Dancing Time

Every year I do at least two brackets. I fill one out right after Selection Sunday. I call this my “gut” bracket. It is the one that I do without analysis or thinking. I just go with whatever sounds right to me moments after the bracket is revealed. Then I fill out my “serious” bracket on Monday or Tuesday. This is the bracket I submit to websites and in any pool I am in. In my years of doing this, it is about 50/50 as to which bracket is better. That makes me wonder how much I really learn from the two days of analysis. Anyway, the “serious” bracket will be up in a couple days, in much the same format as last year, except, hopefully, with less incorrect picks. Today, I just want to focus on my snap judgments of the bracket and the individual regional. Bring it on Greg Gumbel.

East Region

Player to watch –

Harrison Barnes. The kid has brought it recently. He finally missed a big shot today against Duke that would have cut the Blue Devils lead to seven, but played a great ACC Tournament regardless. Barnes was a pre-season All-American. I felt he was a little over-hyped, coming from playing the likes of Pella, Davenport Schools, Muscatine, and other awful teams in Iowa throughout his college career (He might not have played any of those schools, just making a point that Iowa High School basketball isn't typically great). But, he has grown accustomed to the ACC competition and has grown as the season has gone on. Shoulda been a Hawkeye.

Overrated Team – Georgia. I would like to say West Virginia or Xavier, but I have to say Georgia. A 10 seed isn’t exactly high, but they shouldn’t be in the tournament at all as far as I am concerned. SEC sucks.

Upset possibility In First Round – Marquette. Marquette plays a style that can beat anybody. Xavier isn’t a great team, and a far worse than last year when they still had Jordan Crawford. Not sure who I will pick in this one, but Marquette is enticing.

Upset Possibility Second Round – Villanova over Ohio State and Washington over North Carolina. Both Nova and Washington were highly seeded teams coming into the year. Both have shown they can play with the best teams in the nation, and both have shown they can lose to any team in the nation. Villanova is playing bad, but Jay Wright is a good coach. Washington is coming off an emotional Pac 10 Tournament run. UNC and OSU better look out.

Sleeper Team – Washington. This is essentially the same team who went on a run last year in the NCAA tournament. Isiah Thomas is playing good, and they could make the elite eight with a upset over North Carolina.

Best Nickname – Long Island Blackbirds. That is awesome.

Best Coach – Jim Boeheim. I know everybody loves Ol' Roy, and I am a Thad Matta fan, but Boeheim always gets his team in the Tournament, always gets a high seed, and always has his team playing well in March.

Best First Round Game – Villanova vs. George Mason. The CAA got three teams in. That is wild. Like I said earlier, Nova can beat anybody, they can also lose to anybody. That includes George Mason. The winner takes on the overall #1 seed Ohio State. Very interesting game.

Best Potential Second Round Game – Kentucky vs. West Virginia. While I said Washington and UNC could provide a great game, this West Virginia against Kentucky matchup is also a great one. Both coaches are either loved or hated. More often, hated. West Virginia upset the Wildcats last year when John Wall was running the point for Kentucky. Coach Cal will be out for revenge.

Dream Game – Ohio State vs. North Carolina. This is reminiscent of the Kansas State vs. USC game from a couple years ago. The nation’s two top freshman, Michael Beasley and O.J. Mayo (or so the media thought, ignoring Derrick Rose) squared off in the tournament for freshman supremacy. This is the same story, except is not a first round game. Sullinger vs. Barnes. Argue Barnes’s side all you want, but Sullinger has the better team around him. Will be an epic elite eight matchup.

Team I Will Be Pulling For – Ohio State. I have been riding the bandwagon all year. I hope to ride it to the final four.

Team to Win – Ohio State.

West Region

Player to watch

– Kemba Walker. I’m biased. I admit it. But, damn, did Kemba put on a show in MSG. If he plays well, and makes the young Huskies play better around him, they can be a potential final four team. Maybe the key for UConn is to play every day with no rest in between. Worked in Maui and New York.

Overrated Team – Cincinnati. Not really feeling the Bearcats as a six seed. They look more like a seven, eight, or nine to me. With that being said, they could knock off UConn in the second round. Just have to get by Missouri first.

Upset Possibility First Round – Bucknell over UConn. Like I said, I am biased. I love UConn, and with that love comes fear that they will be upset. I think if Kemba plays his game, they will handle Bucknell easily, but if he doesn’t, the rest of the Huskies may be shell shocked and lose to a very talented Bucknell team.

Upset Possibility Second Round – Michigan over Duke. Duke has trouble with overly athletic teams. Not a lot of trouble, because Duke doesn’t have a lot of trouble with many teams, but some trouble. Michigan has shown they can compete with the best in the business. Tim Hardaway Jr. could ignite an offensive explosion that could stun Duke and the nation.

Sleeper Team – Arizona. The Wildcats are playing very good ball. Derrick Williams is a stud. Sean Miller is a good coach. The Wildcats could surprise some people.

Best Nickname – Oakland Golden Grizzlies. I want one as a pet.

Best Coach – Coach K. I don’t want to spell his name. In a short time, he will be the all-time winningest coach ever in Division 1. Gotta give it to Coach K.

Best First Round Game – Michigan vs. Tennessee. Both athletic teams that have a chance to knock off the Dukies. Great eight/nine matchup.

Best Potential Second Round Game – Arizona vs. Texas. Both teams were runners up in their respective conference tournaments. Both could make some noise.

Dream Game – UConn vs. Duke. Kemba leading his young Huskies against the defending champions. What a game that could be.

Team I Will Be Pulling For – UConn. Duh.

Team to Win – Duke. The Blue Devils looked really good in the ACC Torunament.

Southwest Region

Player to watch

– JaJuan Johnson. The Boilermakers were in the running for a number one seed a week ago. Now, after a loss to Iowa and a Big Ten Tournament one and done, they are a three seed and reeling. If Johnson and Moore get it going, Purdue could knock off the top seeds and see a final four.

Overrated Team – Vanderbilt. Vandy should be in the tournament for sure, but not as a five seed. If they beat Richmond, who I am not crazy about, I think Louisville will roll them easily.

Upset Possibility First Round – Richmond over Vanderbilt. Like I said, I don’t love Richmond, but they have the talent to hang with a Vandy team that isn’t great.

Upset Possibility Second Round – Illinois over Kansas. The beauty of the NCAA tournament is that it gives teams a second chance. Illinois should not have made the tournament as a nine seed. They didn’t earn it the way other teams did, however, they have had the talent all season to be a top 20 team. Kansas does not want to see the Illini and Demitri McCamey in the second round.

Sleeper Team – Louisville. I feel like Louisville has been a sleeper team all year. I doubt many people will pick them for the final four, but with the backcourt of Knowels and Siva, and that draining press, they could beat anybody.

Best Nickname – Richmond Spiders. Always liked that one.

Best Coach – Rick Pitino. He doesn’t get the recruits he used to at Kentucky, but he still wins year in and year out.

Best First Round Game – Vanderbilt vs. Richmond. Classic five vs. twelve matchup.

Best Potential Second Round Game – Purdue vs. Georgetown. The Hoyas have Chris Wright back, and could be very dangerous is they get by the Boilermakers.

Dream Game – Louisville vs. Kansas. Without Mario Chalmers and Sherron Collins anymore, Kansas’s backcourt is largely unknown. Unknown doesn’t mean bad, but usually doesn’t mean real good either. They could spell doom against Louisville’s press.

Team I Will Be Pulling For –Morehead St? In reality, probably Purdue or Kansas, but that is by default because I don’t like any of the other real threats to come out of the Southwest.

Team to Win – Kansas. That is three for three on #1 seeds. Pittsburgh, you’re on notice.

Southeast Region

Player to watch

– Jimmer Ferdette. Of course all eyes will be on Jimmer. His last go round with BYU could end early if they play like they did in the Mountain West Final against San Diego St.

Overrated Team – Florida. A #2 seed for Florida?!?! Are you fucking kidding me?

Upset Possibility First Round – Wofford over BYU. This region is chalk full of upset possibilities. I could see Utah St., Belmont, Gonzaga, Michigan St, and Wofford all winning. I just don’t like BYU since dismissing Davies.

Upset Possibility Second Round – Michigan St. over Florida. Does anybody else remember when Ohio State went INTO Florida and demolished the Gators? Or when Kentucky kept them as a distance for the entire SEC championship game? They could make a sweet sixteen or elite run, but that is because of the easy road due to over seeding. Stupid SEC.

Sleeper Team – Wisconsin. Everybody is doing what they always do in March. Looking past the Badgers. Wisconsin could beat anybody, and that includes Pittsburgh.

Best Nickname – Old Dominion Monarchs. It was much cooler before the WNBA came along. Still sweet though.

Best Coach – Tom Izzo. I could have said Bo Ryan, but I love Izzo. I understand MSU has issues this year, but he still got them into the tournament, and one year of problems out of how every many he has been there ain’t bad.

Best First Round Game – St. Johns vs. Gonzaga. St. Johns plays to their competition. Gonzaga hasn’t had a real upset in years. They might be due.

Best Potential Second Round Game –Kansas St. vs. Wisconsin. Kansas St is playing really good at the right time. Wisconsin is always disciplined, and I am guessing they will score more than the 33 points they put in the Big 10 Tournament.

Dream Game – St. John’s vs. BYU. NYC vs. Mormons. Intriguing.

Team I Will Be Pulling For – Butler. I like Michigan State and Wisconsin to represent the Big 10, but am currently reading the book Underdawgs about the 2010 Butler team and am pulling for them because of Brad Stevens.

Team to Win – Wisconsin. My upset pick. (as of Sunday, this could change by Monday. Or by the next commercial break on Bracketology.)