One of the great things about March Madness is that there are so many small-name teams that you have never heard of playing on the big stage. What makes this so great is that with 314 possible contestants, we are bound to have a handful of interesting nickname/mascot combinations in the tournament year in and year out.
After all, isn't that what you look forward to the most? Spending Thursday afternoon watching The same old plain-Jane blue-and-white Kentucky Wildcats battle The silver-green-and-red Highlanders of East Western Poly Tech State?
It is common knowledge that we here at BIAH are the leaders in unnecessary college basketball information. Since we have this 64-team bracket in-front of us, we decided to try and determine the best mascot in March Madness.
Each day we will reveal a new portion of our bracket, leading up to the Championship game on April 5th, when we determine the best mascot in the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
Round of 32 (East and South)
East Bracket
#9 Texas Longhorns vs. #16 East Tennessee State Buccaneers
This battle features a drastic difference in fighting styles. Bucs are dominant swash-bucklers and have a solid rob-to-plunder ratio. Longhorns are slow but powerful, and their horns have a high damage rate. What this comes down to is simple: Desire. Cattle enjoy grazing aimlessly in pastures for hours. Buccaneers on the otherhand are merciless thieves who never turn down a chance to collect some booty. Late in the game, ETSU "cow-tips" Dexter Pittman and he is unable to get up.
Winner - #16 East Tennessee State Buccaneers
#4 Wisconsin Badgers vs. #5 Temple Owls
Badgers and owls never get the respect they deserve. Owls are assassins of the night, preying on any creatures wandering across the forest floor. Badgers are ruthless hunters, and can find food buried well below ground. It would seem unlikely that these two animals would ever actually cross paths. I'm going to give Temple the edge because of pop-culture references. They've got Hooters and "Mr. owl" from the Tootsie Pop commercials. The only things we get from Badgers are a reference on "The Simpsons" and that really stupid youtube video.
Winner - #5 Temple Owls
#3 New Mexico Lobos vs. #11 Washington Huskies
These two teams are very similar despite the seeding difference. Lobos are wolves, and wolves are a type of canine. Huskies are also a type of canine. New Mexico is the home of the western omelet and chipotle spices. Washington has Starbucks, the most addictive fast-food chain in the country. Both states are also well-known for their music. Seattle is home to legendary bands Pearl Jam and Nirvana. The New Mexican frontier is inspiration for more than a number of famous folk songs. The advantage in this match up goes to the Lobos only because their nickname is more unique. Maybe if we all weren't sick of hearing about the UConn huskies, we would be more accepting. But we aren't, and the Lobos advance in a triple-overtime thriller. Gus Johnson's call is legendary: "THE WOLVES....ARE LIVIN' LA VIDA...LOBO!!"
Winner - #3 New Mexico Lobos
#2 West Virginia Mountaineers vs. #7 Missouri Tigers
The Mountaineers just might have the easiest path to the Final Four in the entire bracket. But give the mountaineer credit. Afterall it is such a well-rounded mascot. They carry firearms, so most predators don't stand a chance. Mountaineers are also good at tracking prey, not to mention surviving in various conditions and terrain. Finally, mountaineers are very resourceful. They get all the potential resources out of their prey before continuing on. It is going to take a powerful powerful beast to stop these wilderness warriors. Allot more than anything a midwestern tiger has to offer.
Winner - #2 West Virginia Mountaineers
South Bracket
#8 California Golden Bears vs. #16 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions
This is a clash between the world's most ultimate super-animals. This is easily the biggest super fight in the history of the Animal Kingdom. It would be a bigger draw than Maywether/Pacquiao or Epic Beard man/Amberlamps Guy II. Lions are much quicker than bears and would post a better 40yd-dash time. But in a long-distance race I would take the bears over the lions. This is another closely contested battle which will be decided by just one thing. APB sports one of/if not the most ferocious-looking logos in all collegiate sports and Cal-Berkly's mascot is probably the most pathetic-looking mascot in the country.
Winner - #16 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions
#4 Purdue Boilermakers vs. #12 Utah State Aggies
I envision modern-day Boilermakers as your "Joe Everyman" type who drives an American full-cab pickup truck, drinks Bud Heavy religiously, and hasn't missed an opening day of whitetail/trout season since the Big Dog era. Aggies from Utah State could not be more diametrically-opposite if they tried. I see nothing but hybrid-driving, Kings of Leon-loving Scientologists.
Winner - #4 Purdue Boilermakers
#3 Baylor Bears vs. #11 Old Dominion Monarchs
I feel like Monarchs are allowed to do whatever they want. It is true that bears are the Brock Lesnars of the animal kingdom, but I don't think it would be be unheard of for the Grand Duke of Virginia to banish all bears from the territory. Or at the least, make bear season year-long. Plus, I mean, have you seen their logo? it's pretty bad ass. I just don't think Baylor has anything to offer in this one. Monarchy Rules.
Winner - #11 Old Dominion Monarchs
#7 Richmond Spiders vs. #15 Robert Morris Colonials
You would think that the Colonials squash the bugs and advance to the Sweet Sixteen, right? Wrong. You forget that most historical figure mascots have week immune systems due to their rudimentary medical knowledge. One spider bite is all it takes to wipe out the colony of New Pittsburgh.
Winner - #7 Richmond Spiders
Next Round: Sweet Sixteen
Midwest Bracket
#4 Maryland Terrapins vs. #9 UNLV Runnin' Rebels
#11 San Diego State Aztecs vs. #15 UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos
West Bracket
#4 Vanderbilt Commodores vs. #16 Vermont Catamounts
#14 Oakland Golden Grizzlies vs. #15 North Texas Mean Green
East Bracket
#5 Temple Owls vs. #16 East Tennessee State Buccanneers
#2 West Virginia Mountaineers vs. #3 New Mexico Lobos
South Bracket
#4 Purdue Boilermakers vs. #16 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions
#7 Richmond Spiders vs. #11 Old Dominion Monarchs
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Thursday, April 1, 2010
Mascot Madness: Round of 32 (East and South) |
Monday, March 15, 2010
2010 NCAA Tournament Bracket Breakdown: West Region |
The East Region could get pretty interesting. Is Arinze Onuaku's quad ok? Will UTEP be a favorite against Butler? Is it possible that the six and seven seeds are better than the two and three seeds?
Syracuse, with a healthy Onuaku, is the best team in the bracket. But there's no telling how serious is injury really is. Is it bad enough that he can't play, or is Boeheim rolling the dice, hoping he can get his center back to 100% for the second weekend? What kind of shape will he be in when he gets back?
So with that in mind, here is your East Region breakdown:
Final Four Favorite: Syracuse Orange
The Cuse, who I'm assuming will be without Arinze Onuaku for the first weekend but will be getting him back for the Sweet 16, have a pretty difficult road assuming chalk holds. I think both Gonzaga and Vanderbilt match up well and are well suited against a zone. K-State rebounds the ball well, which is something that is always difficult to do against a zone. That said, the length Syracuse has at every position in this zone makes it very unique. You rarely see a team as good as they are at forcing turnovers in their zone. Jim Boeheim made a point after the Georgetown game -- once they get out of the Big East, they will be playing people unfamiliar with the zone. Their last two losses are to Louisville (Rick Pitino plays a 2-3) and Georgetown (played Syracuse three times, finally figured out the zone late in the third game).
And if they lose?: Kansas State Wildcats
A lot of people have been doubting Kansas State, but I like this team. Overall, there is not an overwhelming about of basketball skill on this team. What they do have is a couple of stars in the back court and a front line loaded with aggressive athletes. And the Wildcats play to that stile. Frank Martin lets Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente create and take advantage of their skill, and relies on guys like Jamar Samuels, Curtis Kelly, and Dominique Sutton to go clean up the mess. If there is one flaw to this team, its how much they foul. The Wildcats pressure defensively and force a lot of turnovers, but its results in a lot of fouls and a lot of free throws for their opponent's.
Sweet 16 Sleeper (10 or lower): UTEP Miners
The addition of Derrick Caracter to this team made them complete. They have a dynamic scorer in their back court. They have size inside. They have a playmaker on the perimeter. And now they have a bruiser in the paint. The Miners are largely unproven. They lost to the two Ole Miss and BYU, and their only two good wins came against UAB. But UTEP won their last 16 games before the C-USA final, they defend, and they have the "look" of a major conference team.
Final Four Sleeper (5 or lower): Xavier Musketeers
Xavier may have a new coach, but this is still the same old Musketeer program. This team is tough. They were left for dead after losing their five marquee non-conference games, but the Muskies rallied. They won 16 of their last 19 games, which included wins at Florida and against Richmond. Xavier has a ton of size inside, led by the underrated Jason Love, and a good back court. Jordan Crawford may struggle with shot selection at times, but there is no doubt that the kid can score. Terrell Holloway is a steady point guard that can create and has a knack for hitting big shots down the stretch. Most of all, this is a program with a culture of winning. I don't generally like statements like that, but its true. Think about the tournament runs Xavier has made in the past. They expect to win; winning is a mentality. Xavier has it.
Seeded too high: Butler Bulldogs
Don't get me wrong, Butler is a quality basketball team. You don't go undefeated in your conference, regardless of the conference, if you are not a quality basketball team. But their only wins of note are against Ohio State (without Evan Turner) and Xavier (at home and at the buzzer). Look, I love what Brad Stevens has done with this program. I think the world of Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack as basketball players. Matt Howard is a bulldog in the paint. But Butler simply cannot handle the length and athleticism of the best teams in the country. Matt Howard is a land warrior that is ineffective against bigger players. Their power forward is 6'3" Ronald Nored, who is a scrapper and a defender but doesn't have a jump shot. I also think it deserves mention that Florida, who many believe was the last team in, got a 10 seed. But that low in the bracket, seeding quirks lead me to believe it had more to do with bracketing rules than with merit.
Seeded too low: Gonzaga Bulldogs
I don't have a huge issue with the Zags seed, although I think they probably deserved a six or a seven seed. I think that losses to Loyola Marymount and San Francisco in conference, combined with a blowout loss to Duke at Madison Square Garden. The Zags were also hurt by there schedule -- which looked so daunting in the preseason -- ended up being less than great as teams like Michigan State, Cincinnati, Oklahoma, and Illinois underperformed. But I also think this Gonzaga team is good. Elias Harris is a star in the making. Matt Bouldin is as good of a guard as you will find at this level. Steven Gray and Robert Sacre are both above average players at their position. Mark Few is a fantastic coach. If Gonzaga can get by Florida State, I think they match up well with Syracuse.
Player to Watch (8 and up): Jimmer Fredette, BYU
Did you really think it would be someone else? Fredette is one of the most exciting players in the country to watch. A little bit Steve Nash, a little bit Deron Williams, and a little bit Hot Sauce, Fredette is always a threat to go for 40 points. He has in-the-gym range -- even when shooting off the dribble with a hand in his face. He has and-1 mixtape handle. He hits big shots, he can pass the ball, and he is the catalyst for the high-powered BYU offense. BYU has a talented roster -- and sophomore Michael Lloyd has been a more than capable backup -- but Fredette is the guy that makes BYU a threat to get out of the first weekend.
Player to Watch (9 and lower): Marqus Blakely, Vermont, and Randy Culpepper, UTEP
Marqus Blakely is a fantasy stud. How many players have ever led their team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals at any level? Randy Culpepper is a dynamic scoring point guard, capable of going for 30 any night. But that's not why you want to watch them. This is. And this. And this, this, this, and this.
Best Matchup -- 1st Round: #4 Vanderbilt vs. #13 Murray State
You know, there really aren't any great first round games here. So I'll say this -- Murray State and Vanderbilt are 2 hours and 20 minutes apart, according to Google Maps. They will have to go to San Jose to play each other -- and use this as a chance to talk about Vanderbilt. The Commodores are a very good team this season. They are big, they have athletes, they have a couple of shooters, and they have Jermaine Beal, who is starting to get some recognition nationally. Vanderbilt is very well coached, run a ton of different plays, and are one of the most difficult teams in the country to prepare for. Don't be surprised to see them make a run.
Best Potential Matchup: #6 Xavier vs. #2 Kansas State
The Muskies and the Wildcats are both tough, physical teams. They both have excellent guard play, and they both have big front lines. They both play extremely hard for passionate, intense coaches. This game would no doubt be a dogfight, and who doesn't enjoy a game like that?
Upset Alert!!!: UTEP, Xavier, BYU
I really like UTEP over Butler. I think the Miners have enough athleticism to frustrate Butler, and I think that Brad Stevens is going to have trouble finding somewhere to use Ronald Nored, especially defensively. But everyone is going to have that pick. As much as I like this Kansas State team, I think that Xavier and BYU both match up well with them. I wouldn't be shocked if any of those three teams made the Elite 8.
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2010 NCAA Tournament Bracket Breakdown: East Region |
Like Kansas, Kentucky got a tough draw. West Virginia is the best two seed, and most believe they should have been a one. Temple and Wisconsin are both teams that could give the Cats trouble. This might be the most balanced of the brackets, as I doubt a Sweet 16 run by Washington or Cornell would surprise anyone.
If the brackets had themes, the theme of the East is team play. Many of the best teams in the teams in this region thrive due to their system as opposed to one or two stars players.
So with that in mind, let's take a look at the East Region:
Final Four Favorite: Kentucky Wildcats
We all know the flaws the Wildcats. They are young. They are inexperienced. They are immature. They can't shoot. But if there a team in the country with more raw talent than Kentucky, than an NBA team is playing in the tournament. When they are playing well, John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins are both unstoppable. Patrick Patterson is an all-american and more than willing to be a glue guy for this team. Eric Bledsoe would probably average 15 and 6 assists if he was playing on any other teams. They have size and athleticism on the bench. Perhaps the best thing I can say about the Wildcats is that they have shown they are able to win a tight game. This team will be an interesting one to watch.
And if they lose?: West Virginia Mountaineers
Is there a team playing with more confidence than the Eers right now? West Virginia is a difficult matchup for pretty much any team. At any given time, they will have four guys on the court that are between 6'7"-6'9" that can shoot, can score in the post, and can get an offensive rebound. They are tough, physical, and aggressive. They are getting much more out of their point guard at this point in the season, and Da'Sean Butler seems destined to be this year's March hero. I'm sure there are going to be quite a few people that pick WVU over Kentucky.
Sweet 16 Sleeper (10 or lower): Cornell Big Red and Washington Huskies
Cornell seems like the obvious choice here. The Big Red didn't play an overly difficult schedule, but they did beat both Alabama and UMass on the road, while also outplaying Kansas for 36 minutes at the Phog. But is it really a good sign when people are saying the reason you have a chance to be an NCAA Tournament cinderella story is a close loss? Cornell runs an efficient offense and execute as well as anyone in the country. They have size inside, a star point guard, and a big time shooter and scorer. But they can't defend and are as athletic as a DIII team.
Washington was a consensus top 25 team in the preseason and many had the Huskies in the top 10. For a myriad of reasons, the Huskies struggled this season -- defensive intensity, poor shot selection, high expectations for Abdul Gaddy. But the bottom line is that U-Dub has two stars in Quincy Pondexter and Isaiah Thomas and is coming into the tournament playing as well as they have all season.
Final Four Sleeper (5 or lower): Marquette Golden Eagles and Texas Longhorns
Like West Virginia, part of what makes Marquette so good is how difficult they are to match-up with. The Golden Eagles run an interesting system, spreading the floor and allowing their talented back court to drive and kick. Lazar Hayward and Jimmy Butler are both incredibly difficult matchups for most teams because they can defend and rebound in the post, but also can hit the three and put the ball on the floor and get to the rim. Marquette is also as tested as any team coming in, having played -- and won -- so many close games, especially late in the season. If Marquette is hitting their threes, watch out.
Texas is an interesting case. They were top five in the country for a long time early in the season, but then the Longhorns collapsed. That said, I think the Longhorns can match up very well with Kentucky. Dexter Pittman has the size and strength to battle Cousins. Avery Bradley is noted for his defense, as his Justin Mason, and matchup as well with John Wall as anyone. Damion James is an all-american. If Texas clicks, why can't they return to their early season form? Then again, haven't we been saying that for months?
Seeded too high: Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Wake struggled mightily down the stretch of the ACC season as they lost five of their last six, culminating in a 20 point beatdown at the hands of Miami. If it wasn't for a couple good wins in the non-conference part of the schedule, this Wake team probably would have been left out of the tournament. On more than one occasion, I've seem Wake called the worst at-large team in the field.
Seeded too low: Temple Owls
The committee really held the A-10 in low regard. Temple won the league's regular season and the conference tournament, beat Villanova -- as well Siena and Virginia Tech -- and lost to Georgetown by one, and was ranked 9th in the RPI. And they ended up a five seed? The Owls are as good as anyone in the country on the defensive end, have a couple of talented scorers, and a solid big man. This is a very good basketball team.
Player to Watch (8 and up): Darington Hobson, New Mexico
With all due respect to Trevor Booker, Trevon Hughes, and Darius Johnson-Odom/Lazar Hayward, the guy you want to keep an eye on in this region is Hobson. Hobson is not the most athletic player, but he is incredibly talented. At 6'7", he is a small forward than can get to the rim, rebound the ball, and is as good as anyone at his size at finding assists. The Lobos have a lot of talent on their roster -- Roman Martinez has hit as many big shots as anyone, Dairese Gary does not get enough respect as a point guard on the national level, AJ Hardeman is an excellent offensive rebounder -- and have won a lot of games against quality competition, beating the likes of Cal, Texas A&M, and BYU (twice). Hobson is the biggest reason why.
Player to Watch (9 and lower): Noah Dahlman, Wofford, and Anthony Johnson, Montana
Wofford is a good basketball team. They beat Georgia on the road and South Carolina at home. They lost to Pitt by three on the road. They lost by twelve at Michigan State. They can defend and rebound the ball. Offensively is where they struggle, which is not a good thing against a like Wisconsin. Noah Dahlman, a 6'6" forward that averages almost 17 ppg, is really the only guy on this team that can score. Dahlman, whose brother Isiah plays for Michigan State, does most of his damage in and around the rim. Wofford will need a big game out of him is they are to pull of an upset.
If you don't know the story of Anthony Johnson, you are missing out. The long and short of it -- Johnson was going nowhere. His girlfriend had a scholarship to a JuCo, and made it a requirement Johnson went as well. He tore it up for two years, and got a scholarship offer to Montana, where he made the same demand about his now-wife. And now? Johnson has turned into one of the best pound-for-pound scorers in the country, averaging almost 20 ppg as a slasher for the Grizzlies. And if you haven't seen or heard about his performance in the Big West final, when he scored 34 second half points -- including the final 21 -- to lead Montana to a 20 point comeback, then you missed out.
Best Matchup -- 1st Round: #7 Clemson vs. #10 Missouri
You like action? You like fast paced basketball? You like dunks, threes, and a helter skelter style? Than this is the game for you. Both Missouri and Clemson have athletes up and down their roster, and utilize that athleticism by pressing for 40 minutes. This will probably be one of the tougher games for me to pick, and may be the one I am looking forward too the most in the first round.
Best Potential Matchup: #4 Wisconsin vs. #5 Temple
The opposite of Clemson-Mizzou, this game would be for basketball purists. Both teams are very good defensively. Both teams are well-coached and execute offensively. Temple has a pair of good guards and a talented big man. Ditto for Wisconsin. If you like well-played basketball, you will love Temple-Wisconsin.
Upset Alert!!!: Cornell, Washington, Marquette
Cornell has received enough exposure this season that they will be one of the most popular upset picks in this year's tournament. Hell, Jay Bilas had the Big Red in the Elite 8! I don't know if I agree with that, but I do think this Cornell team could make run to the Sweet 16. We've talking about Washington being an upset possibility, but what about the team they play in the first round? I've said before -- I think Marquette is a Sweet 16 team. If they make it that far and play West Virginia, keep in mind that they had West Virginia beaten in Morgantown until Da'Sean Butler his an 18 foot turnaround for the win.
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Tuesday, March 17, 2009
2009 NCAA Tournament Bracket Breakdown: East Region |
At first glance, it looks like Pitt is going to have a cake walk to the Elite 8, where DeJuan Blair will go for 25 and 2o against the Duke/Villanova winner.
If you think that is true, then please read the rest of this post.
For your brackets sake.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the East Region:
Final Four Favorite: Villanova
I really like the Wildcats team this year, especially at home where they are 15-2 (and the two losses were by a combined three points). And in case you haven't noticed, the Wildcats play their first two games in Philly. What I like about Villanova this year is that they are balanced and versatile. It seems like every guy on their roster can and does play multiple positions during a game. Reggie Redding, Shane Clark, and Dwayne Anderson can play and defend anyone from 1-4. Corey Fisher and Scottie Reynolds can both play the point or the off-guard very effectively. Corey Stokes and Dante Cunningham are really the only guys locked into a position, but Stokes as good of a shooter as you will find (when he gets hot, watch out). If you aren't a fan of the Big East, then you probably never hear about Cunningham as he is kind of lost in the power forward shuffle in the league (Harangody, Adrien, Clark, Blair). But he averaged 16 and 7 this year, and provides Nova with their lone front court scoring threat.
And If They Lose: Duke
I truly believe that the winner of Duke-Villanova in the Sweet 16 will be the Final Four team from this region. Duke is a different team with Elliot Williams running the show, and has gotten a big lift with Nolan Smith coming back from the concussion (he played really well in the Dukies ACC tourney run). I have no idea how long I have been saying it, but when Gerald Henderson and Jon Scheyer are playing like go-to scorers, this Duke team is very tough to beat. And over the last month or so, since Williams was moved into the starting line-up, Scheyer has joined Henderson as a guy that can get 20 on anyone. The biggest difference for Scheyer has been that he is now being guarded by point guards, which allows him to use his size and strength advantage (he was struggling when being guarded by bigger, more athletic two's). Duke has not had a lot of tournament success recently, but I think that this team has as good of a chance as any because they caught a break with good match-ups along the way.
Where's Pitt? You'll see. Keep reading.
Sweet 16 Sleeper (10 or lower): Wisconsin
A lot of people would pick VCU - not a bad pick as Eric Maynor and Larry Sanders aka Stretch Armstrong (7'7" wingspan) form a great inside-outside combo (how awesome would it be to see VCU get a rematch with Duke in the Sweet 16). But I like Wisconsin. For three reasons. To start, the two higher seeded teams in their pod are Florida State and Xavier - and they are playing in Boise, Idaho. Boise is a bit of a hike from Wisconsin, but I can almost guarantee that there will be few Xavier and Florida State fans in attendance. The Badgers were also playing very well down the stretch, winning seven of ten with their losses at Michigan State and Minnesota, and to Ohio State in the Big Ten Tourney. The biggest reason? I just like the match-ups. Florida State is a very good team, but they are essentially the Toney Douglas Seminoles. I think Bo Ryan is a good enough defensive coach to find a way to slow him down. And Xavier is a bit over hyped, in my opinion. Point guard play is so important during this tournament, and I don't know if freshman Terrell Holloway or converted-two-guard Dante Jackson really have what it takes.
Final Four Sleeper (5 or lower): Tennessee
Don't get me wrong. I don't expect Tennessee to make a run. But you cannot deny the amount of talent on this team. The problem is that they shoot a ton of three's (and they aren't three point shooters) and don't play defense like they should (with 84 guys on the team that are 6'6", athletic wings, their press should be downright vicious). If this team ever puts it together, their is enough raw talent that they can make a run. That is a big if, however. What isn't a big if? Bruce Pearl will be wearing something ridiculous.
Seeded Too High: Xavier
The Musketeers are overrated. They have an impressive resume, but look a bit past the numbers. Their two best wins - Missouri and Memphis - came before those two teams really figured themselves out. Their only impressive road win came at LSU, which isn't exactly winning in Chapel Hill, and they lost at Richmond and Charlotte. They lost five of their last ten games, and they get so-so point guard play from Holloway and Jackson.
Seeded Too Low: UCLA
It isn't as much that they are seeded too low (although KenPom has them as 9th) as much as that they got one of the worst draws in the whole tournament. The Bruins have to travel to Philly for their first round games, and UCLA always seem to struggle when they have to fly east (they lost to Michigan this year and West Virginia two years ago). What is worse is that they will be playing VCU in the first round (who is all of about a five hour drive from Philly) and probably Villanova if they advance (which is all of five minutes from Philly). Tough break for seniors Josh Shipp and Darren Collison.
Player To Watch (8 and up): Toney Douglas, Florida State
As I mentioned earlier, FSU is basically the Toney Douglas Seminoles this year. He is the only player to averages double figures, posting 21.5 ppg (next highest is 8.5). He is good enough to carry this team, and proved it during the ACC Tournament, averaging 26.7 ppg as the 'Noles knocked off UNC en route to the title game. When he is shooting well, he can go reel off five or six straight jumpers. The scariest part about playing against Douglas is that he can hit jumpers with an unreal degree of difficulty (personally, I think his most dangerous move is his step-back, which is so quick and creates so much space). The rest of the 'Noles are long, athletic, and will really run the floor and out work you on both ends, but if Douglas isn't scoring, this team's offense grinds to a halt.
Player To Watch (9 and down): Eric Maynor, VCU
The little guys in this bracket really have some stars that can put up points. Portland State's Jeremiah Dominguez put 25 in their upset over Gonzaga. Binghamton's DJ Rivera was screwed out of conference player of the year by the America East coaches. He averaged 20.5 ppg, and will have something to prove during this tournament. American has a dynamic, albeit tiny, back court of Garrison Carr and Derrick Mercer. But you have to give this to Maynor. He averaged 22.4 ppg and 6.2 apg during the season, is a likely first round draft pick, and has already proved he can handle the pressures of March (ask Greg Paulus).
Best Match-up, First Round: #8 Oklahoma State vs. #9 Tennessee
Both teams are loaded with athletes, both teams like to get up and down the floor, and both teams put up a ton of points. I would expect this game to get up into the 80's, and while it will probably be quite a sloppy affair, it will be full of action. If you have never seen James Anderson from Oklahoma State play, do anything you can to get in front of a TV for this one. Anderson is one of the most explosive scorers in the country. He averaged 18.6 ppg for the season, but he went for 30+ four times.
Best Match-up, Potential: #2 Duke vs. #3 Villanova
I would love to see these two teams do battle. Both teams are perimeter-oriented and love to get out and defend. I think Villanova has a great match-up with Henderson, as Redding and Anderson are bigger and stronger than Henderson, and could give him problems defensively. Duke will have an advantage as Reynolds and/or Fisher are going to be matched up with Scheyer and Williams. Not so Interesting sub-plot - Taylor King, the lefty gunner who transferred from Duke because Coach K didn't want him smoking, ended up at Villanova.
Upset Alert!!!: Pitt
There could be a number of upsets in this bracket, as FSU, Xavier, Nova, and UCLA all have potentially challenging first round match-ups. But the biggest upset I see occurring in this bracket involves the Panthers. Logic says the Panthers are the best team in this region. They are the #1 seed. They have the most unstoppable force in college hoops this side of Blake Griffin in DeJuan Blair. They are led by two seniors that have been through some wars in Sam Young and Levance Fields. But there are some flaws to this team. For starters, Blair is foul prone, and the Panthers are simply not the same team with him on the bench (he was in foul trouble in each of their four losses). Pitt is also one of the most inconsistent teams in the tournament offensively. Yes, they have been much better this season, especially getting out and running the floor, but the Panthers are still just as likely to throw up a clunker. My biggest concern, however, is who they drew in their region. Look at who Pitt has lost too - Louisville, Villanova, Providence, and West Virginia. The common thread for all of those teams is that they are teams that rely on perimeter play to win games (WVU to a lesser degree than the other three, but name me a low-block scorer on the Mountaineers). When Pitt plays team that spread the floor and force Blair to have to defend outside of the paint, the Panthers are not as good (partially because it makes Blair more susceptible to picking up fouls). The Panthers will get a second round match-up with OK State or Tennessee, both of whom love to spread the floor, and will more than likely get an Elite 8 match-up with Villanova (who already owns a win over Pitt) or Duke. Sorry Pitt fans, but I think the Panthers are a serious threat to not reach the Final Four.
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