Tourney Preview

This is probably going to be a losing bracket but after 3 days of looking at games, changing picks, looking again and changing them back this is what I have come up with. So if you need a little last minute help filling out your bracket you should probably avoid any picks that I have made.

MIDWEST

1 Kansas vs. 16 Portland State

The Pick: Kansas

8 UNLV vs. 9 Kent State

The Pick: Kent State

5 Clemson vs. 12 Villanova

The Pick: Villanova

4 Vanderbilt vs. 13 Siena

The Pick: Vandy

6 USC vs. 11 Kansas State

The Pick: USC

3 Wisconsin vs. 14 CS Fullerton

The Pick: Wisconsin

7 Gonzaga vs. 10 Davidson

The Pick: Gonzaga

2 Georgetown vs. 15 UMBC

The Pick: Georgetown


Round of 32: Kansas over Kent State; Vandy over Nova; USC over Wisconsin; Georgetown over Gonzaga.

Sweet 16: Kansas over Vandy; Georgetown over USC

Elite Eight: Georgetown over Kansas

Not in my bracket, but food for thought…

Dark Horse for Final Four: USC with supertalent OJ Mayo who is great at times

Dark Horse for Sweet 16: Siena. Vandy has been struggling as of late and in a 12-13 matchup anything can happen

Best First Round Upset: Kansas State over USC. Other superfrosh Michael Beasley could trump Mayo, but does not have as good of supporting cast.

SOUTH

1 Memphis vs. 16 Texas-Arlington

The Pick: Memphis

8 Mississippi State vs. 9 Oregon.

The Pick: Mississippi State

4 Pittsburgh vs. 13 Oral Roberts

The Pick: Pittsburgh

5 Michigan State vs. 12 Temple

The Pick: Temple

3 Stanford vs. 14 Cornell

The Pick: Stanford

6 Marquette vs. 11 Kentucky

The Pick: Kentucky

7 Miami vs. 10 St. Mary’s

The Pick: St. Mary’s

2 Texas vs. 15 Austin Peay

The Pick: Texas

Round of 32: Memphis over MSU; Pitt over Temple; Kentucky over Stanford; Texas over St. Mary’s

Sweet 16: Pitt over Memphis; Texas over Kentucky

Elite Eight: Texas over Pitt

Not in my bracket, but food for thought…

Dark Horse for Final Four: Stanford. Solid Pac Ten team with two 6’11” guys in the middle can cause a lot of matchup problems

Dark Horse for Sweet 16: Michigan State. Is it wrong that a 5 seed is a dark horse to get into the sweet sixteen? But really you never know which MSU team might show up

Best First Round Upset: Cornell over Stanford. Stanford in the final four or out in the first round there is some confusion.

EAST

1 North Carolina vs 16 Mount Saint Mary’s

The Pick: UNC

8 Indiana vs 9 Arkansas

The Pick: Arkansas

5 Notre Dame vs 12 George Mason

The pick: ND

4 Washington State vs 13 Winthrop

The pick: WSU

6 Oklahoma vs 11 Saint Joseph’s

The pick: St. Joe’s

3 Louisville vs 14 Boise State

The pick: Louisville

7 Butler vs 10 South Alabama

The Pick: South Alabama

2 Tennessee vs 15 American

The pick: Tennessee

Round of 32: UNC over Arkansas; WSU over ND; Louisville over St. Joe’s; Tennessee over USA.

Sweet 16: UNC over WSU; Louisville over Tennessee

Elite Eight: UNC over Louisville

Not in my bracket, but food for thought…

Dark Horse for Final Four: I don’t think anyone in the bracket that is not a top 3 seed has a real shot at the final four, but if I had to pick someone I would go with Butler. They have a bunch of seniors who have played together for years and if they get hot from downtown they can beat anyone.

Dark Horse for Sweet 16: Winthrop. If they get past Wash State they will probably face a Notre Dame team that they knocked off in the first round last year.

Best First Round Upset: Boise State over Louisville. A couple double reverses, a flea-flicker or two, and a quarterback sneak at the buzzer. Oh my bad this is basketball.

WEST

1 UCLA vs 16 Mississippi Valley State

The Pick: UCLA

8 BYU vs 9 Texas A&M

The Pick: BYU

5 Drake vs 12 Western Kentucky

The pick: Drake

4 Connecticut vs 13 San Diego

The pick: UConn

6 Purde vs 11 Baylor

The pick: Baylor

3 Xavier vs 14 Georgia

The pick: Xavier

7 West Virginia vs 10 Arizona

The Pick: Arizona

2 Duke vs 15 Belmont

The pick: Duke

Round of 32: UCLA over BYU; Drake over UConn; Xavier over Baylor; Arizona over Duke.

Sweet 16: UCLA over Drake; Xavier over Arizona;.

Elite Eight: UCLA over Xavier.

Not in my bracket, but food for thought…

Dark Horse for Final Four: UConn. With a 7’3” patrolling the middle all you need is a couple of guys to get hot on the offensive end.

Dark Horse for Sweet 16: BYU. They would have to knock off UCLA in Anaheim, but stranger things have happened.

Best First Round Upset: Western Kentucky over Drake. Drake has no tourney experience and a first year coach. Can they live up to the great regular season.

Final Four

UNC over Georgetown

UCLA over Texas

National Championship

UCLA over UNC. Finally UCLA gets it done after a national runner up and a final four appearance in the last two years.