I love March Madness. It is, in all honesty, my favorite sports time of the year. I take the Thursday and Friday of the First Round off from work and watch it literally all day and night for four days. I can’t have this blog and NOT do a March Madness post right?
I’m just gonna go through each region, give my thoughts on what should be the best storylines, first round games, the best potential later round games, and the top NBA prospects in each region. Pretty much whatever I want, with no structure because that’s how I do things around here. Sound good? Good!
East
Storylines:
Can Syracuse withstand the loss of starting center, leading rebounder and shot blocker Fab Melo? On one hand, the Orange are one of the deepest teams in the country. On the other hand, they already struggle with rebounding and just lost their best rebounder.
Also, what needs to happen for Jim Boeheim to get in trouble? So far this year, we’ve had a sex abuse scandal, a drug scandal and an academic scandal. Does he need to be caught with a dead hooker and 78 pounds of cocaine for something to happen to him?
Can Vandy get over the hump? In their last 3 tournaments, they’ve lost in the first round to underdogs, Siena, Murray State and Richmond.
Best First Round Game
(5) Vanderbilt vs (12) Harvard
I live a mile from Harvard and let me tell you, the excitement for this game here is off the charts! Just kidding, no one shits a shit. Anyway, the battle of the two smartest schools in the tournament should also be a good basketball game. Harvard beat ACC champ Florida State early in the season and is making just their 2nd tournament appearance ever. SEC tourney champ Vandy, as mentioned above, is trying to avoid getting bounced in the first round for the 3rd straight time.
Best Potential Later Round Games
Syracuse vs Vanderbilt (Sweet Sixteen)
This could be Syracuse’s first big test without Fab Melo could come in the sweet sixteen vs Vandy. Vandy has the shooters (John Jenkins, Jeff Taylor) to break the vaunted Syracuse 2-3 zone.
Syracuse vs Ohio State (Elite Eight)
If ‘Cuse gets to the elite eight, Ohio State has the big men to test the interior depth with no Melo. And by “big men” I really just mean Jared Sullinger.
Florida State vs Vanderbilt (Elite Eight)
Two teams, known for being inconsistent, who both went on runs to win their conference tourneys with Vandy looking for their first ever Final Four and Florida State looking for their first since 1972.
NBA Prospects
John Jenkins, Vanderbilt: PG/SG, best 3 point shooter in the country…late 1st-early 2nd round pick
Jeffrey Taylor, Vanderbilt: SF, good shooter, jumps through the roof, good defender….potential lottery pick
Festus Ezili Vanderbilt: C, missed beginning of the year due to injury and suspension, subpar numbers this year but still blocked 2 shots a game and shot 52%…late 1st-early 2nd round pick
Jared Sullinger, Ohio State: PF, Didn’t really get much better after staying in school an extra year, still put up 17 pts and 9 rbs a game, upside somewhat limited by lack of athleticism…top 10 pick.
Top Prospect From A School You Wouldn’t Expect To Have One: Andrew Nicholson, St Bonaventure: PF, Nichsolson carried the Bonnies through the A-10 Tourney, 18 pts, 8 rbs and 2 blocks a game, can score inside and shoot the 3…potential lottery pick.
Potential Cinderellas
West Virginia: Double-double machine Kevin Jones (20 pts, 11 rbs a game this year) could lead an “upset” over Gonzaga in round 1 and knock off Ohio State (who struggled down the stretch) in round 2.
St. Bonaventure: Andrew Nicholson is a monster and could throw his team on his back for a round or two.
Bill Sall Pick To Win The Region That You Should Ignore Because I Never Win My Bracket
Vanderbilt: Yes they have sucked in the tourney for the last 3 years, but they went on an awesome run in the SEC tourney (beating Kentucky in the finals), have 3 legit NBA prospects and I think they have the shooting to get past a Fab Melo-less ‘Cuse team and beat Ohio State in the regional final.
West
Storylines
Izzo. You’ll notice I refrained from an “H to the Izzo” reference there. You’re welcome. For my money, Izzo is the best coach in the country. Michgan State never seems like he has the most talented team in the country ( he has one guy, Draymond Green who is even considered a potential NBA player right now and even he is a bit of a long shot), but he’s in the tourney almost every year and has made 5 Final Fours.
Mizzou. Get it? Its like Izzo, but with an extra letter at the beginning an end! Mizzou tore through the Big-12 with their 4 guard lineup and 3 pt shooting of Kim English and Marcus Denmon, but can they get to the Final Four with such little depth down low?
Murray State. The Racers went 30-1 this year, played in the not-so-great Ohio Valley Conference, but did beat fellow tournament teams Memphis, St Mary’s and Southern Miss in non conference play. Point guard and lights out 3 pt shooter, Isaiah Canaan could play for any team in the country.
Best First Round Game
(5) New Mexico vs (12) Long Beach State
New Mexico doesn’t get a ton of hype, but they’re lead by double-double machine (13 pts and 10 rbs) Drew Gordon and have surrounded him with good shooters. Long Beach State is another team that you don’t hear about much, but they had a stud of their own in guard Casper Ware. The outcome of this game could depend on whether LBSU guard and star defensive player Larry Anderson can play through a strained knee.
Best Potential Later Round Games
Missouri vs Florida (2nd round)
This would be a fun, high scoring matchup of teams that are built around guard play. We mentioned English and Denmon above, but Mizzou also has a great point guard in Flip Pressey. Florida has future lottery pick Brad Beal and veterans Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton in the backcourt.
Missouri vs Marquette (Sweet 16)
Mizzou could get a big test in the Sweet 16 if they go up against an underrated Marquette team. Led by the inside-outside combo of Jae Crowder and Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette is a tough, experienced team that upset Syracuse last year and could give Missouri big time problems.
Missouri vs Michigan State (Elite 8)
In case you couldn’t tell by them being in all 3 of these games, I enjoy Missouri. This would be a great contrast in styles as Missouri likes to run and gun and Michigan State likes to slow things down.
NBA Prospects
Brad Beal, Florida: SG, Great shooter that can slash to the basket, catch and shoot and create his own shot, an Eric Gordon type…top 10 pick
Patric Young, Florida: PF, Hasn’t put up great stats at Fla but that’s because he’s on a team full of guards that don’t pass, does all the dirty work for the Gators, athletic as hell, 60% from the field…first round pick
Marcus Denmon and Kin English, Missouri: These guys are NBA level 3 point shooters, not big time NBA prospects but guys that can shoot this well will always get a look…second round picks
Will Barton, Memphis: SG, Does it all for Memphis, 18 pts, 8 rbs, 3 assts a game while shooting 51% from the field…late first round pick
Potential Cinderellas
Memphis: An 8 seed, so not really a Cinderalla, but I wanted to point out that if they get by St Louis, I think they are the quick, athletic team that could give Michigan State hell in round 2.
Long Beach State: Casper Ware is an absolute stud and the type of guy that could become one of those tournement darlings that you see in the “One Shining Moment”montage. If guard Larry Anderson can play, they could make a Sweet Sixteen run.
Bill Sall Pick To Win The Region That You Should Ignore Because I Never Win My Bracket
Missouri. LOVE their guards and love watching them play. They could be exposed by a team with interior depth, but I don’t think that team is in this region. They ride the shooting of Denmon and English to the Final Four.
Midwest
Top Storylines
John Henson’s health. Henson injured his wrist in the ACC Tourney, and UNC got bounced in the finals by Florida State. His shot blocking is key on a UNC team that is allergic to defense, so if they are gonna make a run, Henson has to be healthy.
Belmont. The popular pick to make a Cinderella run this year at the 14 seed. They were in a similar spot last year and got bounced by Wisconsin, but they are more experience this year and draw a very beatable Georgetown team in Round 1.
Best First Round Matchup
Georgetown (3) vs Belmont (14)
Belmont has a legit chance to knock Georgetown off, and an upset like that is always fun to see and what makes March Madness great.
Best Potential Late Round Matchups
UNC vs Creighton (round 2)
Two high scoring teams who don’t play defense. UNC lead by Harrison Barnes and Creighton by Doug McDermott, who also happened to be high school teammates, who hate each other because Barnes allegedly slept with McDermott’s long time girlfriend at senior prom*.
*Everything after that last comma is not true….you believed it though.
UNC vs Kansas (Elite 8)
UNC’s talent vs Kansas’ toughness. There would also be 4 potential top 10 picks in this year’s draft in this one. Hey speaking of that…
NBA Prospects
Harrison Barnes, UNC: SF, Elite scorer and will be at the next level, can score from anywhere…top 3 pick
John Henson, UNC: PF, Elite shot blocker and athlete, offensive game is very raw…lottery pick based on athlecism and upside.
Tyler Zeller, UNC: C, Lacks the upside of Barnes and Henson, but a very, very solid player, 7 footer that can shoot and run the floor…lottery pick
Kendall Marshall, UNC: PG, best PG in the draft this year (if he comes out), weak year for PG’s, but Marshall would be a first round talent regardless of the fellow PGs with him…first round pick.
James Michael McAdoo, UNC: PF, nephew of NBA great Bob McAdoo, didnt do much on a loaded UNC team this year and should stay in school, but he’d be a first round pick if he came out just based on upside….first round pick
Thomas Robinson, Kansas: PF, would have been National Player of the Year if not for Anthony Davis, great scorer and rebounder (18 pts, 11 rebs a game)…top 5 pick
Potential Cinderellas
Belmont: We’ve been over them already, but here they are again. Experience team loaded with 3 point shooters who only lost to Duke by 1 at Cameron in the opener this year. As good a bet as any to make a deep run as a low seed.
Detroit: I’m gonna throw it out there that as a super long shot for a 15 seed to knock of a 2 seed, watch out for Detroit. They have a big time talent in Ray McCallum, who is only at a small school like Detroit because his dad coaches there. Only 4 15 seeds have ever knocked off a 2 and if it were to happen this year, this would be the game.
Bill Sall Pick To Win The Region That You Should Ignore Because I Never Win My Bracket
UNC. Just too much talent.
South
Top Storyline
Coach Cal. Kentucky can prove nothing in this region. Anything short of winning his first National Title would be a huge dissapointment. Can such a young team handle that pressure?
Best First Round Game
(5) Wichita State vs (12) VCU
Two of the top mid major programs in the country squaring off in round 1. The Shockers are lead by 7 footer Garrett Stultz and sharpshooter Joe Ragland, should have been seeded higher and are stuck against a dangerous VCU team. Also, Gregg Marshall and Shaka Smart might both bail for higher profile jobs after the season.
Best Potential Late Round Games
Kentucky vs UConn (round 2)
If only because John Calipari and Jim Calhoun hate each other from Coach Cal’s UMass days. UConn is also loaded with talent and if they show up, could give Kentucky a hell of a game.
Kentucky vs Duke (Elite 8)
A rematch of the Christain Laettner game, 2o years later would be pretty cool. I don’t think Duke gets this far though.
NBA Propsects
Anthony Davis, Kentucky: C, the hands down, no doubt top pick in the draft this year, a franchise changer for whoever drafts him…number 1 pick.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky: SF, versatile, tough and a great athlete, slowed down at the end of the year and needs to work on his jumper, but a top 10 pick based on upside alone
Terrence Jones, Kentucky: PF, A dissapointment for the second year in a row, seems to dissappear for long stretches, but is still considered an NBA prospect based on his upside…first round pick
Andre Drummond, UConn: C, Was one of the more hyped freshman in the country heading into this year, but was a huge dissapointment, he’s still super young, huge (7 footer) and talented as hell, so not only would he be a lottery pick if he comes out, but I bet he still goes top 5.
Perry Jones III, Baylor: PF, Our third dissapointment in a row! Like Jones and Drummond, he’s supremely talented, but dissappears so often that they should put his face on a milk carton, but he’s also 6″10 and can shoot and run the floor so he’s still a top 10 pick if he comes out.
Quincy Miller, Baylor: SF, Coming off a torn ACL in high school, wasn’t quite as good as expected this year, but will get better as he regains his athleticism from the injury…first round pick.
Austin Rivers, Duke: SG, Doc’s kid started slow, but heated up and nailed a buzzer beating 3 to beat UNC in Chapel Hill. Loaded with upside and if Duke makes a run, it’ll be because he got hot…lottery pick.
Jeremy Lamb, UConn: SF, didn’t quite explode this year like many thought he would without Kemba Walker, but still a very solid season, won’t be a star at the next level but could be a very good complimentary player…lottery pick.
Mike Moser, UNLV: PF, versatile big man that can shoot the 3 and grabs a ton of rebounds, capable of carrying UNLV to the Elite Eight….late first round pick.
Potential Cinderella
UNLV: A 6 seed isn’t technically a Cinderella, but they’re a very good team that doesn’t get much press. Lead by Mike Moser, I expect them to knock off higher seeded, but inconsistent Baylor and Duke to reach the Elite Eight.
South Dakota State: The 14th seeded Jackrabbits could give Baylor hell in round 1. Despite being loaded with talent, Baylor has a tendency to coast and not show up. High scoring PG Nate Wolters is one of the best players that you haven’t heard of in the country and could lead the big time upset in round 1.
Bill Sall Pick To Win The Region That You Should Ignore Because I Never Win My Bracket
Kentucky. I’d love to be bold and daring, but barring an epic collapse (which would be awesome), I can’t see Anthony Davis and the Wildcats not making it out of this region.
Final Four
Kentucky over Missouri: I love Mizzou, but they have no answer for Anthony Davis inside.
UNC over Vanderbilt: Too much Barnes and Zeller and Vandy does not have an answer for Kendall Marshall.
National Championship
I don’t like Kentucky, I don’t like John Calipari and I don’t like picking the favorite to win it all. But, Kentucky is just too damn good. Anthony Davis leads them to the title and starts getting Andrew Luck-type hype as the NBA draft gets closer and closer.
Wily Mo Moonshot 