Predictions for the Upcoming Season

The season starts in about 12 hours. It's hard to imagine that it's been a full offseason since Villanova shredded its way through the Tournament, but here we are. This season seems odd to me. I really have no surefire champion pick like I did last year (although, Arizona was not the move), and I don't see any diamonds in the rough in terms of where specific teams are ranked. Outside the top 8 or 9, I don't see any title contenders. In this post, I'll share my predictions for the players and coaches of the year in the 6 major conferences, the national player and coach of the year, the winners of the six major conferences, and of course, my Final Four and national champion. As noted narrator of ESPN's "Basketball: A Love Story" Chris Cuomo would say, let's get after it.

ACC
Player of the Year: Luke Maye, North Carolina

Coach of the Year: Tony Bennett, Virginia (again)

Champion: Virginia

Big 12
Player of the Year: Dedric Lawson, Kansas

Coach of the Year: Steve Prohm, Iowa State

Champion: Take a guess. (Kansas)

Big East
Player of the Year: Kamar Baldwin, Butler

Coach of the Year: Steve Wojciechowski, Marquette

Champion: Villanova

Big Ten
Player of the Year: Carsen Edwards, Purdue

Coach of the Year: Tim Miles, Nebraska

Champion: Michigan and Michigan State tie

Pac 12
Player of the Year: Jaylen Nowell, Washington

Coach of the Year: Mike Hopkins, Washington

Champion: Oregon

SEC
Player of the Year: Tremont Waters, LSU

Coach of the Year: Will Wade, LSU

Champion: Kentucky

National Player of the Year: Luke Maye, North Carolina

National Coach of the Year: Mark Few, Gonzaga

Final Four
North Carolina- Good balance in the starting lineup and a plethora of big men to choose from.
Kentucky- They have some experience and a freshman class that has the right work ethic.
Gonzaga- So much balance and depth. Killian Tillie's injury will help them in the long run.
Marquette- They can outshoot anybody and that's such a weapon in the tournament. Also I want a sleeper pick.

National Champion: Gonzaga

Let's have a great year.

One of These 9 Teams Will Win the National Championship

The Fabbest Five (Sports Illustrated)

The biggest thing I've noticed about college basketball this year (outside of the FBI ordeal) is that there really is not a lot of depth. There are clearly some very good teams, but outside the top 8 or 9, I don't really see any sleepers that could make a big run in the Tournament. That's why I'm confident enough to say that one of these 9 teams will win the whole damn thing 6 months from now.

Kansas: Dedric Lawson
Lawson can be anything from a 3-5 on the court depending on the personnel around him. That type of versatility will be a huge asset for the Jayhawks this season. It also helps to have a lottery pick point guard in Quentin Grimes.

Kentucky: Rare Heart
Kentucky's freshmen may not be as talented as some of Calipari's previous classes, but they do have more heart and will then them. According to basically every media outlet, this Kentucky group wants to be in the gym 24/7. Even though that's seems to always be the case with these guys, I tend to buy stock into the claim this time around.

Gonzaga: They Have Everything
Seasoned point guard? Josh Perkins. Big man depth? Killian Tillie (when he comes back in January after recovering from foot surgery) and Rui Hachimura. An electric wing scorer? Zach Norvell. Impact transfer? Brandon Clarke and probably Geno Crandall. There is nothing this team lacks, which may make them the most dangerous come March.

Duke: The Fabbest Five
The new SI cover featuring Duke's most heralded recruiting class ever with RJ Barrett, Zion Williamson, Cam Reddish, Tre Jones, and Joey Baker says it all. They really might be the fabbest five.

Virginia: Revenge Tour
Don't look back. You aren't going that way. Virginia really has a fantastic group returning from last year's dominant squad. Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome make up one of the best backcourts in America. Alabama transfer Braxton Key is now eligible. And they still have the freak De'Andre Hunter who will be a first-round pick. If they can secure the front court, this team definitely can win it all.

Tennessee: They probably won't run into a Catholic buzzsaw.
If that Clayton Custer shot doesn't get some flukey bounce in the second round, we could be talking about Tennessee trying for back to back Final Fours. Instead, the Volunteers are left with having something to prove. SEC POY Grant Williams is back, as is the bully Admiral Schofield. Guard play will be key in seeing how far this team can go.

Nevada: Eric Musselman
Talk about the Martin twins all you want, if Nevada is going to make a deep run this year, it will be contingent on how head coach Eric Musselman handles a deeper and more talented team than last year. Nevada has all the pieces assuming point guard Lindsey Drew is healthy, but I trust in Musselman to make it work with whoever he has out there.

North Carolina: A Good Mix
The Tar Heels have an awesome blend of experience and youth this season as they welcome back NPOY candidate Luke Maye, Kenny Williams, and Cam Johnson, while also adding super-scorer Coby White and 2019 top 5 draft pick Nassir Little to the equation. It should be a fun season in Chapel Hill.

DARK HORSE:
Oregon: There's something in the Eugene water.
I don't know how Oregon gets all these stud recruits ($?). Bol Bol and Louis King are two five star freshman that could really make a difference for the Ducks. I have them as my Pac 12 champs, and I think they can do better than that because of veteran point guard Payton Pritchard. Pritchard was a freshman on Oregon's Final Four team in 2017 who has a chance to lead Oregon back to the promised land for the second time in 3 seasons.

Teams 10, 11, and 12
10. Villanova
11. Michigan State
12. Auburn

Bob's Preseason Top 25

As the season draws closer and closer I thought it would be a good idea to put out a completely arbitrary list that has absolutely zero impact on the upcoming season whatsoever. Here is my preseason top 25. This is straight from my Reddit poll, so sorry for the lack of grammar.

1. Kentucky- Kentucky has everything needed to be a contender. Good perimeter defenders in Hagans and Johnson, Travis is a difference maker.

2. Kansas- Lots of depth. Only worry is how all the transfers mix together. Dedric Lawson is a stud. Good freshman guards in Grimes and Dotson too.

3. Gonzaga- I think Norvell has a breakout year. Tillie and Perkins lead an experienced group that can win a title.

4. Duke- Best recruiting class in the country, but I have to see how Barrett, Zion, and Cam play together before I predict anything too crazy. Bigs?

5. Tennessee- Love the Williams-Schofield combination. I'm not sold on guard play but Bone, Bowden, and Turner can be big for them.

6. Nevada- They return everything from a Sweet 16 team and they get back Lindsey Drew and add All-American Jordan Brown. What's not to like?

7. North Carolina- It all depends on how good Nassir Little and Koby White are going to be. First time in a while UNC is relying on freshmen to be good.

8. Virginia- I love the backcourt tandem of Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome, but can they get production in front court? DeAndre Hunter is a stud too.

9. Auburn- Lost Mustapha Heron but they still have a strong backcourt and get back forwards Danjel Purifoy and Austin Wiley from suspension.

10. Michigan State- Winston is the driving force behind this team. Langford can be a breakout star. They also have Matty Ice (McQuaid).

11. Villanova- Eric Paschall and Phil Booth have to be the primary players on this year's team. Freshman Jahvon Quinerly looks to replace Brunson.

12. Oregon- Higher on Oregon than most. Favorites in the Pac-12. I like the recruiting class Altman brought in. Pritchard is a perfect college guard.

13. Syracuse- Return Tyus Battle and Oshae Brissett from a surprise Sweet 16 team. Squarely in 4th place in ACC for me.

14. Kansas State- Another surprise Sweet 16 team. Dean Wade will be a special player once again.

15. Florida State- Basically return everyone from their Elite Eight run last season. Hopefully Leonard Hamilton calls timeouts this year.

16. LSU- I've been a Tremont Waters stan ever since he tore up the Maui last year. Now he gets two 5-star big men to play with.

17. Marquette- Markus Howard is probably the closest thing you'll see to Steph Curry this season. Need to improve defensively to solidify themselves.

18. Michigan- I like Beilein's system and Charles Mathews should break out even more this year. Jordan Poole is going to be a star in Ann Arbor.

19. Mississippi State- The Weatherspoon brothers and 5-star freshman Reggie Perry should have Ben Howland dancing for the first time in Starkville.

20. UCLA- Injuries have screwed them early, but Jaylen Hands and Kris Wilkes are back. Throw in freshman Moses Brown and you got a Pac-12 contender.

21. Virginia Tech- Justin Robinson leads an experienced group under Buzz Williams. Really excited about Kerry Blackshear Jr.

22. Nebraska- Nebraska went 13-5 in the Big Ten and didn't get in last year. That's not happening again. James Palmer Jr is a star. Glynn Watson leads.

23. Western Kentucky- WKU had some impressive performances in last year's Battle 4 Atlantis, and they added five-star freshman Charles Bassey. Class of C-USA

24. Butler- This team will go as far as Kamar Baldwin takes them. I believe that is going to be quite far. Don't sleep on Duke transfer Jordan Tucker.

25. Iowa State- Biggest wildcard in my top 25. I like the addition of Marial Shayok and Lindell Wigginton is a monster.


Others Considered:
Washington, Purdue, Providence, Loyola-Chicago, St. John's, Indiana, TCU, Texas, Alabama, USC, West Virginia, Xavier, Maryland, Florida, North Carolina State, Clemson, Central Florida, Wisconsin

How I Got An Xbox at Marquette Madness

It's Midnight Madness season for college basketball programs across the country as they introduce fans and students to their new teams for the upcoming season. I had the amazing opportunity to attend Marquette's version, fittingly titled, "Marquette Madness." In order to properly attend the event, I obviously had to wear one of signature fake college basketball jerseys that I order from China, so I went with the yellow Jimmy Butler Marquette one for clear reasons.

The Madness started at 9, so a group of my friends and I got to the Al McGuire Center at around 8:35, and we were greeted with about 300 slightly drunk college kids trying to cram their way through the door. Luckily we saw people at the front of the line and proceeded to cut about 250 of the 300 in the line. Absolutely no regrets.

We got arguably the best seats in the house as we were right next to the tunnel where all the players came out. I thought Marquette Madness was primed to be a good event, but then something crazy happened.

Some event coordinator asked my friend and I if we wanted to participate in a shooting contest with the girls basketball team. So we impulsively said "Hell yeah let's do it" with little regard to how nervous we actually got beforehand. My only goal before getting ready to start the contest was to not airball every shot I took. Luckily we started with a layup, so even my worst case of the butterflies couldn't shake me from missing that.

 I had no idea what we were supposed to do when I got ready to shoot. I couldn't hear a word anyone on the floor was saying, and the microphone just drowned out sound rather than enhanced it. I literally started shooting and just rolled with it. My partner hit her layup first and then I quickly followed. I drilled the free throw, which was huge for my confidence heading into the moneyball, and then after my partner made her three on the first try, I forced one in on my fourth. The entire team mobbed me even though I had no idea if we won or not. Again, I wasn't clear on the rules going in so I just started jumping and celebrating thinking that I won something cool. Well sure enough I actually did win something: an Xbox One S. So that's how Marquette Madness went from good to fucking unforgettable. (Shout out to Isabelle Spignola for basically carrying me throughout the entire thing too.)

Me getting busted for forgetting to wear a belt.

After that we were introduced to the men's team, which is probably a fringe top 25 squad heading into the season, we were then blasted to the past as B.o.B. took the stage and performed some of his hits from the 2011-2012 season. I heard people complaining that B.o.B sucked, but who the hell cares? The only reason that schools bring in performers is to ramp up the student body and express to recruits that they take basketball seriously. And Marquette proved that. If you're that upset about B.o.B. then go to an actual concert instead of a college basketball pep rally.

Overall Marquette Madness was an amazing experience. Sure I got my Xbox which is pretty fucking awesome, but the also accomplished its goal in getting the Marquette fanbase excited for the season. Good job Marquette.

Running to the 3pt line after confidently nailing the free throw. #BobbyBuckets

I'm Back

Well, it's been about half a year since I've done one of these. I kind of fell out of blogging about the sport I love after I found out from all the colleges I applied to. After that, a mix of senioritis and the offseason kicked in and I just stopped. Here are a few updates:

I ended up choosing to attend Marquette University.

I applied to 9 colleges, and for the OG followers (of which there are few if any), you'll remember that the primary reason for starting this blog was to enhance my college apps and hopefully get into Duke. That didn't happen, and I ended up getting denied from Duke, waitlisted by Notre Dame and Northwestern and accepted to Boston College, Marquette, Villanova, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Dayton.

I came down to Marquette and Wisconsin, as I didn't want to go that far from home, and Marquette and Wisconsin had decent basketball programs. (Yes, the strength of a school's college basketball program was a top 3 criterion for me choosing a college.) I chose Marquette over Wisconsin because more of my friends were going there and I had a better setup overall than if I had gone to Wisconsin. So here we are. So if my Marquette coverage is a bit biased, well, I have a good reason.

I have no idea how I'm going to cover this season.

Literally no clue. I find that my time is more limited, but I have more of it at the same time. Whenever I think I have something meaningful to say regarding basketball, I'll post it here. I'm not sure how often that'll happen, but we'll see as we go along the way.

I'm going to try to get more player/recruit features

I thought the player interviews and podcasts were some of the most fun and interesting posts I had on the original site, so I'm going to try and get as many of those out there as I can. To update you on the players I've interviewed over the years, Anfernee Simons, who was committed to Louisville at the time, ended up decommitting from there and entering the 2018 NBA Draft, where he was selected 24th overall by the Portland Trailblazers. Ayo Dosunmu ended up committing to Illinois, where he is projected to be one of the top freshmen in the Big Ten. Zion Griffin is now at Iowa State, where he is considered an under-the-radar freshman who can contribute right away.

The status of the podcast is uncertain.

I have no idea whether or not I'm going to do the podcast again. By the end, it just got so herky-jerky with the scheduling that it was hard to gain a consistent audience. (I also kinda sucked at doing them). So I might have special podcasts throughout the season for big events and games, but at the moment I'm not going to be uploading them every week.

I'm going to try to get guest writers.

I got so tired of writing about my personal opinions, so I know you all did as well. I'm going to try and fix that by having special guests write about whatever they want involving the game of basketball. I feel like that will spice things up a little more than before.

Overall, expect less content, but better content. My posts will be longer and more detailed (hopefully) but they might not come out as frequently as before. Again none of this is set in stone, but this is how I see the New Era of the BBB playing out. So here's to an exciting upcoming basketball season. It's good to be back.

National Championship Preview

The 2018 college basketball season concludes tonight with the National Championship in San Antonio. Villanova knocked off Kansas, and Michigan snuck by Loyola-Chicago to set up an interesting final. 

This is probably the most lopsided game in terms of predictions I've seen in watching basketball. I haven't seen one person take Michigan over Villanova on tv or online. I haven't seen anything like it. This phenomenon is deserved though. Villanova dominated Kansas with their outside shooting and looked unstoppable. Michigan, on the other hand, looked shaky for 30 minutes in their Final Four victory. They didn't shoot well and didn't get any guard production from Zavier Simpson or Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman. If they want to have any chance to beat Villanova, that can't happen. 

Villanova is the clear favorite. They have six guys (Jalen Brunson, Donte Divincenzo, Eric Paschall, Omari Spellman, Phil Booth and Mikal Bridges) who can just go off and kill you. You never know who it's gonna be either, but there's always at least one. Michigan is more of a predicable offense in terms of production. It's either gonna be Moritz Wagner or Charles Matthews. 

Just looking at the rosters, Villanova is the clear favorite. I can't even make a plausible argument as to how Michigan will win. If they do pull it off, it'll be one of the craziest championship upsets ever. 

My brain says Villanova, my bracket says Michigan. My bracket actually predicted this matchup, so I'm gonna keep rolling with it. 

Michigan will win this game. I don't know how, but they will. I'm the first one to pick Michigan, and I'm proud to do so. Let's go. 

Final Four Preview

The Final Four tips off in less than six hours, and we will experience what I'm predicting to be one of the best Final Fours ever. The 2018 San Antonio edition has all the components of a Final Four one could ask for. The heavyweights (Villanova and Kansas), the upstart momentum-riding Michigan Wolverines and the Cinderella in Loyola-Chicago. This Final Four doesn't lack anything. 

The two games tonight are a pure example of the unpredictable nature of the tournament. You have 3 Michigan and 11 Loyola-Chicago in one matchup, and 1 Villanova and 1 Kansas in the other one. The seeding didn't hold, but now we are guaranteed the gem of Villanova and Kansas playing each other in the tournament for the second time in three years. With Michigan and Loyola-Chicago, you get the two teams that have the toughest competition to get here. In both cases, neither team had to play a top-2 seed en route to San Antonio. Michigan highest-seeded opponent was 6 Houston. Each side of the bracket, and each matchup at that, tells a different story. Chalk and Chaos. 

The Chaos Matchup is our first game tonight: 3 Michigan vs 11 Loyola-Chicago. I picked Michigan to win the whole thing in all my bracket pools, but I also love the hometown Ramblers of Loyola. Still, I lean Michigan in both my fandom and my thoughts. Loyola-Chicago is a great story, but Michigan's defense is unlike anything Loyola-Chicago has seen in the tournament thus far. With the defense and the offense that can go off for 100 in any given game, Michigan is the clear favorite. I still, however, expect Loyola-Chicago to stay in this game to the very end. Clayton Custer and Ben Richardson make up a dynamic duo in the backcourt with Marques Townes and Donte Ingram providing additional scoring. Loyola-Chicago is the best 11 seed to make the Final Four, but I still like Michigan thanks to their perimeter defense and streaky shooting. 

The Chalk Side gives us the National Championship before the National Championship. It is widely expected that whoever wins this game will go on to win the whole thing on Monday. I actually haven't heard one person pick Michigan or Loyola-Chicago to win it all on any of the Final Four Preview shows. With the way Kansas and Villanova have been playing, I don't really blame them. Villanova has taken down two straight Big 12 opponents by double digits to get here, while Kansas just knocked off the most talented team in the country in Duke. Both teams have had great tournaments, so we should expect a great game. Kansas's Malik Newman has been the hero in the tournament for the Jayhawks. He hit multiple clutch shots against Duke to seal the Final Four trip for Kansas, and he has finally found his role on this team. For Villanova, it's been a team effort, but Jalen Brunson has been the guiding force behind it all. The AP Player of the Year has averaged 17.5 ppg in four tournament games, including 27 in the West Virginia game. The guards for both teams are what got them to this point, but I think the big guys will be the key aspect of this game. Omari Spellman for Villanova and Udoka Azubuike for Kansas both fill the big guy role, but they do it in opposite ways. Spellman is a lethal 3-point shooter while Azubuike is a traditional powerhouse big. Whoever wins that matchup will win the game for his team. I think Spellman will win it, as Azubuike will struggle guarding outside the paint. As a result, Villanova will win this game.

No matter what happens tonight, we will be seeing a great celebration of college basketball. Given the FBI crap that's been going on, this type of Final Four is needed. We have four great teams and a fantastic location in San Antonio. (I think it might be the coolest Final Four court ever.) College basketball is still the greatest spectator sport in the world, and this Final Four shows why. 

Jersey Appreciation Friday Vol. 63

This week's Jersey Appreciation Saturday goes to the Davidson Wildcats. I recently received a Steph Curry Davidson jersey as a gift, and I realized just how cool it is. The white jersey from the Curry era features black letters with a red outline. This may look clunky to some, but that's okay because the neckline is only accompanied by a red line going around it. It's simple in some areas and complex in others. Overall just a fantastic look. Click Here

Midwest Regional Preview

The Midwest Regional commences tonight, and it's not as good as the East. I do like the fact that we have Kansas and Duke playing, but Syracuse doesn't really excite me. Clemson, however, is the wild card here. The Tigers have played really well in the Tournament so far, knocking off a good 12 in New Mexico State and just pounding 4 Auburn. They play 1 Kansas, though, so we have to see how that goes. Clemson certainly has convinced me that they are good, but Kansas is a different animal. I'm way less excited for 2 Duke and 11 Syracuse. I just don't think this will be close. Syracuse had a nice run, but Duke looks so good right now. Marvin Bagley and Wendell Carter will make Syracuse pay for playing the zone, something the Orange's previous two opponents didn't do. 

Predictions:

1 Kansas over 5 Clemson

The backcourt of Devonte' Graham and Malik Newman will overpower Clemson's tough defense. 

2 Duke over 11 Syracuse

This will be a blow out. I will be punished if I'm wrong. 

2 Duke over 1 Kansas

Once again Kansas will lose in the Elite Eight. This time it won't be their fault. Duke is simply the better team. They have more inside than Kansas, and I don't think the Jayhawks will be able to counter that. 

East Regional Preview

The East Regional kicks off tonight with two awesome games in 1 Villanova vs 5 West Virginia and 3 Texas Tech vs 2 Purdue. This is probably the best Regional of the four simply because of the high-profile teams involved. This is also the chalkiest region we have left, so we should cherish the normalcy that it represents.

In the first matchup, we have Villanova and West Virginia. This is an enticing matchup because we have the best offense in the country vs one of the best full-court defenses in the country. Villanova's Mikal Bridges has been playing like a top 10 pick in the Tournament, and the point guard matchup between Jalen Brunson and Jevon Carter is phenomenal. Both are Cousy Award finalists and both hail from Illinois. I expect a fast-paced ballgame with a lot of threes being shot. 

The second matchup is another offense vs defense thriller. We have the offensively beautiful Purdue vs the hard-nosed defense of Texas Tech. Again, the guard matchup will be something to see. Carsen Edwards has been one of the best guards all season, while Keenan Evans has carried his Red Raiders to this point. This is the best game we will see tonight. I expect a close game won on the final possession. 

Time for my predictions. What used to be my favorite part of college basketball is now turning into something I dread. Yesterday I went 1/4, getting only Michigan correct. Tonight I hope to do better. 

1 Villanova over 5 West Virginia 

Villanova shoots too well and scores too much for West Virginia to keep up offensively. West Virginia's press will be sliced up by the talented Villanova guard play, and their offense won't match the efficiency of Nova. West Virginia has struggled scoring in the second half all year, and I think it dooms them tonight. 

3 Texas Tech over 2 Purdue 

This is a really tough game for me to call, but I love a hot guard in March. This year, it's Keenan Evans. Purdue can easily win this game, but I think Isaac Haas not being at 100% if he even plays will hurt Purdue's efficiency around the rim. Texas Tech is a premier defensive team, and I think they can handle the Boilermakers. 

1 Villanova over 3 Texas Tech

Villanova's offense is historically good. This year especially I feel that teams that are more offensively challenged than defensively have been more vulnerable. Look at Cincinnati, Tennessee and Virginia for example. It's tough to win when you can't score. That's why Villanova will go to the Final Four, and Texas Tech won't. 

South Regional Preview

The South Region is completely messed up. This is the first time ever where seeds 1-4 were all eliminated before the Sweet 16. As a result, we have 5 Kentucky vs 9 Kansas State and 11 Loyola-Chicago vs 7 Nevada. Take that however you want. In my personal view, upsets in early rounds just lead to crappy regionals and Final Fours. I think we see this happening here. These matchups are fun because of the Cinderella aspect of each team, but expect the quality of basketball to take a nose dive due to the lack of top teams. Despite that, we should be seeing exciting basketball. Kansas State got here by killing Creighton and surviving 16 seed UMBC, and Kentucky got here by taking care of business against 12 Davidson and 13 Buffalo. The second matchup in this regional is a bit more exciting. In Loyola-Chicago and Nevada, you have two teams that love winning on the last possession. Loyola has won two straight games on buzzer beaters over 6 Miami and 3 Tennessee, while Nevada has survived second half double digit deficits in its first two games, the latter featuring a 22-point comeback against 2 Cincinnati. 

Since my South bracket is totally screwed, I'll do a new prediction: 

5 Kentucky over 9 Kansas State 

I like the way Kentucky is playing with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Also, K-State played horrendously against UMBC. 

7 Nevada over 11 Loyola-Chicago

I really want Loyola-Chicago to win as they're currently the best basketball team in Illinois. (I'm including the Bulls.) But Nevada has a really strong starting lineup consisting of the Martin twins, Kendall Stephens and Jordan Caroline, and I can't see them slipping up here. The Cardiac Pack got this.

7 Nevada over 5 Kentucky 

I really like the way Nevada is playing right now. They shoot lights out in the final 5 minutes of every game they've played so far, and the energy brought by Eric Musselman is enough to get Nevada to the Final Four. 

 

West Regional Preview

The West Region in the 2018 NCAA Tournament had some twists and turns without a doubt. The 1 and 2 seeds (Xavier and North Carolina) are both gone after losing in the second round, and the 3 seed Michigan would've been too if it hadn't been for Jordan Poole's crazy game winner against Houston. 4 Gonzaga had two close calls after blowing leads to both UNC-Greensboro and Ohio State, but they  managed to survive. The teams who beat Xavier and UNC, 9 Florida State and 7 Texas A&M, respectively, also pose as viable threats to get to San Antonio. 

Like the South bracket, this region is also pretty screwed up for me. I got Michigan and Gonzaga, but I was blindsided by Texas A&M and Florida State, so here's my second chance at predicting the West. 

4 Gonzaga over 9 Florida State

I've been high on Gonzaga all year, and I won't stop believing now. I had them in my Elite Eight, beating Xavier to get there, so I'll stick with that. Zach Norvell Jr is a star, and the Zags also have some nice size to combat that of FSU. 

3 Michigan over 7 Texas A&M

I'll be honest and say if I didn't have Michigan winning the whole thing in my original bracket, I would pick A&M. The Aggies ran UNC out of the gym behind the play of Tyler Davis and TJ Starks, and they are finally looking like the team we expected them to be back in December. These are guys dangerous. But I'll take Michigan because of their elite defense and their ability to get baskets by some method. Michigan doesn't have a star, but their offense is so methodical that it will frustrate the hell out of Texas A&M. 

3 Michigan over 4 Gonzaga 

Again, Gonzaga is a great pick here too, but I gotta be loyal. Michigan has momentum again after hitting that shot against Houston, and Gonzaga struggles in late-game situations and in holding early leads. I'll stick with Michigan. 

Jersey Appreciation Friday Vol. 62

This week's Jersey Appreciation Friday goes to the UMBC RETRIEVERS!! I honestly hate these uniforms but who the hell cares? They just became the first 16 seed to beat a 1 seed in NCAA Tournament history by knocking off Virginia. What a day! Click Here

NCAA Tournament Predictions

We are about 12 hours out from the official first game of the NCAA Tournament so I thought I'd best give my predictions now. The first and second rounds came pretty easily to me, while the later rounds were much harder.   I wasn't totally sure about my national champ until a half hour ago. Currently, I am confident in my picks, but that likely won't be the case by Day 3. Anyways, here goes nothing. 

I'll start by listing some of my notable upset picks. I'm not really explaining the reasoning because I don't have much of it. It's just a feeling for the most part.

11 San Diego State over 6 Houston

The Aztecs are coming off a fantastic Mountain West tourney victory, and I'm not uber confident in the 3rd best team in the American.

13 Marshall over 4 Wichita State

I like Dan D'Antoni's vibe and offense. Marshall also has an awesome nickname and a great shade of green. 

12 New Mexico State over 5 Clemson

I was really impressed with NM St at the Diamondhead back in December, and I don't know how Clemson can rebound well enough without Donte Grantham. 

13 Charleston over 4 Auburn

Probably my biggest stretch. Auburn hasn't been the same since losing Anfernee McLemore. 

So as you notice, I don't really have many huge upset picks in the first round. I think that since the top teams aren't as good this year, then the bottom teams must be worse than usual as well. 

Now for my long-awaited Final Four. Long-awaited by me, at least. I've been waiting to predict this year's Final Four since...uh...last year's Final Four, and I can't believe the day has finally come. 

South Region

In the South I have a Sweet 16 of Virginia vs Arizona and Miami vs Cincinnati. I then have a Virginia-Cincy Elite Eight with Cincinnati going to the Final Four. I really like Virginia's defense, but the loss of De'Andre Hunter really hurts them. Cincinnati has the second best defense in America and Gary Clark is turning into a monster on offense. 

WINNER: Cincinnati

West Region

My Sweet 16 is total chalk. Xavier vs Gonzaga and North Carolina vs Michigan. I really like the Zags to get by Xavier, and I'm taking Michigan over UNC. I'm riding high on momentum this year, and Michigan currently has a boatload of it. They'll beat Gonzaga in the Elite Eight.

WINNER: Michigan

East Region

Villanova vs West Virginia and Florida vs Purdue are my Sweet 16 matchups. Villanova and Purdue hold seed as both get to the Elite Eight, where Villanova edges past them to get to the Final Four. The Wildcats have the easiest route to the Elite Eight, so I'm inclined to pick them here. Jalen Brunson is getting all the headlines for this team, but it's Mikal Bridges who will lead this team to a Final Four. 

WINNER: Villanova 

Midwest

This is a loaded region with Kansas, Duke and Michigan State, but I like the Spartans getting out alive in this one. They'll beat Duke in the Sweet 16 and Kansas (who knocks off New Mexico State in the Sweet 16) in the Elite Eight to get there. The combination of size and athleticism will get them to the Final Four.

WINNER: Michigan State

Final Four

Cincinnati vs Michigan

Both of these teams have top 10 defense in the country. In these cases you look at which team has the better offense, and I think that's Michigan. Mo Wagner can spread Cincy out, and I like Michigan's bench better. 

WINNER: Michigan

Villanova vs Michigan State

The guard play of Villanova and the fact that they don't turn the ball over has me taking the Wildcats here. Size means nothing if you can't use it properly. Nova does a good job of denying the post despite their small squad, and I think that'll rattle the Spartans.

WINNER: Villanova

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Michigan vs Villanova 

In this case, I like momentum. Michigan is clicking at the right time. Their defense and rebounding is really strong, and they are shooting extremely well too. Call me crazy, but I ride with the underdog here. Go Blue.

WINNER: Michigan

There you have it. Those are my picks for this year. Let's hope we get an awesome tournament regardless if these are right or not. 

What Team is the Smartest National Champion Pick?

While the Selection Show was a complete dud yesterday, the bracket reveal did eventually come, and now I am left with difficult decisions all over the place. 

My issue this year isn't the first weekend. I'm quite confident in all my Sweet 16 picks, including 12 New Mexico State. My problem is that I have no effing clue how to pick this year's winner. With tough teams scattered all over the bracket, the 1 seeds are no lock to get to the Final Four. Let alone the death matches the 2's and 3's face in the Sweet 16 if seeding holds.  

My way of picking national champions varies based on the year. Sometimes you have to go with the favorite, others you gotta surprise some people, and sometimes you look for the easiest matchups. The best way, obviously, is trying to find a combination of all three: favorite, sleeper and lack of resistance.

How can you have a favorite and sleeper? Well it's pretty easy actually. The key is picking a team that has potential to win it all of the shortlist, which is usually 6-8 teams. Of those finalists, you gotta pick an uncommon champion based on the status of others around you. This enables you to make more mistakes in the opening rounds, as the championship round is usually weighted to the point where you can be 15+ points back of the leader and still win your pool if you pick right later. Basically, if half the pool has the #1 overall seed winning, you might want to look around at some other options. 

With that explained, who's the most economic pick this year? 

*This isn't an endorsement*

If we look at the first category, the favorites, we can narrow the field down to, in my mind, 10 teams: Virginia, Arizona, Villanova, Purdue, Kansas, Duke, Michigan State, Xavier, North Carolina and Michigan. I can GUARANTEE that one of these teams will cut down the nets on April 2. 

From there we have to go with a sleeper AMONG these 10 teams. By sleeper I don't mean a Cinderella story. I mean the team that is still really good but for whatever reason people aren't picking to win the whole thing. That gets rid of Virginia, Villanova and Michigan State. Of all the predictions I've seen, these three teams are probably 60% of the picks. It must be acknowledged that Villanova probably has the easiest road to the Final Four, but their status as a high seeded media favorite puts a damper on their easy East region. 

We are now down to 7 teams: Arizona, Purdue, Kansas, Duke, Xavier, North Carolina and Michigan. 

Our last category is resistance, or the toughest road to the Final Four. Obviously, Arizona has a really hard Sweet 16 game against Virginia, not to mention a tough second round against Kentucky. They also have the whole FBI thing going on too. They're out. 6 teams. Purdue is good, but they have to beat Villanova to make the Final Four. They also have been struggling down the stretch. Out. 5 teams. Duke has Marvin Bagley. He's really good, but do we 100% trust them against Michigan State in the Sweet 16? No. 4 teams left. Xavier is a tough 1 seed, but they get Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 and most likely Missouri in the second round. For a team that plays down to its competition, that's risky. 3 teams. Kansas has a walk to the Elite Eight, but the winner of Duke and Michigan State won't be easy to get past. 2 teams left. We are now down to North Carolina and Michigan. This matchup occurs in a Sweet 16 in the West Region. Xavier is the weakest 1 seed, so it's a solid presumption that the winner of this game is most likely to get to the Final Four. In this game, I lean North Carolina because they already slapped Michigan earlier in the year. So with that all being decided. The most economic pick to win the National Championship is: 

NORTH CAROLINA.  

They aren't in the top tier of favorites, they are a reliable sleeper team among the best teams, and they have an easy path to the Final Four. 

Jersey Appreciation Friday Vol. 61

This week's Jersey Appreciation Friday goes to the Tennessee Volunteers. The simple combination of white and bright orange impresses me because it's really hard to make bright on white work. Tennessee does this and has one of the best white jerseys in the country as a result. I don't watch much SEC basketball, but these uniforms might be the reason why I start. Tennessee might actually be good this year so I might as well enjoy the sideshow.Click Here

Predicting Every Game in the Pac 12 Tournament

The NCAA Tournament is almost upon us and to get into the spirit of bracket pools I've decided to predict every game from the ACC, Big 12, Big East, Pac 12* and SEC Tournaments. Finally here is the Pac 12

*About 80% of these picks are pure guesswork. 

First Round (Wednesday) 

8 Colorado vs 9 Arizona State

I told everyone in January that Arizona State would flame out, and look what they did. You really think I'm backing out now?

PREDICTION: Colorado

5 Stanford vs 12 California

Yeah I don't any clue about either of these teams. Um, Stanford.

PREDICTION: Stanford

7 Washington vs 10 Oregon State

I actually like the Huskies to stand out and make a statement here. 

PREDICTION: Washington 

6 Oregon vs 11 Washington State

This isn't last year's Oregon team, but I'll still take them over Wazzou. 

PREDICTION: Oregon

Quarterfinals (Thursday)

1 Arizona vs 8 Colorado

I'll take Arizona here. The FBI thing finally has them playing with some urgency.

PREDICTION: Arizona 

4 UCLA vs 5 Stanford

Aaron Holiday has been a monster for the Bruins down the stretch. They could do some damage. 

PREDICTION: UCLA

2 USC vs 7 Washington 

I don't like USC and never have this season. Washington is a nice story, so sure. 

PREDICTION: Washington 

3 Utah vs 6 Oregon

I'm picking the Ducks solely because they have more players I've heard of. 

PREDICTION: Oregon 

Semifinals (Friday)

1 Arizona vs 4 UCLA

This is basically the championship game right here. I really, really like UCLA, so I'll take the Bruins. Arizona sucks in tournaments anyway. 

PREDICTION: UCLA

7 Washington vs 6 Oregon

I think Washington will win. 

PREDICTION: Washington

Championship (Saturday)

4 UCLA vs 7 Washington 

I'm higher on UCLA than most. I think they'll be motivated by the bubble talk and win this damn thing. 

PREDICTION: U-C (clap clap) L-A (clap clap)