruins can make it one. The two keys to this one are whether Joey Dorsey can slow down Kevin Love, and whether Josh Shipp can finally get his shooting stroke back, because they are going to need him against a very good Memphis defense.
UCLA 73, Memphis 70
In the next matchup, I think the Tar Heels are just playing a little bit too well right now. Their offense is firing on all cylinders, and Kansas is coming off of a game in which they struggled a bit against Davidson. I don't see the Jayhawks bigs stopping Tyler Hansbrough down low, who should have another big day. The Jayhawks balance will allow them to run with the Tar Heels, but I think UNC is just a little more efficient offensively.
North Carolina 81, Kansas 77
Sweet 16 Predictions
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
With my bracket sort of in shambles (thanks Pac-10!), it's time to move on and give some new predictions for the Sweet 16. The 8 games look to provide some very interesting matchups and contrasting styles, making it a pretty nice slate of games.
North Carolina over Washington - You couldn't ask for a game with more diverse playing styles. North Carolina likes to run all day, as they have averaged 110.5 PPG in the Tourney. Washington St. likes to slow things down and grind it out, giving up an averge of 40.5 PPG in the first 2 games. As they say, something has to give. Only allowing 41 points to Notre Dame is seriously impressive, and leads me to believe that the Cougars are going to make this game a lot closer than the talent would suggest that it could. Washington St. will be able to slow things down and make North Carolina shoot a lot of jumpshots, but in the end, I don't see them having any way of shutting down Tyler Hansbrough in the post.
Louisville over Tennessee - I picked Tennessee to win this game before the Tournament, but I am changing my vote. Louisville has been a lot more impressive than the Volunteers have so far. Both teams like to play full-court games, and it seems like Tennessee is having some trouble holding onto the ball with some questions at the PG spot (let's just say we probably won't be saying JP Prince start again this game). This should be an extremely entertaining game between two very good, well-coached teams, but I think Louisville is playing better basketball right now.
Kansas over Villanova - The Wildcats have been impressive thus far, but it's hard to see them matching up with Kansas. The Jayhawks guards are good enough defensively to stop Scottie Reynolds, and it seems as if they just have too much depth for Villanova to contend with.
Wisconsin over Davidson - Davidson is the Cinderella team of the Tournament so far (even more so than lower-seeded Western Kentucky), which makes them a bit of a trendy pick here. But I like the Badgers and their stout defense to move on. They have the athletes to throw at Stephen Curry to be able to slow down his open looks (granted, he doesn't need much space for it to be an open look), and they might be the best help defense team in the country, meaning that Curry won't find a lot of space when he drives the ball. Not that Georgetown or Gonzaga were poor defensive teams, but I just think Curry is going to have a much tougher go of it against the Badgers, propelling Bo Ryan's team to the Elite Eight.
Memphis over Michigan St. - Michigan St. will try to slow things down and grind it out, but I don't see them having enough offense to keep up with Memphis all game. The Tigers are a solid defensive team, and I don't see the Spartans having enough playmakers to keep a consistent flow going in the halfcourt offense for Michigan St. I like Memphis here.
Texas over Stanford - A fascinating matchup between two teams that do completely different things (and do them well), I like the Longhorns by a smidgen. The Lopez Twins will be very difficult for Texas to contain, and they will also slow down the penetration of DJ Augustin, but I think the versatility of Damion James will make the difference. He will make the Stanford bigs come out and defend him, drawing them away from the basket. This should be a great matchup.
UCLA over Western Kentucky - Courtney Lee will give the Bruins some problems, but not enough for WKU to overcome UCLA. The Bruins suffered a scare against A&M, but I have a hard time seeing them so unfocused (at least for the first 30 minutes) for 2 straight games under Ben Howland. Kevin Love looked like he was on a mission at the end of last game, and Darren Collison is playing the best basketball of his career.
Xavier over West Virginia - Xavier is a more complete team than the ones that WVU has beaten so far. They can go inside or outside, and the Mountaineers will have some trouble matching up with Josh Duncan for the Musketeers. Meanwhile, I think that Xavier's athletic wing players will be able to slow down Joe Alexander and Alex Ruoff, allowing Xavier to move on.
Not a lot of upsets, but that is the beauty of March... sometimes they're really hard to see before they happen. What do you think will happen this weekend?
North Carolina over Washington - You couldn't ask for a game with more diverse playing styles. North Carolina likes to run all day, as they have averaged 110.5 PPG in the Tourney. Washington St. likes to slow things down and grind it out, giving up an averge of 40.5 PPG in the first 2 games. As they say, something has to give. Only allowing 41 points to Notre Dame is seriously impressive, and leads me to believe that the Cougars are going to make this game a lot closer than the talent would suggest that it could. Washington St. will be able to slow things down and make North Carolina shoot a lot of jumpshots, but in the end, I don't see them having any way of shutting down Tyler Hansbrough in the post.
Louisville over Tennessee - I picked Tennessee to win this game before the Tournament, but I am changing my vote. Louisville has been a lot more impressive than the Volunteers have so far. Both teams like to play full-court games, and it seems like Tennessee is having some trouble holding onto the ball with some questions at the PG spot (let's just say we probably won't be saying JP Prince start again this game). This should be an extremely entertaining game between two very good, well-coached teams, but I think Louisville is playing better basketball right now.
Kansas over Villanova - The Wildcats have been impressive thus far, but it's hard to see them matching up with Kansas. The Jayhawks guards are good enough defensively to stop Scottie Reynolds, and it seems as if they just have too much depth for Villanova to contend with.
Wisconsin over Davidson - Davidson is the Cinderella team of the Tournament so far (even more so than lower-seeded Western Kentucky), which makes them a bit of a trendy pick here. But I like the Badgers and their stout defense to move on. They have the athletes to throw at Stephen Curry to be able to slow down his open looks (granted, he doesn't need much space for it to be an open look), and they might be the best help defense team in the country, meaning that Curry won't find a lot of space when he drives the ball. Not that Georgetown or Gonzaga were poor defensive teams, but I just think Curry is going to have a much tougher go of it against the Badgers, propelling Bo Ryan's team to the Elite Eight.
Memphis over Michigan St. - Michigan St. will try to slow things down and grind it out, but I don't see them having enough offense to keep up with Memphis all game. The Tigers are a solid defensive team, and I don't see the Spartans having enough playmakers to keep a consistent flow going in the halfcourt offense for Michigan St. I like Memphis here.
Texas over Stanford - A fascinating matchup between two teams that do completely different things (and do them well), I like the Longhorns by a smidgen. The Lopez Twins will be very difficult for Texas to contain, and they will also slow down the penetration of DJ Augustin, but I think the versatility of Damion James will make the difference. He will make the Stanford bigs come out and defend him, drawing them away from the basket. This should be a great matchup.
UCLA over Western Kentucky - Courtney Lee will give the Bruins some problems, but not enough for WKU to overcome UCLA. The Bruins suffered a scare against A&M, but I have a hard time seeing them so unfocused (at least for the first 30 minutes) for 2 straight games under Ben Howland. Kevin Love looked like he was on a mission at the end of last game, and Darren Collison is playing the best basketball of his career.
Xavier over West Virginia - Xavier is a more complete team than the ones that WVU has beaten so far. They can go inside or outside, and the Mountaineers will have some trouble matching up with Josh Duncan for the Musketeers. Meanwhile, I think that Xavier's athletic wing players will be able to slow down Joe Alexander and Alex Ruoff, allowing Xavier to move on.
Not a lot of upsets, but that is the beauty of March... sometimes they're really hard to see before they happen. What do you think will happen this weekend?
NCAA Bracket Predictions: Final Four
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Time for the Final Four Picks!
EAST REGION PREDICTIONS
MIDWEST REGION PREDICTIONS
SOUTH REGION PREDICTIONS
WEST REGION PREDICTIONS
East Winner: Tennessee VS.
Midwest Winner: Kansas
This would be an exciting matchup between two teams with very potent offenses. Tennessee would come out and press all day, but Kansas has the guard play and ballhandling to handle the pressure. Tennessee would have to make contested shots, as Kansas is very good defensively. At the end of the day, Kansas is just a little better, more balanced team.
South Winner: Texas VS.
West Winner: UCLA
Texas won the first matchup between these teams at Pauley Pavilion, but this is a different UCLA team. Darren Collison is fully healthy and playing the best basketball of his life. Kevin Love is fully ingrained within the UCLA offense. They are clicking and playing a lot better. I think they do a better job with team defense on DJ Augustin, and this leads UCLA to victory.
Championship Game: UCLA vs. Kansas
A rematch of last year's regional final, and what a load of talent would be on display for this game. Both teams are excellent defensively and efficient offensively. Kansas is a little better shooting the basketball, but UCLA is better scoring down low with Kevin Love. In the end, I think the Bruins balance wins out... as if there was any doubt about who I'd pick to win it all.
CHAMPION: UCLA BRUINS
EAST REGION PREDICTIONS
MIDWEST REGION PREDICTIONS
SOUTH REGION PREDICTIONS
WEST REGION PREDICTIONS
East Winner: Tennessee VS.
Midwest Winner: Kansas
This would be an exciting matchup between two teams with very potent offenses. Tennessee would come out and press all day, but Kansas has the guard play and ballhandling to handle the pressure. Tennessee would have to make contested shots, as Kansas is very good defensively. At the end of the day, Kansas is just a little better, more balanced team.
South Winner: Texas VS.
West Winner: UCLA
Texas won the first matchup between these teams at Pauley Pavilion, but this is a different UCLA team. Darren Collison is fully healthy and playing the best basketball of his life. Kevin Love is fully ingrained within the UCLA offense. They are clicking and playing a lot better. I think they do a better job with team defense on DJ Augustin, and this leads UCLA to victory.
Championship Game: UCLA vs. Kansas
A rematch of last year's regional final, and what a load of talent would be on display for this game. Both teams are excellent defensively and efficient offensively. Kansas is a little better shooting the basketball, but UCLA is better scoring down low with Kevin Love. In the end, I think the Bruins balance wins out... as if there was any doubt about who I'd pick to win it all.
CHAMPION: UCLA BRUINS
NCAA Bracket Predictions: West
The final region!
ROUND ONE
(1) UCLA over (16) Miss. Valley St. - I think the Bruins should be able to take this one.
(9) Texas A&M over (8) BYU - I like the Cougars, but the Aggies are playing well right now and are just a little more talented.
(5) Drake over (12) Western Kentucky - I'm really excited for this game. But I think Drake's team-oriented style will be able to overcome Courtney Lee, the most talented player in this game.
(4) Connecticut over (13) San Diego - The Toreros are playing well, and Brandon Johnson and Geno Pomare are really good players, but UConn is really good. AJ Price is playing at a pretty high level right now.
(11) Baylor over (6) Purdue - I like the guard play for Baylor. Plus, they're more experienced than Purdue (not necessarily tournament experience, but game experience). Plus, going what they've been through the past couple years, they might be a little hungrier.
(3) Xavier over (14) Georgia - It was a nice storybook run for the Dawgs, but it ends at the hands of the Musketeers.
(10) Arizona over (7) West Virginia - Arizona is really good and really talented when they're healthy... well, they're healthy.
(2) Duke vs. (15) Belmont - Thanks for playing Belmont.
ROUND TWO
(1) UCLA over (9) Texas A&M - UCLA has the interior defense to deal with Jones and Jordan, and A&M can't match the Bruins guard play.
(4) Connecticut over (5) Drake - I love Drake, but they haven't faced a defense like UConn yet this year. They'll still get their shots (they won't be as affected by Thabeet in the middle), but UConn's quickness will be just a little too disruptive.
(11) Baylor over (3) Xavier - With question marks about whether Drew Lavendar is 100%, Baylor's guards will pose problems for the Musketeers. They become the highest seed to make the Sweet 16 by eeking out a win.
(10) Arizona over (2) Duke - Duke can be beat by quick guards, and that could mean a big game for Jerryd Bayless. The Wildcats shock Duke and advance to the Sweet 16, showing the strength of the Pac 10.
SWEET 16
(1) UCLA over (4) Connecticut - The disciplined defense of the Bruins is the difference in this game. They win a low-scoring game against the Huskies to keep their run going.
(10) Arizona over (11) Baylor - The Wildcats just have more all-around talent in this game, and that propels them into the Elite Eight. Chase Budinger should have a huge day.
ELITE EIGHT
(1) UCLA over (10) Arizona - They meet for the third time, and once again, UCLA comes out on top. Too much defense, too much Kevin Love.
Regional Champion: UCLA
ROUND ONE
(1) UCLA over (16) Miss. Valley St. - I think the Bruins should be able to take this one.
(9) Texas A&M over (8) BYU - I like the Cougars, but the Aggies are playing well right now and are just a little more talented.
(5) Drake over (12) Western Kentucky - I'm really excited for this game. But I think Drake's team-oriented style will be able to overcome Courtney Lee, the most talented player in this game.
(4) Connecticut over (13) San Diego - The Toreros are playing well, and Brandon Johnson and Geno Pomare are really good players, but UConn is really good. AJ Price is playing at a pretty high level right now.
(11) Baylor over (6) Purdue - I like the guard play for Baylor. Plus, they're more experienced than Purdue (not necessarily tournament experience, but game experience). Plus, going what they've been through the past couple years, they might be a little hungrier.
(3) Xavier over (14) Georgia - It was a nice storybook run for the Dawgs, but it ends at the hands of the Musketeers.
(10) Arizona over (7) West Virginia - Arizona is really good and really talented when they're healthy... well, they're healthy.
(2) Duke vs. (15) Belmont - Thanks for playing Belmont.
ROUND TWO
(1) UCLA over (9) Texas A&M - UCLA has the interior defense to deal with Jones and Jordan, and A&M can't match the Bruins guard play.
(4) Connecticut over (5) Drake - I love Drake, but they haven't faced a defense like UConn yet this year. They'll still get their shots (they won't be as affected by Thabeet in the middle), but UConn's quickness will be just a little too disruptive.
(11) Baylor over (3) Xavier - With question marks about whether Drew Lavendar is 100%, Baylor's guards will pose problems for the Musketeers. They become the highest seed to make the Sweet 16 by eeking out a win.
(10) Arizona over (2) Duke - Duke can be beat by quick guards, and that could mean a big game for Jerryd Bayless. The Wildcats shock Duke and advance to the Sweet 16, showing the strength of the Pac 10.
SWEET 16
(1) UCLA over (4) Connecticut - The disciplined defense of the Bruins is the difference in this game. They win a low-scoring game against the Huskies to keep their run going.
(10) Arizona over (11) Baylor - The Wildcats just have more all-around talent in this game, and that propels them into the Elite Eight. Chase Budinger should have a huge day.
ELITE EIGHT
(1) UCLA over (10) Arizona - They meet for the third time, and once again, UCLA comes out on top. Too much defense, too much Kevin Love.
Regional Champion: UCLA
NCAA Bracket Predictions: South
Moving on to the South region...
ROUND ONE
(1) Memphis over (16) Texas-Arlington - Memphis wins a squeaker.
(8) Mississippi St. over (9) Oregon - JaMont Gordon is the best player in this game, and he leads an underrated Mississippi St. club to a win over Oregon.
(5) Michigan St. over (12) Temple - The Owls are becoming a popular upset pick, but I like Tom Izzo coached teams a lot. I like the Nietzel and Izzo combo to lead the Spartans to round 2.
(4) Pittsburgh over (13) Oral Roberts - I like ORU, but Pittsburgh is playing pretty solid basketball right now. Their toughness wins out.
(6) Marquette over (11) Kentucky - I don't see the Kentucky guards being able to stop the Marquette guards, and the Wildcats don't have the size to exploit Marquette down low.
(3) Stanford over (14) Cornell - Cornell might keep it close for a while because of their shooting ability, but they can't handle Stanford down low all day.
(10) St. Mary's over (7) Miami - Like everyone else, I'm taking the combo of Patrick Mills and Diamon Simpson to lead the Gaels into round 2.
(2) Texas over (15) Austin Peay - Texas wins this going away. Obviously.
ROUND TWO
(1) Memphis over (8) Mississippi St. - Too many athletes and too much depth for Memphis in this game.
(4) Pittsburgh over (5) Michigan St. - This would be a low-scoring battle, but I like the experience that Pittsburgh has to lead them into the Sweet 16.
(3) Stanford over (6) Marquette - The Marquette guards could have a tough time scoring once they get it into the paint and run into the Lopez Twins. This is a fascinating potential matchup, but I think the Stanford guards are better than Marquette's big men.
(2) Texas over (10) St. Mary's - The Gaels will keep it interesting if they hit their outside shots, but Texas can hurt you in too many ways.
SWEET 16
(1) Memphis over (4) Pittsburgh - Pitt is becoming a popular upset pick here, but I don't see it. I don't think they'll be able to match up with the speed of Memphis. Memphis puts up a little too many points for Pittsburgh to match.
(2) Texas vs. (3) Stanford - In a game I would absolutely love to see. The contrast of styles would be fantastic. I like the Longhorns to prevail in a really tight game, because they can make more plays down the stretch than Stanford. But how would Texas guard the Lopez Twins? How would Stanford guards the Longhorn guards? Intriguing.
ELITE EIGHT
(2) Texas over (1) Memphis - I like Texas' versatility a little more. I like Joey Dorsey a lot, but I don't think he matches up really well with the Texas big men. Derrick Rose vs. DJ Augustin would be an awesome matchup, and I think Augustin is just a little more refined at this point in his career.
Regional Champion: TEXAS
ROUND ONE
(1) Memphis over (16) Texas-Arlington - Memphis wins a squeaker.
(8) Mississippi St. over (9) Oregon - JaMont Gordon is the best player in this game, and he leads an underrated Mississippi St. club to a win over Oregon.
(5) Michigan St. over (12) Temple - The Owls are becoming a popular upset pick, but I like Tom Izzo coached teams a lot. I like the Nietzel and Izzo combo to lead the Spartans to round 2.
(4) Pittsburgh over (13) Oral Roberts - I like ORU, but Pittsburgh is playing pretty solid basketball right now. Their toughness wins out.
(6) Marquette over (11) Kentucky - I don't see the Kentucky guards being able to stop the Marquette guards, and the Wildcats don't have the size to exploit Marquette down low.
(3) Stanford over (14) Cornell - Cornell might keep it close for a while because of their shooting ability, but they can't handle Stanford down low all day.
(10) St. Mary's over (7) Miami - Like everyone else, I'm taking the combo of Patrick Mills and Diamon Simpson to lead the Gaels into round 2.
(2) Texas over (15) Austin Peay - Texas wins this going away. Obviously.
ROUND TWO
(1) Memphis over (8) Mississippi St. - Too many athletes and too much depth for Memphis in this game.
(4) Pittsburgh over (5) Michigan St. - This would be a low-scoring battle, but I like the experience that Pittsburgh has to lead them into the Sweet 16.
(3) Stanford over (6) Marquette - The Marquette guards could have a tough time scoring once they get it into the paint and run into the Lopez Twins. This is a fascinating potential matchup, but I think the Stanford guards are better than Marquette's big men.
(2) Texas over (10) St. Mary's - The Gaels will keep it interesting if they hit their outside shots, but Texas can hurt you in too many ways.
SWEET 16
(1) Memphis over (4) Pittsburgh - Pitt is becoming a popular upset pick here, but I don't see it. I don't think they'll be able to match up with the speed of Memphis. Memphis puts up a little too many points for Pittsburgh to match.
(2) Texas vs. (3) Stanford - In a game I would absolutely love to see. The contrast of styles would be fantastic. I like the Longhorns to prevail in a really tight game, because they can make more plays down the stretch than Stanford. But how would Texas guard the Lopez Twins? How would Stanford guards the Longhorn guards? Intriguing.
ELITE EIGHT
(2) Texas over (1) Memphis - I like Texas' versatility a little more. I like Joey Dorsey a lot, but I don't think he matches up really well with the Texas big men. Derrick Rose vs. DJ Augustin would be an awesome matchup, and I think Augustin is just a little more refined at this point in his career.
Regional Champion: TEXAS
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