Less than one day away until the tip off of the 2010 NCAA Tournament. The more I look at it, the more I think that this tournament could be one of the more interesting ones in the last few years, simply because of its uncertainty. No team is a heavy favorite entering this tournament, and anywhere from eight to twelve teams have a real, legitimate shot of cutting down the nets in April.
My last bracket breakdown features the South Region, which many people have been labeling as the weakest region of the four. However, I think this bracket has the potential to get crazy and produce some of the more memorable games of the tournament.
First Round Games to Watch
#4 Purdue vs. #13 Siena (Fri, 2:30 pm)
Many people are wondering whether or not Purdue can put up a fight after losing Robbie Hummel for the season with an injured knee. However, before you pencil in the Siena Saints as your upset special, be warned that this year's Saints team does not have a marquee win on their schedule. In fact, they lost virtually every big game that they scheduled out of conference. They do have experience though, which isn't something to take lightly. This game has generated a good bit of interest already, and is definitely one to keep tabs on Friday afternoon.
#7 Richmond vs. #10 St. Mary's (Thurs, 2:50 pm)
This game is not receiving as much hype as it deserves. Richmond is a very talented team who (like another A-10 conference team....ahem, Temple) has been flying under the radar most of the season. The Spiders are led by Atlantic-10 Player of the Year Kevin Anderson, and feature a very athletic starting lineup. St. Mary's is led by center Omar Samhan, who can play heads up with any big man in the nation. The Gaels play great team basketball, and finding the open man against a tough Richmond defense is a must if they want to have success. Whichever team comes out of this game the winner has a great chance of upsetting Villanova (the likely candidate to be the second round opponent for one of these teams), which makes this game all that more interesting to watch.
Team That Could Make a Run
Louisville
This team has all the tools to be a top seed. The problem is that they don't always seem to bring their A-game to the court. Regardless, Rick Pitino is one of the best in the nation at preparing his team for tournament games, and with the talent that he has at his expense, don't be surprised if Louisville knocks off top seeded Duke and rides that momentum all the way to the Final Four. The Cardinals are an extremely dangerous nine seed.
My Picks
First Round
#1 Duke over #16 Arkansas-Pine Bluff
#9 Louisville over #8 California
#12 Utah State over #5 Texas A&M (upset alert)
#4 Purdue over #13 Siena
#11 Old Dominion over #6 Notre Dame (upset alert)
#3 Baylor over #14 Sam Houston State
#7 Richmond over #10 St. Mary's
#2 Villanova over #15 Robert Morris
2nd Round
#1 Duke over #9 Louisville
#12 Utah State over #4 Purdue (upset alert)
#3 Baylor over #11 Old Dominion
#2 Villanova over #7 Richmond
Sweet 16
#1 Duke over #12 Utah State
#2 Villanova over #3 Baylor
Elite 8
#1 Duke over #2 Villanova
Now that I've given you my regional champions, here are my picks for the Final Four games.
Final Four
National Semi-Finals
#1 Kansas over #2 Kansas State
#2 West Virginia over #1 Duke
Championship
#1 Kansas over #2 West Virginia
So, there you have it; my complete bracket for the 2010 NCAA Tournament. If you'd rather not scroll through my last three days of posts to find my picks (I'm with you; I wouldn't want to either), you can view all of my picks right here: http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/en/entry?entryID=4299515.
Also, in an effort to attract more readers to my blog, I have decided to put up an NCAA Tournament widget that allows you to keep up on the tournament happenings right from the blog! I know...I'm going to be spending my entire day on the blog too...
Hopefully we are just hours away from experiencing a great March Madness. Good luck to all the teams participating.
- K. Becks
Showing posts with label ncaa tournament picks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ncaa tournament picks. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
West and East Regions
Yesterday I covered possibly the most stacked region in the bracket. Today's regions are filled with a lot of talent as well. These two may actually be the more difficult regions to predict, due to various things such as injuries and past performances' of certain teams.
West Region
First Round Games to Watch
#5 Butler vs. #12 UTEP (Thurs, 4:45 pm)
Both of these teams feature players that will be exciting to watch. For Butler, guard Gordon Hayward and forward Matt Howard will try to counter the guard-forward attack of Randy Culpepper and Derrick Caracter. Both teams play pretty good defense, so Butler will need to hold on to the ball (they've had problems with turnovers this season) if they don't want to be one and done.
#6 Xavier vs. #11 Minnesota (Fri, 12:25 pm)
After Minnesota held Purdue to 11 first half points on their way to a 27 point drubbing of the Boilermakers, a lot of people jumped on the Gopher bandwagon (or, maybe just jumped off of the Purdue one). There is good reason for this, as Minnesota shoots the ball well and has capable big men in Damian Johnson and Ralph Sampson III. However, the Musketeers have their own playmaker in guard Jordan Crawford, who can single handedly change the outcome of a game. This game could come down to the last shot.
Team That Could Make a Run
BYU
This team has a very difficult path. If they manage to beat Florida in the first round, they would likely face Kansas State in the second round. It doesn't get any easier after that, either. However, BYU has an explosive offense headed by Jimmer Fredette who is a do-it-all talent (he has two 45+ scoring outputs this season). If they can continue to score at will and play decent defense, both things that they are capable of doing, they have a chance to ruin a lot of brackets after the first weekend.
My Picks
1st Round
#1 Syracuse over #16 Vermont
#8 Gonzaga over #9 Florida State
#5 Butler over #12 UTEP
#13 Murray State over #4 Vanderbilt (upset alert)
#6 Xavier over #11 Minnesota
#3 Pittsburgh over #14 Oakland
#7 BYU over #10 Florida
#2 Kansas State over #15 North Texas
2nd Round
#1 Syracuse over #8 Gonzaga
#5 Butler over #13 Murray State
#3 Pittsburgh over #6 Xavier
#2 Kansas State over #7 BYU
Sweet 16
#1 Syracuse over #5 Butler
#2 Kansas State over #3 Pittsburgh
Elite 8
#2 Kansas State over #1 Syracuse
East Region
First Round Games to Watch
#5 Temple vs. #12 Cornell (Fri, 12:30 pm)
This game should definitely be one of the more interesting games to watch on Friday. Cornell has been a popular pick to upset Temple, but Temple has been flying under the radar all season, and is pretty good in its own right. The Owls have wins over Villanova and Xavier, and Cornell played heads up all game long against Kansas earlier this season at the always tough venue Fog Allen Fieldhouse. The question will be, can Cornell shoot the three point ball well, or will Temple's extremely good perimeter pressure force Cornell into a bad shooting day?
#6 Marquette vs. #11 Washington (Thurs, 7:20 pm)
This game is on the "Games to Watch" list primarily because Washington has been playing well as of late and because Marquette has the talent to be a Final Four dark horse if they play to their potential. Washington loves to crank up the tempo on offense, and since Marquette doesn't exactly feature a lockdown defense, this game should produce a lot of points. It is also a real possibility that this game will come down to the final minutes, as Marquette leads the nation in playing in games decided by five or fewer points (with 16).
Team(s) That Could Make a Run
Marquette
As I mentioned above, Marquette has the talent to be a Final Four participant. Lazar Hayward is a stud, and Jimmy Butler helps carry the scoring load as well. The Golden Eagles do not have a very deep bench, but as long as they can stay out of foul trouble, that shouldn't affect them too much. Also, close games are bound to happen in the later rounds, and Marquette is battle tested in those type of games (refer to my statistic I included in the "Games to Watch" section).
New Mexico
A lot of people on the Eastern half of the country have not seen too much of the Lobos, which is why it is understandable that some people may think New Mexico is over-seeded. However, this team is the real deal. They have beaten six NCAA Tournament teams, and boast one of the most talented players in the tournament with guard Darington Hobson. It is unusual to think of a three seed making the Elite 8 as overly surprising, but if the Lobos do it, expect to see some eyebrows raised.
My Picks
1st Round
#1 Kentucky over #16 East Tennessee State
#8 Texas over #9 Wake Forest
#12 Cornell over #5 Temple (upset alert)
#4 Wisconsin over #13 Wofford
#6 Marquette over #11 Washington
#3 New Mexico over #14 Montana
#10 Missouri over #7 Clemson
#2 West Virginia over #15 Morgan State
2nd Round
#1 Kentucky over #8 Texas
#12 Cornell over #4 Wisconsin (upset alert)
#3 New Mexico over #6 Marquette
#2 West Virginia over #10 Missouri
Sweet 16
#1 Kentucky over #12 Cornell
#2 West Virginia over #3 New Mexico
Elite 8
#2 West Virginia over #1 Kentucky
Tomorrow I will break down the final region, the South Region. In related news, congratulations to Arkansas-Pine Bluff, who defeated Winthrop earlier tonight in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament and won the right to play Duke in the First Round. Quite a prize, don't you think? Actually, I'm sure they're ecstatic to have extended their season.
- K. Becks
West Region
First Round Games to Watch
#5 Butler vs. #12 UTEP (Thurs, 4:45 pm)
Both of these teams feature players that will be exciting to watch. For Butler, guard Gordon Hayward and forward Matt Howard will try to counter the guard-forward attack of Randy Culpepper and Derrick Caracter. Both teams play pretty good defense, so Butler will need to hold on to the ball (they've had problems with turnovers this season) if they don't want to be one and done.
#6 Xavier vs. #11 Minnesota (Fri, 12:25 pm)
After Minnesota held Purdue to 11 first half points on their way to a 27 point drubbing of the Boilermakers, a lot of people jumped on the Gopher bandwagon (or, maybe just jumped off of the Purdue one). There is good reason for this, as Minnesota shoots the ball well and has capable big men in Damian Johnson and Ralph Sampson III. However, the Musketeers have their own playmaker in guard Jordan Crawford, who can single handedly change the outcome of a game. This game could come down to the last shot.
Team That Could Make a Run
BYU
This team has a very difficult path. If they manage to beat Florida in the first round, they would likely face Kansas State in the second round. It doesn't get any easier after that, either. However, BYU has an explosive offense headed by Jimmer Fredette who is a do-it-all talent (he has two 45+ scoring outputs this season). If they can continue to score at will and play decent defense, both things that they are capable of doing, they have a chance to ruin a lot of brackets after the first weekend.
My Picks
1st Round
#1 Syracuse over #16 Vermont
#8 Gonzaga over #9 Florida State
#5 Butler over #12 UTEP
#13 Murray State over #4 Vanderbilt (upset alert)
#6 Xavier over #11 Minnesota
#3 Pittsburgh over #14 Oakland
#7 BYU over #10 Florida
#2 Kansas State over #15 North Texas
2nd Round
#1 Syracuse over #8 Gonzaga
#5 Butler over #13 Murray State
#3 Pittsburgh over #6 Xavier
#2 Kansas State over #7 BYU
Sweet 16
#1 Syracuse over #5 Butler
#2 Kansas State over #3 Pittsburgh
Elite 8
#2 Kansas State over #1 Syracuse
East Region
First Round Games to Watch
#5 Temple vs. #12 Cornell (Fri, 12:30 pm)
This game should definitely be one of the more interesting games to watch on Friday. Cornell has been a popular pick to upset Temple, but Temple has been flying under the radar all season, and is pretty good in its own right. The Owls have wins over Villanova and Xavier, and Cornell played heads up all game long against Kansas earlier this season at the always tough venue Fog Allen Fieldhouse. The question will be, can Cornell shoot the three point ball well, or will Temple's extremely good perimeter pressure force Cornell into a bad shooting day?
#6 Marquette vs. #11 Washington (Thurs, 7:20 pm)
This game is on the "Games to Watch" list primarily because Washington has been playing well as of late and because Marquette has the talent to be a Final Four dark horse if they play to their potential. Washington loves to crank up the tempo on offense, and since Marquette doesn't exactly feature a lockdown defense, this game should produce a lot of points. It is also a real possibility that this game will come down to the final minutes, as Marquette leads the nation in playing in games decided by five or fewer points (with 16).
Team(s) That Could Make a Run
Marquette
As I mentioned above, Marquette has the talent to be a Final Four participant. Lazar Hayward is a stud, and Jimmy Butler helps carry the scoring load as well. The Golden Eagles do not have a very deep bench, but as long as they can stay out of foul trouble, that shouldn't affect them too much. Also, close games are bound to happen in the later rounds, and Marquette is battle tested in those type of games (refer to my statistic I included in the "Games to Watch" section).
New Mexico
A lot of people on the Eastern half of the country have not seen too much of the Lobos, which is why it is understandable that some people may think New Mexico is over-seeded. However, this team is the real deal. They have beaten six NCAA Tournament teams, and boast one of the most talented players in the tournament with guard Darington Hobson. It is unusual to think of a three seed making the Elite 8 as overly surprising, but if the Lobos do it, expect to see some eyebrows raised.
My Picks
1st Round
#1 Kentucky over #16 East Tennessee State
#8 Texas over #9 Wake Forest
#12 Cornell over #5 Temple (upset alert)
#4 Wisconsin over #13 Wofford
#6 Marquette over #11 Washington
#3 New Mexico over #14 Montana
#10 Missouri over #7 Clemson
#2 West Virginia over #15 Morgan State
2nd Round
#1 Kentucky over #8 Texas
#12 Cornell over #4 Wisconsin (upset alert)
#3 New Mexico over #6 Marquette
#2 West Virginia over #10 Missouri
Sweet 16
#1 Kentucky over #12 Cornell
#2 West Virginia over #3 New Mexico
Elite 8
#2 West Virginia over #1 Kentucky
Tomorrow I will break down the final region, the South Region. In related news, congratulations to Arkansas-Pine Bluff, who defeated Winthrop earlier tonight in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament and won the right to play Duke in the First Round. Quite a prize, don't you think? Actually, I'm sure they're ecstatic to have extended their season.
- K. Becks
Monday, March 15, 2010
Midwest Region
Let me make a disclaimer to everyone who decides to read this blog in the next few days: These are my opinions on the NCAA Tournament. I cannot guarantee that taking my advice on anything will help you win your respective office pool or any other bracket game you may play. The truth is, a lot of it comes down to luck and circumstance, and no matter how much I analyze and stress over the matchups, I am not really giving myself (or anyone else who decides to listen to me) a true advantage over anyone else. I have never won a bracket pool with more than five people in it, if that does anything to help validate my argument. With that being said, I do this purely out of joy for the game, and out of hope that I can stir up conversation between anyone who reads my work.
I will be breaking down the bracket region by region over the next three days leading up to the tournament. That should lighten the reading load, as well as give me time to adequately prepare my writing. So now, without any further disclaimers, I will give you my breakdown on the Midwest Region.
First Round Games to Watch
#8 UNLV vs. #9 Northern Iowa (Thurs, 7:10 pm)
Obviously, most 8 vs. 9 matchups are expected to be close. This one will be no different. The teams play a contrasting style of basketball. Northern Iowa is extremely good at slowing down the tempo and making other teams play at their pace. They also have a stifling defense. The Runnin' Rebels will try to capitalize on the offensive possessions that they do get, because if they don't, they could be in for a long night. It will likely be a low scoring battle that may come down to free throws.
#6 Tennessee vs. #11 San Diego State (Thurs, 9:45 pm)
San Diego State has been a popular pick to be an upset special. However, Tennessee is somewhat confused with their seeding, and wants to show the Selection Committee that they messed up. Tennessee has been somewhat inconsistent this year, losing to USC and Georgia, but also has wins against Kansas and Kentucky, proof that they can beat anyone in the nation. San Diego State will be looking for their first NCAA Tournament win ever, and will likely look to get out to a lead and keep it. The Aztecs are shooting 61.7% from the line, so they would rather not be in a close game down the stretch.
#7 Oklahoma State vs. #10 Georgia Tech (Fri, 7:15 pm)
Both of these teams are very dangerous when they play to their potential. Oklahoma State is the only team in the Big 12 to have beaten Kansas this year, and Georgia Tech (who was squarely on the Bubble entering the ACC tournament) may have found their groove at the right time. Also, this game will not lack star power, as the Cowboys are lead by Big 12 Player of the Year James Anderson.
Team That Could Make a Run
Tennessee
Yea, I know. This team could be out after the First Round. However, if they do manage to make it past San Diego State, then they have the talent to beat every team in their Region. Their athleticism is their biggest asset, which allows them to match up with almost any opposing team on the floor.
My Picks
1st Round
#1 Kansas over #16 Lehigh
#9 Northern Iowa over #8 UNLV
#5 Michigan State over #12 New Mexico State
#4 Maryland over #13 Houston
#6 Tennessee over #11 San Diego State
#3 Georgetown over #14 Ohio
#7 Oklahoma State over #10 Georgia Tech
#2 Ohio State over #15 UC Santa Barbara
2nd Round
#1 Kansas over #9 Northern Iowa
#5 Michigan State over #4 Maryland
#3 Georgetown over #6 Tennessee
#2 Ohio State over #7 Oklahoma State
Sweet 16
#1 Kansas over #5 Michigan State
#2 Ohio State over #3 Georgetown
Elite 8
#1 Kansas over #2 Ohio State
Obviously there are going to be some things that you guys agree or disagree with. I'd love to hear your thoughts, so either leave me a comment in the comment section or send me an email at aroundthecornsportsblog@gmail.com. Thanks guys.
- K. Becks
I will be breaking down the bracket region by region over the next three days leading up to the tournament. That should lighten the reading load, as well as give me time to adequately prepare my writing. So now, without any further disclaimers, I will give you my breakdown on the Midwest Region.
First Round Games to Watch
#8 UNLV vs. #9 Northern Iowa (Thurs, 7:10 pm)
Obviously, most 8 vs. 9 matchups are expected to be close. This one will be no different. The teams play a contrasting style of basketball. Northern Iowa is extremely good at slowing down the tempo and making other teams play at their pace. They also have a stifling defense. The Runnin' Rebels will try to capitalize on the offensive possessions that they do get, because if they don't, they could be in for a long night. It will likely be a low scoring battle that may come down to free throws.
#6 Tennessee vs. #11 San Diego State (Thurs, 9:45 pm)
San Diego State has been a popular pick to be an upset special. However, Tennessee is somewhat confused with their seeding, and wants to show the Selection Committee that they messed up. Tennessee has been somewhat inconsistent this year, losing to USC and Georgia, but also has wins against Kansas and Kentucky, proof that they can beat anyone in the nation. San Diego State will be looking for their first NCAA Tournament win ever, and will likely look to get out to a lead and keep it. The Aztecs are shooting 61.7% from the line, so they would rather not be in a close game down the stretch.
#7 Oklahoma State vs. #10 Georgia Tech (Fri, 7:15 pm)
Both of these teams are very dangerous when they play to their potential. Oklahoma State is the only team in the Big 12 to have beaten Kansas this year, and Georgia Tech (who was squarely on the Bubble entering the ACC tournament) may have found their groove at the right time. Also, this game will not lack star power, as the Cowboys are lead by Big 12 Player of the Year James Anderson.
Team That Could Make a Run
Tennessee
Yea, I know. This team could be out after the First Round. However, if they do manage to make it past San Diego State, then they have the talent to beat every team in their Region. Their athleticism is their biggest asset, which allows them to match up with almost any opposing team on the floor.
My Picks
1st Round
#1 Kansas over #16 Lehigh
#9 Northern Iowa over #8 UNLV
#5 Michigan State over #12 New Mexico State
#4 Maryland over #13 Houston
#6 Tennessee over #11 San Diego State
#3 Georgetown over #14 Ohio
#7 Oklahoma State over #10 Georgia Tech
#2 Ohio State over #15 UC Santa Barbara
2nd Round
#1 Kansas over #9 Northern Iowa
#5 Michigan State over #4 Maryland
#3 Georgetown over #6 Tennessee
#2 Ohio State over #7 Oklahoma State
Sweet 16
#1 Kansas over #5 Michigan State
#2 Ohio State over #3 Georgetown
Elite 8
#1 Kansas over #2 Ohio State
Obviously there are going to be some things that you guys agree or disagree with. I'd love to hear your thoughts, so either leave me a comment in the comment section or send me an email at aroundthecornsportsblog@gmail.com. Thanks guys.
- K. Becks
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