NCAA Final

NCAA Men’s Final

Well, the denouement is neigh for the 2010-2011 NCAA basketball season. Of course my bracket is shattered, of course my picks in the semi final games were wrong, of course I’ll attempt to pick the winner of the championship game and this will be my last prediction of this year’s college season.

The Final:

Butler vs. UConn

Well one UConn team has bitten the dust in the Final Four after the Husky ladies suffered a shock loss to Notre Dame in the semi finals. As for the men’s team, they come in a slight favourite over Butler although the Bulldogs are in the championship game for the second year in a row.

Prediction wise I will go with Butler due to their nucleus of players left over from last season. UConn will not get away with another bad performance like the one they put forward against Kentucky

So….

Butler wins 66-62.

My tourney picking record for 2011: 40 right-24 wrong

NCAA Final Four

Final Four 2011

Well none of my Final Four picks from my personal bracket are playing this weekend but I am by no means on an island….several brackets were shattered during the course of this years tournament.

Ok, right to the picks.

VCU vs. Butler

In an oddity of sorts, the team that made it to last season’s championship game—Butler is still a Cinderella story this year. That being said one of these two underdogs will advance to the final. Both have been on amazing runs but for this one, I’ll take VCU to advance by 5.

Kentucky vs. UConn

Both schools are making headlines for the wrong reasons over the last day or so unfortunately. UConn has been on an unreal run through the Big East tournament and the NCAA’s but will need solid inside play to pull this one off. Hmmm….Kentucky by 3.

NCAA Regional Finals

Regional Finals Day Two

We are now two games away from knowing the final four teams in the 2011 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. After two exciting games on Saturday where I was wrong on both counts, UConn and Butler booked tickets for Houston next weekend.

In today’s games…..

EAST REGIONAL Final:

Kentucky (4) vs. North Carolina (2)

Back in December, North Carolina escaped with a two point (75-73) win over Kentucky and will be looking for another tough game this time around. Both teams have improved but look for Carolina to use its front line advantage to pull this one out by 6.

SOUTHWEST REGIONAL Final:

VCU (11) vs. Kansas (1)

Kansas is heavily favoured and on a roll but may be a bit too cocky when facing giant killers VCU. There was a lot of trash talking from the Jayhawks in the Richmond game … is that wise when you have to face another team from the same city?? Though the Rams had a loss to Richmond during the regular season, it does not equate an automatic Kansas win. Gut tells me VCU by 4.

Tourney Record: 40 right – 22 wrong

NCAA Hoops...

Two Final Four tickets up for grabs

Saturday sees two of the four Regional finals on tap for the weekend. In yesterdays games I went a perfect 4-0 tipping both Kentucky and VCU for big wins.

For Saturday’s action…

SOUTHEAST Regional Final:

Butler (8) vs. Florida (2)

Butler has made another surprise run in this years tournament but this year I don’t think it will continue. Florida is a solid squad and Chandler Parsons will prove to be the difference in this one. Gators by 10.

WEST Regional Final:

Arizona (5) vs. Connecticut (3)

This one will be a barn burner, UConn have been on a hot streak lately while Arizona have been a surprise to many outside of the Western USA. I think UConn’s run will finally end. ‘Zona by 7.

Current Record: 40 right-20 wrong…….

NCAA Sweet 16

Sweet 16 …Here we go!!!

The 2011 edition of the Men’s NCAA basketball tourney is here. Well I did not get my six correct last Sunday but went 5-3 on the day. One of my Final Four picks…Notre Dame fell by the wayside thanks to Florida State so I’m down to North Carolina, Wisconsin and San Diego State with my title game picks of Wisconsin and UNC still alive.

Here we go for Thursday’s games.

WEST REGION:

Connecticut (3) vs. San Diego State (2)

UConn has had a good run thus far but San Diego State also has a chip on their shoulders and is out to prove they are an elite outfit. Look for the Aztecs to stifle Kemba Walker and pull out a 3 point win.

Arizona (5) vs. Duke (1)

My “Duke Beaters”…the Texas Longhorns were upset by ‘Zona so I will go with ACC loyalty for this game at least and put “the curse” on Duke by picking them to win by 7.

SOUTHEAST REGION:

Brigham Young (3) vs. Florida (2)

BYU have been the “darlings” of the tourney so far but the Gators are out to avenge last years early round loss to the Cougars…..could come down to a Jimmer miss. Florida by 2.

Butler (8) vs. Wisconsin (4)

Butler is as dangerous as ever but the Badgers are looking solid so I am sticking by them. Wisconsin by 8.

Current Record: 35-17

Back tomorrow for the second day of Sweet 16 pick

NCAA on tap!!!

NCAA Brackets crank up!!!

After two days of “First Four” games, the 2011 NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament gets into full swing Thursday. Thus far I am a perfect 4-0 in picking tourney games. So time to jump into prognostications full swing!! Some of my picks may differ from my overall bracket in which I have picked Wisconsin, North Carolina, San Diego State and Notre Dame as my Final Four with Carolina taking the title from the Badgers.

My first round picks for Thursday are:

EAST:

Clemson (12) vs. West Virginia (5)

West Virginia by 5

Princeton (13) vs. Kentucky (4)

Kentucky by 12

WEST:

Penn State (10) vs. Temple (7)

Temple by 4

Northern Colorado (15) vs. San Diego State (2)

S.D. State by 14

Bucknell (14) vs. Connecticut (3)

UConn by 17

Missouri (11) vs. Cincinnati (6)

Cincy by 8

SOUTHWEST:

Morehead State (13) vs. Louisville (4)

Louisville by 10

Richmond (12) vs. Vanderbilt (5)

The 5 vs. 12 upset!! Richmond by 7

SOUTHEAST:

Old Dominion (9) vs. Butler (8)

ODU too strong on the boards…..Monarchs by 11

UNC-Asheville (16) vs. Pittsburgh (1)

Pitt by 20

Cal-Santa Barbara (15) vs. Florida (2)

Florida by 22

Wofford (14) vs. Brigham Young (3)

BYU by 16

Belmont (13) vs. Wisconsin (4)

Wisconsin by 8

Michigan State (10) vs. UCLA (7)

Michigan State by 4

Gonzaga (11) vs. St. John’s (6)

St. John’s by 3

Utah State (12) vs. Kansas State (5)

Utah State by 2

Ok, there are my first day regional picks. Enjoy the games…….

My current record: 4-0

NCAA Final

Duke Wins NCAA Crown in a Thriller

While a common thread of this season being a bit sub par compared to past offerings, Duke and Butler put on a show to remember in the NCAA Championship match. In the end the Blue Devils became the first team to score 60 or more points against the stingy Bulldog defence by scoring 61 and hanging on in the tumultuous final minutes for a 61-59 title win.

The game will ultimately be seen as a classic having gone down to the wire with a Butler last gasp heave just bouncing off of the rim as time expired. The win made it two titles in a row for the ACC after the conference was perceived as weaker than usual throughout the season.

Congrats to both teams on a match well played.

The final bit of NCAA business will be settled when the ladies from Stanford (36-1) attempt to end Connecticut’s (38-0) 72 game win streak in Tuesday night’s ladies final in San Antonio, Texas.

NCAA Final on Tap

Blue Devils, Bulldogs square off for NCAA Crown

Butler’s Bulldogs scraped by Michigan State 52-50 and Duke blasted West Virginia 78-57 to set up Mondays Championship tilt in Indianapolis, just five miles from the Butler campus. The Blue Devils (34-5) go in as slight favourites but will have to contend with what will be essentially a home court advantage for Butler (33-4). The key to the match will be Butler’s defence; so far, no team has scored more than 6o points against the Bulldogs. Duke will look to make it a run and gun affair.

After much soul searching, I will have to go against my beloved ACC and choose Butler to finish their dream run by 4 points.

The Weekend Ahead

NIT Over, Final Four up next

Dayton’s flyers pulled off a 79-68 win over last years NCAA Champions North Carolina in the final of the 2010 NIT tourney this week. The win helped to soften the blow for the Flyers who missed the NCAA tourney and finished their season with a 25-12 record. The Tarheels concluded their dismal season with a 20-17 ledger.

Final Four Predictions

Michigan State (32-4) – Butler (28-8):

The Bulldogs of Butler will attempt to gain their first berth in the Championship game in their own backyard against Michigan State who are looking to go one better than last years championship loss to North Carolina.

I will go with the locals and pick Butler to advance by 7.

West Virginia (31-6) – Duke (33-5):

This one pits the ACC against the Big East in a battle for the second berth in the Championship game. Duke seems to be the logical choice but the Mountaineers have been on a mission throughout the tourney.

I think Duke’s outside punch may prove to be the difference, Duke by 3, possibly in overtime.

The Four Best Step to the Fore

We now have the Final four set for the 2010 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Over the weekend we saw Michigan state squeeze out Tennessee 70-69 to take the Midwest Region title, Butler earn a trip back home to Indiana by beating Kansas State 63-56 in the West Region, West Virginia end the dream for Kentucky’s young Wildcats 73-66 in the East Region and Duke end Baylor’s run to glory 78-71 in the South Region.

This weekend sees West Virginia face off against Duke and Michigan State match up against Butler in the Final Four.

I went 1 right three wrong, leaving me no chance to break even prediction wise this year for the tourney as I stand at 28 right, 32 wrong…ugh!!!! My year was as bad as the beloved Tarheels!!

Later in the week I will look into the shattered pieces of the Crystal Ball and soldier on with picks!! LOL!!