My Beloved 104 Bloggees:
Isn't this the best week of the year for college hoops fans? Conference tournaments are fun to watch, but they are merely hors d'oeuvres with respect to the main course during the next three weeks. Here are some random thoughts about the pairings:
Traditional powerhouses such as Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, Connecticut and Ohio State all won their conference tournaments. Will they carry that momentum to the Big Waltz? I say Connecticut will not and won't reach the Sweet Sixteen. The Huskies just finished playing 5 games in a row which should hurt them. I also almost picked Princeton to upset Kentucky, but I just couldn't pull the trigger. I don't think Kentucky has a deep enough bench to go beyond the Sweet Sixteen. NEXT
All year I have been praising 13 seed Belmont and 9 seed Old Dominion with all-BB (Barry's Blog) Frank Hassell, and predicting that they will make the Sweet Sixteen. Nothing has changed. Look for them to meet in a matchup in New Orleans the second weekend after both advance through their first two games (although Old Dominion's first round game against Butler will be a battle). NEXT
In that same region, Wofford is playing great ball having won their last eight games, including the Southern Conference tournament. They start 4 seniors and have NCAA experience barely losing last year to Wisconsin. Their only shortcoming is they don't start anyone over 6' 6 although Tim Johnson is a physical specimen and all-BB Noah Dahlman is a scoring machine in the paint. Their first round opponent is BYU and Jimmer Fredette, who without suspended Brandon Davies, don't have the physicality to take advantage of Wofford's height challenges. In an upset, I say go with Wofford. NEXT
I am not buying George Mason. Away from their home they have just been OK. Villanova starts three experienced seniors and will savvy their way to victory. But then that will be it as Ohio State will cruise to the Sweet Sixteen and beyond with their balanced squad. NEXT
Georgia is well-rested while Washington expended a bunch of energy in winning the Pac-10 tourney at the buzzer. The Bulldogs' frontcourt of Trey Thompkins, Travis Leslie and Jeremy Price should be too much for the Huskies, even with their slippery guard, Isaiah Thomas. NEXT
I want to say the nation's leading rebounder, all-BB Kenneth Faried and Morehead State will upset Louisville. But I don't think Faried has enough of a supporting cast to defeat the Cardinals. Louisville will then have a tough time with Vanderbilt and John Jenkins so I will say no to them going to the Sweet Sixteen. NEXT
Finally, when one's alma mater is a 2 seed you have to take them all the way. Florida is in an easy bracket and if their starting guards, Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton, can play like they did down the stretch, other than in the SEC Championship game, they have a shot. With their experienced frontcourt, seniors Chandler Parsons, Vernon Macklin and Alex Tyus and a little luck....it could be a fun remainder of March and beginning of April. However, I traditionally submit a second bracket that will have a different champion so that if my "heart" and the Gators lose, I can still have a rooting interest in the tourney. That second bracket will have Ohio State cutting down the nets. THAT'S IT
Enjoy.......UAB has motivation to win the first-round game against Clemson tonight, I am sure ESPN's Jay Bilas's picture is in their locker room....Alabama's 12 - 4 record in the SEC should have gotten them in the tourney, however, their ability to have many extra games and practices should help this improving team next year,
Barry
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