Mikey D

~As a true testament to the fact that I over-analyze and over-think things, the bracket I am doing the best in is the one I filled out immediately after the selection show. I went with my gut, my intuition, and as it turns out, my gut is smarter than my brain. I successfully picked 13/16 sweet sixteen teams (Notre Dame, Butler, Marquette being on the wrong end), and called Davidson to beat Georgetown, Western Kentucky, West Virginia, and Villanova to the sweet sixteen (including W.K.-San Diego and Villanova-Siena second rounders). I'd have all of my elite 8 teams left, and more than likely would be leading our bracket challenge. But alas I can take no credit for any of those picks because I chose to ride my brain and my vast "knowledge" of college basketball. Sigh.

~I watched/listened to most of the Mississippi St./Memphis game yesterday, and I really like Michigan St.'s chances. If anybody else watched the game, it looked like a streetball game for the most part. Isolating the guard up top, drive to the rim, monster dunks on misses. I wasn't thoroughly impressed with Memphis and think they are definitely a beatable team. While Memphis may make more spectacular plays that will draw the "oohs" and "ahhs", fundamentally I think we're a better basketball team. If we execute our game, I think we win. Of course, that is always a big if...

~...that being said, I pick us. I pick us because Neitzel will do what he did to Ronald Ramon- run him ragged. I think Lucas can get by the bigger guard (Rose) and penetrate. I think Walton can do a decent job on Rose. I think we have enough bigs (quantity over quality) to somewhat neutralize Memphis down low. Perhaps for the first time all season, being in foul trouble might work to our advantage, by putting Memphis on the free-throw line. I think Memphis might overlook us slightly, and see the two higher seeds in the next round as bigger threats. But the main reason I think we will beat Memphis on Friday is pure will. We want this. For the first time all year, I feel like the team wants it more than the other team. We will look Memphis in the eyes on Friday and say to their faces, "Fuck you, this is OURS."

~Can you imagine how good State would be if Neitzel, Lucas, Suton, and Morgan actually all played well in the same game? I don't think we've seen it once all year. What if all four showed up to play? That would be a State team I'd thoroughly enjoy watching.

~Best Conference in the Tourny: Big Ten. Shout outs to the Big East and Pac-10, but I give it the Big Ten. We only put four teams into this tournament, and we've got two into the sweet sixteen. Purdue played it's way into the second round and put up a good fight against Xavier. For as much shit as the Big Ten has gotten all year, we are 5-2 and more than holding our own in the tournament. Are we the best basketball conference in the country from top to bottom? No, but our top is pretty damn good. It's a physical, obey-the-code type of basketball that not many programs play. So while we might not be the flashiest conference, all of our teams are tough outs in March.

~Least Impressive Conference: SEC. Vanderbilt fell flat on their faces. Georgia exited first round. Tennessee has looked less than impressive in two games. Kentucky shouldn't have even been in the tournament. Arkansas beat an already defeated Indiana team, but then looked like they didn't even belong on the same floor as an elite team against UNC. Mississippi State is the only team that represented themselves well from the conference.

~Hey, I've Seen That Before! Award: Davidson. Does anybody else remember Wally Szcerbiak when he played for Miami (OH) about ten years ago in the tournament? What Curry is doing right now is basically what Wally did for Miami. He shot his team into the sweet sixteen by hitting every shot he took from anywhere on the court. I remember watching him play against Washington (yes, I remember the opponent- it is still such a vivid game in my mind), and with two defenders in his face launching threes from five feet behind the three point line. It was amazing. As Curry is to Davidson, Wally is (was) to Miami (OH).

~Best Game: Western Kentucky/Drake. It's a shame Drake had to lose, because they are a damn fun team to watch. If they were in any other region, I bet they'd be in the sweet sixteen. It's unfortunate they had to play Western Kentucky who matched up perfectly with them (and W.K. did get a little lucky at the end). I watched this game and watched both teams run up and down the floor and shoot threes like they were lay-ups. It was spectacular. Drake would have four guys on the perimeter, and they'd all just bomb it. The point guard would pick a man, and he'd chuck it- and they'd all hit. The second half and overtime was a blast to watch. Throw in a buzzer-beater, and it makes it my game of the tourny thus far.

~Elite Eight Picks: North Carolina, Louisville, Kansas, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Texas, UCLA, Xavier...nothing spectacular (except for State =) )

Go State!

~Mikey D