Sunday, March 14, 2010

Quick Tourney Takes


Commonwealth Lake Park
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.
We were at the coast Saturday night and Sunday and I kept my phone off so just catching up with the brackets via the DVR. A few first impressions. Overall I have no problem with anyone being left out of the field, the bubble sucked Va Tech only has themselves to blame with such a crud OOC SOS , same for Miss State. Illinois probably should have gotten in over Utah State, too bad they lost that Ohio State game but I shed no tears with their 75 RPI. I don't get too hyped up about seedings since many teams are moved up and down due to conference match-ups not till the Elite 8 ideally and the pod system. Probably worst seedings were Cal, Notre Dame and Texas. Does anyone right now consider Texas one of the 34 best teams right now? Probably not but with the great early start hard to keep them out.

Hardest road to the Final Four for a 1: Easy answer is Kansas, would have to beat the Gtown/Ohio State winner in the Elite most likely and a possible Mich St in the Sweet 16. On the bottom of the bracket are OSU and the Vols two teams that KU lost too.

Easiest route to the Final Four: Kentucky, shouldn't be challenged till the likely match-up versus West Virginia in the 8 though West Virginia is a really tough out if they match-up.

Most likely 12-5 upset: UTEP over Butler, Butler like Gonzaga before them has gotten to the point where they have started to get overseeded. Not their fault but they don't get to play a high level schedule the last 20 games of the year due to their conference. Butler is much more dangerous in the 7 10 or 11 spot. Hate to see a mid-major/mid major first round game. Been a trend the last 3 years or so.

Best chance for a non 1/2 seed to make the Final Four: Pitt, they've beaten some really good teams and are in a region they can win. If not Pitt then Georgetown and Baylor would be the best chances.

Sweet 16 game I want to see: Nova vs Baylor - I think the winner of this one can take down Duke, good matchup for Baylor who has the size to give Nova fits.

Final Four: Kansas, Pitt, Kentucky, Nova

Champ game: Kansas over Kentucky