The NCAA men’s basketball tournament begins in earnest today, with me not risking any money in a bracket pool. Talk about feeling isolated.
Everyone, it seems, fashions themselves something of an expert on college hoops come tournament time, and is willing to back that sentiment with a few bucks, just to have a rooting interest.
I’ve actually won a bracket pool or two through the years, but usually I’m relegated to also-ran status after two rounds, particularly in recent seasons when upsets have been plentiful.
Don’t you just hate those stories about people picking winners based on school colors, uniforms, or mascots and winning a bracket pool?
Just for fun, I filled out a free bracket on the cbssports web site, going long on upsets, the soup of the day.
My Final Four has just one top seed, that being Alabama, ranked first among all seeds as the tournament begins.
My other selections for the Final Four are No. 5 seed Duke, No. 2 Texas and No. 3 Gonzaga.
I’m taking Duke and Gonzaga to win in the semis and Gonzaga over Duke in the title game.
I do this because Gonzaga has been such a serial disappointer in past tournaments, having gone in with higher seeds and expectations, I’m thinking that this year, with a veteran team but less pressure, the Zags just might finally get it done.
Just being a contrarian here.
Duke has come on strong late in the season, which explains me picking them to go far.
My overall themes in filling out my bracket were many.
First of all, my belief is the Big Ten is typically over-rated, despite not having won this thing since Michigan State in 2000.
Purdue, the conference’s top team all season, is inconsistent from the perimeter and the Boilermaker guards have been exposed in the Big Ten Tournament as being totally unable to deal with fullcourt pressure.
Purdue nearly coughed up a 17-point lead vs. Penn State in the title game due to its turnover fest under duress.
Such teams do not win national titles. Indiana, Michigan State, Northwestern, Iowa, Penn State, et al , all have flaws that will prevent them from making serious NCAA Tournament runs.
I think the Big 12 Conference is strong from top to bottom this season, but even though Kansas got a top seed in its region, the Jayhawks don’t seem to have the total package this year. I’ve got Kansas succumbing in the second round to Arkansas,
Still, I’m picking Texas to make the Final Four from the Big 12.
Generally speaking, the ACC was average this year, yet I’m taking Duke to make a long run and Miami to go three rounds. It’s Virginia, North Carolina State and Pitt I have departing in the round of 64.
The Pac-12 doesn’t impress. UCLA will be the standard-bearer, winning twice before falling to Gonzaga.
Marquette and Creighton of the Big East have some strong backers in the bracket prognostication game. This conference has won four of the past 11 tournaments, the last being Villanova in 2018. I’ve got Marquette losing to Duke in the regional final. But I only have Creighton going two rounds.
Good luck to any and all who have actual cash money on this. Try to enjoy.
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