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Final Four Picks
March Madness is upon us...
I know Aristonica set up a league in another thread (SEE: This Thread ), but I thought I'd start another to get your picks for the Final Four.
I see Illinois, UNC, Louisville, and Syracuse making it.
Illinois is the best 5-Deep team in the country, hands down. Their guard play is solid, they have two substantial big guys down low... but their bench is a wee bit soft. I think their starting five can take them all the way, but it's a rocky road.
UNC is the most talented team in the country, but they have a real penchant for underachieving (See first game of the season's outcome: L to Santa Clara University). They could either win it all, or lose in the second round.
Louisville is the number 4 team in the country by some polls this week... but they got screwed in my opinion with a 4 seed. By rights, they should probably be a 2 Seed. They're the most dangerous four seed in quite some time, and the Albuquerque bracket is wide open.
Syracuse has pretty much everyone back from last year... and most players back from the 2003 Championship team (minus Carmello, of course). They have a real shot at winning it all, and are hot after winning the Big East Tourney this weekend. The Big East is probably the toughest conference in the country this year too, with Villanova, Syracuse, Boston College, Connecticut all getting seeds of 5 or higher. Sure the ACC has a full stack this year too.. but after the big four of UNC, Duke, Wake, and GT, it really trails off (where were Maryland and NC State this year??), while the Big East still has Pitt, West Virginia, and Notre Dame.
Anyway, who are your picks?
Illinois - The Illini will have a rough second and third round in Texas and 'Bama, both possible upsets. If Arizona is on their game, Stoudamire can beat the Illini by himself. However, the rest of the team is extremely streaky and if they're not on top of their game, they will get run all over by Ok. State. As long as the Illini play the all-around game they have been, they'll get through, although it may not be pretty.
Wake Forest - Definitely the second most difficult bracket this year (would be the most difficult if Washington was replaced with a more consistent team). With a low-seeded Pittsburgh (who will beat Washington if Krauser and Troutman take over), the potential in GTech and Gonzaga, all coupled with two very talented teams in Louisville and Wake Forest, I see the potential for 4 different teams to make the Final Four. However, Wake Forest has just been on point while Paul is healthy.
UConn - UNC always finds a way to lose in the tournament. They never get beat, they simply beat themselves. Villanueva will dominate the post against whoever they play, but this without a doubt is the toughest bracket to come out of, with the best 1-4 out of all 4 brackets.
Syracuse - Syracuse has been inconsistent throughout the year, but coming out of the most challenging conference in the nation will prove to be the deciding factor. They always show up when it comes tournament time, and Duke is all that stands in their way to a Final Four berth.
I think whoever wins the Illinois/Wake game will go on to cut down the nets, if they don't get beat up with all the tough competition.
Ok, these are my first brainless picks:
By that i mean, the first time thru, i just pick blindly
on gut instinct, without really thinking....
Next I do picks after I've studies the teams and tendencies.
Will post those Thursday. For now:
Illinois
Wake Forest
N.Carolina
Syracuse
Final: Wake Forest vs N.Carolina
Cahmp: Wake Forest, 81-78
As entered on ESPN
Haven't looked at the brackets to see if this could actually happen, but Gonzaga, Wake Forest, Arizona and Louisville.
Gonzaga has always been the team I have a soft spot for because no matter how high their ranked, they are always America's underdog 
| quote: |
| Originally posted by SPANIARD Haven't looked at the brackets to see if this could actually happen, but Gonzaga, Wake Forest, Arizona and Louisville. |
Ill-noise - simple bracket, only problem will be Alabama later on
NC - most complete team of the tourney
Louisville - on fire right now
Duke - never count them out, rebuilding year my ass
this has got to be one of the hardest tournament draw decisions i have ever made .. most of the top teams do not have an inside presence (which is key to winning a championship .. history proves shooting teams do not make it to the end) or have the go-to guy at the last two minutes...
after many tournament fill-ins (i think i did like 6 or 7 so far.) .. i have figured that illinois, washington, and duke will eventually be knocked out at the sweet 16 or elite 8 .. they dont have a clear inside presence and illinois will definately have trouble going against either nevada or boston college .. north carolina has sean may (mr. double double) .. so they can take care of themselves if they have a bad shooting night ..
my top 8 is (out of the blue, because i have so many top 4) (with winners in BOLD) :
arizona beats boston college
louisville beats texas tech
north carolina beats wisconsin .. 
syracuse beats utah ..
a crazy elite 8 there ..
| quote: |
| Originally posted by SPANIARD Haven't looked at the brackets to see if this could actually happen, but Gonzaga, Wake Forest, Arizona and Louisville. Gonzaga has always been the team I have a soft spot for because no matter how high their ranked, they are always America's underdog |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by LeopoldStotch arizona beats boston college louisville beats texas tech north carolina beats wisconsin .. syracuse beats utah .. a crazy elite 8 there .. |
)
| quote: |
| Originally posted by che Ahhhh its always a tough thing with the Zags...the problem is that when they are seeded low is when they play best in the tourney. Seems like the sense of urgency kicks in and they step up their game. When there are too many expectations they seem to struggle. I see them going out early. |
Wake Forest
Ok State
North Carolina
Syracuse
Syracuse & OSU in finale
Syracuse Winning
CUSE CUSE CUSE CUSE CUSE CUSE CUSE!!! <-Orangeman
Upset Specials:
Wisconsin-Milwaukee (12) over 'Bama (5).
That should answer the questions of whether 'Bama will beat Illinois or not.
West Virginia (7) over Wake Forest (2) (2nd Round).
WV is HOT. Wake is not.
New Mexico (12) over Villanova (5)... and then Florida (4) (2nd Round).
Danny Granger is one of the best players in the country, and helped handle Andrew Bogut this weekend. New Mexico is largely untested, but has the talent.
Charlotte (7) over UCONN (2) (2nd Round).
I'm sorry, but UConn is really overrated this year. And Charlotte has outstanding guard play and really puts points on the board.
Utah (6) over Oklahoma (3)... and then Kentucky (2).
I don't know if these are really even upsets. Utah is solid. Oklahoma and Kentucky are both suspect. After all, Kentucky got smoked this weekend, and Oklahoma doesn't always show up in the big games.
I know some (if not most) of these will be wrong... but I think they're all plausible.
I love March.
it will be a real upset if kansas makes it to the sweet 16 without keith langford ..
if they can make it without him, they can possibly run the bracket and beat north carolina .. kansas really needs keith langford right now ..
my bracket ended up with Wake Forest,Arizona,Kansas & Oklahoma as my final four.With Kansas beating wake in the finals(i think Roy Williams would freak if this happened)
| quote: |
| Originally posted by LeopoldStotch kansas really needs keith langford right now .. |
In shock right now, Syracuse out knocked out by Vermont!!
Did so good in my pool but now the team I picked to win it all is bounced. My fav team too. Fuck
that is f'd up man ...
vermont beating syracuse .. i knew taylor coppenwrath had talent, but i didn't think his team would beat syracuse ..
the ta league looks very tight .. i think this weekend is going to seperate the men from the boys (well if there are ladies in the pool, then the women from the girlie girls) ...
it's going to be do or die for me this weekend, because i think i am the only person in the ta league that picked :
west virginia over wake forest
utah over oklahoma
florida to the sweet 16 over villanova (picked new mexico .. damn .. danny granger let me down ..)
wisconsin over kansas ...
| quote: |
| Originally posted by LeopoldStotch west virginia over wake forest |
- for those of you that picked Syracuse to go anywhere
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Aristronica - for those of you that picked Syracuse to go anywhere |
BYE BYE KANSAS!!
Great night full of upsets
| quote: |
| Originally posted by SlackerBoy9 .damn Ncaa basketball has the best playoffs in sports |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by InterMilan31 BYE BYE KANSAS!! Great night full of upsets |
damn kansas lost ...
oh well .. makes it easier for wisconsin to get to the sweet 16 ...
go badgers! ....
well for now .. hahahhaha ..
and yes west virginia had a tough game, but wake forest also had a tough game against chattanoga .. i thought wake forest struggled more than west virginia in their first games, because wake forest lives and dies on the perimeter .. they have a weak inside game .. then again, west virginia doesn't have any interior either ..
we will see today ..
- for Texas Tech
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