Storyline: Odds are that I’ll be wrong, but just for the sake of March Madness, my Final Four teams are A&M, KU, UK, and MSU.
This past Sunday, the NCAA Selection Committee announced 68 participants in this year’s NCAA tournament, officially kicking off the Madness of March.
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These past few days households all across America have seen their kitchen tables and desks becoming scattered with items like pencils, pens, correction fluid and, most importantly, blank NCAA tournament brackets.
It’s the blankness that defies you, mocks you, and dares you to fill out a bracket even though the odds of filling it all out correctly are nearly impossible.
According to a math professor from Duke University, the odds of filling out a perfect bracket is approximately 1 in 2.4 trillion. Those odds are so astronomical that you’re more likely to get struck by lightning THREE times in your lifetime than to fill out a perfect NCAA tournament bracket.
As this year’s tournament begins, I, like millions of other Americans, filled out a bracket. I know odds are stacked against me, but here it goes anyway.
South Region
The #1 overall seed, Kansas Jayhawks, are in this bracket. The path to Houston is no cakewalk. After destroying the Governors of Austin Peay in the 1st Round, the Jayhawks (according to my predictions) will have to face a scrappy UConn team that has been clicking on all cylinders lately.
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They will then have to face Cal and Villanova to reach the Final Four. No offense to the Wildcats, but I think the Golden Bears pose the big threat to the Jayhawks in this region. Cal has two players who are projected to go in the first round of the draft, but you wouldn’t know that from looking at the stat sheet. Cal has a well-balanced, dangerous attack, and the Golden Bears have a legitimate chance to knock off the Jayhawks in the Sweet 16. But I still see the Jayhawks prevailing in this matchup.
A team that has a chance for a Cinderella run in this region is Vanderbilt. The Commodores were definitely “pushing the bubble,” but Kevin Stallings’ club still finds themselves in the Dance. According to my calculations, Vandy will beat Wichita State in the play-in game, and then they’ll play spoiler the next two rounds, knocking off #6 Arizona and #3 Miami (FL). I don’t see the ‘Dores getting past ‘Nova but, if sharpshooter Wade Baldwin IV gets hot, then anything is possible.
West Region
The talk of Selection Sunday was the Oregon Ducks. The Pac-12 champions received a #1 seed for the West Region. The Ducks have had a remarkable season (28-6), but I see the dream coming to an end against Grayson Allen and the Duke Blue Devils in the Sweet 16.
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There aren’t a lot of upsets to talk about in this part of the bracket, except that I see #10 VCU showing an overrated #7 Oregon State squad the door in the first round.
Behind Danuel House and Jalen Jones’ excellent guard play, expect the Aggies to rip through former Big 12 foes (Texas and Oklahoma) before meeting the Blue Devils in the Elite Eight.
This Elite Eight matchup will be an epic battle between Jones and House of A&M … and Allen and Ingram of Duke. Expect the duos to score over half of the points for their respective teams. However, the game will come down to is rebounding–an Aggies specialty. Relentlessness on the boards will allow Billy Kennedy’s Aggies to have a Final Four in their home state.
East Region
If a team comes out of this bracket unscathed, then that team will probably go on to win the national title. With all the successful programs and coaches in this bracket, it’s a miracle that all of their egos fit into it.
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The Round of 32 games in this region may be the best games during the whole tournament. Both #1 UNC and #2 Xavier will face tough Top 32 opponents. The Tar Heels will face a Providence Friars club with an extremely talented backcourt, while the Musketeers will face a Bo Ryan-less Wisconsin Badgers team.
Although I expect it to be a grueling game, the ‘Heels will survive the Friars and advance to the Sweet 16. Xavier won’t be as lucky. I expect the Badgers to unleash their deadly offensive attack on the Musketeers and end their season.
Another big matchup in the Top 32 is Indiana and Kentucky. It will basically be Yogi Ferrell vs. Jamal Murray, and I expect Murray and the ‘Cats to come out on top. In the Sweet 16, Kentucky will upset Carolina, while Huggy Bear and his Mountaineers will advance past Wisconsin to reach the Elite Eight.
This means another epic matchup between Huggins and Calipari. Who comes out on top this time? With floor general Tyler Ulis leading the way, Kentucky will advance to the Final Four.
Midwest Region
Not a lot of upsets to talk about in this bracket… except for Gonzaga, that is. Even though the ‘Zags nearly missed out on this year’s dance (they were saved by the WCC trophy), I see a breakout coming for ‘Zags senior, Kyle Wiltjer. I believe Gonzaga will defeat Seton Hall, then Utah, before bowing out to Denzel Valentine and MSU in the Sweet 16.
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Other than that, the bracket should go as normal, with the #1 seeded Virginia Cavaliers meeting the #2 seeded Spartans from East Lansing for a trip to Houston.
For some, they would probably rather get a root canal than watch this game–as it will be a typical Virginia game. Tony Bennett’s club will play stifling defense and then let the air out of the ball on the other end of the floor. It should be like a 50-something to 50-something game. But at the end of the day, this slow-down style of basketball will not be enough to subdue Valentine and the Spartans.
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I would do a preview of the Final Four, but it’s highly unlikely that all four of my Final Four teams will make it to Houston. So I’ll play this one by ear.
Oh, one more thing, readers and bracketologists: “May the odds be ever in your favor.”
