2011 March Madness Predictions
March is here and so is the madness. Some great conference tournaments have set the tone for what could be one of the most exciting NCAA tournaments ever. And there will be plenty of NIT, CBI and CIT action to keep us satisfied in between. But we’ll spend most of our time focusing on the most popular March Madness event for our predictions.
East Region: Ohio State is the No. 1 seed in the East and the No. 1 overall seed for the tournament, but its road to the Final Four will not be an easy one. North Carolina, Syracuse and Kentucky are a few teams that could stand in the Buckeyes’ way. And we can’t dismiss teams that made deep runs last year like West Virginia and Washington. They have the look of potential sleepers. Despite stiff competition, I do have Ohio State advancing to the Final Four when it’s all said and done. The Buckeyes are big, physical and talented. They rank in the top 20 in both scoring offense and defense and are extremely versatile on both ends of the court. If teams try to deny Jared Sullinger the ball in the post, Jon Diebler and company will be ready to let it fly from the perimeter. The three-point stripe is a big weapon this time of year, and few teams shoot it better from deep. The Buckeyes rank third in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (41.3 percent).
West Region: This region houses defending champion Duke as well as top contenders San Diego State, Connecticut and Texas. Led by Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith, Duke should be able to take care of business in the early rounds. The Blue Devils will also benefit from playing close to home in Charlotte. Winning back-to-back championships is nearly impossible in this day and age, and I believe Duke will fail in its attempt. While experienced and skilled, the Blue Devils are a bit too reliant on perimeter scoring. That leaves them susceptible against athletic teams like Texas and San Diego State. I have these two schools playing for a trip to the Final Four with the Longhorns coming out on top.
Southwest Region: I believe this is the toughest region with Kansas, Notre Dame, Purdue and Louisville all capable of cutting down the nets. All four teams have the kind of experience it so often takes to make a deep run. Louisville can be a dangerous opponent because of its pressing style. That should get the Cardinals through the first two rounds, but Kansas will be able to navigate the pressure in the Sweet 16. The senior-led Irish shoot the basketball extremely well. That outside touch should get them into the round of 16, but not further. Purdue and its stingy defense will be ready to knock Ben Hansbrough and company out at that stage of the game. At the end of the day, I like Kansas to represent the Southwest in Houston as no team has an answer for the versatility of Marcus and Markieff Morris.
Southeast Region: Florida, BYU, Wisconsin and Kansas State are all good teams, but Pittsburgh should advance if it plays to its potential. The Panthers have all the intangibles of a national championship team. They have size and talent. They defend. They can score in the paint and from the perimeter. They are experienced. And last but certainly not least, they boast perhaps the best backcourt in the country. Great guard play is consistent with every great team and Pitt certainly has that with Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker.
Archived March Madness Predictions
