NCAA Basketball 09-10 Thread

[Archer]

I think the distribution of the good teams by the Selection Committee this year leaves a lot to be desired. IMO, there are absolutely no good teams in the South, and the West is much weaker than the East or Midwest. Kansas actually has the most difficult road to the Final Four among the #1 seeds, and allegedly they got the overall #1. Duke has by far the easiest road to the Final Four, yet they were the lowest #1 seed. I wanted to have Villanova going out early, but there is literally no one that can lose to in their region.

Pathetic.

I think the distribution of the good teams by the Selection Committee this year leaves a lot to be desired. IMO, there are absolutely no good teams in the South, and the West is much weaker than the East or Midwest.

I agree. The difference between the Midwest and South is huge. I would almost go as far as saying Kansas got punished for being the number one overall seed.

Duke has by far the easiest road to the Final Four, yet they were the lowest #1 seed

They were the third one seed. Somehow they put them ahead of Syracuse even though they said the last 5 games didn't carry the same importance that the whole season did.

I also thought the seeding itself was pretty terrible. Cal got an 8 despite losing the conference tourney, Cornell got a 12 after winning the Ivy league and playing well in OOC games, Temple who Lunardi had for a 3 somehow slipped to a 5 behind some pretty average teams and Villanova kept a 2 seed even though every other team that got bounced early in the conference tourneys getting dropped heavily.

[Sharkweather]

Coach K was basically handed a Final Four birth by the committee.

Until they lose to A&M in the Sweet 16 because they are still Duke.

[Woy]

http://woysword.blogspot.com/2010/03/mid-west-region-preview.html

Head to the printers and have a pencil handy...it's time to fill out your NCAA Tournament bracket. From college basketball junkies, to your co-worker that hasn't watched a game all year; everyone gets into picking who's going to go far in the big dance and who's looking at a historic upset.

I believe this year's bracket is probably the toughest I've had to fill out, especially the South Region. Could this be a redux of 2006 when an 11 seed in George Mason shocked the world and made the Final Four? Or will it be like 2008 when all four top seeds won their regions? It's hard to tell.

First Round Match-ups
[1] Kansas vs. [16] Lehigh
[8] UNLV vs. [9] Northern Iowa
[5] Michigan State vs. [12] New Mexico State
[4] Maryland vs. [13] Houston
[6] Tennessee vs. [11] San Diego State
[3] Georgetown vs. [14] Ohio
[7] Oklahoma State vs. [10] Georgia Tech
[2] Ohio State vs. [15] UC-Santa Barbara

Number one overall seed Kansas headlines this region, but they were also cursed with the toughest road to the Final Four. Big Ten champion Ohio State, surging Big East power Georgetown, and last year's runner-up Michigan State all are looking to knock off the Jayhawks. I do think Kansas will outlast the field and advance to the Final Four, but it's going to be a rough road.

Favorite: Kansas

- They are probably the most complete team in the field. Great starting line-up with talented guards and big men, a senior leader (Sherron Collins) who has Final Four experience, and a deep bench. There's a reason why they only lost two games all season.

Best Player: Evan Turner, F, Ohio State

- Turner had an incredible year and if he didn't get hurt mid-way through the season, we might be discussing one of the greatest seasons ever for a collegiate basketball player. He's cool in the clutch, does everything for his team and will carry the entire Buckeyes squad if his teammates falter.

Sleeper: Michigan State

- Never count out a Tom Izzo coached team. He got to the Final Four last season and almost everyone returns from that squad. Yeah, they didn't have the year everyone expected of them (I picked them to win the National Championship in the pre-season) but they are undefeated (5-0) as a five seed and if they get to the second round, they'll face a Maryland or Houston team with no tournament experience.

Cinderella: San Diego State

- There's really not a true Cinderella in this region. I only selected the Aztecs because they can win their first game and give their opponent (most likely the Georgetown Hoyas) trouble in the second. They're real hot right now, going from on the bubble to grabbing the Mountain West's automatic bid after defeating New Mexico and tournament host UNLV in the championship game. Oklahoma State is another team that could do some damage if James Anderson catches fire early.

Upset Alert: Tennessee

- Going into the tournament after getting beat down by rival Kentucky does nothing to help the Volunteers. I can't get a feel on these guys, because they're very inconsistent since losing Tyler Smith and crew mid-season. They hold wins over the Wildcats and Kansas, but have also lost by 15 at Georgia. I could see them getting past the Aztecs and giving Georgetown a game in the second round, or I can see them getting blown out.

First Round Predictions:
[1] Kansas over [16] Lehigh
[8] UNLV over [9] Northern Iowa
[5] Michigan State over [12] New Mexico State
[4] Maryland over [13] Houston
[11] San Diego State over [6] Tennessee
[3] Georgetown over [14] Ohio
[7] Oklahoma State over [10] Georgia Tech
[2] Ohio State over [15] UC-Santa Barbara

Second Round Predictions:
[1] Kansas over [8] UNLV
[5] Michigan State over [4] Maryland
[3] Georgetown over [11] San Diego State
[2] Ohio State over [7] Oklahoma State

Sweet 16 Predictions:
[1] Kansas over [5] Michigan State
[3] Georgetown over [2] Ohio State

Elite Eight Predictions:
[1] Kansas over [3] Georgetown

[DDRGuido]

Pfff Purdue

I'm willing to bet Siena beats them round 1. Horrible match-up when you are missing your star player.

I'm just trying to underestimate duke's success in the dance. not getting my hopes up at all.

[Woy]

Got my ticket for Robert Morris/Villanova on Thursday at Providence.

[Woy]

http://woysword.blogspot.com/2010/03/west-region-preview.html

Who will come out of the West Region? Will it be Big East regular season champion Syracuse or will a surprise team like BYU steal the show?

First Round Match-ups
[1] Syracuse vs. [16] Vermont
[8] Gonzaga vs. [9] Florida State
[5] Butler vs. [12] UTEP
[4] Vanderbilt vs. [13] Murray State
[6] Xavier vs. [11] Minnesota
[3] Pittsburgh vs. [14] Oakland
[7] BYU vs. [10] Florida
[2] Kansas State vs. [15] North Texas

The Orange were a surprise fourth overall seed, as Duke jumped them on Selection Sunday. However, this bracket is probably the easiest to pick out of all the Regions, and the Big East regular season champion should have no problem advancing to at least the Elite Eight. Other teams that could stand in Syracuse's way are Kansas State, BYU and possibly Pittsburgh.

Favorite: Syracuse

- Who would have predicted the Orange to be a number one seed at the beginning of the season? They come in as the Big East regular season champion and have only four losses on their resume...all of them in conference. They have a good outside and inside game, but the status of Arinze Onuaku is still up in the air. If he's still not healed from his quad injury deeper into the tournament, then there might be a surprise team representing the West Region in the Final Four.

Best Player: Wes Johnson, F, Syracuse

- The Iowa State transfer has really stood out this year, placing his name beside the Evan Turner's and John Wall's of the world. The junior forward was named Big East Player of the Year and averaged 16 points with a little over eight boards a game. He doesn't get into foul trouble often and plays good defense in Syracuse's tough 2-3 zone.

Sleeper: BYU

- The Mountain West has been really nice this season, sending four teams to the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars get a surprising at-large in Florida for their first round game and although the Gators are a nice team, they are very inconsistent and could drop early. After that is most likely a match-up against Kansas State and if they could slide by the Wildcats, they would have home-court advantage for the Sweet 16 and the Elite Eight in Salt Lake City.

Cinderella: UTEP

- Whenever you have an all-conference guard and big man, you'll have a chance. That's what C-USA regular season champion UTEP possesses and their depth can help them make a Cinderella type run. Randy Culpepper and Derrick Caracter lead the Miners against Butler, who currently are riding a 20 game winning streak. However, on common opponents, the Miners have defeated UAB twice where the Bulldogs fell in December to the Blazers. After the first round, they'd get either Vanderbilt or Murray State; another reasonable task.

Upset Alert: Vanderbilt

- The last time Vanderbilt played a 13 seed, they got ran out of the gym by a surprising Siena squad who has recently made a name for themselves for winning two straight first round match-ups. Now they get another talented 13 seed in Murray State; a team that already has 30 wins on the season. The Racers don't have a star player, but they have five guys averaging double-digits and a sixth who averages 9.5 points per game. They have balance both inside and outside, just like the Commodores. If the upset doesn't happen, at least it will be a good game.

First Round Predictions:
[1] Syracuse over [16] Vermont
[9] Florida State over [8] Gonzaga
[5] Butler over [12] UTEP
[13] Murray State over [4] Vanderbilt
[11] Minnesota over [6] Xavier
[3] Pittsburgh over [14] Oakland
[7] BYU over [10] Florida
[2] Kansas State over [15] North Texas

Second Round Predictions:
[1] Syracuse over [9] Florida State
[5] Butler over [13] Murray State
[11] Minnesota over [3] Pittsburgh
[2] Kansas State over [7] BYU

Sweet 16 Predictions:
[1] Syracuse over [5] Butler
[2] Kansas State over [11] Minnesota

Elite Eight Predictions:
[1] Syracuse over [2] Kansas State

[Woy]

http://woysword.blogspot.com/2010/03/east-region-preview.html

Half the bracket done, half of it to go. Who comes out of the East Region with a shot at the National Championship?

First Round Match-ups
[1] Kentucky vs. [16] East Tennessee State
[8] Texas vs. [9] Wake Forest
[5] Temple vs. [12] Cornell
[4] Wisconsin vs. [13] Wofford
[6] Marquette vs. [11] Washington
[3] New Mexico vs. [14] Montana
[7] Clemson vs. [10] Missouri
[2] West Virginia vs. [15] Morgan State

Looks like an easy road for Kentucky onto the Elite Eight. Texas has the talent to beat the Wildcats, but Rick Barnes has done a horrible job with the Longhorns this season. Wisconsin and Temple are nice teams but talent-wise, the boys from Lexington blow them out of the water. West Virginia and New Mexico look like they're on a collision course for a berth into the Elite Eight, but some hot shooting by Marquette could derail the Lobos' plans.

Favorite: Kentucky

- John Calipari has another talented team...what's new? After missing the NCAA Tournament last season and losing the SEC's leading scorer in Jodie Meeks, Coach Cal brought in the top recruiting class and turned a NIT team into a National Championship contender. John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins are the headline names, but other players like Eric Bledsoe and Patrick Patterson put this team into the elite.

Best Player: John Wall, G, Kentucky

- After hitting a jumper at the buzzer to beat Miami of Ohio in Kentucky's season opener, you knew the young freshman point guard was destined for stardom. He lived up to the enormous hype surrounding him, averaging 16.9 points a game with 6.4 assists per contest; all while picking up the SEC Player of the Year award.

Sleeper: Marquette

- If the Golden Eagles are shooting well, watch out. They have three players averaging double-figures and all of them are outside threats. In the first round they get Pac-10 conference tournament champion Washington, and every college basketball fan knows that the Pac-10 has been down this season. Unless they completely choke, Marquette should get by the Huskies, staging a second round match-up against (most likely) New Mexico. The Lobos are also a small team, so the possible bout between these two teams could be one of the best games of the NCAA Tournament.

Cinderella: Cornell

- The Ivy League champion dominated their league this season, only falling once. They also were tested in OOC play, holding a 15 point loss at Syracuse and a five point loss at Kansas to their resume. The Big Red are a balanced team, with both scorers from the outside (Ryan Wittman) and the inside (Jeff Foote). Under-seeded at 12, they get another under-seeded team in Temple and their game should be the best of the first round. After that, they get Wisconsin or Wofford and there's no doubt in mine or anyone else's mind that they can get past them.

Upset Alert: Wisconsin

- The Badgers have a very nice team coached by one of the nation's best in Bo Ryan, but their opponent is a team that almost took down Pitt in Oakland and lost by only 12 at Michigan State. The Terriers are in the tournament for the first time and they are carried by junior Noah Dahlman, who is a great scorer inside. Despite being undersized, him and Wisconsin's Jon Lauer should have a very interesting battle in the paint all game.

First Round Predictions:
[1] Kentucky over [16] East Tennessee State
[8] Texas over [9] Wake Forest
[12] Cornell over [5] Temple
[4] Wisconsin over [13] Wofford
[6] Marquette over [11] Washington
[3] New Mexico over [14] Montana
[10] Missouri over [7] Clemson
[2] West Virginia over [15] Morgan State

Second Round Predictions:
[1] Kentucky over [8] Texas
[12] Cornell over [4] Wisconsin
[6] Marquette over [3] New Mexico
[2] West Virginia over [10] Missouri

Sweet 16 Predictions:
[1] Kentucky over [12] Cornell
[2] West Virginia over [6] Marquette

Elite Eight Predictions:
[1] Kentucky over [2] West Virginia

[Point Blank]

Obama to share his bracket in a little bit. Could he go 2 for 2?

[Woy]

Leaving for Providence in nine hours.

[Sharkweather]

Bobby Gonzalez fired.

[Pitty]

Bobby Gonzalez fired.

Does Herb Pope still get paid?

[Woy]

http://woysword.blogspot.com/2010/03/south-region-preview.html

The first three regions were pretty easy in regards to determining a winner. The South Region? Not so much. Who comes out of this mess with a spot in the Final Four?

First Round Match-ups
[1] Duke vs. [16] Arkansas-Pine Bluff
[8] California vs. [9] Louisville
[5] Texas A&M vs. [12] Utah State
[4] Purdue vs. [13] Siena
[6] Notre Dame vs. [11] Old Dominion
[3] Baylor vs. [14] Sam Houston State
[7] Richmond vs. [10] St. Mary's
[2] Villanova vs. [15] Robert Morris

This region is an absolute mess. Duke earned (I use that term very loosely) a number one seed and has a realistic opportunity to make the Final Four...or lose in the second round. Purdue would be a nice pick, but they've struggled without Robbie Hummel. Baylor's been gaining members for their bandwagon every day, and Villanova made the Final Four, but like Purdue they have struggled lately. Like I said, it's a mess.

Favorite: Villanova

- It's hard enough to pick a favorite for this region. Duke doesn't have a win over a "great" team and the best team they've faced this season beat them by a misleading 12 points (they really got dominated the entire contest). I'll go with the Wildcats as the favorite, just because they always know when to turn it on during the tournament. Scottie Reynolds is one of the best players in the nation and would love nothing more than to bring 'Nova a title in his last campaign. The lack of an inside game could hurt the Wildcats, but it really hasn't before in the post-season.

Best Player: Jon Scheyer, G, Duke

- If Duke wants to make their first Final Four since 2004, they will need the senior point guard to play his best basketball. He's really had a coming out party of sorts, finishing second in the ACC Player of the Year award while averaging 18.6 points per game and five dimes. He's lights out from behind the arc - a lot of their team is, that's what they rely on - and they'll need those long range bombs in order to get past a group of weak teams gunning for them.

Sleeper: Louisville

- The Cardinals are one of the most inconsistent teams in the field. They hold a sweep over Big East champion Syracuse, but they also have losses against Western Carolina and Charlotte. For Louisville to make a serious run in this tournament, they need Edgar Sosa and Samardo Samuels to be at the top of their game. Sosa's been known to turn the ball over a lot, but is usually clutch in late-game situations. Samuels has loads of talent, but doesn't seem to play hard all the time. If these two players are in sync, they should roll over California and give Duke a run for their money.

Cinderella: Siena

- Usually 13 seeds get nervous at the spotlight of the NCAA Tournament...not these guys. The Saints have won two straight first round games - one against Vanderbilt and one against Ohio State - and are looking to take advantage of a depleted Purdue squad. Although they don't hold a huge win this season, they still have the experience from their last two runs to not be fazed against the Boilermakers. They have four players over 13 points per game and their point guard Ronald Moore averages just under eight assists per game. They're very balanced and could make a nice run in their third straight Big Dance appearance.

Upset Alert: Purdue

- I already discussed Siena's shot at upsetting the Boilermakers, but just look at what they've done ever since Hummel went out for the season with a torn ACL. They lost by nine to Michigan State, barely beat Penn State in State College and got blown out in the second round of the Big Ten tournament by Minnesota. They still have the talent to get to at least the Sweet 16, but they're going to need to play a lot better than they are now.

First Round Predictions:
[1] Duke over [16] Arkansas-Pine Bluff
[9] Louisville over [8] California
[5] Texas A&M over [12] Utah State
[13] Siena over [4] Purdue
[11] Old Dominion over [6] Notre Dame
[3] Baylor over [14] Sam Houston State
[10] St. Mary's over [7] Richmond
[2] Villanova over [15] Robert Morris

Second Round Predictions:
[9] Louisville over [1] Duke
[5] Texas A&M over [13] Siena
[3] Baylor over [11] Old Dominion
[2] Villanova over [10] St. Mary's

Sweet 16 Predictions:
[5] Texas A&M over [9] Louisville
[3] Baylor over [2] Villanova

Elite Eight Predictions:
[3] Baylor over [5] Texas A&M

Final Four Predictions:
[1] Kansas over [1] Syracuse
[1] Kentucky over [3] Baylor

National Championship Prediction:
[1] Kansas 77, [1] Kentucky 73

[Bear Pand]

Time to make that sexy Siena upset pick look like shit.

I guess even if Purdue loses, it could be worse, we could be a Big East school.

[Blick]

Glad that the Big East looks as overrated as I thought it was and the Big 12 looks as legit as I thought it was so far.

[Argath]

Marylands playing tonight



Let's go terps!