MARCH MADNESS IS BACK, BABY!
The most highly anticipated sporting event is less than 24 hours away and filling out a bracket could quite possibly be the hardest thing that you had to do today!
It is the one time of the year at the office where it is actually okay to scream with joy or to yell in anger between the hours of 11AM and 6PM. Work will still get done, but not nearly in the timely fashion as your boss would like (even though he hasn’t left his office and the door has been closed all afternoon). Bragging rights at the office are at stake, while bookies across the country are licking their chops for that one degenerate to bet the house on Virginia…again!
Nevertheless, the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament is here and it isn’t slowing down! From buzzer beaters to Cinderellas to mid-major upsets…March most certainly will not disappoint. Who will be this year’s Loyola-Chicago and take the world by storm and who will be cutting the nets down in April?
The 1 Seeds
Duke is the biggest pre-tournament favorite to win the dance since the Kentucky Wildcats in 2015, but are they worth picking in your bracket?
The simple answer is probably, but the strategic answer is maybe not. If you’re in a huge office pool then you would have to assume that over fifty-percent of your co-workers are picking the Blue Devils (which is fine). So not only does Duke have to win, but your Final Four and Elite Eight must hit as well. The tie-breaker comes down to the rounds leading up to the championship game, so you better select your runner-up and elite eight teams wisely, while also picking a few upsets in the first two rounds
Duke is easily the most talented team in the tournament and Zion Williamson is without a doubt the best college player in the past decade. RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish are potential top-5 picks in the 2019 NBA Draft this summer and they are led by Coach K. The Devils lack depth, but when you have three of the top five pre-season recruits, along with the best college coach of all-time, does it even matter?
North Carolina had a tremendous second half of the year and defeated Duke handily twice. Although Zion was out for both games, UNC looked dominate at both ends of the floor. They even could have beaten Duke in the ACC semi-finals, losing in the final minute.
This UNC roster is deep and they are led by star guard Coby White, sharp shooter Cameron Johnson and senior Luke Maye. Maye has been here before and has lost on a buzzer-beater in the finals while claiming a ring of his own in 2016-17.
The Heels had a disappointing loss a season ago and could easily be a Final Four squad in a few weeks. Their path is tough and they will have to go through a Kansas team in the sweet 16 in Kansas City, a Kentucky team peaking at the right time possibly in the Elite Eight, and then who knows after they attempt to come out of the hardest regional in 2019.
Virginia has been the best regular season team for what seems like the past six years! The Hooves snagged a 1-seed (again), but have yet to reach a final four in 35 years. So what makes 2019 special for them? Well, as you know from my intro…not much. Do not pick UVA to cut the nets down as history shows they will not!
Finally, the Zags! Gonzaga has consistently been a top team in the nation for a decade, but have just one runner-up banner to show for it (more than UVA!). They protect the rim well and have a elite talents in Brandon Clarke and Rui Hachimura. They defeated Duke early in the season in Hawaii (however, don’t read too much into neutral site games in the middle of the ocean) and will be getting slept on because they play out West.
This is a legit Final Four team and they could have one of the weirdest second round tilts against Syracuse and the zone if the Orange can get past Baylor. The path is not easy, but whose really is in March?
Other notable seeds with a chance
Just solely looking at the bracket and the seeding, I would have to say that Michigan has somewhat of a favorable route as the 2 seed in the west. I am not big on Texas Tech, however, I do think Nevada in round two can stir the pot and give the Wolverines a scare. My dark horse in the region is Buffalo. At times they have looked like a legit contender, but getting slapped with the play-in game winner is never fun.
Nevada, like Michigan, is a team I really like. I think the winner of that game could play for a chance to make the Final Four and they had a deep run in 2018. The Martin brothers are explosive enough to shake up the bracket and the Wolfpack will take down the Florida Gators in round one–setting up a great matchup in round two with the 2018 runner-up.
I am completely sold on the Ja Morant hype, but not enough to pick the historic 12-5 upset that occurs every year over Marquette. The Golden Eagles struggled down the stretch, but they are still one of the best 15 teams in the country. Markus Howard is one of the best college players and will be a nightmare matchup for Murray State. Sorry, but the Racers are not this year’s George Mason!
Aside from other top-5 seeds, Villanova getting a 6-seed is wild. The defending National Champions are nowhere near 2018 form, but they still won the Big East and have one of the top coaches in the game in Jay Wright. The WIldcats have had recent success in March, as well as April, which is why they could be right back in the Elite Eight or further in two weeks time. Don’t be scared by seedings…its 2019, upsets are going to happen. However this time, I wouldn’t really call the Wildcats title-defending bid an upset.
Sticking with the Wildcat theme, Kentucky and John Calipari will obviously be in the mix. Coach Cal has been widely criticized for underachieving in March, claiming just one ring and finishing second just once. He guided the 2014 ‘Cats to an undefeated mark before losing in the Final Four to Wisconsin and failed to take advantage of Virginia and Tennessee losing in the first two rounds last year by losing to Kansas State in the Sweet 16.
Call it what you want, but winning a title every year or going to the Final Four every year is near impossible in this day and age. Hell, Coach K hasn’t even done any of that and Duke has just two titles in the past 9 years. If anything, Cal might have a better resume all while taking an 8-seed to the National title game in 2014.
Seton Hall is my Midwest dark horse and if they get past a stingy Wofford team (not sold on them), then Myles Powell awaits. The Pirates defeated the Wildcats already and could possibly make it two times in one season if they meet up again in the round of 32.
Last, but most certainly not least, Kansas. Being a 4 seed is warranted, but Bill Self has done a pretty outstanding job keeping this team afloat amidst injuries and player issues. The Jayhawks have struggled on the road this year and failed to claim a share of the Big 12 for the first time since 2003, but if they can advance to the sweet 16, then it will be a homecoming in Kansas City as the Tar Heels will head into a hostile environment that could turn into a nightmare.
Villanova, Michigan, Seton Hall, Nevada, Kentucky and Kansas could make a deep run, but if you take the Tennessee Volunteers then I simply cannot help you!
Biggest Upset
Every article that I have read or every co-worker that I have talked to thinks that Oregon is going to upset the Wisconsin Badgers in round one. Well, they are wrong first of all. Second of all, Wisconsin is a tough match-up and have tournament success in their past. Third, the Ducks might be hot right now and they might be one of the most efficient teams on defense, but Ethan Happ is going to silence these doubters quickly.
The upset of the first round is going to be New Mexico State over Auburn. The Tigers live and die by the three-pointer, which can be horrific if a cold night hits. Just refer to last year in the second round when Clemson throttled them.
Auburn is coming off an absolute high from winning the SEC Tournament which is why they will be sleeping on the Aggies!
Runner-up: Old Dominion over Purdue (14-3 matchup).
Cinderella
Air Jean failed to reach the tournament in 2019 and we will miss her dearly. However, the door is now wide open for a new candidate this time around.
My first instinct tells me that last year was basically a fluke and a flurry of upsets along with the Old Testament helped guide the Ramblers to the Final Four. But I refuse to believe that in full!
A Cinderella, in my eyes, qualifies as a double digit seed from a small school that advances beyond the Sweet 16. This weekend we will have a new slipper looking for a foot, but just who will it be?
My heart wants it to be the Colgate Raiders so badly, but it is hard to picture a 15 seed going deep! I’ll be painting my face and bleeding maroon on Friday afternoon, praying for the upset, but my alma mater will need to play out of their minds if they are going to burn brackets.
The real Cinderella is going to be Belmont. Being one of the final teams to get into the dance and also winning a play-in game will only boost their confidence. The Bruins lost to Murray State in the Atlantic Sun Championship game and they will be hungry to prove the doubters wrong. They play a Maryland team that has failed to make a run in a long time and I smell an upset in the round of 64!
Picks
I previously advised you to stay away from Duke if you don’t think you can nail the other seven final eight teams and I’m sticking to that. My favorite team has been Duke since the JJ Redick days, and Zion has shown the country just how valuable he really is, so yes, I am confident in this roster, and for the tenth straight March I am picking Coach K.
Chapter IV of the Blue Devils and Tar Heels will determine who owns the 2019 college basketball season and it will be the highest rated National Championship game in history.
Final 4: Duke, Gonzaga, Villanova, North Carolina