I used to think the NBA playoffs were better than the NCAA Tournament. It is going to be very tough for this years playoffs to beat the NCAA Tournament this year.
Kicking myself for not taking Washington over Marquette. I knew WVU and New Mexico were both frauds, and whoever won that 6-11 game was likely to carry their momentum to the Elite Eight. I knew it was 50/50, but flipped a coin and took Marquette based on Big East strength and put them into the Elite Eight, losing to UK. Washington proved New Mexico's weakness yesterday, and while WVU won today (no, I wasn't enough of a homer to pick Mizzou)... they were so mediocre. Butler's the only guy that can create his own shot, not a lot of shooters either. But Mizzou missed more point-blank layups today than any team I've seen in any individual game of basketball in 20 years. For those who didn't see it, it was that bad. Three shooters of 77, 77 and 85 percent from the line shot below 50% in the second half. The team as a whole shot barely over 30% from the field. And it was still theirs for the taking, throughout. Let's put it this way: Missouri played worse today than they did when they were blown out by Nebraska (yes, 2-14 Nebraska) in the Big 12 tournament. And they were actually close to winning. Washington ROLLS West Virginia on Thursday. Count it. If only I hadn't second guessed myself and picked Marquette, I'd have nailed that entire bracket.
The only good thing about my bracket is me picking Washington to make the Sweet 16. After that is garbage. I picked Kentucky to win the Championship though but so did a lot of people. I picked Gonzaga to beat Syracuse and failed miserably
Yeah Mizzou really blew that one. The free throws stuck out in my mind. They were god awful from the line.
Izzo always rallies his troops in March - 5 Final Four appearances, 1 National Championship, and Michigan State was the runner-up last year. If Mich. St. beats UNI, they'll most likely play Ohio State, a team they lost by 7 earlier in the season, in the regional final. Izzo could very well sneak back in to the Final Four this year.
Izzo's a good coach, but he won't be able to do it with Kalin Lucas out with a torn achilles. Lucas is the star - every bit as important to MSU as Hummel was to Purdue. Just too undermanned now, even for Izzo (who I agree is outstanding in March). UNI rolls to the Elite Eight, and while I picked Ohio State to go to the Final Four, UNI could definitely give them a run.
