Final Four Breakdown

The Final Four is here and we have some great match ups ahead of us this Saturday and it should be a dandy. I am really looking forward to it. There are a handful of premier big men playing which should make it that much more exciting to watch. But anyways, here's some analysis and predictions on the games.

Ohio St. vs. Georgetown
Oden vs Hibbert
This is the match up I have been most anticipating. You have 7'0 Greg Oden vs 7'2 Roy Hibbert. Great match up overall. But this is where I give the advantage to Georgetown. I think Hibbert can control Oden down low and hold his own against him. Hibbert is the most physical post player in the country and I think he will out work and definitely out rebound Oden down low. Oden must stay out of foul trouble because they have no one else to guard Hibbert or even Patrick Ewing Jr. for that matter.

Also, OSU has no match for Jeff Green. They can definitely hold Hibbert down low. But who's going to stop Green? Green outmatches every other Buckeye. If they stick an undersized guard on him he will abuse him all over the court. If they put Ivan Harris or even Othello Hunter on him, he will be able to slash and take them to the rack all day. Georgetown's front court is going to provide some big problems for OSU, especially if Oden gets into foul trouble.

OSU has the edge in the back court. They have multiple options with their guards, so does G'Town, but the Buckeyes G's have a little more talent. Mike Conley is a phenomenal PG, he is most effective in the open floor, and he'll get those opportunities only if Georgetown commits a lot of turnovers or has a horrible shooting night; which is doubtful that will happen. But with Conley, Lewis, Cook, Butler, and Lighty, OSU has the ability to take it to Georgetown's G's, if they can pressure them and force them to put up bad shots they can definitely top the Hoyas.

The Pick: Georgetown- Their defense has been tremendous. They're just too big and physical for the Buckeyes. Don't forget their holding opponents to just a little under 40% field goal shooting. Georgetown will easily dictate their own tempo and should handle them well in a half court game.

Florida vs. UCLA
It's the rematch of last years national title game. I think defense is going to be the biggest factor in this game. Both teams have played stellar defense in the tournament thus far. I don't expect the game to be as one-sided as it was last year, only because UCLA is a more experienced team.

Starting with the front court, Florida has a huge advantage here. UCLA's undersized posts have played bigger teams in this tournament well (i.e. Kansas & Pittsburgh). But, Al Horford has been amazing and has produced awesome numbers in guiding the Gators to Atlanta. Don't forget about Joakim Noah who has played well and UCLA needs to contain him Saturday night. Florida also has post depth off the bench, so if Horford or Noah get in any kind of foul trouble, it won't be a huge deal.

I love the back court match ups with Taurean Green, Lee Humphery, and Corey Brewer of Florida vs the likes of Aaron Afflalo, Josh Shipp, Darren Collison, and Michael Roll of UCLA. Both are evenly balanced and I can't really give an edge to either. But I think the X-Factor here is Darren Collison. Afflalo has been a stud lately and he needs someone else to step up too. Collison with his defense can pressure and contain Green and/or Humphery. If he can get them to force some tough shots and get them a little flustered UCLA will have a great chance at winning this game.


The Pick: UCLA- The play of Afflalo and the other guards has been amazing. I think UCLA's guards, especially Afflalo and Collision, can outperform Florida's. Also, defense will be a huge key and UCLA has been impressing many with their solid play on both ends of the court.

You should also check out some predictions and analysis from Complete Sports. I also encourage you to vote in our Final Four poll.

Take Your Pick: Oden vs. Durant

So, this is something that has been done on like 96% of sports blogs out there and even though it is a little late I want to do it anyways. Cuz if everyone's doing it...then it's best to follow along in order to fit in.

Alright, I've got the first pick in the NBA Draft next year, which guy do I want (assuming both leave for the draft). In case one stays let's just say we are looking for the all around best player at the next level right now. Here we go.....

• Oden- Offense is weak but excels at other aspecs which are essential and much needed at the next level (some NBA squads may take an interest in PLAYING DEFENSE which adds greatly to his appeal)
• Oden- You can't teach size.
• Durant- He can do it all
• Durant- A better scorer than Oden
• Durant- Can play multiple positions at the next level
• Oden- already has the NBA-body
• Durant- Still needs to fill out for the next level
  

By highlighting just a few of these Pros and Cons it is easy to tell that this is a tough call and both players will no doubt be great NBA players one day. However Greg Oden is my guy. By drafting him and inserting him in your lineup he makes a huge and immediate impact on your defense , which is a novel concept in the NBA. Also offensively he still can grow. With the right coaching, and a little maturing his offense will improve. He's proved his toughness this year by playing for weeks on one hand- his non-dominant one at that. So, if you have a bit of a void at the 5 spot, or are looking for what I view as the best overall pick to make the greatest immediate impact. I would take Oden. Because if you have the first pick in the draft, chances are is that you are looking for some kind of an immediate impact. However, if you are set at the 5 and are looking for a scorer who doesn't play great D, then Durant is your guy. Which of the 2 would you take?

P.S.- Stefan and I are both older than Kevin Durant....that in itself is scary and kind of wierd to think about.

More MLB Division Previews

AL Central

1. Cleveland Indians
2. Detroit Tigers
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Minnesota Twins
5. Kansas City Royals

The Twins suffer with no pitching (a la #2 in their rotation is Boof Bonser). The Tigers don't quite return to last year's form. I think that with a injury to the Tigers or if their young pitchers struggle the White Sox could easily finish ahead of the Tigers. Royals remain cellar dwellers, however they show improvement...give em' a few years (or many who knows).

MVP: Travis Hafner - Cleveland
Top Pitcher: Johan Santana - Minnesota
Manager of the Year: Eric Wedge - Cleveland
Rookie of the Year: Alex Gordon - Kansas City


NL Central

1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Milwaukee Brewers
3. Houston Astros
4. Chicago Cubs
5. Pittsburgh Pirates
6. Cincinatti Reds

The Cardinals reign again...Pujols is an animal. The Brewers make a run for the Wild Card - I'm not even trying to be bias right now. With everyone back from injury last year and looking healthy along with the acquisitions of All-Star Catcher Johnny Estrada and NLCS MVP Jeff Suppan to fill-in the missing piece to the rotation I think the Crew have a truly legit shot at the postseason this year. Astros hit the shit out of the ball, but not enough pitching to make a strong run at the Wild Card...I'm afraid Carlos Lee becomes a bit of a Brewer-Killer. The Cubs are a totally different story. A lot of people are going to dispute this but just because they got Soriano doesn't make them that much better. They will continue to have huge problems with injuries and especially to their pitching staff. Right now Kerry (Carrie) Wood is starting the year on the DL and Mark Prior will start the year in the minors or on the DL. The Reds prove last year was a total fluke and the Pirates barely climb out of the cellar.

MVP: Albert Pujols - St. Louis
Top Pitcher: Carlos Zambrano/Chris Carpenter - your call
Manager of the Year: Ned Yost - Milwaukee
Rookie of the Year: Angel Guzman - Chicago


NL East

1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. New York Mets
3. Atlanta Braves
4. Florida Marlins
5. Washington Nationals

The Nationals will be really bad. The Marlins won't be able to duplicate last year's semi-success. This division is pretty stacked up top. I like the Phillies to win the division. Both the Phillies and Mets have great power-hitting lineups and good rotations. I'm giving the edge to the Phililes because I like their rotation a little more...especially with Pedro out until July. Wagner is far more solid at the closer roll than Tom Gordon for the Phills. However, if Gordon is healthy and effective I think the Phillies will win it. The Braves and going to be young and good, just not good enough in this awesome division.

MVP: Miguel Cabrera/Ryan Howard - call it again
Top Pitcher: D-Train - Florida
Manager of the Year: Charlie Manuel - Philadelphia
Rookie of the Year: Mike Pelfrey - NY

NL West/AL West/AL East

Click Here

A Double-Sided Tragedy

It has been three years and five investigations since the death of Pat Tillman. With the recent news of his family pushing for a Congressional Hearing I feel like I need to talk about this because it really bothers me.

I'm sure that you all remember when the U.S. military first announced the tragic passing of Pat Tillman. His story inspired many and he won the respect of everyone. But if you recall the military first announced his death as a heroic firefight/charge where he led a group of soldiers into enemy fire and was tragically killed. They even went as far as to try to award him a silver star. Not much later they announced that he actually died of friendly fire.

Ok, so there is a huge difference between dying from friendly fire and dying heroically. Granted, to die in any way serving your country is heroic and deserves the respect of all. However, what the hell were they thinking with the cover up? Military officials now claim that they were unsure at the time the first announcement was released. So if you are unsure why would you paint the dramatic heroic picture and even try to award him for it? Something just seems fishy and terribly wrong here, and I don't blame the family at all for not being satisfied.

The military/gov't have taken a tragedy, terrible as it is, and have made a huge mess out of it. I think the family deserves a congressional hearing and have every rite to be upset. Because this even upsets me and it should probably upset you rather you knew him, or were a fan, or even if you weren't.

The military tried to use their son and the hero of many as a political pawn...Now, I don't know Pat Tillman personally, but I can almost guarantee that judging by the person that he seemed to be, the last thing that he would want would to be used in an act of political dishonesty. Something just tells me that Mr. Pat Tillman wasn't too big on dishonesty. People die of friendly fire all the time, it is just a part of war. But as my man Jim Rome says:

"The cover-up is always worse than the crime"

MLB Division Previews

NL West
Predicted Order of Finish
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Arizona Diamondbacks
3. San Francisco Giants
4. San Diego Padres
5. Colorado Rockies

Watch for the Dodgers to win the NL West with deep pitching and a great top of the order. Rafael Furcal and Juan Pierre will be arguably the best 1-2 hitters in the Majors.

MVP: Matt Holliday- Colorado
Top Pitcher: Brandon Webb- Arizona
Manager of the Year: Bob Melvin- Arizona
Rookie of the Year: Chris Young- Arizona

NL East
Predicted Oorder of Finish
1. New York Yankees
2. Boston Red Sox
3. Toronto Blue Jays
4. Tampa Bay D-Rays
5. Baltimore Orioles

The Yankees will be the best team again pre-season wise. Maybe they can finally get it done this year with loads and loads of talent. Red Sox could make it a dog fight for the top of the division with some new additions. Also, watch out for the Blue Jays, they may finally get into the playoffs if they stay healthy.

MVP: Carl Crawford- Tampa Bay
Top Pitcher: Roy Halladay- Toronto
Manager of the Year: Joe Maddon- Tampa Bay
Rookie of the Year: Daisuke Matsuzaka- Boston

AL West
Predicted Order of Finish
1. Los Angeles Angels
2. Oakland A's
3. Texas Rangers
4. Seattle Mariners

Look for the Angels to not only win the AL West, but to contend for a World Series berth. The Angels are well-balanced throughout the lineup. If Vladimir Guerrero can stay healthy this team will be one of the best in the leagues. Pitching will determine this ball club's destiny in the end.

MVP: Vladimir Guerrero- Los Angeles Angels
Top Pitcher: Rich Harden- Oakland
Manager of the Year: Mike Scioscia- Los Angeles Angels
Rookie of the Year: Adam Jones- Seattle Mariners

Tune back in Wednesday for the NL Central, NL East, and AL Central Predictions/Previews

AP Names All-American 1st Team

Freshmen Kevin Durant and Greg Oden were voted to the AssociatedPress' All-America team Monday, the first members of their class so honored since 1989. Durant was the only unanimous selection, which seems fair... completely dominated the game all-around. One of the greatest freshmen to ever play college hoops.

Making the team along with Durant and Oden are Alando Tucker -Wisconsin-, Acie Law -Texas A&M-, & Arron Afflalo -UCLA-. All 5 deserved to be on here, I wouldn't take anyone else over any of them.

March Madness Rolls/Skates On

As March Madness rolls on there's been a lot of great action on both the ice and the hardwood this weekend. And as we speak arguably the greatest month in all of sports is coming to a climax. Let's regroup...

Ohio St. and UCLA punched their tickets to the Final Four Saturday. Also Michigan St. and Maine booked theirs to the Frozen Four. A few things really either surprised me or stuck out to me here:

• I was really surprised that Ohio St. was not only able to win but to really run away with it at the end. I mean, they really made this score look ugly
  
• The talented Jayhawks club being so unable to respond. I picked UCLA to win, but I figured that the Jayhawks wouldn't just die like that. Watch out now...because Bill Self is quickly becoming into that coach with lots of talent who "Can't win the Big-game". Actually thus far he can't even get there...
  
• Maine was the first team to punch a ticket to the Frozen Four in St. Louis...This came as a bit of a surprise to me and definitely not in my predictions.


• Thus far the Frozen Four tournament has seemingly had more upsets than the Bball tourney.....who'da thunk it!


• Oden really stepped it up after a horrible game in the sweet sixteen against Tenn...I'm guessing he felt he had something to prove.


• So, with Notre Dame losing to Michigan State that means that 3 of the 4 #1 seeds are out of the Frozen Four Tourney after just 2 days of play..once again my predictions never foresaw such an abundance in upsets! But you still gotta love it.
  
• The UND Fighting Sioux beat Michigan, as predicted, 8-5. Yea I thought they'd win, and as the highest-scoring team in the country I knew Michigan could light it up but I never imagined 13 goals! A lot of people are going to try to pin some "bad goaltending" on Lamoureux but I'm putting it on the Defense. If it weren't for some tough saves on Lamoureux's part you may have seen Michigan hit double-digits.
  
• Afflalo played quite a bit better for UCLA than did most of the more-talented Kansas starters (in my opinion). Afflalo is a great college player and may win a championship this year, but I think there are a lot of guys on the Kansas starting 5 who will make better pro's. Any thoughts?
  
• I will be out of town until late tuesday so Stefan will be in charge for the next few days. You can expect to hear from me on Wed.

Alright, as a Sioux fan I have to do a quick plug. The UND Fighting Sioux will face-off against the Minnesota Golden Gophers tomorrow in what looks to be the game of the tournament (in my opinion anyways). The puck drops at 5 o'clock. You should all tune in because this one is a dandy.

I feel like this game really could go either way. They both play each other really tough and have exchanged blows all year long. But I think the Sioux can win this one, not because I'm biased or will be screaming my lungs out in support or anything. But rather because I was surprised at Minnesota's near 1st round meltdown to Air Force. It had me thinking Holy Cross all over again! And because the Sioux have been really excited about getting a rematch after the tough loss just last week in the WCHA championship and they're ready to stick it to em'. Regardless of who wins this game I think either team would have a cakewalk to the championship.

So, the moral of the story is:

Give College Hockey a chance
Watch the rest of the Elite 8 games tomorrow
Enjoy March because it is amazing
annnnnnnnnd..........GO SIOUX!

Elite 8 Breakdown

Well here's my Elite 8 Breakdown. I'm hoping to do a little better than my recent Sweet 16 picks. I didn't do so well there. But, here's some analysis on Saturday's and Sunday's Elite 8 games.

South Region
Ohio St. vs Memphis
These two team's match up well. Both have fairly deep benches. Joey Dorsey will be able to handle Greg Oden down low. Dorsey is stronger and a little more physical, he can hold his own against Oden. Ohio St. has been struggling early in games, and Memphis has good defense and good enough shooting too stay ahead. But watch out for Ohio St.'s guards, Mike Conley can take over a game whenever he needs to. But watch for the Tigers to bring in 6th man, Jeremy Hunt to D him up all night long. The Tigers are fairly deep and that will help them stay in this game. Also, Memphis's guard play will be key in this game as well; they have the size advantage over OSU's and can pressure them all night long. Look for Memphis to play a lot of zone in this game, forcing the Buckeyes to win from the outside and keep Dorsey out of foul trouble.

The Pick: Memphis- I believe this team is better than the 05-06 team. The Tigers will be able to accomplish something they couldn't last year, that's get to the Final Four.

West Region
Kansas vs UCLA
I am definitely looking forward to this game. Both of these teams are athletic and well-balanced all around. UCLA may have the slight advantage with their experience. The guard match ups will be great to watch with Afflalo, Collison, Shipp, and Roll vs. Rush, Chalmers, Robinson, and Collins. You really can't give an edge to any of them. But down low is where Kansas has a great advantage with Julian Wright, Sasha Kaun, and Darrell Arthur. UCLA has struggled against teams who are just flat out bigger. Kansas must protect the ball and make free throws in the end. Should be the best of all the Elite 8 games to watch.

The Pick: UCLA- It's hard to pick against KU. But I gotta go with the experience here. UCLA showed some poise against Pitt in making some big shots, especially free throws down the stretch. I truly believe that will be the difference.

Midwest Region
Florida vs Oregon
This is a very intriguing matchup. Oregon will struggle tremendously here against a more talented, experienced, better overall Gator team. Oregon, I believe, is a two man show with Aaron Brooks and Tajuan Porter. Teams like that will not get you far. Florida's guards should be able to pressure them all night long and get them to turn it over. Plus, you have to like Florida's height advantage.

The Pick: Florida (How can you not pick against them in this one?) East Region
UNC vs GeorgetownUNC is tough and has a lot of firepower. They can top Georgetown with their deep bench. But, the Hoyas are just too big inside for Hansbrough and their guards are big and physical and will out match UNC's young guards. Plus the experience will factor in. You gotta think UNC will fall when they play an experienced team from another power conference.

The Pick: Georgetown- I really like this team right now. The guards compliment the posts very well and Jeff Green is just a stud.

Tubby goin' for the Gold-

-den Gophers that is. Thursday the University of Minnesota announced that Tubby Smith will be their men's basketball coach next season. This is huge. Tubby, apparently sick of the pressure and baggage that comes with being the headcoach at Kentucky, opted out with 4 years remaining on his contract.

Tubby immediately catapults himself to arguably THE highest profile coach in all of Minnesota. If I am even a casual fan of Minnesota Basketball upon hearing this I would immediately call the U. and get myself some season tickets (about second row at the free-throw line).

This is huge for a program that fired both its head basketball coach, AND head football coach in the same year. A program that was in apparent free-fall 2 days ago now suddenly has immense hope. This is truly about as good as U. of Minn. could have done on this one. I think his impact can be nearly immediate. Look for the Gophers to be a better squad next year and in a few years you may start to see some quality prospects considering or even attending the U. of M. With Tubby on their bench I think you can look for the Gophers to make it back to the tourney in the next 2 years.

** Side Note**

Gus Johnson is not only a great Bball announcer but he also makes boxing awesome!... Honestly I think this man could get me to watch paint dry, or grass grow, or other really usually unappealing things...

ALSO....

Papelbon is back in the 'pen just as I had predicted....

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/wcStory?contentId=6519940&MSNHPHMA

I really hate to say it but I told you so.....

Mulligan at 16

Well, although my picks started out strong they've tanked a little as of late. So, for you guy's I'm going to take a Mulligan at 16 and re-predict the games- in my opinion- from here on out.

PICKS ARE BOLDED

MIDWEST

Sweet Sixteen

1. Florda vs. 5. Butler

Florida has not been the steamroller that they were last year. This game could be a lot closer than people would expect. However, look for the Gators to snap-back to reality and pull away in the second half.

3. Oregon vs. 7. UNLV

This could be a really great game. Oregon is my pick but UNLV can easily win. Look for Aaron Brooks to be the difference maker. The destiny of the Ducks is in his hands.

Elite Eight

1. Florida vs. 3. Oregon

WEST

Sweet Sixteen

1. Kansas vs. 4. So. Illinois

Go Jayhawks!

2. UCLA vs. 3. Pitt

I disagree with Ming, and agree with Complete Sports. UCLA wins....

Elite Eight

1. Kansas vs. 2. UCLA

I'm sticking with my prediction. UCLA's experience gives them a slight edge as they win what could be the best game of the tournament. It will be talent loaded and potentially a heartbreaker for us Kansas Fans.

EAST

Sweet Sixteen

2. Gtown vs. 6. Vandy

Nice run, but it's over.

1. UNC vs. 5. USC

This game could be closer than anticipated. I just find it nearly impossible to pick against the TarHeels right now.

Elite Eight

1. UNC vs. 2. Gtown

Sticking with my initial picks. The Hoyas slow down UNC and win a close one.

SOUTH

Sweet Sixteen

1. Ohio St. vs. 5. Tenn

Ohio St. got a wake-up call against Xavier last round. Oden is too much down-low. If any games this would be the potential upset special of the round. Tenn can win this one...I'm just not picking them right now.

2. Memphis vs. 3. Texas A&M

Without arguably their best scorer look for Acie Law IV to have an ever bigger impact. Aggies win.

Elite Eight

1. Ohio St. vs. 3. Texas A&M

I'm getting lazy...See predictions.

FINAL FOUR

1. Florida vs. 2. UCLA

Florida has been a little un-impressive thus far, but then again UCLA's 20 in the first half of play against Indiana wasn't either. I'm gunna stick with my original pick here and go with UCLA..."I think UCLA is a better and more well-balanced team. Florida has the advantage down low. However, I feel UCLA has the means to overcome this and book their ticket to the championship."

2. Gtown vs. 3. Texas A&M

This will be a really great game.

THE 'SHIP
2.UCLA vs. 2. Gtown

Coming into the tourney I picked Gtown because I thought they were a great well-balanced team and they were coming in to the tournament very hot. We'll they haven't lost yet (obviously) but they're really not that hot. However, I'm not changing my pick. Complete Sports likes UCLA and I'm still taking Gtown. Maybe we can bet like a post on the other's blog or something.......we'll see. Hoyas in '07.

Sweet 16 Breakdown

I am excited for the games tomorrow and can't wait for all of the action. I will now break down each Sweet 16 game and give some analysis on them. Should be another excellent and exciting weekend of intense College Hoops.

Midwest Region
Florida vs Butler
Florida is definitely the favorite here. They have a huge height advantage. Butler is a guard-oriented team and Florida's guards will be too much for them. They depend a lot on the three ball. Florida is just too loaded and experienced for this Bulldogs team. Al Horford has been outstanding in the tournament and should continue to impress. If Butler wants to make this any type of game, AJ Graves must score at least 30 points. Gators will roll into the Elite 8

The Pick: Florida (obviously, couldn't you tell by the above paragraph?)

Oregon vs UNLV
This is one of the toughest of all the games to predict. It could easily go either way. It will all depend on the play of Oregon's Aaron Brooks and Tajuan Porter. UNLV must play great defense in this game in order to win, if they can pressure Brooks and Porter and gain some confidence early, UNLV can take it. If UNLV can force an up-tempo game and get Oregon's guards to play out of control, look for UNLV to cook the ducks.

The Pick: UNLV- I just like the Runnin Rebels in this game. They have multiple options and all the Ducks have are Brooks and Porter. Wendell White will lead the Rebs to another stunner.

West Region
Kansas vs Southern Illinois
This should be a relatively low-scoring game, possibly in the 50's or 60's. Kansas is the hottest team in the tournament right now. The Jayhawks weren't tested against Niagara and Kentucky, but they could be in for a tough game if they don't protect the ball and make free throws. Southern Illinois plays tough, physical defense. They can play right with KU with their stellar defense, but the Jayhawks are just too athletic and talented overall.

The Pick: Kansas

UCLA vs Pittsburgh
Probably the second toughest game to predict. It could literally go either way. All of UCLA's losses this season (with the exception of WVA) were to teams with a big, physical defense and a big post presence. Aaron Gray and Levon Kendall can cause problems for UCLA. UCLA's guards will out-perform Pitt's, but will they be able to handle the big guys for Pitt?

The Pick: Pittsburgh- I just have a feeling that Pitt can pull this off, their big interior defense will wear down UCLA.

East Region
UNC vs USC
This should be a great game. USC's guards are great and should play well against UNC's young guns. USC will keep it close the whole way. Like I've said before, USC is battle-tested and will no doubt be ready for the high-powered Tar Heels. But will the Tar Heels deep bench get to the Trojans?

The Pick: UNC- I can definitely see them falling in this one, but UNC is just too deep.

Georgetown vs Vanderbilt
I love the Hoyas right now. Roy Hibbert and Jeff Green have been outstanding lately. Vanderbilt is a little shaky and rely's too much on the 3-pointer, but if they catch fire, they may be able to make it a game.

The Pick: Georgetown- Too big and physical for the Commodores

South Region
Ohio St. vs Tennessee
This should be a great game as well. High scoring, three's dropping from everywhere. Ohio St. showed that they can be exposed easily if you can knock down key shots and execute efficiently. Chris Lofton and Co. can bring it to the young (and old) Buckeye guards. If the Vols can hit their 3's there may be an upset brewing in San Antonio.

The Pick: Tennessee- I've been anticipating them topping OSU since the brackets came out, and there's no reason for me to switch now.

Texas A&M vs Memphis
I always believed Memphis could surprise some people, (even as a 2 seed) they're a little under appreciated. But now with Chris Douglas-Roberts most likely out, there's no way they can top the Aggies. The Aggies are just too good of a team with their great defense, 3 point shooting, guard play, and the best PG in the country -Acie Law-. Plus you gotta love the home-state advantage.

The Pick: Texas A&M- Memphis is deep and can play right with the Aggies, but if Chris Douglas-Roberts (one of the most underrated players in the country) is out or not close to 100%, the Tigers are toast.

Is KSU BBall really this boring?

Apparently KSU freshman Billy Walker was bored of his teams NIT game last night. I think it's funny and odd at the same time. I turned the channel to ESPN and saw it live and there he was munching on his popcorn. Or maybe he wasn't bored after all? Maybe he enjoys the NIT and just craved some popcorn... pretty funny stunt. I mean HE'S EATING POPCORN! The announcers just continue to talk about how great he is, and they show him eating popcorn, not even saying a word about it... I can't stop laughing whenever I watch it. Just thought I would write a little something about this, I just thought it was a little intriguing...

Well here's the video while we're at it...

NCAA Frozen Four Predictions

Here are my predictions for the NCAA Frozen Four Tournament beginning Friday.





I really think that Notre Dame is a great team, and obviously worthy of a #1 seed, however they are no match for the Golden Gophers and are possibly a bit overrated (in my eyes at least). If the Gophers can get by UND I think they can make a straight-shot to the title game. If UND and Minn. meet in the 2nd round it should be pure eye-candy. As previously stated, when these two teams have met this year it has been nearly a coin-flip and have featured finishes with a flair for high scoring, overtime, and the dramatic. Overall I think the WCHA is just far superior to the rest of college hockey and will definitely leave its mark on the tourney. I feel like you can look for upsets from Mich St. over Boston U. (first round), BC over UNH, and St. Cloud over Clarkson (2nd Round). But like I said I just don't see any teams with a better shot at winning the tournament than the Minnesota Golden Gophers, and I think they take down the Irish for the crown.


Now, It's time for my Ideal Frozen Four Outcome:

Above is how I predict the tournament to go down, but this is what I'm really rooting for. I do feel like this, although mere fantasy, isn't that incredibly far fetched. Having picked Minnesota as my Champion I feel like if UND can beat Michigan (which I truly feel they can and will) and then beat Minnesota in a tough game; then the hardest part is truly behind them. If the Fighting Sioux can beat the Gophers then I think they can roll into the championship with a full head of steam and take down the Irish in a dandy....Ok, so I know that I'm just purely fantasizing on a computer screen right now but hey, it could happen....couldn't it?

Do you think it could? What are your predictions? Do they look like mine?

No Gus Johnson for the Sweet 16 or Elite 8

How can CBS do this to Gus Johnson? The most entertaining and energetic voice of the NCAA Tournament, or maybe even the sports world. Instead, Johnson will be replaced by James Brown, who was hired by CBS Sports/News boss Sean McManus to host "The NFL Today."

James Brown? Come on now. James Brown is a great in-studio analyst, but is a horrible play-by-play commentator. It was horrendous listening to Brown call games this past weekend. The studio is just a better fit for him.

Why not reward Johnson? Everyone recognizes and loves Johnson's voice. His crazy calls have produced a personality that is known for March.

One of my favorites of his calls is from 1999 when Florida launched a last-second shot against Gonzaga in the tournament.

"Shannon ... From the cornerrrrr... And it's over! Gonzaga ... The slipper still fits!"

Gus really needs to be announcing in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. Everybody enjoys his craziness and dynamic calls. So I will leave you with a few of his memorable NCAA Tournament calls that sends chills down my spine every time I watch them...

1999 NCAA Tournament -1st Round- Gonzaga vs Florida (Mentioned above)
My favorite GJ moment of all time


2006 NCAA Tournament -Sweet 16- Gonzaga vs UCLA



2003 NCAA Tournament- 2nd Round- Missouri vs Marquette


This video doesn't have the best quality and it may not be the best of Gus's calls, but I think it is pretty good.

Here's another one you can watch on You Tube from the Ohio St.-Xavier game. This one isn't bad.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=e4YQxsoZfnk

Golden Gophers Win WCHA Title and a #1 seed

Much to my dismay the Minnesota Golden Gophers defeated the UND Fighting Sioux last night in Overtime. It was a really great game and Blake Wheeler's game-winning goal was a really great goal. Here is the game-winning goal from Saturday Night. I can't bear to watch...but you should!



With the victory the Golden Gophers solidified a #1 seed in the NCAA Frozen Four Tournament, and the Fighting Sioux a 3-seed in the same region. Although my picks for the tournament don't come out until Tuesday I can tell you right now that there will most likely be a rematch, and it should be a dandy. Every time these two teams have played this year it has been a spectacular game and nearly a coin-flip. Look for the same. It really is a shame that they are in the same region, because it would be so much fun to see these two teams play in the Frozen Four or even in the Championship!

The NCAA Frozen Four Tournament starts on 3/23.
Stay tuned for my picks on 3/20. and.........GO SIOUX

Day 3 of NCAA Tournament

Best day of college basketball to watch so far. Thrilling overtimes and fantastic finishes throughout the day which had me jumping out of my seat numerous times.

Saturday Thrillers:

OSU 78 Xavier 71 OT
I thought I was going to see the first 1 seed go down in OSU, who is the first 1 seed I have falling to Tennessee.

Ron Lewis revived the Buckeyes' national championship hopes with a long 3-pointer with two seconds left to force overtime, then Mike Conley dominated OT for a clutch victory over Xavier in a second-round South Regional game Saturday.

Ohio State trailed 55-44 with 7½ minutes left, and was still down 61-52 with 2:54 to play. When Greg Oden fouled out with a hard shove after Xavier's Justin Cage rebounded an errant Buckeyes shots in the final 10 seconds, they looked lost.

But OSU prevailed and showed some poise. Lewis finished with 27 points, going 4-for-5 from 3-point range and making all seven of his free throws. Conley scored 21 and Greg Oden had 14 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks and two steals in 35 minutes.

Butler 62 Maryland 59
AJ Graves led the way, scoring 19 points, including a crucial 3-point basket with 2:09 left. Butler never trailed after going up 39-36 on Drew Streicher's 3-point basket five minutes into the second half and hung on in a game Maryland rallied back to tie four times.

After DJ Strawberry hit one of two free throws to cut Butler's lead to 61-59, Maryland failed to get a shot off on its final two possessions. The game ended when Mike Jones was unable to control Eric Hayes' inbounds just before the buzzer sounded.

Texas A&M 72 Louisville 69
The third-seeded Aggies reached the round of 16 for the first time in 27 years, surviving a raucous Rupp Arena crowd.

Freshman Edgar Sosa scored 31 points but after going 15-for-15 from the foul line, missed two free throws with 30 seconds left and Louisville trailing by a point.

The sixth-seeded Cardinals caught a break when Texas A&M's Joseph Jones missed two free throws at the other end. Sosa got another chance, but hit the back of the rim on a long 3-point attempt.

Acie Law made two free throws with 1.7 seconds left, giving him 26 points. Sosa's half court heave bounced off the top of the backboard at the buzzer, setting off a jubilant celebration for the Aggies.

Vanderbilt 78 Washington St. 74 2OT
Derrick Byars scored 27 points, Shan Foster added 20 and Vanderbilt took control in the second overtime, beating Washington State 78-74 on Saturday in a dynamite second-round game in the East Regional.

Ivory Clark rejected Byars' layup attempt from behind with 25 seconds left in the second half -- but teammate Daven Harmeling then missed a 3-pointer just before the buzzer.

The Commodores hit eight 3-pointers in the second half -- and they also matched Washington State's defense, holding Cougars guard Kyle Weaver to five points, tying his season low.

Pittsburgh 84 VCU 79 OT
Levance Fields redeemed himself for his missed free throws at the end of regulation, hitting a 3-pointer in overtime, and Pitt recovered after blowing a 19-point lead to beat surprising Virginia Commonwealth 84-79 Saturday in the second round of the West Regional.

Ronald Ramon scored five points in the extra session for third-seeded Pitt, which has never won more than two games in an NCAA Tournament. Pitt meets UCLA and former Panthers coach Ben Howland in San Jose, Calif., next Friday.

Other scores:
Georgetown 62 Boston College 55
UNC 81 Michigan St. 67
UCLA 54 Indiana 49

So Close...Yet So Far + WCHA Championship Tonight!

As the Xavier vs. Ohio St. game progressed I couldn't help but find myself rooting for the Muskateers. Even though I have Ohio St. picked to the Elite 8 or Final 4 in basically all of my brackets I was so drawn to the upset and was nearly certain that it was going to happen.

Ohio St. made a huge statement by winning this game. They showed their extreme balance and resilience by making this comeback. When they were down 59-50 they looked essentially dead in the water. Especially once Oden fouled out. However, they showed that they have multiple weapons -3 or 4 guys- who can hit that big shot and that's what it takes to win a National Championship.

I found a touch of controversy in this game however, as I thought that Greg Oden's 5th foul was intentional. I don't blame the refs for allowing them to finish the game on the court but now looking back on it, when hindsight is 20/20, I think that it would have made all the difference in the game. If Oden throwing the Xavier player to the ground is called intentional I think Xavier holds on and wins.

However weak as the Buckeyes looked today, right now I would absolutely not want to play them. I think the winner of the Tenn/Virginia game is in big trouble because today we learned a lot about Ohio St. today and they learned a lot about themselves as a team. They learned that they can get it done without Oden and that they have a couple guards, one a freshman and one a senior, who can literally take over a game(or overtime) and make that one shot to save the season. Ohio St. just received a slap in the face and is officially awake. Right now I think Ohio St. might be the most balanced team in the tournament, and they are certainly a team that I would not want to play.

**SIDE NOTE**

The WCHA Championship will be decided tonight at 7:07 (Central). The UND Fighting Sioux take on the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. Look for this to be a really great game and if you are a fan of hockey or college hockey in particular I strongly encourage you to tune in to this one.

UND come in really hot, having lost only 1 game in the last 18. Personally I think the matchup of UND vs. Minn favors UND. That's why I'm really glad that Minnesota beat Wisconsin last night because I think that Wisconsin's physical gameplay would really favor them in a matchup with UND. However, with UND vs. Minnesota I think that UND's speed and outstanding puckhandling gives them an advantage in this one. Not to mention that when they last played in Minneapolis the Sioux came out with a sweep of the then #1 ranked Golden Gophers.

GO SIOUX!

NCAA Tournament Day 2 Recap & Highlights

I'm relatively exhausted from a long day of school, a little bit of work, and watching basketball (obviously), so before I go to bed I will hit you with some analysis and videos from today- or rather yesterday's action. In case you missed any action I'll throw some highlights in as an added bonus.

Kansas vs. Niagara
KU proved they were really serious about getting out of the first round this year. But seriously...The Jayhawks mean business this year. Look for them to win convincingly against Kentucky
VIDEO:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qV7S_7N0K8g

Winthrop vs. Notre Dame
Winthrop came out and shot like they needed to to win. If they shoot like that again I think Oregon and Winthrop could make for a truly lights out game. Look for a lot of 3's to be thrown up in this one. So, who is this year's George Mason...will it be Winthrop or VCU? Or, just merely for thought, what if they played each other? Here is some "Razzle Dazzle" from the game.
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ7KzocN9ok

Purdue vs. Arizona
Purdue really surprised me. I felt like they were possibly the weakest of all the Big 10 teams in the tournament. Coming in to the game I felt like Arizona's athleticism really gave them the edge. Apparently I was wrong....here are some highlights.
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQRGxLqadwo
Also this was a goofy play.
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJdIHU4Ri3U

V Tech vs. Illinois
Illinois earned the title of the first Big 10 team to exit the tourney in what indeed has been a pretty good 2 days for the Big 10. I thought Illinois was really going to pull of the upset but the inconsistently resilient Hokies (down by 13 at one point) battled all the way back to win it in the final minutes. This was a good game, I just wish Illinois could have pulled it off.
VIDEO:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t1ZzroeEeI

Texas vs. New Mexico St.
Durant does it all
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8ESrvsxwWo

Oregon vs. Miami-OH
Despite the slowish start the Ducks were able to pull it together and consider their steak of some really pretty good play. I think the Ducks are a team to be reckoned with and I wouldn't be surprised to see them be playing Florida in the Elite 8 at this point. They are a great shooting team and that is how they live and die. Right now they're shooting well and I think they can ride this a long way. I also think Aaron Brooks is a really great player....fun to watch
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjtQ8PBDkVc

Nevada vs. Creighton
This was a really good game. Nevada and Marcellus Kemp proved that it can be done without Nick Fazekas down the stretch. I've got Nevada over Memphis in a lot of my brackets and I'm going to continue to stand by that pick...look for it. Gotta love the OT games come tourney time.
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCcHoiCEwUY

GTech vs. UNLV
UNLV really surprised me here, maybe I just wasn't giving them enough credit because I had GT in almost all of my brackets. I just really felt that their athleticism gave them the edge over UNLV. GT looked pretty good to me in the ACC tourney and I really thought they could win 1 or possibly two in the tournament...oh well it was a pretty good game at least.
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiotMZjdaO8

Virginia vs. Albany
I think I must have been heavily under appreciating Virginia because I really thought that this was Albany's year to win 1 or 2 in the tournament. They were close last year and I felt like this matchup this year actually fared pretty well for them. Virginia's guards proved dominant and really helped them run away with this one. When i saw the score after school I was a little surprised- I at least thought it would be close.
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKVQwm2BQ2o

ENJOY ROUND 2!

NCAA Tourney Day 1 Recap

The tournament got off to a great start Thursday and I'm very excited to watch all day after school today. So, in case we don't have too much time to blog for you here until the 1st round goes final here are some tidbits from Thursday.

SCORES
BC 84 def. Tex Tech 75
Maryland 82 def. Davidson 70
Louisville 78 def. Stanford 58
Wash. St. 70 def. Oral Roberts 54
Gtown 80 def. Belmont 55
Butler 57 def. Old dominion 46
Tex. A&M 68 def. Penn 52
Vandy 77 def. G. Wash 44
VCU 79 def. Duke 77
Ohio St.78 def. Central Conn St. 55
MSU 61 def. Marquette 49
UCLA 70 def. Weber State 42
Pitt 70 def. Wright State 58
Xavier 79 def. BYU 77
Indiana 70 def. Gonzaga 57
UNC 86 def. E. Kentucky 65


MY PICKS
Come check out my picks. - I'm doing pretty well so far and I'm correcting them as I go

Other sites to check out :

• As always...Complete Sports


• Live Blogging nearly around the clock at WBRS Sports
  
• Trends and predictions by Just Call Me Juice
  

VCU vs. Duke game

This game was really great. Eric Maynor was absolutely electric scoring six of his 22 points in the final 1:24. Maynor's game-winner gave VCU its first tournament victory since the Rams beat Marshall in 1985. For Duke the first-round loss was their first since 1996 and broke their streak of sweet16 appearences at 9. What can I say, I picked it!
**Side note: I think you can look for VCU to play Pitt really well and for it to be another close game. VCU is the best pressing team I think I've seen all year and look for Eric Maynor to continue to dominate. Make sure to tune in to this one

Louisville looked good
Louisville really surprised me. Although I picked them in all of my brackets I did not foresee such a convincing victory. Either that or maybe Stanford is just a lot worse than I gave them credit for.

My Flaws Thus Far
My picks have held up pretty well so far. A game that really surprised me was the domination of George Washington by Vanderbilt. I really thought with Vandy coming in so cold that GWash had a legit shot at winning this game...obviously not. Also i really felt like BYU had the edge over Xavier but Lavender really helped the X down the stretch hitting some clutch runners at the end. Oh well, you can't be perfect.

Other Brackets
I have 4 brackets on facebook with only 1 wrong. I also have pretty good brackets on the Bismarck Tribune and the Star Tribune.


Overall Thursday's games were pretty straight-forward (minus VCU def. Duke of course). So keep tuning in to your favorite blogs and checking on your brackets. But most importantly I fully encourage you to spend almost all of your existence Friday sitting and watching basketball. I know that's what I'll be doing because I love March Madness!


ENJOY THE REST OF ROUND ONE!

East and South Regional Bracket Predictions/Final Four

Sorry I posted my picks a little late... just got a little busy. But here ya go. I am mad that I picked Oral Roberts, I really thought they were going to pull it off.

East

1. UNC over 16. E. Kentucky
9. Michigan St. over 8. Marquette
5. USC over 12. Arkansas
4. Texas over 13. New Mexico St.
6. Vanderbilt over 11. George Washington
14. Oral Roberts over 3. Washington St.
10. Texas Tech over 7. Boston College
2. Georgetown over 15. Belmont

2nd Round
1. UNC over 9. Michigan St.
5. USC over 4. Texas
6. Vanderbilt over 14. Oral Roberts
2. Georgetown over 10. Texas Tech

Sweet 16
1. UNC over 5. USC
2. Georgetown over 6. Vanderbilt

Elite 8
2. Georgetown over 1. UNC

Georgetown will definitely be in the Elite 8. They have an easy bottom half and should cruise on their way there. Georgetown is too much for UNC with their size, Hibbert will control Hansbrough down low and the big and physical guards will outmatch UNC's guards.

South

1. Ohio St. over 16. Central Connecticut St.
8. BYU over 9. Xavier
5. Tennessee over 12. Long Beach St.
13. Albany over 4. Virginia
6. Louisville over 11. Stanford
3. Texas A&M over 14. Pennsylania
7. Nevada over 10. Creighton
2. Memphis over 15. North Texas

2nd Round
1. Ohio St. over 8. BYU
5. Tennessee over 12. Long Beach St.
3. Texas A&M over 6. Louisville
2. Memphis over 7. Nevada

Sweet 16
5. Tennessee over 1. Ohio St.
3. Texas A&M over 2. Memphis

Elite 8
3. Texas A&M over 5. Tennessee

Gotta love Texas A&M here. They have it all... experience, stellar defense, 3 point shooting, great post play, and guards that can lead and take over a game. Acie Law will carry the Aggies to the Final Four.

Final Four Picks
1. Kansas over 2. Wisconsin
3. Texas A&M over 2. Georgetown

Championship
3. Texas A&M over 1. Kansas

I like the Big 12 Final. Kansas because of their overall talent and athleticism. And A&M because of their defense, 3 point shooting, post play, and guard play. In the end, I like A&M. I just think they have what it takes to get it done. Acie Law is one of the best pg's in the country and he and the Aggies will reign when the tourney is all said and done.

Down below are my Midwest/West Regional Picks

Midwest and West Regional Bracket Predictions

Just wanted to let everyone know that these are ming01's picks. Just wanted to clarify.

Midwest

1. Florida over 16. Jackson St.
8. Arizona over 9. Purdue
12. ODU over 5. Butler
4. Maryland over 13. Davidson
11. Winthrop over 6. Notre Dame
3. Oregon over 14. Miami (Ohio)
10. Georgia Tech over 7. UNLV
2. Wisconsin over 15. Texas A&M-CC

2nd Round
1. Florida over 8. Arizona
12. ODU over 4. Maryland
11. Winthrop over 3. Oregon
2. Wisconsin over 10. Georgia Tech

Sweet 16
1. Florida over 12. ODU
2. Wisconsin over 11. Winthrop

Elite 8
2. Wisconsin over 1. Florida

If Wisconsin can get to the Sweet 16 Brian Butch will most likely be back, and he will help in time to play Oregon/Winthrop/Notre Dame. Gotta like the Badgers over Florida... better defense... their posts can take a step out of the lane and even shoot from beyond the arc... unlike Florida's. Their swing offense will give problems to Florida's D. Also, did I forget to mention they have Alando Tucker? No matter who guards him he will be able to outdo them. If it's Brewer he will just take him inside, if it's Noah or whoever he can shoot on him all day long... plus you gotta love the experienced guards.


West
1. Kansas over 16. Niagara
9. Villanova over 8. Kentucky
12. Illinois over 5. V-Tech
4. Southern Illinois over 13. Holy Cross
11. VCU over 6. Duke
3. Pittsburgh over 14. Wright St.
7. Indiana over 10. Gonzaga
2. UCLA over 15. Weber St.

2nd Round
1. Kansas over 9. Villanova
4. Southern Illinois over 12. Illinois
3. Pittsburgh over 11. VCU
2. UCLA over 7. Indiana

Sweet 16
1. Kansas over 4. Southern Illinois
3. Pittsburgh over 2. UCLA

Elite 8
1. Kansas over 3. Pittsburgh

I definitely like Kansas. They're so athletic and have so much talent there's no doubt in my mind they will win this region. One of their players will step up big. I personally believe it's going to be Brandon Rush. He has something to prove in this tournament, mainly because it's on the national stage. The Jayhawks have it all, they may need to stay consistent on the three's as the tournament goes on in order to keep moving on, but they have so many threats and their defense is great.

NCAA Tournament Predictions

OK, so here is my rundown of my tournament picks. Stay tuned for Stefan's comprehensive picks tomorrow and more March Madness can currently be celebrated over at Complete Sports.

ALL PICKS ARE BOLDED

MIDWEST

FIRST ROUND
(1) Florida vs. (16) Jackson St.
(8) Arizona vs. (9) Purdue
Purdue has been playing well but Arizona is too athletic for the Boilermakers. Just not a good matchup for Purdue
(5) Butler vs. (12) Old Dominion
Butler is coming in cold and Old Dominion is hot right now. It's going to be a very close game but I think you can look for Butler to pull it together a bit and get through the first round.
(4) Maryland vs. (13) Davidson
(6) Notre Dame vs. (11) Winthrop
A lot of people like Winthrop as a upset-minded mid-major team. Notre Dame can shoot the lights out and will live and die from beyond the arc. In the first round they live.
(3) Oregon vs. (14) Miami-OH
(7) UNLV vs. (10) Georgia Tech
I like Georgia Tech with the upset. Much like the Arizona vs. Purdue matchup this just doesn't do much for UNLV. Georgia Tech is just too athletic for UNLV...look for the upset.
(2) Wisconsin vs. (15) Texas A&M CC

SECOND ROUND
(1) Florida vs. (8) Arizona
(4) Maryland vs. (5) Butler
(3) Oregon vs. (6) Notre Dame
I think that this will be a really great game. Both teams are tremendous shooting teams and I'm really excited to watch this one. Oregon wins a great game by shooting great down the stretch
(2) Wisconsin vs. (10) Georgia Tech

SWEET SIXTEEN
(1) Florida vs. (4) Maryland
(2) Wisconsin vs. (3) Oregon
I really like Oregon but I think Wisconsin's posts are too much. If Brian Butch can play look for him to make the difference.

ELITE EIGHT
(1) Florida vs. (2) Wisconsin


WEST

FIRST ROUND
(1) Kansas vs. (16) Niagara
(8) Kentucky vs. (9) Villanova
This game is as good as a coin flip
(5) Virginia Tech vs. (12) Illinois
I like the upset here. I think V-tech is a weak 5 seed and Illinois matches up really well against them. V-Tech is just too inconsistent and doesn't shoot well from the FT line.
(4) Southern Illinois vs. (13) Holy Cross
(6) Duke vs. (11) VCU
Here is my big upset. Virginia Commonwealth is a team to be reckoned with and Duke has just not been Duke this year. Look for VCU to pressure Duke a lot and keep them uncomfortable.
(3) Pitt vs. (14) Wright State
(7) Indiana vs. (10) Gonzaga
(2) UCLA vs. (15) Weber State

SECOND ROUND
(1) Kansas vs. (9) Villanova
(12) Illinois vs. (4) So. Illinois
(11) VCU vs. (3) Pitt
VCU is this year's George Mason...they have the means to do it. It's just a matter of playing within their game the way that they know they can. I think VCU wins again.
(7) Indiana vs. (2) UCLA

SWEET SIXTEEN
(1) Kansas vs. (4) So. Illinois
(2) UCLA vs. (11) VCU

ELITE EIGHT
(1) Kansas vs. (2) UCLA
It's really tough to pick against my Jayhawks but this is what we do here at The Sports Flow. I gotta do it. I think UCLA is just all-around a touch better than Kansas. This will be a great, talent-loaded game to watch and UCLA's experience helps them squeak this one out.

EAST

FIRST ROUND
(1) UNC vs. (16) E. Kentucky
(8) Marquette vs. (9) Michigan State
I originally had Marquette with this one, however upon finding out that they would be without their #1 scorer and defended I just can't pick them any more. Drew Nietzel is a stud.
(5) USC vs. (12) Arkansas
(4) Texas vs. (13) New Mexico
(6) Vanderbilt vs. (11) George Washington
Vandy is struggling and I think George Washington can get it done on the defensive end and pull of the upset.
(3) Washington St. vs. (14) Oral Roberts
(7) Boston College vs. (10) Texas Tech
(2) Georgetown vs. (15) Belmont

SECOND ROUND
(1) UNC vs. (8) Michigan St.
(4) Texas vs. (5) USC
(3) Washington St. vs. (11) George Washington
(2) Georgetown vs. (7) BC

SWEET SIXTEEN
(1) UNC vs. (4) Texas
All UNC has to do is stop Durant.
(2) Georgetown vs. (3) Washington St.

ELITE EIGHT
(1) UNC vs. (2) Georgetown
G-town can slow down the Tarheels and win this one.


SOUTH

FIRST ROUND
(1) Ohio State vs. (16) Central Conn. St.
(8) BYU vs. (9) Xavier
A lot of people like Xavier but I think BYU is under appreciated
(5) Tenn vs. (12) Long Beach St.
(4) Virgina vs. (13) Albany
I think Virginia is pretty weak as a 4 seed really. The Great Danes almost did it last year and I think they get it done this year.
(6) Louisville vs. (11) Stanford
(3) Texas A&M vs. (14) Penn
(7) Nevada vs. (10) Creighton
(2) Memphis vs. (15) North Texas

SECOND ROUND
(1) Ohio St. vs. (8) BYU
(5) Tenn vs. (13) Albany
(3) Texas A&M vs. (6) Louisville
(2) Memphis vs. (7) Nevada
Nick Fazekas and Marcelus Kemp are a great tandem. Nevada is very well balanced and I'm just going to straight-up call the upset on this one.

SWEET SIXTEEN
(1) Ohio St. vs. (5) Tenn
Tenn played Ohio St. close earlier this year but the Buckeyes mean business this time.
(3) Texas A&M vs. (7) Nevada

ELITE EIGHT
(1) Ohio St. vs. (3) Texas A&M
I love Acie Law and the Aggies. I think that they have what it takes to shut down man-boy Greg Oden and his pack of fearsome freshman down long enough to win a close one.

THE FINAL FOUR
(1) Florida vs. (2) UCLA
Florida is beatable and I think UCLA is a better and more well-balanced team. Florida has the advantage down low. However, I fell UCLA has the means to overcome this and book their ticket to the championship.
(2) Georgetown vs. (3) Texas A&M
Two very similar well-balanced teams. This should be a dandy.

CHAMPIONSHIP
UCLA vs. Georgetown
This is another great game to watch. I'm giving the edge to Georgetown. Not just to go against Complete Sports , but really because I think Georgetown is a great team coming in to the tournament really hot. I'm going with my gut and it tells me that Georgetown is your 2007 NCAA Basketball Champion.