2009 Tourney Picks

I'll keep short and sweet, list the upsets of the region as well.


Midwest

Dayton will be the tourney darlings here. Just a hunch here, the bottom half of that bracket is very winnable. I don't trust Michigan State (big ten prejudice, in fact I have USC who are big on the momentum right now) and Kansas' youth (Collins and Aldrich aside) could hurt them eventually.

That said I see chalk holding court and Louisville beating the Flyers in Indy to move on to Detroit.

West

Least amount of upsets (one, Utah State) here, as the top 4 seeds should advance.

When we look back on March 29th, we'll re-name the West Regional Final against UConn as Tyreke Evans' Coming-Out Party. Kid's got game out his ass and while Rose certainly had more exposure last season, Evans will get it this month. His explosiveness is incredible. Though I'm not sure what to make from that E:60 story last year about his brothers serving basically as his agents, hopefully I've become too cynical and it's a good thing.

East

Minnesota over Duke is your big upset.

For some reason, I think Minnesota is better than their record and when the 3 stops falling for the dukies, they're a fundamentally sound district runner-up.

The Seminoles have the potential to either be a Final 4 team or get bounced in Round one. They have the senior leader who can put them on their back (Toney Douglas)and if (especially) Solomon Alabi and Ryan Reid step it up, they have the inside presence to match Pitt.

I was very tempted to take VCU to the Sweet 16 and I still would not be shocked if the Rams do just that. Villanova's guard play will guard play will get them to the Elite 8 where Pitt not only gets over the hump, they take a jackhammer to it.

South

I know all 4 of you will call me a Big East homer after this region, but there's not a lot of confidence in this region

A UNC team with a possbily 75% Ty Lawson, doesn't play defense (and missing their best defender, Marcus Ginyard)and the impeccable big game record of Roy Williams? No thanks.

Oklahoma could do damage, but it's up to Willie Warren to keep opposing defenses honest.

Gonzaga? Fear of expectations, they're out.

Illinois? Just not enough fire power.

Arizona State is just good enough to get to the Sweet 16, but poorly coached enough to go no further.

Experienced coaching, plenty of scoring, size and Johnny Flynn playing out of his mind? Checkmate, Orange. (Then again, I said this in 2005. Thank you for nothing, T.J. Sorentine and Taylor Coppenrath).

Semifinals

Memphis over Louisville
Pitt over Syracuse

National Championship

The Tigers erase the bitter memory of Mario Chalmers and pull away 73-67

In the words of Hans Gruber, hit it again....