I can't wait until the Sweet 16 starts on Thursday. Just like many of you, my bracket is official useless and torn to pieces. We have some great matchups this week which will involve four mid-majors, three Big Ten teams, only two Big East teams, and a Kentucky Wildcat team that have four NBA prospects heading to the NBA draft after this season.
Do i think they'll be another George Mason in the making after this weekend? Get ready for another four days of great basketball as you will see who I think will make it to the Final Four after Sunday.
MIDWEST REGION at St. Louis
(5) Michigan State vs. (9) Northern Iowa
Michigan State Spartan starting point guard Kalin Lucas will be out for the rest of the tournament with a torn achilles. Don't think that'll stop the Spartans.
Spartans head coach Tom Izzo has lead his basketball program to their third straight Sweet 16 and their ninth appearance in the last 13 years. Tom Izzo is 6-2 in the Sweet 16, don't tell me that doesn't mean anything.
The Panthers better find a way to shut down Durrell Summers. Durrell is averaging 20.0 points per game, shooting over 51 percent from the field, and over 53 percent from three-point range in the tournament.
The Panthers will make their first appearance in the Sweet 16. This will be the eighth team out of the Missouri Valley Conference to make it to the Sweet 16 since 1994. The last team in the MVC that made it to the Elite Eight was Witchita State in 1981.
Senior guard Ali Farokhmanesh was a big hero this week after that amazing shot against one-seed Kansas Jayhawks. The Panthers should be used to close games. They are 8-1 in games dedcided by five points or less this season.
The Panthers may have the second-best scoring defense in the nation (55.0 ppg), but I believe coach Izzo will find a way to ruin the Panthers Cinderella story.
SPARTANS over PANTHERS
(2) Ohio State vs (6) Tennessee
Evan Turner will be a top three lottery pick heading to the NBA Draft but he's not even leading the team in points in the tournament. While Evan Turner is averaging 16.5 ppg, 9.5 rebounds, and seven assists, Jon Diebler has been a bit of a surprise in this tourney. Jon is averaging 21.0 ppg in this tournament.
Can we please give Vols coach Bruce Pearl his due. This will be his third appearance in Sweet 16. I don't think Wayne Chism and the Vols will figure out the 1-3-1 zone.
BUCKEYES over VOLUNTEERS
Elite Eight...(2) OHIO STATE vs (5) MICHIGAN STATE
At least one Big Ten team will make it to the FINAL FOUR in this great BIG TEN battle. Tom Izzo has all the experience in the world, but without Kalin Lucas, this will be Evan Turner and head coach Thad Matta's time.
BUCKEYES over SPARTANS
WEST REGION at Salt Lake City
(1) Syracuse vs (5) Butler
At least someone in the Big East is looking dominant in the tournament. The Syracuse Orange have dominated the West region.
Junior Wes Johnson is one of the top five NBA prospects in this tournament. He's averaging 24.6 ppg and 10 rpg.
If you think Sophmore Gordan Hayward and the Bulldogs will stop the Orange zone defense, you are not watching basketball. The Orange will be to much for the Bulldogs.
ORANGE over BULLDOGS
(2) Kansas State vs (6) Xavier
Xavier sophmore Jordan Crawford, who dunked on Lebron James during the summer, is starting to become one of my players in college basketball. He's averaging 27.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, and 3.0 apg in the NCAA Tournament. It's too bad that I think this will be his last game of the season.
Kansas State Wildcats Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente will be too much for the Musketeers. They are so quick when they get down the court it's insane. Jacob is averaging 24.5 ppg, 50% from the field, and 50% from the three point line and Denis is averaging 13 ppg.
I believe the Wildcats are tough enough to beat the Musketeers and move on to the Elite Eight.
ELITE EIGHT...(1) Syracuse over (2) Kansas State
I love the Wildcats backcourt in this matchup but I don't believe that Wes and Andy Rautins, averaging 17.5 ppg in the tourney, will allow the Cats to stop this Big East team and will move on to the Final Four.
ORANGE over WILDCATS
EAST REGION at Syracuse
(1) Kentucky vs (12) Cornell
The Big Red better be ready for freshmen John Wall (averaging 15.5 ppg and 9.0 apg), DeMarcus Cousins (averaging 12.0 ppg and 8.0 rpg), Eric Bledsoe (averaging 21.0 ppg and 75% from the three-point line), and junior Patrick Patterson (averaging 13 ppg). All of these players could be leaving the Big Blue nation after this season. The Wildcats are averaging 95.0 ppg in the tourney.
The Big Red have been the most impressive mid-major so far in this tourney. They are averaging 82.5 ppg and shooting, 58% from the field, and over 43% from the three-point line. I enjoy watching Ryan Wittman and Louis Dale scoring anywhere they please and making it look easy. Ryan is averaging 22.0 ppg and over 63% from the three-point line and Louis is averaging 23.5 ppg. 7-0 center Jeff Foote will be the X-factor for this game. DeMarcus better figure out a way to defend Foote or else this team will have a field day in the paint.
As much as I would love to pick the Big Red, how can I pick against the Big Blue Nation.
WILDCATS over BIG RED
(2) West Virginia vs (11) Washington
Darryl "Truck" Bryant will be out for the rest of the tournament with a broken foot he suffered in practice. Bob Huggins will start Joe Mazzulla in place of "Truck" Bryant.
Da'Sean Butler (averaging 18.5 ppg in the tournament) and Devin Ebanks are going to have to step things up twice as hard to shut down the surprising Washington Huskies, who are on a nine-game winning streak.
Huskies point guard Isiah Thomas (averaging 17.0 ppg and 7.0 apg) will do everything to exploit Joe with his quickness. 6-6 forward Quincy Pondexter (averaging 18.0 ppg) is the only senior on the team and he wants nothing more then to finish his career on top. Quincy should know how to stop Da'Sean Butler. They were both teammates for the Team USA in the World University Games. Another player to keep an eye on is London, England native Matthew Bryan-Amaning. The 6-9 junior is shooting 61.7% from the field in the last 13 games.
The Mountaineers are 10-0 on neutral courts this year and I believe they'll beat the Huskies.
MOUNTAINEERS over HUSKIES
ELITE EIGHT.... (1) Kentucky vs (2) West Virginia
There's no way that Joe Mazzulla will shut down John Wall. The Mountaineers may have a good defensive team but I don't think they'll have an answer for DeMarcus Cousins in the paint. Look forward to the Wildcats giving us another explosive offensive game.
WILDCATS over MOUNTAINEERS
SOUTH REGION at Houston
(1) Duke vs (4) Purdue
This will be coach Mike Krzyzewski's 19th appearance in the Sweet 16 with the Duke Blue Devils.
The Purdue Boilermakers better get ready for 3 S's...Kyle Singler (averaging 19.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, and shooting 54.2 % from the field), Nolan Smith (averaging 15.0 ppg and 3.5 apg), and Jon Scheyer (averaging 10.0 ppg). The Blue Devils have held their opponents to 48.5 points per game and 38.5% from the field.
Chris Kramer's layup with 4.2 seconds left saved the Boilermakers season, without Robbie Hummel, over the Texas A&M Aggies. Now they have to figure out what to do against this Blue Devil team.
JaJuan Johnson will be a perfect matchup for Brian Zoubek. JaJuan leads the team in scoring in the tourney with 17.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg, and 3.0 blocks.
Boliermakers starting guards Chris Kramer and E'Twaun Moore average 13.5 ppg each. Chris has to find a way to create turnovers. He's averaging 3.5 steals per game in the tourney.
This will be a good defensive game but I think at the end of the game the Blue Devils will have too much fire power and the 3 S's will lead this team to the Elite Eight.
BLUE DEVILS over BOILERMAKERS
(3) Baylor vs (10) St. Mary's
No big man was as dominate in the first two rounds of the tourney then St. Mary's Omar Samhan. The 6-11, 265 pound center averaged a tourney-best 30.5 ppg and shooting 75% from the field. Mickey McConnell is averaging over 53% from the three-point line and 19.0 ppg. Don't be surprised if he gets the ball at the end of the game.
Omar will his hands full with Ekpe Udoh (averaging 14.0 ppg) and Josh Lomars. Both big men are averaging 2.0 bpg and Omar will have to earn his points this time.
LaceDarius Dunn will be good threat for the Bears. He averages 19.5 ppg and 33.3% from the three-point line.
As much as I want to pick Omar Samhan and the Gaels, I think the Baylor Bears will be to athletic for them and the Bears will win this game.
BEARS over GAELS
ELITE EIGHT ..(1) Duke vs (3) Baylor
The Bears will be to athletic for the Blue Devils. I see the Bears big men getting it done against the 3 S's and the Bears will beat the Blue Devils
BEARS over BLUE DEVILS
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