My thoughts on March Madness, in no order according to region or round.
Villanova is cannon fodder. I've yet to see many teams ranked in the top 8 according to seeding come into the tournament on a huge losing skid. Jay Wright needs to do something. Dial 911. The Wildcats have lost five straight, to close out the regular season! As much as Corey Fisher and the other Corey dude, Corey Stokes are an explosive combo on the 1 and 2 spot, the Cinderella team of 2006 could pull it out.
Watch out for George Mason. Flying under the radar and always underrated, like how they made the final four as a no. 11 seed...... they might beat Ohio State in the round of 32, which means half of the nation's bracket will be gone up in flames.
Now that the Tar Heels have lost the ACC title game to Duke on Sunday, they've put themselves in a position that is considerably harder than what Duke has, the road to the final four. Being the second seed in the east regional, and a very likely elite eight with Ohio State. UNC can light up the scoreboard, averaging slightly less than 80 points a game, playing the run and gun game. However, they are turnover prone. 13 per game as I read the previews. Kendall Marshall who runs the point needs to control the number of miscues. Harrison Barnes is explosive, good god he's amazing, a better version of Marvin Williams (2005), Tyler Zeller is consistent. They are terrible from behind the arc unfortunately. John Henson needs to score in double figures in order for a win in every round. Realistically, they do stand a chance of winning it all and on their way to doing so, they will send Thad Matta and his Buckeyes home crying in their beers.....However, after seeing the Tar Heels in Sunday's game, Duke is simply too strong and again, coming up short. I hope not. UNC could pull a San Antonio Spurs winning season, that is, winning in odd years. Come on Harrison Barnes. Do a repeat of that 40 point game in the ACC tournament.
First round shocker- Belmont over Wisconsin- Southeast regional. Despite the Badgers measly number of turnovers committed and the power of Jordan Taylor who runs the point and forward Jon Leuer... it won't be enough to contain a sleeper team. Had they not been blown out in Columbus on the last day of the regular season to the number one seed, Ohio State and bombed in the big ten tournament to Penn State they would have been seeded third instead. Well, too late to say. Belmont is the team that nobody wants to face in the first round. Ask the Duke blue devils who almost got beaten by them, their defense exposed. Belmont will make the sweet 16, based on their consistency in shooting from the arc and forcing turnovers.
Pittsburgh, although in the easiest regional and having the top seed would not make the final four. When was the last time they made the final four? 1941! World War 2. The wait will go on.
BYU has a scoring machine in the form of Jimmer Fredette, a senior guard, who can't miss from the free throw line. The team will be playing inspired after Brandon Davies suspension. The shocker team of January that rose to the rankings. Depending on how Fredette plays, his stock will improve drastically and I'm sensing he could be a top three pick in the NBA draft. My take, final four.
Notre Dame will be the underdog that comes up. Ben Hansbrough, the younger brother of Tyler Hansbrough- one of my favorite players from the Tar Heels 2009 championship team is another star to watch out for. They'll make the title game.
San Diego State will win their first ever NCAA tournament game in school history. But with too much hype and the bridesmaid syndrome, RE: New Jersey Nets- NBA Finals 2002, they will bow out fast. In the round of 32, they will most likely beat Penn State in a nail biter, then falter in the sweet 16 to Jim Calhoun's UConn Huskies who will come up short in the elite eight against Duke.
Kansas will make an exit in the sweet 16, and suffer another year of misery after last year's shocking loss to to Northern Iowa. Bill Self needs divine intervention.
UCLA vs Michigan State... Seeing Ben Howland and Tom Izzo face off can't get any better than this. The coaching match up is intriguing.
Ohio State has the hardest route to the final four, if they make it. The east region is filled with two other teams that could possibly make it to the title game- UNC and Syracuse. Jared Sullinger and William Buford cannot afford to have an off night. Sullinger is all but assured a top five spot in the NBA draft for the next few years if he keeps up with his productivity output on court based on the regular season. Sadly I see them being overconfident and losing to UNC. Well, no surprise. The first round will be easy, but George Mason's pesky defense certainly will give them fits. Tyshawn Taylor who runs the point needs to limit his turnovers.
Now, to cut everything short...... Final four picks: North Carolina, Duke, Notre Dame, BYU.
Title game- Duke over Notre Dame. Forward Kyle Singler and guard Nolan Smith did not declare for the nba draft and elected to stay in school for another year to play for a second title. Dividends will pay off. I dislike the team a lot, but they have the star power to win it all despite Kyle Irving's injury-- it remains to be seen whether he comes back during the tournament or not. Leaving thousands of Carolina fans like me miserable for another year when they cut down the nets... yet again. Seth Curry and Andre Dawkins have to light it up from downtown on a consistent basis. When it's all said and done, One Shining Moment will be played and the last confetti shower of the season falling on the Blue Devils who are almost certain to have at least 3 members from this years team nba bound.
