NCAA Tournament Predictions

[General Chaos]

Looking for some insight on the upcoming tournament. Obviously things will change once the brackets are released but felt like getting a discussion going.

Which team is going to make a run?

Who will win it all?

What top seed will get bounced early?

Who's your sleeper?

I haven't followed basketball outside of the PAC-10 much this year so I'd love to hear what people see on a national stage.

 

[Russ Smith]

I think Ohio State is the best team unless Kyrie Irving magically returns for Duke.

hard to say beyond that there aren't any great teams, I like TOSU because Sullinger is so good the rest of the team gets open shots.

there are just not any teams that jump out at me as being clear cut favorites this year.

 

[AzStevenCal]

This is as wide open of a year as I can remember. Kansas has a lot of talent but they don't always play to their level. Ohio State's Sullinger is probably the most unstoppable player in the country. UConn might surprise and go on a run, they have everything a champion needs. They have a great clutch guard in Kemba and their big guys have finally started to play to their level. If I had to pick it would come from one of these 3 teams.

It's hard not to toss Pitt into that group also as they, more than any team in the country, have been in every single game they've played. I think their worst loss was by 7 points and all the rest of them have been by one possession.

Steve

 

[Russ Smith]

This is as wide open of a year as I can remember. Kansas has a lot of talent but they don't always play to their level. Ohio State's Sullinger is probably the most unstoppable player in the country. UConn might surprise and go on a run, they have everything a champion needs. They have a great clutch guard in Kemba and their big guys have finally started to play to their level. If I had to pick it would come from one of these 3 teams.

It's hard not to toss Pitt into that group also as they, more than any team in the country, have been in every single game they've played. I think their worst loss was by 7 points and all the rest of them have been by one possession.

Steve

Pitt to me is like the old Don Nelson Milwaukee Bucks who'd play hard all regular season win 50+ games, and then lose early in the playoffs when everyone plays harder.

Dixon gets them to play hard but they're not overly talented so in the tourney they tend to underachieve because they overachieve in the regular season. Good coach needs more talent.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Pitt to me is like the old Don Nelson Milwaukee Bucks who'd play hard all regular season win 50+ games, and then lose early in the playoffs when everyone plays harder.

Dixon gets them to play hard but they're not overly talented so in the tourney they tend to underachieve because they overachieve in the regular season. Good coach needs more talent.

I think they are more like Cincinnati with Huggins. They play very physically and get away with it during the regular season but, inevitably, they will run into a crew in the tournament that won't allow that kind of contact. As you said, they are not the most talented team - so once you limit the contact they become much more vulnerable. That said, I think this squad is a little more talented than other Dixon teams,

BTW, I think the same was true of Pitt under the previous head coach although I can't remember what happened to that guy. Maybe he's back at NAU or perhaps headed that way.

Steve

 

[Russ Smith]

I think they are more like Cincinnati with Huggins. They play very physically and get away with it during the regular season but, inevitably, they will run into a crew in the tournament that won't allow that kind of contact. As you said, they are not the most talented team - so once you limit the contact they become much more vulnerable. That said, I think this squad is a little more talented than other Dixon teams,

BTW, I think the same was true of Pitt under the previous head coach although I can't remember what happened to that guy. Maybe he's back at NAU or perhaps headed that way.

Steve

Exactly the same howland's Pitt teams overachieved in the regular season and then not in the tournament.

When he had better talent at UCLA he got further.

now, they lay an egg against Oregon becaues he has kids who don't hate to lose.