Tournament Time

Now that the NCAA Tournament Brackets have been announced, with ESPN providing a printable bracket on their web site for anyone interested, it's time to make a few a few predictions. This is fun, isn't it?

One and done: call me skeptical, but I do not feel comfortable with the circumstances surrounding the Indiana Hoosiers. How often does a team lose in the first round of the NCAA Tournament that possesses not one, but two first round draft picks? D.J. White and Eric Gordon are definitely headed for NBA riches, but their teammates haven't helped enough of late. Come to think of it, Gordon's horrific three-point shooting during the latter half of the Big 10 season could contribute to the Hoosiers quick exit as well. And, oh yeah, Arkansas is playing well right now. IU is going home early.

Sticking with the East Bracket, Notre Dame drew a tough opponent in George Mason. The Patriots are athletic enough to give a very unathletic Notre Dame team (sorry, it's true) fits. Leading the way for the Patriots is the inside-outside duo of Folarin Campbell and Will Thomas, a slasher and a power player. Campbell's propensity to make it to the charity stripe, including thirty-seven free throw attempts in his last three games, could be a pivotal factor. If Campbell consistently gets into the lane, it could cause Big East Player of the Year Luke Harangody to be charged with early fouls. If so, the Irish are in trouble. Conversely, if Harangody scores early and/or causes Thomas to take a seat with foul trouble, the Patriots could be in trouble. This promises to be a great game. I'm going with the Patriots due to Campbell's ability to get into the lane and create free throw opportunities.

Another great matchup that could lead to a five seed dropping out to the hands of a twelve seed is Drake vs. Western Kentucky. Drake has been fantastic at knocking down three point shots all season long. Will Drake be able to keep bombing away while holding down the Hilltoppers' Courtney Lee? Lee accounted for 20.4 points per game to date. If Lee can score twenty-five-plus points against Drake, the Hilltoppers move on. I say Drake is the lone five seed to go down in the opening round. We'll see.

Round Two: I wouldn't want to bet the mortgage on the Pittsburgh vs. Michigan State game. Two excellent coaches coupled with two teams playing well when it counts. That should be a fun matchup. The Panthers will win, but it will be a close game.

Second Week Upset: how about some third-round action? Clemson, fresh off of defeating Duke and losing a good game to North Carolina in the ACC Tournament, to knock off the Midwest's top seed Kansas. You heard correctly. The Tigers are very athletic. Again, very athletic. Clemson gets after its opponent, but it also shoots the trey well. The Tigers' other advantage is balance, with five players scoring average being in double figures. Kansas can be awesome, or it can fold. Jayhawks lose a close game to the Tigers.

Early Final Four Predictions: North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Duke, and Georgetown. The eventual champs? The Tar Heels, by way of defeating Pittsburgh, then Georgetown in the final game. Yeah, big shock, right?