I'm not sure how many of you there are left out there.
After a full month off from the blog, to let the reality of the disappointment of my beloved Heels' 09/10 season set in, I believe I'm ready to restart my participation in this blog. If for no other reason than I am tired of the lead line every time I check it be "Why Carolina Can Beat Duke." Whoops.
But we're kicking off my renewed commitment on the greatest day of the sports year- the first day of the NCAA Tournament. And we're doing so with the unveiling of my bracket. Unfortunately, we don't have Andy Katz broadcasting from my living room, but it's probably only one small step below President Obama's in terms of hype. Without further adieu, here are my picks from the Sweet 16 on:
Midwest Region:
In the top matchup, I have Michigan State over Kansas. This is easily the gutsiest pick of my bracket, and I made it for two reasons: first, I am overreacting to picking MSU to lose in the 2nd round last year and then watching them make a run to the finals (before getting POUNDED), and second, the Midwest is just brutal, and I don't see chalk making it through from such a difficult bracket. Finally, it should be noted that all season long I have believed that this season reminded the most of 2006, when there was no dominant team and Florida ended up coming from off the radar to win it all (and George Mason made the Final Four). Given that, I tried to pick upsets whenever I could. This is one of those times.
In the other sweet 16, I have chalk (go figure) with Ohio State over Georgetown. I'm not really a big Ohio State guy this season, but I do think Evan Turner could be an even tougher matchup in the Dance because teams don't have enough time to prepare for the unique player that he is. This would be especially true in the Elite 8, with only 2 days to prepare, where I have Ohio State ending Sparty's run and advancing to the Final Four.
Other notable upsets: none. Big sweet life there. Right after I talk about wanting to pick upsets, I look at my bracket and it's 1-8 in the second round. Wow.
West Region:
I do have some upsets here. In the first Sweet 16 game, I have Syracuse over UTEP. Everyone picks a 12-5 upset every year (at least one), and I tend to gravitate toward picking against mid-major 5 seeds, like Butler here. I also have Murray State over Vanderbilt (I have NO confidence in Vandy for reasons that are yet unclear), which leads to UTEP in the Sweet 16. There, I have them losing to Syracuse. Not a shocking pick, but I'm jumping on the 'Cuse bandwagon for reasons that are similar to what I said about Turner above- their 2-3 zone, when executed as well as this team does this season, is a bear to prepare for and should be tough in the NCAA tournament format.
In the bottom, I have BYU getting through over Pittsburgh. I like BYU as a sneaky 7, and I think K State is my least favorite 2. I just don't know what they've done this year other than win a lot of non-marquee games and then get blown out by Kansas twice. In any other year, I don't see them being any higher than a 5. Hence, BYU through over them, and then over Pitt because of the same upset principle I stated above. Plus I was feeling some Joseph Smith love there.
Once in the Elite 8, I have Syracuse ending BYU's run. And I'm not done with Syracuse yet.
Other notable upsets: Murray State over Vandy, as stated above.
East Region:
The top half has easily my favorite first round matchup- Texas-Wake. What a game. This game could finish with absolutely any score- any at all- and it wouldn't shock me. Add to that that if Texas finally decides to play like it's early January again, they certainly have the horses to knock off Kentucky. No doubt.
But anyways, I do have Kentucky advancing to face Cornell, which will use excellent outside shooting and a Davidson-like mojo to advance over a really underwhelming 4/5 combo in Wisconsin and Temple. Once in the Sweet 16, however, Big Blue advances there.
On the bottom half, I have Marquette getting through to the Sweet 16 but losing there to West Virginia. I'm not really a huge West Virginia fan in the tournament, because if you look at recent history the winner of the Big East Tournament has usually come up short of their seeding, but I couldn't find a spot to knock them off.
That is, until the Elite 8, when they'll lose to Kentucky. A lot of people don't like the Wildcats this season, but I do. Sure, they're inexperienced, but that didn't seem to hurt them when they were going 32-2. And the fact is that John Wall is the most difficult player to guard in the country, and the 2nd toughest may be a trying DeMarcus Cousins. And I'm banking on the fact that Cousins may actually try for 6 games in a row. Which would be downright scary.
Other notable upsets: none. I do have Clemson winning a game, which is completely against my better judgment. But Purnell has to win a tourney game eventually.
South Region
Time is running out on this post, so we're going to have to move quickly. In the top half, I have Duke over Texas A&M. I thought long and hard about taking the Aggies, but in the end I didn't have the faith, and I do think that this is Duke's best team since 2005, and they're well positioned for at least an Elite 8 run.
On the other side, I have Villanova over Notre Dame. I know a lot of people are on the Baylor bandwagon, but I'm not. I don't know what Baylor has done to get me on their bandwagon, other than maybe beating Texas (not difficult). Instead, I will be on the 'Gody bandwagon. Until the Sweet 16, when I will switch to Scottie Reynolds.
In the Elite 8, I have Nova over Duke. I know the Wildcats have dropped 5 of 7, but if they can get through the early rounds, I really like their veteran backcourt, especially Reynolds, to take over and get them back to the Final Four. Especially against Duke, whom they pounded last year.
Other notable upsets: Siena over Purdue. If you even call that an upset.
Final Four:
Syracuse over Ohio State.
Kentucky over Villanova.
And I have Kentucky winning it all. I just like John Wall, and my gut really tells me that this is his year and it's Big Blue's year to return to the national stage. Calipari has been so close before, it's only a matter of time before he gets that ring (and then it's only a matter of time before the NCAA takes it away from him). I think the Wall/Cousins combo will get it done for him.
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