Final Four predictions...

Down to Four

There are four teams left in the 2013 NCAA Men's Tournament and by the end of the night...we will have our Championship game set. Both matchups should be entertaining so I suppose I'll make my predictions.

Wichita State vs. Louisville

At the start of the tourney, I picked a Louisville-Miami final...well Miami fell by the wayside but the Cardinals are in the hunt. Wichita State has had a great run and will be looking to pull off the upset. Overall I think Rick Pitino will get the Cards to the title match.

Louisville by 7

Michigan vs Syracuse

Syracuse has been brutal on defense through the tournament but were prone to lapses during the regular season. Michigan may have the answers to the Orange zone with their shooting from the outside, a decent inside game and a premier point guard. I think the Orangemen may fall just short...

Michigan by 4

Back with Championship pick in a day or so... 

Final Four picks!!!

Four will become two

The 2012 NCAA season has reached the Final Four in New Orleans with Louisville battling Kentucky for the right to represent their state in the Championship game and Kansas squaring off against Ohio State for the other berth.


My bracket was busted long ago and none of my picks for the Final Four made it through after North Carolina and Baylor were beaten last weekend. Oh well, there’s always time to start working on my 2012-2013 predictions!! 


Now on to this weekend’s predictions, may as well try to end on a positive note!!


Louisville vs. Kentucky


This one is bigger than the normal bragging rights tilt which Kentucky won 69-62 on New Year’s Eve.


Form is out of the window for this one, though conventional wisdom says Kentucky should win but Louisville is looking UConn-ish this season.


I have predicted their demise a few times this season so now I will probably put a curse on them by giving the nod to the Wildcats.


Kentucky by 9


Ohio State vs. Kansas


This one is another rematch with Ohio State hoping to reverse a 78-67 loss at Kansas in early December. After losing to Michigan State in the Big 10 title game the Buckeyes have picked themselves up and powered through the tourney. 


The story is the same for Kansas who have advanced after losing to Baylor in the Big 12 title affair.


This time around, the game will be closer and I will have to give the slight edge to Ohio State on a neutral court.


Ohio State by 4


I will have a quick look at the NCAA Women’s Final Four tomorrow along with preparing my pick for Monday night’s championship game.

Aussie Hoop playoffs start tonight....

Playoff time in Australia 

Australia’s National Basketball League has reached the postseason with four teams vying for the title. The semi-finals which are the best of three start later today when the New Zealand Breakers host the Townsville Crocodiles. In the other semi-final the Perth Wildcats will meet the Gold Coast Blaze.


New Zealand finished the regular season on top of the ladder with a record of 21-7, Perth went 19-9 in finishing second, Gold Coast finished 17-11 and Townsville came in at 15-13 for fourth.


New Zealand is hoping to send the retiring CJ Bruton off in style and is favourites to take the crown. Breakers Gary Wilkinson, Thomas Abercrombie, Cedric Jackson and stalwart Daryl Corletto will be integral in making that happen. Perth will continue to look to NBL MVP Kevin Lisch to lead their charge. Jesse Wagstaff and Shawn Redhage round out the major threats for the rugged Wildcats lineup. For the Queensland teams, the Gold Coast  squad of Coach Joey Wright to advance, they will need solid play from Captain Adam Gibson and forward Mark Worthington. Finally North Queenslanders Townsville  is hoping Peter Crawford and Eddie Gill can lead them to a couple of upsets on the way to the title.


Prediction wise, I will give the nod to New Zealand and Perth for a championship series.


You can read the preview from the NBL site here.


I’ll be back with my NCAA Final Four picks tomorrow.

Elite Eight picks...

Final Four spots available!!

I had a decent day, prediction wise yesterday with only NC State not getting through from my picks. Oh well…today I will give my picks for all four regional championship games.

Here we go:

West Region:

Florida (7) vs. Louisville (4)
Louisville is healthy and the Cardinals have shown it in this UConn like run through the Big East tourney and the NCAA field thus far. This matchup is also a teacher versus pupil game with Rick Pitino facing off against his former player Billy Donovan. 


I will give an edge to “teacher” in this one…Louisville by 8.

East Region:


Ohio State (2) vs. Syracuse (1)
This region went to form in the end with a 1 vs. 2 for the ticket to NOLA. But Syracuse may have survived as long as they can without being exposed. Ohio State has been brutal inside and has gotten good results from beyond the arc.


Ohio State by 3 in a close one…

South Region:


Baylor (3) vs. Kentucky (1)

Hmm….I will predict the end of the line for Kentucky here. 


Baylor by 5.


Midwest Region:

Kansas (2) vs. North Carolina (1)

Carolina is hurting … Kansas has overachieved…Roy Williams vs. former school … this one has a bit of everything…not to mention a few “Duke” fans I know who would love to shut me up if Carolina loses!! Well, in spite of it all. Look for the ‘Heels to roll on. 


Carolina by 7.

Back later in the week with my Final Four picks….remember I predicted Carolina over Baylor for the title!!!

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…….

NCAASweet 16, Day 2.

Sweet 16 part deux

The Sweet 16 Round of the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament concludes on Friday with games in San Antonio, Texas and Newark, New Jersey. My Thursday picks fell by the wayside with only Florida advancing. Similarly my Final Four picks are gone with the exception of North Carolina. For Thursday’s games I went 1-3 pick wise.

Fridays picks…

SOUTHWEST REGION:

Richmond (12) vs. Kansas (1)

The city of Richmond will have a strong fan base in San Antonio with the hometown Spiders and VCU both playing there. First up, Richmond clashes with Kansas. This one could catch Kansas looking ahead but the Jayhawks will hold on and pull away late by 11.

Virginia Commonwealth (11) vs. Florida State (10)

VCU may be able to hang on against the tough Seminole “D”. Rams by 5.

EAST REGION:

North Carolina (2) vs. Marquette (11)

Former title game opponents square off in regional semis in this one. Carolina has had some close calls but this one may be easier. UNC by 12.

Kentucky (4) vs. Ohio State (1)

Kentucky has a solid run going but Ohio State is out to live up to the hype. Hmm….I’ll call and upset …Kentucky by 3.

Ok, back in a day or so with Regional final picks….

Current Record: 36 right – 20 wrong…

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!!

(The) Butler does it to Syracuse

The Butler Bulldogs sent Syracuse packing in the semi-finals of the West Region in today’s NCAA action 63-59. With Syracuse leading by four, Butler scored eleven unanswered points before a late layup by the Orangemen. The Bulldogs will now meet Kansas State, 101-96 double overtime winners over Xavier in the West Regional final. A Butler win would send them on to the Final Four in their hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana.

The East Region results saw both West Virginia 69-56 over Washington, and Kentucky 62-45 over Cornell advance to a showdown for the Regional title and place in the Final Four.

Next up we have battles between Tennessee and Ohio State followed by Northern Iowa versus Michigan State in the Midwest Region. The South Region will see Saint Mary’s meet Baylor and Purdue lock horns with top seeded Duke.

Ok, I have yet another Crystal Ball (lucky I bought in bulk), and I’m seeing:

Ohio State over Tennessee by 4

Northern Iowa upsetting Michigan State by 3

Baylor over Saint Mary’s by 8

Duke over Purdue by 11

Ok, I’m out for now…..