This is part three in a four-part series (that I will actually finish this time) looking at the different regions for this year’s men’s NCAA tournament. Part one is here, and part two is here. Predictions are overrated (mostly since that hot chick with the nice rack that works three cubicles away from you is going to win your office pool because she likes Kansas’s colors), so we’ll take a look at some of the more interesting stuff within each bracket. Hopefully I’ll have all four brackets done by the time the action tips off on Thursday, but I’ll be piss-ass drunk celebrating other cultures this week, so we’ll see how everything goes.
Best team nickname: Notre Dame Fightin’ Irish. Regardless of your opinion on the school, it’s fans, or it’s sports teams, ND is the clear winner in a weak nickname bracket. Remember Boondock Saints? Those guys were Irish and they blew all of Boston to shit. And with St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, don’t ever underestimate the power of a short, drunk Irish man.
Best player name (but don’t ask me how to pronounce it): Mouphtaou Yarou, Villanova. This 6’10” freshman comes all the way from Natitingou, which Google says is in Benin, a country in western Africa. I don’t know how coach Jay Wright’s western Africa recruiting tours go, but Yarou is probably the best basketball player in Benin’s short history.
Player most likely to get mistaken for one of us (a.k.a. the whitest kid I could find): Jordan Davidson, Duke. This distinction obviously had to go to a kid from Duke. Davidson is a real team player, as evidenced by this gem from his player profile: “Teammates admire his intensity and ability to run Duke’s ‘Blue Team’ efficiently as its point guard.” In other words: “Dude is white and gets no PT, but he takes crap from the scholarship guys like a man.”
Shut up Jay Bilas, this dude sucks (Mr. Overrated): JaJuan Johnson, Purdue. Last year I would have picked Jon Scheyer or Kyle Singler without breaking a sweat, but both have shown up in a big way for Duke this year. Johnson has been a decent big man for the Boilers this year, but he hasn’t picked up his game since Hummel went down, hurting Purdue in a big way. He was manhandled by Minnesota’s front line in the 69-42 Big Ten tourney loss, only pulling down 4 rebounds.
Hottest WAG/Daughter/Celebrity Fan: Allison Stokke. Ms. Stokke has been popular across the interwebs ever since her high school days, breaking school records and hearts at Newport Harbor High School. Now she’s a junior at Cal and still in great shape.
Check out my predictions after the jump…
Why is this bracket interesting?: Honestly, this bracket sucks. Most (if not all) of the teams are over-seeded, and whoever comes out of this bracket will probably be in for a rude awakening in the Final Four. That being said, the lack of a dominant team (or two) makes the South region as unpredictable as it gets. There are no locks, other than Duke beating the 16 seed. I’m having trouble picking a Final Four team because of it, and I have little faith that my selection will actually be the end result.
Don’t bet on this team: Purdue Boilermakers. Losing Robbie Hummel to an ACL injury cost the Boilers a shot at the Final Four. Now, they will struggle to make it out of the first weekend with tourney-tested Siena waiting in the first round. Their poor showing against Minnesota in the Big Ten tournament showed America how “good” they are without their superstar.
Bracket buster (a.k.a. The George Mason Award): Notre Dame. Their strong run in the Big East tournament, combined with a new slow-it-down offensive philosophy, has me thinking Sweet Sixteen or beyond for the Irish. Luke Harangody is one of the best players in the country, and several guys on that roster are able to knock down 3-pointers at a reasonable clip. The X-factor for the Irish could be F Carleton Scott, who finished the season in a big way when starting in place of Harangody, who missed time with an injury.
Not going down without a fight (Cinderella): Siena Saints. Purdue is hurting without Robbie Hummel, and Texas A&M doesn’t impress me. The Saints have been here before (they beat Ohio State last year before losing a close game to #1 seed Louisville) and have a less-than-impressive bracket to work with.
Possible first-weekend shocker: Siena to the Sweet Sixteen. Purdue isn’t the Final Four threat they were before Hummel tore his ACL, and I don’t even think Texas A&M gets past Utah State. This is likely the bracket that sees a 12 vs. 13 matchup in the second round.
Final Four representative: Duke Blue Devils. Coach K should forward his tournament bonus check to the NCAA selection committee after providing the Dukies with a vanilla-soft region to work through. Their toughest game will probably be against Siena/Utah St. (because I have no faith in Purdue or A&M) in the Sweet Sixteen. However, they won’t get any further than that. Their Final Four opponent (from the East region) will likely expose any and all flaws the Blue Devils possess.
Make sure to check back later for another region. Until then, leave your thoughts, predictions, and pictures of other goofy white kids I missed in the comments.
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