This is tough, though.

Because there are teams that looked bad last weekend but you know some will bounce back.

And on the flip side, there will be teams that enter with momentum that flop.

Toughest game for me is Old Dominion/Notre Dame.

I like the way ND looked as a team late in the year, but all those teams from that conference, like ODU, are athletic and good tournament teams that will make shots and hang around.

I just cannot make my decision on whether to pick Butler or UTEP, and it's starting to piss me off.

CinciX12 wrote:

DeyDurkie5 wrote:

CinciX12 wrote: Minnesota over Xavier? Thats funny.

21-13, 9-9 in the Big 10. I'm literally sweating because of how nervous I am. Not.

10+ X win.

xavier sucks big guy

Based on what? Name one thing about them.

Their name is xavier

This is really the first time I've looked over the brackets since Sunday, been busy at work.

I really didn't watch enough college basketball this year to know all the teams, but here are some thoughts looking through it.


Midwest

Michigan State/New Mexico State
...New Mexico State supposedly got their team together late in the season and played their best ball, obviously a dangerous team. Michigan State has injury issues but it sounds like a lot of those guys will play. I think with a few days off to read all the critcism, the Spartans will put together a focused week of practice and meet the challenge in a situation where they have to respond. I'm taking Michigan State despite the upset vibe.

Maryland/Houston
...I like Houston a lot. Their backcourt is good. The concern with Maryland is who else will step up besides Vazquez? They have the big guy Williams, who is only a freshman, and he's been up and down. They need him to play well to win two, maybe even one. I'll probably still take Maryland but I don't feel safe about it.


West

Butler/UTEP
...I like UTEP. They are loaded with talent. Went 15-1 in Conference USA and still had a good chance against Houston but had a few turnovers late that swung the tide. Butler is a good team but athletically I think UTEP has a matchup they can exploit. This is also the game that's on in the West but not the East. That game is usually interesting and I think often produces a surprise.

Vandy/Murray State
...I hate doing this but I'm going No. 12 and No. 13 advance.

Xavier/Minnesota
...I'm going back and forth here. I think Minnesota could flop after a decent showing in the Big Ten tournament. Xavier can be pesky come tournament time.

BYU/Florida
...It's one of the first games on Thursday. You know it will be back-and-forth and decided late to get the tourney started with some drama. I'm probably going to pick Florida. I just don't know BYU that much.


East

I don't see too much trouble here. Famous last words.


South

Texas A&M/Utah State
Purdue/Siena
...Good luck with these two games and deciding which team makes it to the Sweet 16.

Notre Dame/Old Dominion
...This is also in the first time slot. BYU/Florida and Notre Dame/Old Dominion will start things off with a bang and have many feeling good -- or bad -- real quickly about their picks. ODU will get most of the love, but I like the way the Irish responded to Mike Brey late in the season.

Richmond/St. Mary's
...Richmond is the better team if they played three out of four but like Gonzaga, St. Mary's can catch fire in a one-game situation.

DeyDurkie5 wrote:

CinciX12 wrote:

DeyDurkie5 wrote:

CinciX12 wrote: Minnesota over Xavier? Thats funny.

21-13, 9-9 in the Big 10. I'm literally sweating because of how nervous I am. Not.

10+ X win.

xavier sucks big guy

Based on what? Name one thing about them.

Their name is xavier

Agreed.

UTEP over Butler
Murray St. over Vandy
Old Dominion over Notre Dame
Washington over Marquette

FairwoodKing wrote:

DeyDurkie5 wrote:

CinciX12 wrote:

DeyDurkie5 wrote:

CinciX12 wrote: Minnesota over Xavier? Thats funny.

21-13, 9-9 in the Big 10. I'm literally sweating because of how nervous I am. Not.

10+ X win.

xavier sucks big guy

Based on what? Name one thing about them.

Their name is xavier

Agreed.

How does Brian Gregory prefer his oral care?

UTEP over Butler
Richmond over 'Nova in 2nd round
Washington over Marquette
Georgia Tech over Okie State
Mizzou over Clemson

I think most of the people here and around the country are on the wrong side with Siena over Purdue. I watched Siena practice today and will watch both teams practice tomorrow. Siena's point guard couldn't go today because of a bad ankle. Purdue has now had some time to adjust to playing without Hummel.

About every game Siena has played against a good opponent this year, they have lost, and some of then decisively. The OSU game last year has everyone on the Siena bandwagon and I think Purdue is the play here.

San Diego St. over Tennessee
Utep over Butler
BYU over Kansas St. (and then over Pitt, advancing to the elite 8)
Wisconsin over Kentucky in the sweet 16
Siena over Purdue (and then over Texas A&M)

JoeA, Siena also beat Vanderbilt 2 years ago. The players on this team know how to win in March.

BTW, Siena isnt playing a good team...Purdue has been bad without Hummell.

Laley23 wrote: I got way to many. I really need to do some research to eliminate them. Right now:

ODU over ND
Siena over Purdue
GT over OK ST
UTEP over Butler
Murray State over Vandy (and subsequently over UTEP)
Utah St over Texas A&M (and subsequently over Siena)
Saint Mary's over Richmond

I guess that isnt all that many, but it seems like I have a ton in the South and West and none in the Midwest and East.

Nice work thus far. if you stuck to your original guns. 3-3. I dont see Siena beating Purdue though.

I stuck to them! Im 7-0 on the day, but I always start strong and then go like 8-8 tomorrow haha.

Laley23 wrote: JoeA, Siena also beat Vanderbilt 2 years ago. The players on this team know how to win in March.

BTW, Siena isnt playing a good team...Purdue has been bad without Hummell.

Laley: I told you so with Purdue. I was literally around each team and their coaching staffs for about two hours on each Wednesday and Thursday. They practiced at my school and I sat there watching each team, chatting on occasion with assistant coaches and staff. Purdue wasn't going to be denied and Siena wasn't playing at 100% either because of injuries.

I also thought Purdue was underrated because of its horrible play against Minnesota and Siena was overrated because of about 5 good minutes of play vs. Ohio State last year. I honestly think Purdue was the bet of the NCAA tournament minus the 3 points against Siena.

Having said that, I watched that game today and then the Texas A&M game and I don't see Purdue beating A&M.

My underdogs for tomorrow. OU over Tennessee and St. Mary's should blow out Villanova. (For those who care about such things...plus 8.5 points and plus 4.5 points respectively )

Oh...and one more...Cornell will likely win on Sunday. Those braintards can flat out play. People forget that they damn near beat KU at Kansas this year.

My upset picks for round 2

Cornell over Wisconsin
Old Dominion over Baylor

JoeA1010 wrote:

Laley: I told you so with Purdue. I was literally around each team and their coaching staffs for about two hours on each Wednesday and Thursday. They practiced at my school and I sat there watching each team, chatting on occasion with assistant coaches and staff. Purdue wasn't going to be denied and Siena wasn't playing at 100% either because of injuries.

I also thought Purdue was underrated because of its horrible play against Minnesota and Siena was overrated because of about 5 good minutes of play vs. Ohio State last year. I honestly think Purdue was the bet of the NCAA tournament minus the 3 points against Siena.

Having said that, I watched that game today and then the Texas A&M game and I don't see Purdue beating A&M.

I was never denying that Purdue could win, I was just saying WHY Siena was the hot upset pick. I bought into them, and I honestly had NO clue that Jackson wasnt playing. The game is different with him in the lineup

I'll take Quincy Pondexter over New Mexico.

Purdue is still a very good team without Hummel. They aren't as good as they are with him, but one bad game against a desperate Minnesota team doesn't make Purdue a bad team all of a sudden.

As for today, everyone is picking St. Mary's, and rightfully so because Villanova isn't that good, but it makes me think Nova wins today.

Tennessee will destroy Ohio unfortunately. Ohio was able to get their guards going against Georgetown, but Tennessee's backcourt is much quicker than Georgetown's. They will play the same game Ohio does, only play it better with better players.

Cleveland Buck wrote: Purdue is still a very good team without Hummel. They aren't as good as they are with him, but one bad game against a desperate Minnesota team doesn't make Purdue a bad team all of a sudden.

Ill only go as far as to say Average. They are 4-2 without him but their wins are against Indiana at home, PSU on the road, NW at home. NW and PSU gave them good games and those teams were very good. Indiana just blows, so Purdue could blow them out with their back-ups lol.

They got shellacked by Minny and couldnt score to save their lives. They got beat by MSU at Purdue and only scored 44 points. Seina is their best win to date without Hummel and it wasnt necessarily convincing. If they take out aTm I will (obviously) say they have it figured out. But I doubt they can hang with them.

They still have players though. They just need time to adjust to playing without him again. Last year they made the Sweet 16 without him with pretty much the same team. It's not like he dominated the ball on offense, so they just need to figure out what to do now when before they would have kicked it out to him for a three. Texas A&M is a good team, and if Purdue hasn't figured it out yet, they will lose, but if they do get it in time, they can take A&M.

Footwedge wrote: My underdogs for tomorrow. OU over Tennessee and St. Mary's should blow out Villanova. (For those who care about such things...plus 8.5 points and plus 4.5 points respectively )

1 for 1. Come on OU. Hit your shots and then you can beat Tennessee.

I have Washington in the Sweet 16, so I will be cheering loud for Quincy to go Detlef.

Good thing another Big 10 team was better than Xavier.