Here, I tell Joe Lunardi how average his performance was this year as bracketologist. Come on, Joe – you missed two selections. Ghastly.
| BataviasBest.org
Thursday, March 19, 2015
This year, although Kentucky is the clear favorite to hoist the title at the conclusion of the tournament, I believe there are tons of possibilities for classic March Madness-type contests which will certainly bring plenty of excitement to fans all over the country. Here is a short breakdown for each region:
Midwest Region: Kentucky as #1 seed
In this section of the bracket, there is just one team that I believe can match up with Kentucky’s size and athleticism – Kansas.
However, as I have the Jayhawks losing to Notre Dame in the Sweet Sixteen, I do not believe the matchup between KU and UK will take place. Therefore, I truly see Kentucky walking their way to the Final Four.
Although teams such as Maryland, Wichita State, and the Irish are all teams worthy of a trip to Indianapolis, the Wildcats are too big, and too physical for them to contend with throughout the course of a tournament game, in my opinion.
West Region: Wisconsin as #1 seed
Out West, a lot of interesting things can happen.
With five teams possessing a realistic shot to make it all the way to the Final Four I see bedlam taking place from start to finish. Here is a what I saw from each of the teams that have a chance to make it out of the West:
Wisconsin
I really like their ability to move the ball and patience offensively, however, I think Frank Kaminsky is just a bit overrated and believe he will get exposed when put up against the size and strength presented to him during the later rounds. Also, Bronson Koenig is an extremely talented point guard (who began the season as a backup) and has the potential to shoot 50% from three throughout the tournament – which will give his team a good chance of proving me wrong.
Arizona
Arizona is the most-talented team in this bracket in my opinion.
They have size, strength, and possess the ability to shoot the basketball at a high percentage. Their forwards are dangerous, and I also like their guard play – which is extremely important come tournament time.
North Carolina
I hate many things associated with Roy Williams, however, this UNC team is not one of them. I like their size and athleticism, and Marcus Paige is a good player.
Ohio State
The Buckeyes are an extremely young team from what I can tell (two Freshman scorers including D’Angelo Russel) but they may have the most-potential in this bracket offensively. With several players displaying ability to find the basket throughout my time watching them, a ten seed was very low, in my opinion. In addition, they play a team in the first round in VCU who really struggles to score which will likely allow them to advance.
Georgia State
Although I didn’t have the guts to pick them to beat Arizona, Georgia State is a high-upside team in this tournament. Coming in as a 14-seed, I think they will beat #3 Baylor, then beat Xavier in order to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.
RJ Hunter, the Georgia State coach’s son, can absolutely sling it from the perimeter and really impressed pro scouts at the Michael Jordan camp this past year. He is a true NBA talent and will be the best player on the court during his first two NCAA Tournament games in 2015.
Along with Hunter, Georgia State also has good size which will allow them to matchup with any team that is put in front of them. GS is my upset special from this region.
East Region: Villanova as #1 seed
To be honest here, I just don’t think Villanova is that good. They played nobody during the regular year and will continue to play nobody (except perhaps Louisville who has a chance to beat them) until they reach Oklahoma, Virginia, or Michigan State in the Elite Eight – where I’m not sure they will be able to win.
Elsewhere in this bracket, I really like Oklahoma. With Buddy Hield and several other talented players in tow, OU is on the verge of bringing the success of the ’90s and early 2000s back to the Sooner State. Lon Kruger is one of the most-winningest coaches in the NCAA and it is finally time for his Oklahoma team to prove its worth.
My upset special in this section of the bracket is Wyoming. Coming equipped with Larry Nance Jr. (son of former Cavs forward Larry Nance Sr.) who can both bang and shoot the three, I believe the Cowboys will steal one from Northern Iowa in the first round.
South Region: Duke as #1 seed
Finally, we get to the Dirty South – the most interesting of all regions.
With three teams who each have a legitimate chance to win the tournament, this section will provide enough drama for the other three brackets combined.
At the top, Duke will have a tough matchup with a well-sized, and deceivingly-skilled San Diego State team – who I believe may beat the Blue Devils. However, if they are to win their first two, Georgetown or Utah will likely be waiting for Duke – who I expect them to handle with relative ease. Next up in the Elite Eight would be – as I see it – Iowa State or Gonzaga, who are each quality teams.
Iowa State, or ‘Transfer U’, has been a toll booth of sorts when it comes to some of the top talent in the NCAA the past few seasons.The Cyclones have shipped in and shipped out so many players that its hard to keep track, including 6’8″ physical freak Jameel McKay – who missed the first nine games of 2015 due to transfer issues but will give this team an added dimension they will need down the road. In addition to much of their roster being in constant flux, however, Iowa State has one of the most-unique talents in the country in Georges Niang – who has been at ISU throughout his career, but missed the 2014 NCAA Tournament with a broken foot. Back healthy this year, Niang gives this squad a great shot to make the Title game.
Standing in the Cyclones’ way, though, will be a talented Gonzaga team who has compiled a great record this year. But, despite their outstanding regular season mark, I believe the Zags to be a bit overrated and see them having trouble in the later rounds of the tournament. Mark Few is a great coach and has one of his best teams ever, but the big men for Gonzaga play relatively soft when put up against more-physical matchups, and I think they will fall short of the Elite Eight in 2015. One factor that may prove me to be incorrect, however, is their stretch forward Kyle Wiltjer (transfer from Kentucky) who could get hot in any matchup in order to push his team over the edge.
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All in all, I’m expecting another great tournament this year. Stay tuned for my bracket prediction coming soon. In the meantime, join Batavia’s Best Bracket Challenge.
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