I always wait a few days before filling out my brackets. Gives me a little time to reflect on the season that was. So even though I have yet to fill mine out, here's some food for thought:
- Beware trying to strike gold twice with George Mason. They're a good team, but not as talented as their Final Four squad. Plus, Notre Dame has some decent guards and one of the best big men in the nation. I'm just telling you . . .
- There were no 5v12 seed upsets last year so I think you gotta see one this year. Since I already discounted George Mason of Notre Dame, and I'm feeling good about Drake, it's either Villanova over Clemson or Temple over Michigan State. Since I don't have confidence in Oliver Purnell teams in the tourney, I'd go with Villanova.
- Sorry my Kentucky friends, but I'm not sure they can beat Marquette. The Golden Eagles usually only struggle against teams with dominant big men and without Patrick Patterson, that's not Kentucky. Against UC [who had no big inside presence either] they had their way. So congrats to Billie G for making the tourney, which was enough to keep you from getting run out of Lexington.
- Additionally, don't buy into the Georgia hype. Everyone looking at their SEC performance should remember what team this is. Sure, it took a lot for the Bulldogs to win four games in 3.5 days, but it was against competition that they were familiar with. I think Xavier matches up well [Stanley Burrell will neutralize Sundiata Gaines] and have a nice Elite Eight run in them.
- Â I don't remember where I read this factoid but since 1985 there have been 30 different teams enter the NCAA tournament with 30 wins or more. None of them won the championship. So if you think this year things will follow like they have in the past, don't pick any of the #1 seeds to win it, because they all have 30+ wins.
- That, among other reasons, is why I like Georgetown to win the whole thing. I'm not excited about them having to play Kansas in the Elite Eight but, like Oliver Purnell, I'm just not sure Bill Self can put it all together in the tourney. Plus, I think North Carolina won't make the most of their home-cooking and doesn't get by Tennessee. UCLA should go far, but I don't like them to go all the way. That's what brings me to Georgetown. No one is really concentrating on Georgetown right now [losing in the Big East final keeps people from seeing them as dominant], and they have all the makings [great defense, Final Four experience] of a national championship run. The Hoyas win the NCAA tournament.
At least that's how I see it.