2008 South Region Tournament Predictions
With Memphis, Stanford, Pitt, Michigan State, and Texas as well as a number of other teams capable of making length runs, the South Region appears to be the toughest road to the Final Four. Jimmy Boyd’s 2008 NCAA tournament predictions will take you through the region round by round and ultimately unveiling his Final Four pick.
First Round
Texas Arlington will be no match for a strong Memphis team which reached the Elite Eight last season. This could be one of the biggest blowouts of the tourney. Oregon was spectacular in the NCAA tourney last season, and the Ducks have underachieved in the Pac this season in my opinion. I like Oregon to pull off the small 9 seed over an 8 seed upset over Mississippi State. Temple is another 12 seed which looks dangerous, but Tom Izzo knows how to get the job done in March. Drew Neitzel does not want to end his college career in the first round. I’ll take the Spartans. Pitt keeps right on rolling over Oral Roberts using the momentum it gained in winning the Big East tourney. We liked an 11 over a 6 in the East and I like another one here in the South with Kentucky taking down Marquette. Stanford crushes Ivy League champ Cornell, St. Mary’s shocks Miami (Florida) and Texas handles Austin Peay.
Second Round
Memphis rolls past Oregon into the Sweet 16 as Oregon’s defense fails them against a high octane Tigers’ attack. Pitt takes out Michigan State in the Sweet 16 as the team that beat Duke early in the year is back playing its best hoops of the season. Also, the Spartans have had trouble scoring at times. All Pitt has to do is shut down Drew Neitzel to pull off the win and I think they get it done. Stanford is tough as nails with the Lopez twins inside. They’ll advance against Kentucky. St. Mary’s won’t be able to matchup with Texas’s stellar backcourt as D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams have a field day.
Regional Semis
This is where I see Pitt finally being exposed. This is not a team with the ability to run up and down the floor with Memphis. I like the Tigers to wear down the Panthers with their press and advance to the Elite Eight for a second straight year. With Stanford versus Texas, it’s guards versus forwards with Austin and Abrams giving Texas’ backcourt the edge and the Lopez twins giving Stanford’s frontcourt the advantage. This should be the best regional semifinal matchup we see with Stanford moving on. Team’s which are too perimeter oriented must rely on shooting the ball well and that is not something the can be counted on against Stanford’s defense. The Cardinal will own the boards and win a tough one to reach the round of eight.
Regional Finals
While I believe Memphis is as talented as anyone, this team has not played many tough games in Conference USA, and the ones it played early in the season in non-conference play are far off in the distance now. Tennessee was Memphis’ only test late in the season and the Vols, a team which does not play great defense, won this game. Stanford played in the toughest league and has played a lot of close games against high caliber opponents like UCLA. This gives the Cardinal the advantage here. I’m moving them into the Final Four.
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