The following is a few thoughts that went through my head while filing my bracket for the 2012
NCAA Tournament. Admittedly, I haven’t
watched as much college basketball as I usually do, but I pay enough attention
to have formed a few opinions.
I’m picking Kentucky to win it this year. This is solely based on the thought that John
Calipari is due to have a season worth vacating. Both Memphis and UMass can attest to that.
I wonder how many brackets had eraser marks following the
news of Syracuse’s Fab Melo being ruled ineligible. It will be interesting to see if the
Orangemen can rally against the early-exit predictions. Everyone seems to forget how deep Syracuse is
and the fact that Melo missed some games during the regular season due to poor
academics. I originally put them in the championship
game and decided not to change it, because they have just as much of a shot at
making it as any other team, even without one of their big men.
As a fan of the Missouri Tigers, I am happy to say that this
is the first time I believe they truly have a shot at winning it all. My heart is putting them in the final four
(and even on the champion line on my non-money bracket). The reality is that there are a lot of obstacles
in the way. Florida poses a scary threat
in the second round (I refuse to refer to the play-in games as the first
round). If the get past the Gators,
Marquette is likely to follow and then Michigan State. Missouri’s guards are top-notch, but their
depth inside is a little lacking. If a
team can get the two big men in foul trouble, Missouri is very beatable.
My final member of the final four is North Carolina. I think they have the easiest path to the
final four. Kansas, Georgetown and
Michigan could all have early exits in that region.
Of the other contenders, Duke has an easy path to the Sweet
Sixteen. Potential second round
opponents, Notre Dame and Xavier, are terrible.
After that the competition greatly increases with possible matchups with
either Baylor or UNLV and then Kentucky.
I don’t believe Duke is deep enough for a title run.
Ohio State and Michigan State are both solid, but I just
don’t trust the Big Ten. Tom Izzo and
the Spartans are always tough to beat
this time of year.
Some are giving a lot of credit to Vanderbilt and Florida
State since they each won their conference tournaments. Vanderbilt struggles to get out of the first
round every year. Every time I watched
Florida State play this year, I couldn’t explain how they even stay in games,
let alone win any.
I didn’t pick too many crazy upsets, but usually there is
one team that comes out of nowhere. The
Butler Bulldogs were in the finals two years in a row, proving anything can
happen in March.
~Brad
