Final 4 Pix

[MC63]

I have UNC over Kansas and Duke over Gonzaga on Saturday, and UNC winning it all in a very close one Monday night.

As far as long shots are concerned, I've stuck my neck way, way out and picked Wichita State, Middle Tenn, Rhode Island, Iowa State, Xavier, Princeton and NC-Wilm to win two games each. That's it, however, for each of them.

Note, according to an article in the WSJ, one fourth of first round games are upsets.

I have Vermont and East Tenn winning their first game. That would make it nine of 32 ... a bit over the average.

In the Big Ten, I predict that Maryland, NU and Wisconsin fans will go home after the first game. (I've been to plenty of tournaments .. if your team loses game one, you have no desire whatsoever to stick around for the second round.)

What do you boys predict? Your final 4; your dark horses? Let 'em rip!

 

[DeanOfSelection]

I have UNC over Kansas and Duke over Gonzaga on Saturday, and UNC winning it all in a very close one Monday night.

As far as long shots are concerned, I've stuck my neck way, way out and picked Wichita State, Middle Tenn, Rhode Island, Iowa State, Xavier, Princeton and NC-Wilm to win two games each. That's it, however, for each of them.

Note, according to an article in the WSJ, one fourth of first round games are upsets.

I have Vermont and East Tenn winning their first game. That would make it nine of 32 ... a bit over the average.

In the Big Ten, I predict that Maryland, NU and Wisconsin fans will go home after the first game. (I've been to plenty of tournaments .. if your team loses game one, you have no desire whatsoever to stick around for the second round.)

What do you boys predict? Your final 4; your dark horses? Let 'em rip!

That was an interesting WSJ article. I have Rhode Island in Sweet 16 as a Cinderella. Did not go out on a limb in terms of final 4 teams. I have AZ v Duke and NC v Kansas with AZ beating NC in final.

 

[Voodoo Tatum 21]

Arizona is a good pick. They have a nicer/easier route to the final 4 than the other regions (in my opinion)

 

[pjjp]

Did not go out on a limb in terms of final 4 teams. I have AZ v Duke and NC v Kansas with AZ beating NC in final.

Had the same final 4, but had NC beating AZ in the final.

I think this tournament is wide open. There is no clear cut favorite. A number of teams could win it.

 

[Guido Sarducci]

Arizona is a good pick. They have a nicer/easier route to the final 4 than the other regions (in my opinion)

My son's a freshman at Arizona. I had the opportunity to watch them live last year when they were really young and not highly ranked, and was pretty blown away by their athleticism. Watched them this weekend against UCLA and again very impressed.

I'm biased because I'm sending tuition payments there lol, but I've got them in the championship game against Kansas.

Also agree with the Rhode Island pick. Haven't watched enough hoops this year that I'm that comfortable with the upset calls, but I really liked them. Might not pan out, but a team I could see making a run.

Conversely, I don't like a team like Iowa State. I know they won the Big 12 tourney championship, and you'd think a team hot at the end of the year to win their tourney would be a no-brainer, but in my anecdotal experience it doesn't pan out as much as you'd think. It's almost like many "shoot their wad" early.

 

[MC63]

My son's a freshman at Arizona. I had the opportunity to watch them live last year when they were really young and not highly ranked, and was pretty blown away by their athleticism. Watched them this weekend against UCLA and again very impressed.

I'm biased because I'm sending tuition payments there lol, but I've got them in the championship game against Kansas.

Also agree with the Rhode Island pick. Haven't watched enough hoops this year that I'm that comfortable with the upset calls, but I really liked them. Might not pan out, but a team I could see making a run.

Conversely, I don't like a team like Iowa State. I know they won the Big 12 tourney championship, and you'd think a team hot at the end of the year to win their tourney would be a no-brainer, but in my anecdotal experience it doesn't pan out as much as you'd think. It's almost like many "shoot their wad" early.

Guido - your son is a lucky young man. Many moons ago (1989, to be specific) I was at the West regional in Boise. I flew with the Arizona cheerleaders to Las Vegas (to catch a connector to ORD) . Incredibly beautiful.

You should visit your son as much as possible.