NCAA Tournament
 

Let's hear your final 4 and why (I need help with my picks)...

E

Well, it is hard for me to get to into it this year, since my Tigers already got knocked out....of the NIT:( !

But, my final four picks were Mississippi State, Uconn, Kentucky, and Pitt. These may not be all the popular picks, but to win these office pools, you have got to be a little different.

As far as why...well, Pitt is in the bracket with St. Joseph's. St. Joe will bow out to a better team unless thier guards are just extremely hot....they don't have a real inside presence. Oklahoma State is the real contender in that region, but I just went with a gut feeling that Pitt would get the better of them. Oklahoma state is good, but they have probably overachieved by winning the Big 12 season and tournament. Their run is probably over.

UConn played well even when Okafor was out during the Big East tournament. With him and Villeneuva back, they are my favorite to win it all. Kentucky is the easy pick out of that bracket...I just don't think Gonzaga or Ga Tech will knock them off. KU may put up a fight, but they have been inconsistent this year and it would be tough for them to make a 3rd final four appearance in a row.

MSU is my sleeper pick and is just to be different. They have the toughest road to the Final Four...probably having to go through Texas and Duke. I could see any of those three teams making it our of that region....I don't have a real reason I picked MSU I guess.

No real rhyme or reason to most of it, but those are my picks.

That's cool. At least your team made it to the NIT...my sorry a s s team didn't even get to the NIT hahahaha :D Oh well, there's always next year.

I ended up going with this as my final 4:

Kentucky
Wake Forest
Illinois
Maryland

With Maryland winning it all.

You're right, you gotta be a little different and go out on a limb if you want to win it all. We'll see.

Take it easy,
E

Yea, my team made it to the NIT, but with the expectations we had this year, it was real disappointing. Hell, we were #3 in the nation at one point.....now we aren't even playing.

Being from the SEC I like Miss St and Kentucky don't know enough to pick the rest. I do know Miss St has some luck this year after watching them beat Alabama in the last second.

My team is Alabama and I am pulling for them to make the sweet 16. They will have to play some inspired ball to do that.

Might try eliminating all the ones who can't make it and see what you come up with. At least that will narrow the field.

I think I have SIU upsetting Alabama early. That is an opening round game if I remember correctly, isn't it?

Yes. SIU vs UoA in an afternoon game tomorrow or is it next Thursday?

It would have to be today or tomorrow. All the first and second round games are played over this weekend.

Duke, UConn, Kentucky, Pitt.

Living in Pittsburgh, I don't really care who else is in the final four besides Pitt. The NCAA ganked Pitt's #1 or #2 seed because they lost the Big East Championship in the final minute. If Pitt fell to a #3 seed with a loss, how in the hell is St. Joe's still a #1 seed after their loss?!?? Did anyone watch the selection show and see the interview with St. Joseph's coach Phil Martelli?? He blasted all of the critics who hadn't praised his team for it's season and #1 seed.....it left a real sour taste in my mouth seeing a coach conduct himself like that. If St. Joe's was in the Big East Conference , they probably would have been 8-8 within the conference. Anyone can go undefeated when they play in a garbage conference. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Like I said, I don't care about the other three regions. I hope the St. Joe's pu$$ies stay alive to meet Pitt. :eek:

Roll Tide!!!! Alabama squeeks by. They have lost several at the buzzer lately. I guess its was their turn.

Yea, that was a great finish to that game. Roll Tide! I used to love screaming that on spring break with all the Bama girls.....they were so hot every year!

Roll Tide!!!!! Sweet 16 baby.... Its all gravy from here.

Everyone's brackets should be pretty jacked up after this weekend! Lots of upsets!

How about UAB!!! The Kentucky folks' jaw was on the floor. The earth is off its orbit.

Yea, guess I had no clue when I picked Bama to do out in the first round:) . Congrats to them and....Roll Tide!!

Well my picks remain.

Kansas, Okla State, Duke, and UConn

Kansas: Draw looks more favorable with KY out of thhe tuorney and only the Cinderalla's UAB and Nevada. G Tech may prove to be a but much for Kansas but superior size/experience should prove the difference.

Okla State: Defense wins period. There is no team tougher on the defensive side of the ball in the tourney. Wake Forest has the total package to make it an interesting game but Coach Sutton's boys should advance.

Duke: Easiest draw in the tourney because a lot of the earleir teams were intimadated by the Big Blue Machine. Illinois should put up a better game but eventual the big test will come later with Texas. Great size and experience with Mouton, looking forward to this game. If Duke can get by them ..... it won't hurt as much losing to the National Champions. :)

UConn: Great Big East rep but with only one real scorer, Gordon, will see how hard it is to get to thee final game. Carmelo was able to do it, but I don't think Gordon has the same stuff.
Side note: I had hoped my Alma Mater (NCSU) would give them a good game but, they couldn't hold onto t lead. Up 10 with 3:38 to go.:rolleyes: I guess they didn't deserve a Sweet 16 birth. Damn, yeah , it still stings. :mad:

National championship game, Duke annd Okla State. I think this will be a future classic after the first three minutes. Duke may need some inspired play to score more than 60 against the stingy D of Okla State.

Emeka Okafor isn't a scorer? He's their whole team! Scoring, boards, blocks, etc. Gordon is their outside weapon and he's a sniper. If UConn can keep Okafor's back healthy, they can hang with anyone in college hoops.


What can I say, I have a Big East bias....after all, it is the best conference in college basketball! :D :D

Roll Tide!!! Sarycuse goes down. Final four what are the odds? Who wants to pick Tide in next game. Over the years I have learned not bet against them. I either bet on them or don't bet. I am scratching my head on this next game.

Perhaps, I should quantify "scorer". Someone that can score outside the offense and within the offense. Barring offensive rebound put backs - Okafor will require someone passing him the ball.

Most post players, especially at the college level, rarely rate as scorers.

As for the best conference, well only history can really dictate that title. ;)

Alabama out. Did not even cover the spread, 13 points. Oh well it the first time ever in the final 8 and that was an accomplishment. U CONN ruled the offensive boards and the three.