March Madness

 

March 15, 2021 

After being canceled last year the NCAA tournament is back with a whole different look than in previous years. There is no Duke, Kentucky or Louisville in the field. For me, this is the most exciting event in the world of sports. The buzzer beaters, drama and upsets; I can’t wait for this to start.  

I always make my picks in reverse. There are about eight teams that are far superior to the remaining teams. Therefore, a majority of my final eight picks are 1 and two seeds.  This is low risk prognostications. 1-4 seeds usually win their first round games. In previous years, there have been many upsets of 12 seeds beating number 5 seeds. In 2018 this happened 3 times. Here are some upsets you may want to consider in the first round:

UCSB (12) vs. Creighton (5)

Oregon St. (12) vs. Tennessee (5)

Georgetown (12) vs. Colorado (5)

Maryland (11) vs. UConn (7)

Rutgers (10) vs. Clemson (7)

There is a local flavor in this area with number one seed Illinois and Loyola. Loyola was the Cinderella team in 2018 making it to the final four. Loyola may have a tough time getting by Georgia Tech, winners of eight straight. If they do win, they’ll have the unenviable task of facing Illinois. Illinois and Gonzaga are the hottest teams. Illinois first big test will be their third opponent, Oklahoma St. The Cowboys have NBA’s number one pick Cade Cunningham and the team deserved better than a number 4 seed. Next up would be number 2 seed Houston, who was 24-3. Should Illinois survive they will probably get Baylor in the semi-finals.  

I haven’t seen much of Gonzaga and going 26-0 is nothing to sneeze at. However, they won’t be playing teams like St. Mary’s Pacific or Dixie State. The Western Conference they play in could be the worst in the NCAA. However, they have the easiest path to the final four. Iowa, whom they beat 99-88, is the number 2 seed and may get another chance if they get past Oregon.

In recent memory, all number 1 seeds don’t reach the final four.  Michigan has not been playing well as of late. They have lost three of their last four. They will also be without senior leader Isiah Livers. I predict they miss the final four, losing to Florida State or Alabama.

With easier paths, number one seed Baylor should face off against number 2 seed Ohio State for a birth in the final four. Ohio State has played pretty well in the rough and tough Big Ten Conference. Baylor is an excellent team and probably too much for the Buckeyes to handle.

 These predictions will probably go haywire. There are always teams that bust your bracket. That’s the fun of this tournament.