South and Midwest Regional Finals Preview

First things first, congratulations to Butler and West Virginia. Bob Huggins reached his second Final Four, his first since 1992, and WVU's first since 1959. Butler reached their first Final Four ever, and they get to play in Indianapolis. I don't know how you couldn't be rooting for Butler. I was incredibly happy for them. I was also incredibly happy that Kentucky lost. Maybe if you weren't dicks Kentucky fans, people would like you. Let's recap and predict.

West
5 Butler Bulldogs 63 2 Kansas State Wildcats 56 - Butler pulled off nearly the same game they did against Syrcause. They got off to a good start, had a solid halftime lead, and fell behind late. Kansas State rallied for the lead, but the Bulldogs would not quit. A Gordon Hayward lay up with a minute left sealed the deal. Kansas St was locked down by the tough nosed defense, held to 38% shooting, just 5 threes, and 7-14 at the free throw line. Gordon Hayward put up 22-9 for the winners, while Denis Clemente had 18 for the Wildcats.

East
2 West Virginia Mountaineers 73 1 Kentucky Wildcats 66 - West Virginia made 8 threes for their only field goals of the first half. When they made twos, they put Kentucky away. The Mountaineer defense held Kentucky to only 34% shooting, 4-32 from 3. Kentucky was also 16-29 at the free throw line. West Virginia hit 23-34 at the stripe, and that helped them advance. Da'Sean Butler led the way with 18-6, while in his last game at UK, John Wall had 19-6-5 assists-4 steals-5 turnovers. Once again, congrats to WVU. Represent the Big East well.

Predictions

2:20 PM
6 Tennessee Volunteers v. 5 Michigan State Spartans - Tennessee has played tough, slow down games in 2 of their 3 wins. Michigan State has played the same. Both had second round offensive explosions, MSU over Maryland, and Tennessee over Ohio. I fully expect another slow down game here. It's going to be a toss up. Michigan State didn't seem to miss Kailin Lucas too much against Northern Iowa, but I think this is the game that does it. I like how Tennessee is playing, even though they could have very well lost to San Diego State.

Prediction: Ken Pom likes Sparty by 1, winning 52% of the time. It's a toss up. I like the Orange to crash the Final Four.
Tennessee 65 Michigan State 61

5:05 PM
3 Baylor Bears v. 1 Duke Blue Devils - Baylor is coming off a great performance, and has the home crowd. That's good, but I think that they lose. Duke has locked everyone down so far in the tournament, and I think they'll take advantage of Baylor's good, but not great defense. I hope LaceDarius Dunn has a big game. Yes, I wanted to type LaceDarius. I hope Baylor fights the good fight and wins, but I think Duke will be the only 1 seed to advance.

Prediction: Ken Pom likes Duke by 6, winning 72% of the time. Sounds about right.
Duke 73 Baylor 69

East and West Regional Final Previews

The NCAA Tournament is quickly winding down to the it's end sadly. We are left with just 8 squads. Before we look at the match ups for today, let's rewind and look at who were the big winners last night.

Midwest
6 Tennessee 76 2 Ohio State 73 - The Buckeyes couldn't keep the Volunteers off the offensive glass, as the Vols grabbed 18. The Buckeyes also couldn't stop Tennessee inside. They did have a chance to win, as Player of the Year in the Big 10, and probably America, Evan Turner got a pair of looks from 3. He missed the first and had the second blocked by JP Prince to send the Buckeyes packing. It's Tennessee's first ever Elite 8. Wayne Chism had 22-11, and Brian Williams 9-12, including the tip in for the lead. Evan Turner had 31-7-5 assists in his last game as a Buckeye.

5 Michigan State 59 9 Northern Iowa 52 - Northern Iowa didn't score a field goal in the last 10 minutes against the Spartans. Those types of things tend to cost you games. Michigan State continues to be a team that always advances to the late stages of the NCAA tournament. Even though many thought they would reach this point in November, none thought it would come this way. For UNI, Adam Koch  had 13, while for the Spartans, Durrell Summers put up 19-7.

South
3 Baylor 72 10 St Mary's 49 - This was an all out rout in Houston. Baylor shot 45%, pounded the glass, and played tough defense. LaceDarius Dunn went for 23 to power the Bears, while Ben Allen had 16-7 for the losers.

1 Duke 70 5 Purdue 57 - This game went exactly as I predicted, which never happens. Purdue tried their best, but had no offensive answers for the Dukies. This game was ugly for a long time, but the Blue Devils will take ugly as long as they advance. Duke outrebounded Purdue by 22, pulled in 15 offensive boards and held Purdue to just 4. Kyle Singler had 24-8 for Duke, while JaJuan Johnson had 23 for Purdue.

Previews and Predictions

4:30 PM
5 Butler Bulldogs v. 2 Kansas State Wildcats - Butler has been grinding down defensively in their last 2 wins, while Kansas State has shown off their offensive firepower in blowing by BYU and Xavier. It's going to be interesting to see who on Butler can contain Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente. The Bulldogs are going to need Shelvin Mack and Gordon Hayward to continue their strong play. At least strong play in the last game by Hayward. Ken Pom thinks that Kansas State wins by 3 62% of the time. I really like Butler, but I don't know if they have enough. Kansas State is coming off a tough game yes, but I think they have more.

Prediction: Kansas State 68 Butler 60

7 PM
2 West Virginia Mountaineers v. 1 Kentucky Wildcats - The best of the Elite 8 games in being played tonight. The Wildcats and Mountaineers are two very good defensive clubs, who have a tendency to miss shots. Both rebound the hell out of the offensive glass. It's going to be interesting to see if Hugs puts Devin Ebanks on John Wall like everyone is predicting. I think that he will, but that WVU will play a lot of zone. That leaves the game in the hands of the Kentucky guards. Eric Bledsoe could murder WVU if they leave him open, as could Dobson or Darius Miller. Kevin Jones and Ebanks could have their hands full with Patterson and Cousins. I think Butler will be guarded by Miller, and it's going to be a challenge for Darius. I'm looking forward to this game very much. It should be great. Ken Pom has UK by 2, winning 58%. Even the computers think it's a toss up. Of course, I'm pulling for Bob Huggins. Final Four track suits everyone!

Prediction: West Virginia 72 Kentucky 68

NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Friday Preview

What a night Thursday was for basketball. The amazing Kansas State-Xavier game was a sight to behold. That's another reason why we love college basketball. Especially the NCAA Tournament. It was a big day alright, as the West region also saw top seed Syracuse fall to Butler. Before we go to the Duke-Purdue, Baylor-St Mary's, Ohio State-Tennessee and Michigan State-Northern Iowa predictions, let's take a look back at Thursday's action.

West
5 Butler 63 1 Syracuse 59 - The little Butler Bulldogs knocked off top seeded Syracuse in another let down for our Big East brethren. Butler had a 10 point lead at the half, but saw the Orange take the lead by as much as 4 in the second. Ronald Nored hit a 3, and Matt Howard got a tip for the lead, and Willie Veasley scored 5 of his own with a Gordon Hayward free throw and an 11-0 run to ice it. Hayward led the Bulldogs with 17, while Wes Johnson had 17-9 for the Orange.

2 Kansas State 101 6 Xavier 96 (2 OT) - I'm not the only one who thought this was an instant classic, and in fact, there are really no words I can add to this great game. Down the stretch it was Jordan Crawford, Jacob Pullen, Terrell Holloway, Curtis Kelly, Terrell Holloway, Jamar Samuels, JORDAN CRAWFORD, Curtis Kelly, JACOB PULLEN, and JACOB PULLEN again. Dante Jackson had a look to tie at 99, but came up short. Crawford had 32, Holloway 26-6 assists, and Jason Love 11-15 for X, while Pullen had 28, Denis Clemente 25-5 assists and Curtis Kelly 21-8. Watch the highlights, hell watch the game on March Madness on Demand.

East
1 Kentucky 62 12 Cornell 45 - This game seemed like it sucked for a long time. Kentucky pulled away in the first half, then never scored in the second. Cornell cut the lead to 6 at one point, but Kentucky pulled away, just like I predicted. Louis Dale had 17 for the Big Red, while DeMarcus Cousins had 16-8-4 steals for Kentucky.

2 West Virginia 69 11 Washington 56 - This was a game for a half, but once West Virginia found a rhythm, the Huskies couldn't hang. The Mountaineers pulled down 19 offensive rebounds. Justin Holliday, J'Rue's brother, had 14-8-5 steals in the losing effort, while Kevin Jones had 18-8 for the winners.

Previews and Predictions

Midwest
7:07 PM
6 Tennessee v. 2 Ohio State

2 Ohio State Buckeyes 29-7
How they got here: Big 10 Tournament Champions
Round 1- 68-51 over UC Santa Barbara

Round 2- 75-66 over Georgia Tech

Best Players: Evan Turner 20-9.2-6 assists William Buford 14.4-5.7-3.1 assists 

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 7/23

6 Tennessee Volunteers 27-8

How they got here: At large (SEC 3rd place)

Round 1- 62-59 over San Diego State

Round 2- 83-68 over Ohio

Best Players: Scotty Hobson 12.5-3.3  Wayne Chism 12.3-7.3-1.3 blocks 

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 90/8

Prediction: Ken Pom has Ohio State by 5 with a 71% chance of winning. I like Ohio State by a little more than 5. Ohio State 71-63

9:37 PM (Estimate) 30 minutes after game 1

9 Northern Iowa v. 5 Michigan State

5 Michigan State Spartans 26-8

How they got here: At large (Big 10 3 way tie Co-Champions)

Round 1- 70-67 over New Mexico State

Round 2- 85-83 over Maryland

Best Players:  Raymar Morgan 11.6-6.2 Durrell Summers 10.7-4.5 

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 35/30

9 Northern Iowa Panthers 30-4

How they got here: Missouri Valley Tournament Champions

Round 1- 69-66 over UNLV

Round 2- 69-67 over Kansas

Best Players: Jordan Egsleder 12-7.3 Adam Koch 11.6-4.9

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 53/14

Prediction: Ken Pom has Northern Iowa by 1, with a 51% chance of winning. This is a pure toss up, as MSU has Kailin Lucas out for the tournament with a Achilles injury. Even with Lucas, this would probably be a toss up. I think that the Panther run continues. Northern Iowa 69-68.

South

7:27 PM

10 St Mary's v. 3 Baylor

3 Baylor Bears 27-7

How they got here: At large (Big 12 2nd place 3 way tie)

Round 1- 68-59 over Sam Houston State

Round 2- 76-68 over Old Dominion

Best Players: LaceDarius Dunn 19.4-4.9 Tweety Carter 15.1-6 assists 

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 5/39

10 St Mary's Gaels 28-5

How they got here: WCC Tournament Champions 

Round 1- 80-71 over Richmond

Round 2- 75-68 over Villanova

Best Players: Omar Samhan 20.9-11-3 blocks Mickey McConnell 13.7-5.2 assists 

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 16/81

Prediction: Ken Pom has Baylor by 4, with a 68% chance of winning. I think that we get an upset here. I don't buy into Baylor. They let SHS stay close, and they let Old Dominion come back on them. I'm going St Mary's 77-75.

9:57 PM (estimate) 30 minutes after game 1

4 Purdue v. 1 Duke

1 Duke Blue Devils 31-5

How they got here: Won ACC Tournament

Round 1- 73-44 over Arkansas Pine Bluff

Round 2- 68-53 over California

Best Players: Jon Scheyer 18.1-4.9 assists Kyle Singler 17.7-7

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 2/3

4 Purdue Boilermakers 29-5

How they got here: At large (Big 10 3 way Champions)

Round 1- 72-64 over Siena

Round 2- 63-61 (OT) over Texas A&M

Best Players: E'Twan Moore 16.4-3.8 JaJuan Johnson 15.7-6.9

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 67/4

Prediction: Ken Pom has Duke by 7, with a 79% chance of winning. I think that's about right. I don't know how Purdue scores on Duke. I think the Blue Devils lock them down, like they did California. Duke 66-52.

NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Thursday Preview

As any hoops fan knows, we are in the best time of the year. It's Sweet 16/Elite 8 weekend. It's when the Cinderella's slipper falls off, or when Cinderella makes it to the ball. It's when we find out what team can handle the pressure, and what teams combust. It's a werewolf bar mitzvah. There will be a little comparison and prediction for Butler v. Syracuse, Xavier v. Kansas State, West Virginia v. Washington and Kentucky v. Cornell.

West
7:07 PM
1 Syracuse v. 5 Butler

1 Syracuse Orange 30-4

How they got here: At large (Big East Regular Season Champions) 

Round 1- 79-56 over Vermont

Round 2- 87-65 over Gonzaga 

Best Players: Wesley Johnson 16.5-8.5-2.3 assists-1.7 steals-1.9 blocks Andy Rautins 12-5 assists-2 steals

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 7/16

5 Butler Bulldogs 28-6

How they got here: Horizon League Tournament Champions 

Round 1- 77-59 over UTEP

Round 2- 54-52 over Murray State

Best Players: Gordon Hayward 15.2-8.3 Shelvin Mack 14.1-3.6-3.1 assists-1.3 steals

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 49/10

Prediction: Ken Pom has Syracuse by 4, with the Orange winning 67% of the time. I really love Butler, but I don't think that they have the fire power to topple the Orange. 71-62 Syracuse. 

9:37 PM (Estimated) 30 minutes after game 1

2 Kansas State v. 7 Xavier

2 Kansas State Wildcats 28-7

How they got here: At large (Big 12 2nd Place)

Round 1- 82-62 over North Texas

Round 2- 84-72 over Brigham Young

Best Players: Jacob Pullen 19.2-3.5 assists-1.7 steals Denis Clemente 16.3-4.2 assists

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 14/12

6 Xavier Musketeers 26-8

How they got here: At large (A-10 2nd Place)

Round 1- 65-54 over Minnesota

Round 2- 71-68 over Pittsburgh 

Best Players: Jordan Crawford 20.2-4.8-2.9 assists Jason Love 11.8-8.5-1.5 blocks

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 17/34

Prediction: Ken Pom has KSU by 3, winning 61% of the time. These foes matched up in December in a kinda boring brick and free throw fest. I think that Kansas State has the guns to beat X, but I'm going with the Muskies in an upset. I'm thinking 78-74 Xavier.

East

7:27 PM

2 West Virginia v. 11 Washington

2 West Virginia Mountaineers 29-6

How they got here: Big East Tournament Champions

Round 1- 77-50 over Morgan State

Round 2- 68-59 over Missouri 

Best Players: Da'Sean Butler 17.5-6.2-3.3 assists Kevin Jones 13.6-7.2

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 12/23

11 Washington Huskies 26-9

How they got here: Pac 10 Tournament Champions 

Round 1- 80-78 over Marquette

Round 2- 82-64 over New Mexico

Best Players: Quincy Pondexter 19.7-7.5 Isaiah Thomas 17.1-4-3.1 assists 

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 25/36

Prediction: Ken Pom has WVU by 4, winning 66% of the time. West Virginia is missing point guard Truck Bryant, who is out with a broken foot. Who knows how much this is going to hurt Bob Huggins' squad. I think that it won't very much in this game. Washington played their best game of the tournament against New Mexico. Prediction: West Virginia 75-63

9:57 PM (Estimated) 30 minutes after game 1

1 Kentucky v. 12 Cornell

1 Kentucky Wildcats 34-2

How they got here: SEC Tournament Champions

Round 1- 100-71 over East Tennessee State

Round 2- 90-60 over Wake Forest 

Best Players: John Wall 16.8-4.1-6.5 assists DeMarcus Cousins 15.1-10-1.9 blocks 

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 10/9

12 Cornell Big Red 29-4

How they got here: Ivy League Champions

Round 1- 78-65 over Temple

Round 2- 87-69 over Wisconsin

Best Players: Ryan Wittman 17.8-4 Louis Dale 12.6-4.8 assists-1.3 steals

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 9/132

Prediction: Ken Pom has Kentucky by 9, with an 80% win probability. Cornell moved up 19 spots in offensive rank with their extraordinary dissection of Temple and Wisconsin. I joked on twitter that Cornell would shoot 8%, and blow it against Kentucky, but I think they can hang tough. I think that they do, but Kentucky pulls away late. I think tonight, we're all preppy, douche bag Cornell fans. Prediction: Kentucky 70-60

That was amazing

Thursday was one of the greatest basketball watching days of my life. I don't remember any day that started, and ended in such dramatic fashion. This is why we love college basketball. No team was safe, no lead was safe, and everyone busted their asses to make things special. I don't know how you could watch any of the games and not marvel at the action. I love the NCAA Tournament, as you could have guessed by the previews when the team this blog is about wasn't in it, and today was every reason why. The drama, the random stars, the guys jumping on the bench, the bangwagon fans, the stunned coaches, and of course, the ONIONS. Let's recap the action of the day, shall we?

West Region

7 BYU 99 10 Florida 92 (2 OT) - One of the first games of the day was one of the best games of the day. Florida stormed back from a big deficit in the second half to take the lead, see the score tied, and go to overtime. Jimmer Fredette tied the game with 26 seconds left in regulation, and hit a pair of huge 3s in the second OT. Jimmer went off for 37. Kenny Boynton led the Gator rally, finishing with 27.

13 Murray State 66 4 Vanderbilt 65- This game was close nearly all day. Vanderbilt was able to take the lead with an Andre Walker steal that lead to 2 Jermaine Beal free throws. Murray didn't panic, worked the clock down to under 2 seconds when Danero Thomas rose and fired for the win. Thomas had 11, but Isacc Miles powered the Racers with 17-6. Vandy was paced by 13 from John Jenkins.

2 Kansas State 82 15 North Texas 62- K State jumped out by 16 at the half, and never worried. Tristan Thompson had 28 for the Mean Green, but it was no match for 17-6 assists from Denis Clemente. Curtis Kelly and Jacob Pullen had 15.

5 Butler 77 12 UTEP 59- This was a game at halftime, with UTEP leading by 6. Butler's Shelvin Mack took matters into his hands with 7 second half 3s, and 25 points total. Butler hit 18 of 28 from deep. Derrick Caracter did have 20-9 in the losing effort.

Midwest

9 Northern Iowa 69 8 UNLV 66- UNLV rallied to tie the score at 66 with an Oscar Bellfield 3 pointer with 44 seconds left. The Panthers took the clock down near 0 when they found an open Ali Farokmanesh, who stone cold nailed a triple. He had 17. Matt Shaw's 14 lead UNLV.

14 Ohio 97 3 Georgetown 83- In what was a big time stunner, Ohio dominated Georgetown. The Bobcats hit 13 triples, had a 12 point halftime lead, withstood a rally, and picked up their first NCAA win since 1975. Georgetown's loss was the biggest losing margin for a 3 seed ever, and the most points the Hoyas have given up in the NCAAs ever. Armon Bassett had 32, and his backcourt mate D.J Cooper 23-8 assists to lead the march. Georgetown got 28 from Chris Wright.

6 Tennessee 62 11 San Diego St 59- This was another game that went down the wire. Tennessee got a huge 3 by Melvin Goins to push the lead to 4 with 18 seconds left, but he fouled D.J Gay, who was shooting a 3. Gay made all 3. Wayne Chism knocked down a pair of free throws for the Vols, followed by a miss from Kawhi Leonard, who had a decent look. Gay put up 16 for the losers, Goins and JP Prince had 15, Prince 6 rebounds, for the winners.

1 Kansas 90 16 Lehigh 74- Lehigh hung in for a while, but they were no match for the talented Jayhawks. C.J McCollum did his best with 26-7, but Marcus Morris fueled a balanced attack with 26-10.

South

11 Old Dominion 51 6 Notre Dame 50- The Monarchs rallied from an early 8 point second half hole to keep this one tight. Gerald Lee hit a jumper with 1:26 for the lead, and a free throw a few seconds later to push it to 3. Tory Jackson missed a 3, Carleton Scott a put back dunk, before Luke Harangody made a lay up at the buzzer. ODU was lead by 15-9 from Frank Hassell. Ben Hansbrough had 17-6 for the Fighting Irish.

2 Villanova 73 15 Robert Morris 70 (OT)- Villanova played extremely flat, as Corey Fisher and Scottie Reynolds didn't start as a 'teaching tool' or some bs reason. Bobby Mo had an 8 point lead with 3:57 left, but Nova hit from the stripe to tie. A Karon Abraham jumper was answered by a Yarou lay up, and Nova missed a shot at the end of regulation to send it to overtime. In OT Scottie Reynolds, who was 2-15, hit a 3 with 1:15 to push the lead to 6. They got it down to 1, but couldn't get over the hump. Reynolds had 20, thanks to 15 free throws, and Abraham 23 in the losing effort.

3 Baylor 68 14 Sam Houston St 59- Sam Houston kept this one close for a while before fading in winning time. Gilberto Clavell had 23-7 for the Bearkats, while Ekpe Udoh went for 20-13-5 assists for the Bears.

10 St Mary's 80 7 Richmond 71- Omar Samhan crushed the Spiders with a 29-12 dominating performance, key in the second half, as the Gaels broke a halftime tie. The Spiders couldn't solve the d, or slow down the big man. David Gonzalvez did his best with 18-5, but it wasn't enough.

East

3 New Mexico 62 14 Montana 57- The Grizzlies made this a ball game, cutting a 14 point deficit down to 1, but that was as close as they got. New Mexico made a bunch of free throws to put this one on ice. Roman Martinez had 19-6-4 assists for the Lobos, while Brian Qvale had a big 26-13 for the losers.

9 Wake Forest 81 8 Texas 80 (OT)- Texas rallied to tie the game late in regulation, but missed a couple chances to win, when Damian James only made 1 of 2 at the line. Texas jumped out to an 8 point overtime lead, but 2 Tony Woods dunk backs and free throws helped pull the margin to 2. Ari Stewart cut the lead to 1 with 19 seconds left, and the 324th worst free throw shooting team in the country saw Gary Johnson miss 2 leading to Ish Smith netting a game winner with under 2 seconds left. Al-Farouq Aminu put up a gaudy 20-15 for Wake. J'Covan Brown had 20 for the Longhorns.

11 Washington 80 6 Marquette 78- Marquette's season of wild, close games came to the end in a wild, close game. Marquette lost a 14 point lead with 14 minutes to go, and fell behind at the 5 minute mark. The lead went back and forth before Maurice Acker hit a pair of free throws with 2:26 left. The Huskies tied the score on free throws by Venoy Overton with 2:09 left. Both teams missed shots, but Quincy Pondexter pulled home an offensive rebound with under 39 seconds left. He dribbled the clock down, and took his man to the rim for the game winning bucket. A halfcourt heave was short. Pondexter had 18-11, most in the second half, but Isaiah Thomas lead with 19-8 assists. For Marquette, Lazar Hayward had 20, and Darius Johnson-Odom 19.

1 Kentucky 100- 16 East Tennessee St 71- Kentucky dominated of course. Eric Bledsoe had 29, John Wall 17-11 assists, and Patrick Patterson 22. The Bucs got 19 from Micah Williams.

Breaking Down the Brackets: East

Even though the Cincinnati Bearcats are in the NIT, does not mean that you won't get an awesome NCAA Tournament preview. We kicked things off with games in the South, now we're onto the East region. Before you jump in, sign up for the Bearcats Blog Tournament Challenge. It's on ESPN.com. Search for Bearcats Blog, or click here. Stats by Ken Pomeroy.

East

1 Kentucky Wildcats 32-2

How they got here: SEC Tournament Champions

Best Players: John Wall 16.9-4.2-6.4 assists DeMarcus Cousins 15.3-10.1-1.8 blocks 

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 18/10

16 East Tennessee St. Buccaneers 20-14

How they got here: Atlantic Sun Tournament Champions 

Best Players: Tommy Hubbard 14.1-8.3 Micah Williams 12.5-3.3 

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 196/88

Predicted Winner (KenPom/Me): Kentucky by 17. Of course, if not more. 

8 Texas Longhorns 24-9

How they got here: At large (Big 12 6th place tie)

Best Players: Damion James 18-10.4-1.8 steals-1.2 blocks Avery Bradley 11.7-2.9 

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 26/26

9 Wake Forest Demon Deacons 19-10

How they got here: At large (ACC 6th place tie)

Best Players: Al-Farouq Aminu 15.7-10.7-1.5 steals-1.5 blocks Ishmael Smith 13.3-4.7-6 assists-1.8 steals

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 96/25

Predicted Winner (KenPom/Me): Texas by 5. Wake has been sliding badly as of late, but Texas has also stunk since being number 1. The Longhorns are too talented in my book though.

4 Wisconsin Badgers 23-8

How they got here: At large (Big 10 4th place)

Best Players: Trevon Hughes 15.4-4.6-2.7 assists-1.7 steals Jon Leuer 14.8-5.8-1.4 blocks

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 13/7

13 Wofford Terriers  26-8

How they got here: Southern Conference Tournament Champions

Best Players: Noah Dahlman 16.8-6.3 Jamar Diggs 9.4-2.9-2.6 assists

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 149/56

Predicted Winner (KenPom/Me): Wisconsin by 11. Agreed. This game should be boring, I hope I don't have to watch much of it.

5 Temple Owls 29-5

How they got here: Atlantic 10 Tournament Champions

Best Players: Ryan Brooks 14.3-4.4 Juan Fernandez 12.6-2.4-3.6

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 77/3

12 Cornell Big Red 27-4

How they got here: Ivy League Champions

Best Players: Ryan Wittman 17.5-4 Jeff Foote 12.3-8.2-1.9 blocks

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 28/138

Predicted Winner (KenPom/Me): Temple by 5. Jay Bilas picked Cornell to go the Elite 8. I love me some Bilas, but that's crazy. I think Temple locks them up in round 1.

2 West Virginia Mountaineers 27-6

How they got here: Big East Tournament Champions

Best Players: Da'Sean Butler 17.4-6.3-3.3 assists Kevin Jones 13.5-7.1

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 11/24

15 Morgan St. Bears  27-9

How they got here: MEAC Tournament Champions

Best Players: Reggie Holmes 21.8-4.3-1.5 steals Kevin Thompson 12.8-11.9-1.4 blocks

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 136/190

Predicted Winner (KenPom/Me): West Virginia by 16. Yes, if not more.

7 Clemson Tigers 21-10

How they got here: At large (ACC 6th place tie)

Best Players: Trevor Booker 15.3-8.3-1.4 blocks Demontez Stitt 11.1-3.2 assists 1.5 steals

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 47/9

10 Missouri Tigers 22-10

How they got here: At large (Big 12 5th place)

Best Players: Kim English 13.9-3.4-1.4 steals Marcus Denmon 10.8-3.1

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 50/12

Predicted Winner (KenPom/Me): Clemson by 1. In this toss up, I like the Tigers, LOL. Feel free to punch anyone who actually says that in the throat. I'm going with Missouri.


3 New Mexico Lobos 29-4

How they got here: At large (MWC Regular Season Champions)

Best Players: Darrington Hobson 16.2-9.2-4.6 assists-1.3 steals Roman Martinez 13.8-6-1.5 steals

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 21/87

14 Montana Grizzlies 22-9

How they got here: Big Sky Tournament Champions

Best Players: Anthony Johnson 19.6-3.3-3 assists Brian Qvale 9.6-6.9-2 blocks 

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 110/121

Predicted Winner (KenPom/Me): New Mexico by 7. I think New Mexico wins by more.

6 Marquette Golden Eagles 22-11

How they got here: At large (Big East 5th place)

Best Players: Lazar Hayward 18.1-7.7-1.8 steals Jimmy Butler 14.9-6.4 

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 22/48

11 Washington Huskies 24-9

How they got here: Pac 10 Tournament Champions 

Best Players: Quincy Pondexter 19.8-7.5 Isaiah Thomas 17.1-4.1-2.9 assists 

Ken Pom Off/Def Rank: 32/38

Predicted Winner (KenPom/Me): Marquette by 1. In this toss up, I'm going to go Big East. Sorry Huskies. 

Bearcats Blog Top 26

This is a Cincinnati Bearcats blog, maybe THE Cincinnati Bearcats blog (not really), but occasionally I think that we should take a look around the nation and see what's up with the what's up. That's street lingo for see what's happening around the nation. Everyone knows that the best way to do that is to make a list of the Top 26 teams of the country. Why 26? Because I hit 6 instead of 5. Sometimes life throws you curveballs like that. You have to roll with them, or they will roll you. Write that down kiddies, because that is advice for life. I bet you didn't see that coming in a Top 26 list post. This isn't going to be a list of the AP top 25, it's going to be better. How? Take a look. It's in a book. Reading rainbow. 

1. Kentucky Wildcats 19-0. Up next: @South Carolina. I have Kentucky here because they are undefeated. I don't really think they are the best team, but as the Nature Boy says, to be the man, you have to beat the man. No one has beaten Kentucky. They have one of the best players, if not the best, in John Wall. Cousins and Bledsoe are also really good, and there's that Patterson fellow. The only problem is that Kentucky fans are the worst. I hope they go undefeated and lose to a 16 seed.
2. Syracuse Orange 20-1. Up next: @DePaul. Pittsburgh is one of those teams that matches up well with Syracuse, and I think it's clear that Pitt was playing their best ball of the season against the Orange. They aren't the most talented team, but they play great together. Wes Johnson is a stud, and barring injury or turning into Eric Devandorf, he's going to be the Big East Player of the Year.
3. Kansas Jayhawks 19-1. Up next: @Kansas State. Kansas has the most talent out of any team but maybe Kentucky. They have pros at every position with Sherron Collins, Xavier Henry (we should pronounce Xavier za-vee-eh because fuck Xavier), Cole Aldrich and Marcus Morris. They are Kansas, so a tournament flameout is a possibility. I think they are at least Elite 8 material. 
4. Texas Longhorns 17-2. Up next: Texas Tech. Yeah they lost twice last week, but they lost on the road to good teams. They don't have a point guard, can't shoot free throws and Rick Barnes looks stupid. Whatever. They are going to be a 1 seed. If they aren't, your money back. 
5. Duke Blue Devils 16-3. Up next: Florida State. When I clicked on the Duke team page on ESPN, Dick Vitale started yelling at me. Duke isn't great, but they are good, deal with it. They will probably, no they will definitely choke in the tournament to all of our delight, but Jon Scheyer is for reals. 
6. Villanova Wildcats 18-1. Up next: Notre Dame. I'm not sold on Villanova. I would have dropped them lower in fact, but have you taken a look at the teams ranked under them? Scottie Reynolds is really good, and probably the second best player in the Big East. Jay Wright is a good coach and I wouldn't mind hanging out at hotel bar drinking gin and tonics with him while talking about our short games on the golf course. But, they stink of overration from last year's tournament and quite frankly, they are going down early this year. 
7. Michigan State Spartains 17-3. Up next: @Michigan. Michigan State barely beat Minnesota and Iowa came back on them. So of course they are ranked over Texas in the stupid polls because Texas beat them and has a better record. Oh wait, the reason is because voters are ass hats. Michigan State is undefeated in the Big 11, but they haven't played Purdue. 
8. Purdue Boilermakers 16-3. Up next: Wisconsin. Purdue already lost to Wisconsin, but they are ranked over Wisconsin because they haven't lost to Wisconsin Green Bay. Purdue is going to mess up every bracket that I fill out this year because I will either be infatuated with them and have them go deep, or I will have hate in my heart and have them lose early. Is this a post on how teams are now, or how they are going to be? I'm not sure, it kinda changed didn't it? 
9. Gonzaga Bulldogs 16-3. Up next: Santa Clara. They haven't beaten anyone worth a damn since they lost to Duke, but they are winning and looking good. They are probably going to roll through the conference with 0 or 1 loss, and they are going to be dangerous as usual. 
10. Brigham Young Cougars 20-1. Up next: @New Mexico. Jimmer Fredette is a stud, and he highlights this overlooked team. BYU somehow lost to Utah State, but don't let that fool you. They are running over the solid Mountain West. They are also a team that I'm penciling into the Sweet 16 right now. 
11. Kansas State Wildcats 16-3. Up next: @Baylor. Jacob Pullen is Amish. Any player that inspires Frank Martin to wear a fake beard is cool in my book. Denis Clemente is also very good, but he spells Denis weird and all of his friends secretly don't like it. They are a flame out early team. Probably not a 3 who loses to a 14, but a 4 that loses to a 13 if it comes to that. 
12. West Virginia Mountaineers 15-3. Up next: @DePaul. Does anyone think that West Virginia is going anywhere this year without a point guard? I sure don't. Da'Sean Butler is great, but he can't do it all on his own, he's no superman. 
13. Temple Owls 17-3. Up next: @Charlotte. Boring ol' Temple is ranked this high not just because they beat Xavier, but because they are good. I think that they have the makings of a dangerous team in March. They will either play a 1 seed like Texas and terrorize them and win, or they will play a 1 seed like Kansas and get blown out again. There is no in between for the Owls. 
14. Wisconsin Badgers 16-4. Up next: @Purdue. Boring ol' Wisconsin follows boring ol' Temple in the boring teams section of the Top 26. Wisky is always solid, and always a boring team to watch. Even in close games, you think 'why couldn't Wisconsin be interesting a full 40 minutes?' Sorry Badger fans, you know this. 
15. Pittsburgh Panthers 15-4. Up next: St John's. Pitt seems to be falling off a little, but I think they have a better squad than the rest of the teams. In 3 weeks when Pitt is 18-9, remind me of how stupid this ranking was.
16. Tennessee Volunteers 15-3. Up next: Vanderbilt. Tennessee has some good talent, talent that is stupid enough to get arrested, but good talent. They are really tough to be in Knoxville, but they don't play every game there. I think the Georgia loss exposed them a lot.
17. Baylor Bears 15-3. Up next: Kansas State. This is going to look really stupid when Baylor loses to K State and Texas back to back. Having said that, I've really bought into the Bears. They nearly beat Kansas, and they destroyed UMass Saturday. Ekpe Udoh is a monster on defense, and he can pop a triple. I've kept my eye on them since they beat Xavier, and I like the looks of this team.
18. Ohio State 14-6. Up next: @IowaZack10Bucks. The Buckeyes are a completely different team with the 'Villain' Evan Turner. Turner is actually my choice for player of the year, and he carries the Bucks. The only problem is that all of Ohio State's players like watching him too instead of playing. And oh my god Wally Szczerbiak is on some random CBS College Sports show. I'll never forget the Utah game World.
19. Georgetown Hoyas 15-4. Up next: Duke. This is the time of year Georgetown gets exposed. They were pummeled by Syracuse. They will lose to the Dukies. Georgetown gets a reprieve with USF, followed by another loss against Villanova. They are UC with better talent. Their offense goes in the tank with the best of them.
20. Mississippi Rebels 15-4. Up next: @Auburn. The Rebs get Auburn and Arkansas before their showdown with Kentucky. That's essentially a bye. I haven't seen them play, and I put them here because of their record and because I like Andy Kennedy. I don't think AK should have gotten the UC job, so save your emails.
21. New Mexico Lobos 18-3. Up next: BYU. New Mexico is a very good team that is underrated because the Mountain West decided to be stupid and not continue their contract on ESPN. The Lobos have Darington Hobson, who not only has a kick ass name, but he can play. Hook up your satellite dish, or find a stream or something and watch their game against BYU Wednesday.
22. Northern Iowa Panthers 17-2. Up next: The Drake. Northern Iowa lost to DePaul before losing a non head scratcher against the dreaded Shockers of Wichita State. UNI will be a 10 or 11 seed I'll pick to win in the Dance and they will totally screw me over. 
23. Florida State Seminoles 15-4. Up next: @Duke. Florida State just beat Georgia Tech to sweep the season series, yet the pollsters ranked Georgia Tech, who also has a worse record. Florida State would have a better chance to beat Duke in Tallahassee, but they can give them a game in Cameron Indoor. I used to love watching Florida State when they had Bob Sura and Charlie Ward. 
24. Connecticut Huskies 13-6. Up next: @Providence. I nearly didn't rank UConn until I looked to see who they had coming up. I think they'll sweep Providence, Marquette and Louisville. Louisville just matches up poorly with UConn every year it seems, and I think the Huskies are turning the corner. They probably won't have another game like against Texas, but the fact they can have games like that intrigues me.
25. Vanderbilt Commodores 15-3. Up next: @Tennessee. I would have ranked Vandy higher, but I think they are going to lose their next 3 against Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi State. Their court is funky, but I have to admit that I like it. 
26. Butler Bulldogs 16-4. Up next: @Wis-Green Bay. Butler bit off a little more than they could chew early on. They are rounding into form now though. I certainly wouldn't want the gritty Bulldogs in the big dance.

SI has Lance Stephenson as one of the top freshmen in the country

(Enquirer)

The next Sports Illustrated that you open will not only have Bengals playoff preview, but it will mention the Cincinnati freshmen sensation, Lance Stephenson. Ok sensation was a bit much probably, but Born Ready was mentioned among the nation's elite freshmen. John Wall was on some of the covers, and there was probably a big write up about him. I'm guessing they write about the people on the cover. Who knows? Does anyone read magazines anymore? Anyway, the other freshmen mentioned were Kansas' Xavier Henry (not pronounced like Xavier, but za-v-eh. We should say Xavier like this from now on.), DeMarcus Cousins of Kentucky, Avery Bradley of Texas and Derrick Favors of Georgia Tech. Here is what SI wrote about the Bearcats leading scorer.

Before he even set foot in Cincinnati, New York City basketball prodigy Stephenson had starred in a documentary,Gunnin' for That #1 Spot, and graced the cover of Dime magazine, which proclaimed, THIS 17-YEAR-OLD WOULD BE AN NBA STAR RIGHT NOW. In sum: the 6'5" freshman guard has an outsized ego (he talked trash to opposing coach Chris Mack during the Bearcats' loss at Xavier) and nerves of steel. (He was fouled with less than a second left and made both free throws in a breakthrough 71--69 win over No. 10 Connecticut on Dec. 30.)

Great press for the Bearcats and Lance. Enjoy him while you can, because it doesn't seem like he's lasting long for better or worse.