Friday, March 28, 2014

2014 March Madness (Midwest and East Regions) - Sweet 16 and Elite 8

Midwest Regional Semi-Final in Indianapolis, IN

#11 Tennessee (24-12) vs. #2 Michigan (27-8)

The Volunteers come into the Sweet 16 on a roll. They blew out both Massachusetts and Duke killers Mercer and have won 8 of their last 9 games. Guard Josh Richardson and F Jarnell Stokes were the stories of those Vols win. Both guys were lighting up the basket and Stokes was an absolute monster on the glass, averaging 16 rebounds in the two games. Stokes is a double double machine and will be the toughest player for Michigan to match up against. F Jeronne Maymom is another big presence inside for the Vols and another guy who has to be contended with on the glass. Tennessee ranked 20th in the country, averaging 38 rebounds per game.

The Vols size will present a major problem for Michigan who is on the opposite spectrum when it comes to rebounding. Michigan finished 303rd in the country in rebounds per game, with a measly 31. Part of that stat is skewed though because the Wolverines are such a fantastic shooting team, hitting 48% of their shots. The Wolverines have actually gotten better as a team this year since Mitch McGary went down with an injury, but this matchup is one where they could really miss him. Guard Nik Stauskas is Michigan's most important player, as he can effect the game in so many ways. If his shot is off, then he is still able to find ways to involve his teammates and facilitate points. He is joined in the backcourt by Caris LeVert, a little bit of everything player. Sophomore F Glenn Robinson III is another key player for Michigan and he was outstanding in the wins against Wofford and Texas.

The seeds of these teams would suggest that this game should be a cakewalk for Michigan, but I expect it to be a tightly contested game. Stauskas and the rest of his teammates will have to make the open looks they get, because the Vols make don't allow many second chance opportunities. I expect Stauskas and Robinson to make key plays late, that carry Michigan to their second straight Elite 8 appearance.

Prediction: Michigan 74, Tennessee 73


East Regional Semi-Final in New York, NY

#7 Connecticut (28-8) vs. #3 Iowa State (27-8)  

The atmosphere for this game should be electric. You have the NCAA Tournament back in Madison Square Garden for the first time in forever. You also have two of the premiere players in college basketball facing off, with Connecticut's Shabazz Napier and Iowa State's DeAndre Kane. Both the Huskies and Cyclone are lucky to be in the Sweet 16 as each were on the precipice of being eliminated last weekend. The Huskies were taken to overtime by St. Joseph's in Round Two, and Iowa State was down by 8 points late to North Carolina in Round Three.

Napier is Mr. Everything for Connecticut. He leads the team in points, assists and rebounds. He does all this with amazing efficiency, limiting his mistakes. He receives a bit of help from F DeAndre Daniels. Daniels has the ability to get double doubles for the Huskies and he is a major player for Connecticut in the sense that he helps take some of the pressure off Napier. G Ryan Boatright gets lost in the shuffle with Napier but he is a competent player, and one that when watching the Huskies play you notice his name being called often.

The Cyclones suffered a huge blow when they lost Georges Niang to a broken foot in their win over North Carolina Central. But even without him, their offense kept humming, putting up 85 points against the Tar Heels. Kane was exceptional against North Carolina, as the Tar Heels had no one that could slow him down and he eventually made the winning basket with a second to go. Forward Melvin Ejim is the Cyclones other top scorer and he played well in last week's wins. Forward Dustin Hogue has really stepped up his game in recent weeks and could fill the scoring hole left by Niang's injury.

Napier will do all he can to continue Connecticut's run but I feel like the Cyclones are a more well-rounded team, while the Huskies are far too reliant on Napier. I expect that difference to show itself late in the game and allow the Cyclones to pull away for a victory.

Prediction: Iowa State 85, Connecticut 77


Midwest Regional Semi-Final in Indianapolis, IN

#8 Kentucky (26-10) vs. #4 Louisville (31-5)

One of the better rivalries in college basketball takes center stage in the Sweet 16 this season. These teams meet on an annual basis so this will be the second time they have seen each other. Kentucky won the first meeting in December at Rupp Arena, despite missing beast forward Julius Randle for half of the game. Louisville struggled shooting the ball and after a hot start couldn't sustain anything on offense. The Wildcats finally appear to be living up to the preseason hype bestowed upon them, handing Wichita State their first loss of the season in the Third Round. As part of their resurgence, the Harrison twins, Aaron and Andrew, are playing their best basketball of the season. With a healthy Randle down low, the Wildcats are finally playing the inside-out game they imagined before the season.

Louisville is led by Russ Smith and Mr. Clutch, Luke Hancock. Manhattan had Louisville on the ropes in round two, and then much like he did in last year's championship run, Hancock began hitting threes all over the court. Smith has been trying to do a little bit too much in the tournament so far, and for Louisville to beat Kentucky Smith has to avoid his penchant for playing hero ball. F Montrezl Harrell was a non-factor in the first meeting between these teams, as was Hancock. Smith jacked up 20 shots in that game and that contributed to Louisville not having any sort of rhythm on offense.

A lot of future pros will be on display in this game, and I have a feeling Kentucky will bring the best out of Louisville. Louisville was being talked up before the Tournament but neither victory they had last weekend was overly impressive. A strong performance against Kentucky, with guys like Hancock and Smith firing on all cylinders will restore the faith many had when they picked Louisville to repeat as champions.

Prediction: Louisville 74, Kentucky 65


East Regional Semi-Final in New York, NY

#4 Michigan State (28-8) vs. #1 Virginia (30-6)

When brackets were released a few weeks ago, people very quickly decided to take Michigan State to come out of the East region. Virginia isn't a typical power program so they get very little respect, despite boasting one of the best defenses in all of college basketball. In their past 17 games the Cavaliers have only allowed 60 or more points four times and one of those games went to overtime. I typically go through a team's best offensive players but with Virginia that is virtually pointless. They are a team that is built around its defense and has no liabilities on the defensive end either. When the Cavaliers do need to score it is usually their guards Malcolm Brogdon and Joe Harris leading the way. F Akil Mitchell has seen his minutes decrease this year but still led Virginia in rebounding. G London Perrantes, a freshman from Los Angeles, CA is already playing big minutes and shows maturity beyond his years with his decision making.

F Adreian Payne was the story for the Spartans last week. He dropped 41 points on Delaware, getting to the line 17 times and hitting all of his free throws. It will be interesting to see how Payne fares when going against the stout Cavaliers defense. Virginia is very good at playing tough defense but not fouling too much. When Payne came back to Earth against Harvard, it was F Branden Dawson who picked up the slack. It took Dawson about three games to round into form after being out with an injury but since then he has scored in double digits in 5 straight games. Sparty will need better play from senior guard Keith Appling if they hope to beat UVA on Friday night. Appling was mostly non-existent in last weekend's games. Even more important than Appling is sophomore guard Gary Harris. Coach Tom Izzo relies on Harris a lot, and only gave him 2 minutes rest in the win over Harvard.

I am a firm believer in Virginia and think that no matter how healthy, or hot Michigan State is right now, they don't have the necessary firepower to get past Virginia. It will take an exceptional offensive team to have their way with UVA and the Spartans are not that team. Their offense has been shut down at various times this year, by teams not nearly as good defensively as Virginia. They will have to hit shots from outside, because driving to the lane against the Cavaliers is usually a waste of time. This game may set offensive basketball back a few decades but it won't lack in drama.

Prediction: Virginia 58, Michigan State 56


In a rematch of last year's national championship game, Michigan won't be able to get revenge, as Louisville will advance to their third straight Final Four. Despite losing Dieng earlier in the tournament, Iowa State's potent offense will be too much for the Cavs potent defense, and Fred Hoiberg will have the Cyclones in the Final Four for the first time in 70 years.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

2014 March Madness (South and West Regions) - Sweet 16 and Elilte 8

South Regional Semi-Final in Memphis, TN

#11 Dayton (25-10) vs. #10 Stanford (23-12)

I don't think anyone predicted this matchup when brackets came out a week and a half ago. The Flyers defeated Ohio State and Syracuse with their defense. The Buckeyes and Orange each made Dayton play to their style but the Flyers were able to persevere and come out on top. The Flyers don't have any premiere offensive threats but what they do have is a well-rounded team. Their best player is F Dyshawn Pierre, who leads the Flyers in rebounding and scoring, but their most well rounded player is F Devin Oliver. Oliver can score, rebound, and find the open man. Guard Jordan Sibert was flawless against the Buckeyes committing zero turnovers. He did have four against Syracuse but that is commendable when having to face the Cuse zone.

The Flyers will be hard pressed to stop Cardinal guard Chasson Randle. Randle was careless with the ball in the win over Kansas but made up for it on the defensive end with 6 steals. Senior F Josh Huestis doesn't provide much of a threat offensively, but defensively he makes life hell for opponents that try driving it the lane. After a dreadful 0-8 performance against New Mexico, F Dwight Powell was a beast against the Jayhawks, scoring 15 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. Center Stefan Nastic and G-F Anthony Brown are two other big bodies the Cardinals can throw at you.

These teams match up pretty evenly in most statistical categories and I expect this to be one of the more physical games of the eight Sweet 16 matchups. The key to this game will be how the Flyers defense handles Randle. If Randle is able to go off that will give the Cardinal a huge advantage at the guard position. However, I expect the Flyers defense to remain stout, and them to move on to the Elite Eight with another ugly victory.

Prediction: Dayton 62, Stanford 56


West Regional Semi-Final in Anaheim, CA

#6 Baylor (26-11) vs. #2 Wisconsin (28-7)

The Bears are one of the hottest teams in college basketball and they were at their absolute, unbeatable best when they dominated Creighton in the Third Round, winning by 30. Every Bears starter was in double figure and even more impressively, the Bears defense held the Blue Jays Doug McDermott to just 15 points. Guard Brady Heslip has improved his three point shooting exponentially in his senior year after a tough junior year shooting the ball from long range. When not shooting from deep, the Bears like to pound it inside to 7'1 C Isaiah Austin and 6'9 F Cory Jefferson. Throw in 6'8 Rico Gathers and you can quickly see why the Bears are one of the most imposing and toughest teams to play against in the country.

The Badgers seemed down and out against Oregon after getting blown out in the first half. But they played with a sense of urgency in the second half and were able to pull off the comeback victory. They proved those right that had said this edition of the Badgers was the best offensive team Bo Ryan has had as coach. Junior guard Traevon Jackson is so good at finding ways to score, whether is it by hitting shots, or driving to the lane and drawing fouls. Jackson is also a superb rebounder and easily Wisconsin's most important player on the floor. Senior guard Ben Brust is consistent, if not spectacular. F Sam Dekker is the Badgers biggest inside threat, and it is clear that a game between these two teams is a major clash in styles.

The Badgers will have to be hitting their shots because they will be no match for the Bears on either the offensive or defensive glass. I think playing in Milwaukee helped propel Wisconsin to victory last weekend, and they won't get that same lift playing in Anaheim. Baylor is playing too well and is just too big for the Badgers to contend with.

Prediction: Baylor 75, Wisconsin 68


South Regional Semi-Final in Memphis, TN

#4 UCLA (28-8) vs. #1 Florida (34-2) 

This is easily the best game of Thursday night's lineup. The Gators draw opened up quite a bit with Kansas and Syracuse being knocked out, but first they have to get past the red hot Bruins. UCLA has won four of their past five games in double digits, and that non double digit win came against the #1 seeded Arizona Wildcats. Sophomore guard Jordan Adams was sensational last weekend, averaging 20 points in the Bruins two wins and committing just two turnovers. The Bruins other impressive guard is Norman Powell. Powell shot over 50% this season and that was even with shooting just 29% from downtown. G-F Kyle Anderson doesn't shoot from three all that often, but when he does he is almost 50 percent from three point land. In fact, the Bruins are one of the best offensive teams in the country, ranking 12th in points per game and 10th in field goal percentage.

The Florida Gators last lost in November and after a sluggish performance against Albany, they were much more impressive in blowing out Pittsburgh. The Gators are a senior laden team with contributors all over the floor. Casey Prather is the Gators leading scorer, and he didn't even have to do much in the win over Pitt. That is because guys like senior guard Scottie Wilbekin were there to pick up the slack. The Gators also have a monster inside with senior Patric Young. Young changed the entire complexion of the Pittsburgh game with a monster rebound and dunk. Their other big man is F Dorian Finney-Smith. Smith was one of the few Gators that showed up for the Albany game.

I expect this game to be a tight one, with constant lead changes and momentum shifts. Ultimately, I believe the Gators experience will win out over the Bruins youth. I think this game could mirror the Wichita State/Kentucky one in that you will see a lot of future pros, making excellent play after excellent play.

Prediction: Florida 75, UCLA 72


West Regional Semi-Final in Anaheim, CA

#4 San Diego State (31-4) vs. #1 Arizona (32-4)

This is a rematch from when these played in early November at San Diego State. Arizona earned an impressive road victory, 69-60. In that game, the Wildcats took control early and then held on for the win in the second half. Arizona dominated the boards in that matchup and the Aztecs had no answer for G Nick Johnson and freshman F Aaron Gordon. T.J. Connell is the Cats facilitator but he also can score if need be. After being held scoreless in the Wildcats listless win against Weber State, Connell had 12 in the blowout victory against Gonzaga. The Wildcats have been more up and down since losing Brandon Ashley for the season, but they saw some real positive signs from his replacement Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in last week's tournament games. Jefferson dominated the Zags, scoring 18, grabbing 5 rebounds, handing out 4 assists,  and blocking 4 shots.

Aztecs guard Xavier Thames scored 19 in the first matchup, but how he got there wasn't efficient. He hit just 5 of 16 shots and encapsulated the shooting struggles San Diego State had that night. Forward JJ O'Brien went off for 19 points in that game, which is odd because he only averaged 7 points a game this season, and scored just 11 points total in the Aztecs first two tournament games. The Aztecs play best when their defense creates offense, and it has to be easy offense since San Diego State is not a good shooting team. Winston Shepard is San Diego State's most well rounded player, but he hasn't played well as of late.

While their last meeting was four months ago and some of the personnel has changed, I don't expect the result of the game to much different. The Aztecs don't have the athletes or the shooters to keep up with the Wildcats, and their defense won't be good enough to stop Arizona at the level needed to win.

Prediction: Arizona 74, San Diego State 64


On Saturday, Dayton's Cinderella run will come at an end thanks to the Gators who will finally exorcise their Elite Eight demons. Arizona and Baylor will play a great, intense game, with the Wildcats coming out on top and sending at least one Miller to the Final Four.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

2014 March Madness - West Region (First Weekend)

Best Game: #6 Baylor vs. #11 Nebraska

The Bears looked like they might miss out on the NCAA Tournament altogether after a 2-8 start to their Big 12 season. But they righted the ship, winning 10 of their final 11 games, rising all the way up to a sixth seed. The Cornhuskers are in their first NCAA Tournament since 1998 and coach Tim Miles has done a remarkable job quickly turning around Nebraska's fortunes. These former Big 12 rivals now collide in what is the best Second Round game of the West Region. The Bears best player is senior F Cory Jefferson, the Bears leading scorer and rebounder. Galveston, TX native G-F Terran Petteway is the biggest reason the Huskers are back in the NCAA Tournament. As a team the Huskers rank pretty low in most major categories but Petteway's playmaking ability has helped Nebraska pull off some major upsets. For the Huskers to upset the Bears, Petteway will have to play very well, and the Huskers will have to try to fluster and harass the Bears offense into a multitude of mistakes. If those things happen, then Nebraska will have earned their first ever NCAA Tournament victory.


Player to Watch: Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart

Most people were shocked when Marcus Smart bypassed the NBA Draft and came back for his sophomore season. The year didn't go exactly as Smart envisioned, as the Cowboys struggled for most of the year, then Smart ended up embroiled in controversy when he lightly shoved a Texas Tech fan. Smart's fortunes have changed since he returned from his suspension as have those of the Cowboys. Smart's presence alone makes the Cowboys a sleeper pick to do some damage in the West.


Best Potential Game: #1 Arizona vs. #9 Oklahoma State

The Wildcats were consistently good all season, while the Cowboys never quite lived up to their preseason hype. This game would give the Cowboys a chance to erase the bad memories they have from the 2013-14 season. Smart gets all the publicity but Cowboys guard Markel Brown is another dangerous player teams have to prepare for when facing Oklahoma State. Nick Johnson and Aaron Gordon have carried the Wildcats throughout the season, and there would be no shortage of future NBA talent on display in a meeting between these two teams.


Lowest Seed to Make It Through the Weekend: #7 Oregon

I expect mostly chalk in the West region for the first weekend, but I do believe the Ducks will knock off Wisconsin in the Third Round. People are impressed with the Badgers because they are better offensively than any other Bo Ryan led Badgers team has been, but they also have struggled a bit after a fast start. Plus, the Ducks have one of the best offenses in basketball and are playing really well right now, winners of 8 of their last 9 games. Junior guard Joseph Young shoots almost 50% and his playmaking ability will carry the Ducks to the Sweet 16.


Second Round

#1 Arizona over #16 Weber State

#9 Oklahoma State over #8 Gonzaga

#5 Oklahoma over #12 North Dakota State

#4 San Diego State over #13 New Mexico State

#6 Baylor over #11 Nebraska

#3 Creighton over #14 Louisiana-Lafayette

#7 Oregon over #10 BYU

#2 Wisconsin over #15 American


Third Round

#1 Arizona over #9 Oklahoma State

#5 Oklahoma over #4 San Diego State

#6 Baylor over #3 Creighton

#7 Oregon over #2 Wisconsin

2013 March Madness - East Region (First Weekend)

Best Game: #5 Cincinnati vs. #12 Harvard

The 5/12 upset has become one of the main talking points when people go to fill out their brackets. However, in recent seasons, while the talk hasn't faded, I feel like the instances of the 12 beating the 5 have gone down. That hasn't stopped people from immediately pegging this game as an easy pick for an upset. Harvard knocked off New Mexico last season as a 14 seed and is even better this year. Cincinnati had a good season but not many people have much respect for the AAC. Harvard plays great team basketball and doesn't have very many weaknesses. But one are where the Bearcats could overwhelm them is inside. Despite not having much more size than Harvard, the Bearcats ranked 106th in the nation in rebounds per game, while Harvard ranked 207th. Most of Cincinnati's offensive production comes form guard Sean Kilpatrick, who averaged 20 points per game. If Kilpatrick plays within the offense and doesn't try to force too many things, the Bearcats could wear down the Crimson. Harvard's best player is Ivy league player of the year Wesley Saunders. Saunders averaged 14 points per game but has been held in single digits scoring in three of his last five games. For Harvard to pull off the upset, Saunders will have to get back to being the scorer he was for most of the season.


Player to Watch: Iowa State guard DeAndre Kane

Kane is an exciting, fill up the box score type of player. I feel like anytime I saw Iowa State games or highlights this season, Kane's name was constantly being called and usually for only positive reasons. He is a high energy player that brings up the level of play of his teammates. Kane logs heavy minutes and along with F Melvin Ejim, and F Georges Niang gives the Cyclones of the best trios of scorers in the tournament.


Best Potential Game: #3 Iowa State vs. #6 North Carolina

This would not be a game for the faint of heart as both of these teams like to push the tempo and attempt to outscore their opponents. Both teams have good size, great guard play, and a matchup between these two teams could be the game of the tournament. Both teams are filled with star power, the Cyclones have Kane, Ejim, Dustin Hogue, and Niang, while the Heels have Marcus Paige, James Michael McAdoo, Brice Johnson, Leslie McDonald, and J.P. Tokoto. For the Heels to be able to pull the upset Paige will have to figure out a way to play strong basketball for two halves, as opposed to just the second half, which has been a habit of his for a while.


Lowest Seed to Make It Through the Weekend: #7 Connecticut

I'm predicting almost no upsets in this region which means there will probably be a ton of them. However, if things go the way I expect them to, the only true surprise to emerge out of the first weekend in the East will be the Connecticut Huskies. Their matchup against St. Joseph's will be a tough one but if they can get past them, I really like them going up against former Big East conference mate Villanova. The Wildcats have an impressive record but remained largely under the radar all season. When they did face a tougher team, such as Creighton, they were blown out on each occasion by the Blue Jays. Guard play is especially critical in March and that is where the Huskies will have a distinct advantage with all everything player Shabazz Napier.


Second Round

#1 Virginia over #16 Coastal Carolina

#8 Memphis over #9 George Washington

#5 Cincinnati over #12 Harvard

#4 Michigan State over #13 Delaware

#6 North Carolina over #11 Providence

#3 Iowa State over #14 North Carolina Central

#7 Connecticut over #10 Saint Joseph's

#2 Villanova over #15 Milwaukee


Third Round

#1 Virginia over #8 Memphis

#4 Michigan State over #5 Cincinnati

#3 Iowa State over #6 North Carolina

#7 Connecticut over #2 Villanova

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

2014 March Madness - Midwest Region (First Weekend)

Best Game: #8 Kentucky vs. #9 Kansas State

The Wildcats entered the season with a ton of hype, solely based on the incredible amount of McDonald's All-Americans that John Calipari had brought in. They had all this hype despite not even making the NCAA Tournament last season. They started the year off ranked number one and even had some morons talking about a potential undefeated season. That talk quickly faded and the Wildcats ended up finishing the regular season out of the Top 25. However, they did show signs of life in the SEC Tournament this past weekend, getting to the championship game and almost knocking off the Florida Gators. Forward Julius Randle is one of the best freshman players in the country, and averages a double-double in points and rebounds. Guard-forward hybrid James Young is Kentucky's second leading scorer and Kentucky is led by the Harrison twins at guard, Andrew and Aaron. Kansas State is reeling coming into the Tournament, having lost three in a row. But they have some exciting freshman of their own, including their leading scorer guard Marcus Foster. It will be forward Thomas Gipson's job to try to contain Randle and keep the battle on the boards even. Despite a disappointing regular season, that can all be erased with a run in the NCAA Tournament, so it will be interesting to see which Kentucky team shows up.

Player to Watch: Louisville guard Russ Smith

Many thought that Russ Smith would head to the NBA after winning a championship at Louisville last season. But much to Cardinals fans delight, Smith has returned and has been the main reason that Louisville has been playing such excellent basketball as of late. Smith leads the Cardinals in scoring, averaging over 18 points per game and has been earning the nickname "Russtacular" with his play as of late. He scored 42 points in a rout of Houston in the AAC Semi-Finals and when not pouring in the points, has done an excellent job finding teammates such as Luke Hancock and Montrezl Harrell. If the Cardinals are to defend their NCAA Tournament crown, it will be on the back of Smith.


Best Potential Game: #1 Wichita State vs. #8 Kentucky

The storylines for this game would be endless. You have the preseason #1  that some had undefeated talk for going up against the team that ended up going undefeated. However, despite their undefeated season, the Shockers have many doubters that believe they feasted off a very bad Missouri Valley Conference. They seem to forget that Wichita State was good enough to knock off major heavyweights on their way to the Final Four last season. If the Shockers could beat Kentucky, I think their bandwagon will fill up fast. But if they lose, it will validate all those analysts that had doubts about just how legitimate Wichita State's perfect season really was. It would be a rare instance where the #1 seed would almost be in the underdog label going against the 8 seed and the casual fan will likely be rooting for Wichita State to win one for the little guys.


Lowest Seed to Make It Through the Weekend: #8 Kentucky

While I do believe Kentucky was way overhyped going into the season, I think by being put in as an 8th seed they were highly undervalued by the NCAA Tournament committee. I believe that the Shockers are a good team, but I have a hard team believing that they can knock off a Wildcats team with so much talent at each position. I think the Wildcats run will likely end in the Sweet 16 but for the first weekend of the Tournament, they will show why so many had such high hopes for them going into the season.


Predictions:

First Round

#16 Texas Southern over #16 Cal Poly

#12 NC State over #12 Xavier

#11 Tennessee over #11 Iowa


Second Round

#1 Wichita State over #16 Texas Southern

#8 Kentucky over #9 Kansas State

#12 NC State over #5 Saint Louis

#4 Louisville over #13 Manhattan

#11 Tennessee over #6 Massachusetts

#3 Duke over #14 Mercer

#7 Texas over #10 Arizona State

#2 Michigan over #15 Wofford


Third Round

#8 Kentucky over #1 Wichita State

#4 Louisville over #12 NC State

#3 Duke over #11 Tennessee

#2 Michigan over #7 Texas





2014 March Madness - South Region (First Weekend)

Best Game: #5 VCU (26-8) vs. #12 Stephen F. Austin (31-2)

The Lumberjacks of Stephen F. Austin have the longest winning streak of any team in the NCAA Tournament, having won 28 games in a row. VCU has gone from the Cinderella to being a five seed in back to back years in the NCAA Tournament and now trying to fend off Cinderellas. The Lumberjacks win streak is impressive but some would argue that the level of competition they have played has a lot to do with their success. That could be the case but going 18-0 in your conference and then winning the conference tournament is nothing to sneeze at. The Lumberjacks are very good offensively, ranking 45th in the country in points per game, and feature a balanced offensive attack. Guard Desmond Haymon and forward Jacob Parker each average over 14 points per game, while guards Thomas Walkup and Deshaunt Walker each average 12 points per game. One major area of weakness for the Lumberjacks is their lack of size and rebounding. While they are one of the worst ranked rebounding teams in the nation, VCU thrives on attacking the glass. The Rams all everything player is guard Treveon Graham who averages 15 points, 7 boards, and 2 assists per game. Forward Juvonte Reddic provides the Rams with a defensive toughness and presence, especially allowing the Rams to unleash their "Havoc" press. The intrigue in this game will be seeing how the Lumberjacks play against some top flight competition. For them to win they will have to find a way to not allow the Rams press to take over their offensive efforts. If they start having trouble hitting shots, they don't have the size to rebound, and this game could get away from them quickly. But if their speedy guards can force the issue and get the Rams off balance on defense, then the Lumberjacks winning ways should continue.


Player to Watch: Syracuse guard Tyler Ennis

Freshman guard Tyler Ennis was the biggest reason why the Orange got off to a 25-0 start. While Syracuse faltered down the stretch, Ennis remains one of the most exciting guards in college basketball. What is most impressive about the freshman is his decision making ability. He averaged over 5 assists per game and just 1.7 turnovers. He has great court awareness and the ability to find the open man at a level you won't often find with a freshman. Ohio State guard Aaron Craft might be the better known player, but the most exciting player in the South region is definitely Ennis.

Best Potential Game: #3 Syracuse vs. #6 Ohio State

An ACC/Big Ten battle between the Orange and Buckeyes would be a hell of a game in the Third Round. Each team started off their seasons very hot, with the Orange being 25-0 before losing a game, and the Buckeyes starting 15-0 before a loss. Both teams slid a bit as the season wore on, but they are still teams capable of making deep runs in the tournament. Craft vs. Ennis alone would make this game a must watch. Throw in each team's leading scorers, the Orange's senior forward C.J. Fair and the Buckeyes junior forward LaQuinton Ross and you have some excellent matchups in personnel. This game would likely be a back and forth battle, decided in the final few moments.


Lowest Seed to Make It Through the Weekend: #6 Ohio State

The Buckeyes haven't played their best basketball as of late, but I think games against Dayton and then potentially Syracuse would line up well for Ohio State. Craft is one of those players that I believe will close out his career in style in the NCAA Tournament, and that means getting the Buckeyes to the second weekend of the tournament.


Predictions:

First Round

#16 Mt. St. Mary's over #16 Albany


Second Round

#1 Florida over #16 Mt. St. Mary's

#9 Pittsburgh over #8 Colorado

#12 Stephen F. Austin over #5 VCU

#4 UCLA over #13 Tulsa

#6 Ohio State over #11 Dayton

#3 Syracuse over #14 Western Michigan

#7 New Mexico over #10 Stanford

#2 Kansas over #15 Eastern Kentucky


Third Round

#1 Florida over #9 Pittsburgh

#4 UCLA over #12 Stephen F. Austin

#6 Ohio State over #3 Syracuse

#2 Kansas over #7 New Mexico