March Madness Thread

[dew1679666265]

And let's give everyone a chance to look smart right now. What's your biggest surprise/upset pick? Mine seems to be concentrated in the West, San Diego to the Sweet 16, and Xavier to the Final 4.

 

No major upsets in the East for me. Biggest surprises are South Alabama over Butler (just a hunch, probably stupid - or wishful thinking :D ) and Tennessee over UNC to go to the Final Four.

 

I'm really going out on a limb in the Midwest, though, calling Vandy over Kansas in the Sweet 16. Nothing against Kansas on that pick, I just think Vandy's due one major upset in the tourney. On a lesser note, I have USC taking out Wisconsin before falling to Georgetown.

 

Only real surprises in the South are Kentucky pulling a miracle in the first round and taking down Marquette before likely getting crushed by Stanford. I also have Pitt (who I really like) eliminating Memphis and heading to the Final Four.

 

In the West I've got Drake hitting the Sweet 16 before losing to UCLA - who in turn I have defeating Xavier for the Final Four bid.

 

My Final Four is Tennessee v Georgetown and UCLA v Pitt. Georgetown handles Tennessee fairly easily at that point and UCLA takes out Pitt. Georgetown then defeats UCLA for the title.

 

Raisin, when is Luc Richard scheduled to return? That could make a big difference in my tough decision between them and Xavier.

[Guest]

Raisin, when is Luc Richard scheduled to return? That could make a big difference in my tough decision between them and Xavier.

 

Nothing official but my guess is he'll be held out Thursday and will play Saturday (if, of course, UCLA wins on Thursday). He's off crutches, still in his precautionary walking boot but shot around after his final yesterday. Haven't heard back about today's practice yet.

[dew1679666265]

Raisin, when is Luc Richard scheduled to return? That could make a big difference in my tough decision between them and Xavier.

 

Nothing official but my guess is he'll be held out Thursday and will play Saturday (if, of course, UCLA wins on Thursday). He's off crutches, still in his precautionary walking boot but shot around after his final yesterday. Haven't heard back about today's practice yet.

 

Thanks. Last I heard nobody knew when he'd get back.

[hawkeyecub]

I just can't find a team I'm willing to stick with in the South. I like Stanford and I keep finding logic in how they can beat Marquette, Texas and Memphis. Then I think they're too risky because their offense isn't that great and it could really struggle if Brook gets in foul trouble.

 

I like Kansas, UCLA and Louisville as the other three. I'm going with way too much chalk this year throughout.

[Guest]

What a pleasant surprise...Luc Richard Mbah a Moute practiced today and will start tomorrow in Anaheim. :)

[Exile on Waveland]

I just can't find a team I'm willing to stick with in the South. I like Stanford and I keep finding logic in how they can beat Marquette, Texas and Memphis. Then I think they're too risky because their offense isn't that great and it could really struggle if Brook gets in foul trouble.

 

I like Kansas, UCLA and Louisville as the other three. I'm going with way too much chalk this year throughout.

 

I hate the South, too. I'm waffling between Memphis/Pitt and Texas/Stanford. It's easier in the other regions -- not saying I'm correct -- picking UCLA, Kansas/Georgetown and UNC/Louisville (yes, I left out Tennessee). I'm going to stick with Stanford, I think, but I'm worried about their offense, point guard play, foul trouble, and the fact they don't "feel" like a Final Four team.

[snoodmonger]

KU, Louisville, Stanford, UCLA

 

upsets: Siena over Vandy, Davidson over Gonzaga, So Alabama to the sweet 16, Zona to the sweet 16, St. Mary's over Miami,

[Mizzou]

I've got UNC beating Texas in the finals. Duke and kU as my other Final Four Teams.

 

I've also got Davidson making it to the Elite Eight.

[TruffleShuffle]

KU, Louisville, Stanford, UCLA

 

upsets: Siena over Vandy, Davidson over Gonzaga, So Alabama to the sweet 16, Zona to the sweet 16, St. Mary's over Miami,

 

](*,)

 

everyone keeps calling this an upset. davidson is FAVORED over gonzaga, and miami is a one point favorite over st. mary's. if you're going to start talking about your upsets, go with 11 seeds or higher winning. 8-9 games are a toss-up and 10 seeds, if i remember correctly, win over 40 percent of their games.

 

my upsets:

cornell over stanford

san diego over uconn

villanova over clemson

vandy over kansas

pitt over memphis

 

those are the ones i can remember off the top of my head.

[SouthSideRyan]

Dew what you said weren't upsets.

 

Davidson to Final 4.

 

Duke, Tennessee, Memphis, and Georgetown all falling in the 2nd round. Nova and St. Joe's to the sweet 16.

[TruffleShuffle]

oh yeah, i also have davidson over g'town.

[Vanilla Ice]

I've got UNC beating Texas in the finals. Duke and kU as my other Final Four Teams.

 

I've also got Davidson making it to the Elite Eight.

 

I'd change that ASAP, our guys are all out of gas and we've been slumping pretty badly.

[snoodmonger]

KU, Louisville, Stanford, UCLA

 

upsets: Siena over Vandy, Davidson over Gonzaga, So Alabama to the sweet 16, Zona to the sweet 16, St. Mary's over Miami,

 

](*,)

 

everyone keeps calling this an upset. davidson is FAVORED over gonzaga, and miami is a one point favorite over st. mary's. if you're going to start talking about your upsets, go with 11 seeds or higher winning. 8-9 games are a toss-up and 10 seeds, if i remember correctly, win over 40 percent of their games.

 

my upsets:

cornell over stanford

san diego over uconn

villanova over clemson

vandy over kansas

pitt over memphis

 

those are the ones i can remember off the top of my head.

 

relax. a lot of people think lower-seeded, small conference teams winning = upset. that's all i meant.

[dew1679666265]

Dew what you said weren't upsets.

 

Davidson to Final 4.

 

Duke, Tennessee, Memphis, and Georgetown all falling in the 2nd round. Nova and St. Joe's to the sweet 16.

 

Some were clear upsets, some were just a lower seed beating a higher seed (some more improbable than others).

 

I'd say UK over Marquette is pretty clearly an upset, as is Vandy over Kansas. Tennessee over UNC is a minor upset - only because UNC's reputation will have them perceived to be favorites - as is, perhaps, South Alabama over Butler. I call that an upset only because Butler is better than a 7 seed. They should have been a 5 seed or so, which would have been a much bigger upset on paper.

 

Some games aren't really upsets. I have Davidson winning first round - not a big deal. Pitt over Memphis is a bit of going against the grain, but nothing of great significance. The championship is really no upset either - I figure there will be quite a few people with one or both of UCLA and Georgetown in the final game.

[Guest]

I ended up going with three No. 1 seeds (UNC, Kansas and UCLA) and a No. 2 seed (Texas) and I'm not happy about it. But with the way my bracket worked out I couldn't rationalize any of those three No. 1 seeds losing. Oh well.

 

And I have Kansas over UCLA in the final.

[jyoung55]

I've got UNC beating Texas in the finals. Duke and kU as my other Final Four Teams.

 

I've also got Davidson making it to the Elite Eight.

 

I'd change that ASAP, our guys are all out of gas and we've been slumping pretty badly.

 

 

Neither out of gas nor slumping... Duke just isn't good. They'll lose in the 2nd Round or Sweet Sixteen.

[illiniguy]

I've got UNC beating Texas in the finals. Duke and kU as my other Final Four Teams.

 

I've also got Davidson making it to the Elite Eight.

 

I'd change that ASAP, our guys are all out of gas and we've been slumping pretty badly.

 

 

Neither out of gas nor slumping... Duke just isn't good. They'll lose in the 2nd Round or Sweet Sixteen.

Duke is good. They should be better than they are though. Nolan Smith should be their starting point guard, but since he is burried behind Paulus the team isn't as good as it should be. Well that and they have no post players.

[Flames24Rulz]

I ended up going with three No. 1 seeds (UNC, Kansas and UCLA) and a No. 2 seed (Texas) and I'm not happy about it. But with the way my bracket worked out I couldn't rationalize any of those three No. 1 seeds losing. Oh well.

 

And I have Kansas over UCLA in the final.

 

That's exactly what I have.

[bukie]

I've got UCLA, Texas (although I'm not happy with this pick), Louisville and Wisconsin in the Final Four. UCLA over Wisconsin in the final.

[B]

Tennessee, Kansas, Texas, UCLA.

 

UCLA over Kansas.

[jersey cubs fan]

Drew Carey is horrible on Price is Right. And I like him in general.

[bukie]

Drew Carey is horrible on Price is Right. And I like him in general.

 

That was a bit of a non-sequitur...

[jersey cubs fan]

Drew Carey is horrible on Price is Right. And I like him in general.

 

That was a bit of a non-sequitur...

 

I turned on CBS expecting basketball, and instead found a very bored sounding Drew giving away a trailer.

[Derwood]

when do games tip off?

[Flames24Rulz]

when do games tip off?

 

10 minutes.