US eyes on SA!

I believe Georgetown is going to win it this year. Although I am hoping the Zags will go all the way or maybe even Wazzu.

 

I just don't see anyway around it, but North Caroline takes the title...UCLA has the best draw, I guess that's what happens when your AD is on the selection committee.

But I think North Carolina pulls it out...as much as that kills me to say since I enjoy Hansborough as much as I enjoy Middlesborough...

 

I'm just hoping UMBC makes a game of it, at least for half the game, against Georgetown in the first round (I live 10 mins from the campus). A win would be asking too much, all I'm looking for is not getting blown off the court.

 

Thanks Don for posting. I ain't gonna lie, I love March Madness. With the top players leaving for the NBA (now w/the new rule after 1 season or 2 if you're lucky), the college game has lost continuity. The 'Mid-Majors' (the Gonzaga, Butler, George Mason types) are the ones w/seasoned seniors who aren't afraid of mixing it up w/the Big Boys.

Admittingly, I don't watch near as much hoops as I used two, but I went to 2 games this season. First to Pauley Pavilion and witnessed my Arizona Wildcats get destroyed by UCLA (it was so bad the Bruin fans around me were actually trying to console me, now that sucked). UCLA is a little dinged right now, but they're my initial pick. I'll put up my final four when I've had a chance to look at the brackets.

The other game I witnessed was this past Sat. when I went to the Big West title game. Cal State Fullerton (known for their baseball team) won, and is one of those senior-laden teams that will not be intimidated. They're playing Wisconsin and do not be shocked that they give the Badgers all they want in the first round.

 

March Madness picks

It's the day before the 'Madness' starts, grab your brackets and throw down your picks...

Final Four; UCLA, North Carolina, Kansas, Texas. UCLA vs Kansas, UCLA to win it.

Non #1/2 seed most likely to make it to San Antonio; Louisville Pittsburgh, Stanford

Surprise Sweet 16; USC (you can't hold the Mayo), Drake

Biggest Upsets of the first round; Siena over Vandy, George Mason over Notre Dame,

 

RE: March Madness picks

I picked Tennessee but only because Bruce Pearl used to coach here in Evansville. The man can get a team up for a big game.

 

UNC is gonna take the tourney by storm. Lawson is finally starting to get back to his old self and Hansbrough is a beast inside. I believe that we will cakewalk to the Final 4 and beat Georgetown in the semis. Hibbert and co beat us last year and I could see a severe payback for them and we will beat UCLA in the final. I really don't think anybody can get within 10 points of us if we play to our best. Our best beats anybodys best.



USC is gonna make a run, but watch out for UNLV. I watch this team alot(My Dad loves them) and unlike most schools from a smaller conference they have a star player that can carry them. Wink Adams is pure class and when he's on his game he is gonna get his 25. Their problem is size, but they can shoot the 3 ball damn good. They don't have a player over 6'9 and that will be a problem, but if they get past Kent State, Kansas is gonna be in HUGE trouble. They CAN beat Kansas and I wouldn't be surprised if they did.

As for USC, Mayo is gonna carry them pretty far. I wouldn't be shocked to see them make the final 4. They came out of the toughest conference and will use that experience to do good things in the tourney.

 

Re: RE: March Madness picks

...I hear that's not the only thing he can get up.

 

RE: Re: RE: US eyes on SA!

Am I killing my bracket by putting Cornell in the Sweet Sixteen?

Probably, but I don't care.

 

As I'm typing this UCLA is punching the first ticket to San Antonio. The Bruins will need to have either Shipp or Westbrook shoot better than they have in order to cut down the nets in Texas.

North Carolina and Louisville should be a barn-burner in the second game today. UNC and Kansas have been the best two teams so far, but the beauty of a one-and-done tourney is the opposition only has to be better on a single day.

The player of the tourney....STEPHEN CURRY. Holy S*&% can this kid shoot. Let's see he had 40 v Gonzaga, 30 v Georgetown, and 33 more v Wisconsin. His backcourt mate Richards is a hell of a pointguard also. Think Kansas will be too much, but Curry has put on a show.

 

Final 4

On to Don's neck of the woods and the Alamo Dome.

Most Impressive team of the weekend; Memphis; biiaattcch-slapped both Michigan State and Texas (in front of 25K Longhorn fans in Houston) giving 2 pretty good teams no chance from the opening tip.

Luckiest team; Kansas. Survive and advance is all that matters, but it was fortunate for the Jayhawks that Davidson didn't run something better than a simple clearout for Curry (made it real easy to double-team and force the ball out of his hands). North Carolina will play at a pace Kansas prefers and that game should be as entertaining as the NC-Louisville game was. Can't stand the Tarheels and would love to see KU exact a little revenge on Roy Williams,.

Biggest ? of the Final Four; UCLA. My pick, but a few of their starters are mired in a shooting slump. That said, they played their best game of the tourney v Xavier, and they're are the best defensive team in the nation by a wide margin. Should be a interesting contrast in styles when the Bruins play Memphis on the other semifinal.

 

The Tar Heels have breezed through to the final 4 like I expected. I wasn't at all worried against Louisville and thought we would always beat them by at least 10. We had that game under wraps and let it slip for a few minutes.


I thought the Cougars were supposed to stop us? HAHA! We blew by them too.


If Kansas runs against us they will lose by at least 15. We've beaten every team by at least 10 and will pound Kansas if they play to our style. The Kansas matchup doesn't worry me at all and I predict a 15 point game for the Tar Heels. They won't stop Hansbrough and Lawson will play much better than he did against Louisville. If they did stop Hansbrough, Ellington will go off for 20+. Really it doesn't matter.


UCLA will lose to Memphis in the other game. Memphis will get it inot a running game and will blow by them as UCLA can't run and their best players are sucking horribly right now. Rose is gonna take Collison to school and Dozier and the rest of the big men will put a clampdown on Love.

Memphis runs and they will play into UNC's hands. Like I said, if you run against us, you are going down by alot. Memphis doesn't know how to slow it up, so I expect a good game until the last 10 minutes, which UNC will take a commanding lead and not give up on it. Memphis has hit their free throws, but I'm not counting on them to hit their free throws throughout the rest of the tourney. If I was UNC, I'd test them and hack Dozier and co every time. Let them prove that they can hit free throws.

 

Have Kansas vs UCLA in my bracket which of course means North Carolina and Memphis on monday night.

Memphis' achilles heel is their free throw shooting. My gut tells me UCLA will find a way (even if the Tigers jump out in front). More than likely this one goes down to the final minute and the Bruins have been in a bunch of close games this year giving them a slight edge.

I'm curious to see how Kansas reacts to finally getting over the hump in the Bill Self era and getting to the Final 4. Carolina is unrelenting so the Jayhawks better be ready. I'm rooting for KU, but bottom line I don't think their tough enough to come back on the Tarheels if they get behind. Carolina by double digits.

*** Biggest X factor are the refs*** The NCAA is FIFA's kindred spirit in terms of head scratching decisions (or lack thereof). The fact they haven't changed the personal foul rule to 6 instead of the outdated 5 can really effect a game. Tired of seeing a big guy pickup 2 quick fouls and sit out the last 15 minutes of the 1st half. Here's hoping the kids on the floor decide the games.

 

Won't give FFC24 the needle (I'll leave it to the Terp) since my team lost in the first round, but I do love hearing the "I won't trade my kids for anybody's" speech Roy Williams says after his team loses. The Heels came out like they were already counting on playing Memphis..40-12???? Too much energy needed to come back from that kind of deficit.

The papers out here are killing Ben Howland for his lack offensive ingenuity. Funny, but wasn't it Shipp and Collison with WIDE open looks clanking shots? those two went 4 for 19.

Rose and Douglas-Roberts are fantastic players The matchup w/Chalmers and Rush (much better size than what the Bruins threw at them) will be great to watch. Kansas keeps running 6'10" guys out there so Memphis will need to hit the boards to get their break going. Since I went 0 for 2 on Sat. my pick means squat, but I'll take the Tigers 81-75.

 

I am pulling for Memphis. I saw Derrick Rose play in high school a number of times since he was a sophomore and because of him I will be rooting Memphis on.

 

Would have won my bracket had the game not gone to overtime (no matter the result) on total points, so a big raspberry goes out to Memphis for clanking their free throws and Coach Cal for not calling a time-out w/10 seconds to make sure the players knew to foul and not let Kansas take a three-pointer. Great game and credit to the Jayhawks for playing the entire 40 minutes + OT.