This is part two 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. 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: Lehigh Mountain Hawks. Just about the only thing they’ve got going for them, because Lehigh will be thinking about heading back to Pennsylvania about 5 minutes after tip-off with Kansas. The bracket is a bit weak with names, though. Aztecs are ok, but they make me think of that ugly car. Cougars could have been entertaining for the double-meaning. However, the Mountain Hawks were too intriguing. I feel like a mountain hawk would be way more bad ass than a regular hawk.
Best player name (but don’t ask me how to pronounce it): Kwadzo Ahelegbe, Northern Iowa. Ahelegbe gets the edge over teammate Ali Farokhmanesh for the cooler first name. Actually, announcers are going to have problems with a lot of the UNI Panthers’ names. Honorable Mention: Jordan Weiner, a “sharpshooter” (2nd on the team in 3-point FGs) from UC Santa Barbara.
Player most likely to get mistaken for one of us (a.k.a. the whitest kid I could find): Skylar McBee, Tennessee. The real winner here is Mark Titus (a.k.a Mr. Rainmaker) from Ohio State, but I’ve given him some D4L love before so I thought I’d find a fresh face. Regardless, you know a guy named Skylar is probably the whitest dude you’ve ever met. The fact that he’s from Middle-of-Nowhere, Tennessee makes his selection that much easier.
Shut up Jay Bilas, this dude sucks (Mr. Overrated): Jon Diebler, Ohio State. This decision could realistically go to anyone on the OSU roster not named Evan Turner, but Diebler is the biggest offender in my eyes. He’s a 3-point shooter and nothing more. 247 of his 304 field goal attempts have come from behind the long line. He’s been hitting at a 42.1% clip, but he’s had a tendency to disappear for long stretches, or even full games. The fact that he was called out by Turner to “wake up” against Michigan doesn’t help his case.
Hottest WAG/Daughter/Celebrity Fan: The Tennessee recruiting hostesses. They may not be as famous as the woman highlighted in our East region preview, but these girls are some of the best the SEC has to offer. Come on, how else do you think Tennessee has recruited so well in recent years?
Check out my predictions after the jump…
Why is this bracket interesting?: Seven of the 25 teams ranked in the final coaches poll are in the Midwest Region, including #1 Kansas, Big Ten co-champs (along with Purdue) Ohio St. and Michigan St., and ACC co-champs Maryland. Oh, and 3-seed Georgetown is pretty good too. This is a top-heavy region with several legitimate contenders to go to Indianapolis.
Don’t bet on this team: Ohio State Buckeyes. Evan Turner is the right pick for National Player of the Year, but the rest of this roster is NIT-worthy. The Buckeyes were lucky to get past both Michigan and Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament, two teams that aren’t dancing this year. I think they get to the Sweet Sixteen, but Georgetown sends them home soon after.
Bracket buster (a.k.a. The George Mason Award): Michigan State Spartans. It’s a bit hypocritical to damn the team that smoked Minnesota by 30, then praise the team that Minnesota beat to get there (in the quarterfinals), but growing up in Michigan taught me to never doubt Tom Izzo in March. Izzo has taken less-talented teams deep into the tournament before, and he’s a master of the two-day turnaround game. Thinking about the 12-over-5 upset? MSU is 5-0 all-time as a 5-seed. And don’t forget, this team was ranked #2 in the country to begin the season. It’s all there, the question is whether they can put it all together.
Not going down without a fight (Cinderella): Northern Iowa Panthers. UNI has been on the radar of some already this year, spending some time in the top-25 even before tourney time. They got a raw deal having to face an athletic UNLV squad in the first round, then #1 overall seed Kansas, but Northern Iowa has the potential to catch Kansas off guard, especially if the Jayhawks don’t bring their A-game. Still, I think Kansas goes on to the Sweet Sixteen in a close win.
Possible first-weekend shocker: I don’t see a run to the Sweet Sixteen by a double digit seed in this bracket. The top teams are too good and too athletic to be knocked off, barring injury to a star player or a truly awful performance. However, my call for a first-round upset is 13-seed Houston over Maryland. The Terrapins have been as predictable as a Michigan winter this season, and Houston is coming off of a strong run in the Conference USA tournament. Would I bet my life savings on it? No way, but don’t be too surprised if Maryland is home in time for a Saturday at Home Depot.
Final Four representative: Kansas Jayhawks. The Jayhawks are my pick to go all the way. They’re talented, they’re experienced, and they’re playing their best basketball of the season heading into the tournament. Playing in nearby St. Louis is going to be a big-time advantage for them in the second weekend.
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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