The Sweet Sixteen
It's time to go from 16 to 8. Who got hot for a weekend and who has the pieces to move to Indy? Well I'll tell you who will be left by Saturday.
UConn vs. Washington: Rudy Gay is one of four finalists for the player of the year, but he isn't the best player in this game, that honor would go to Washington's Brandon Roy. Roy will have to take his finalist snub to heart and put up the best game of his career to keep his Huskies in it, and that still won't be enough. Great teams have a tendency to not turn it on until the Sweet Sixteen, because, frankly, they can get by without their A game for the first two rounds. Washington's backcourt is going to have an awful time against Marcus Williams, and everyone knows of UConn's frontcourt duo of Boone and Armstrong. UConn rolls on.
Wichita State vs. George Mason: This Bracket Buster rematch will likely come down to the wire again. These two mid majors have shown their teeth this tournament and are lucky that one of them will be in the Elite Eight. The deciding factor will be inside where Jai Lewis will try to take down his third premiere big man of the tournament in MVC MVP Paul Miller. But if he could handle the likes of Tyler Hansbrough and Paul Davis, than this Paul will be no problem. George Mason squeaks it out.
Duke vs. LSU: The key to this game will not be JJ Redick. He will get his 30 points, he always does. It will also not come down to Big Baby Glen Davis and Tyrus Thomas ability to dominate down low, because they will cancel out JJ Redick. The match-up I am interested in is at the point guard position. I have read up a lot on Darrel Mitchell since his huge three against Texas A&M, and I don't see how Greg Paulus can handle him. Just a gut instinct, LSU upsets.
Texas vs. West Virginia: Texas is the most talented team in the country, though they don't use it like UConn, but when they do, no one can handle them. Texas should be able to physically handle West Virginia, and they had a tune up game against this modified Princeton offense in NC State. The Mountaineers 1-3-1 zone should also be an issue if Texas is able to rebound from its season high 24 turnovers they had in their game against West Virginia in November. Texas stays hot, rolls on.
Villanova vs. Boston College: Talk about a contrast of styles. Villanova has the undisputed best guard combination in the country and one could argue that Boston College controls the post better than anyone. If both teams play at their best, the wildcats win a close one, but if Villanova is a little cold, and Boston College hammers away as usual, the eagles will knock out the second one seed. Boston College barges on to Sunday.
Florida vs. Georgetown: Who is playing their best basketball at this point in the season, not Duke, UConn, or Villanova, its the Gators. Florida rolled in the SEC tournament and really dominated South Alabama and Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Joakim Noah has been the MVP of the NCAAs so far. Cory Brewer and Taurean Green have also poured in big time points. Georgetown's Roy Hibbert has arguably gained the most ground, if he was to enter, in the upcoming draft, but he has to contend with the most tenacious player in America, Joakim Noah. Florida holds on from the free throw line.
Memphis vs. Bradley: Memphis is too talented, too deep, and has to many athletes on defense for Bradley right? Right, but the Braves are arguably more prepared than the Tigers by playing in the strong MVC as opposed to the C-USA. In the end though, Cinderella falter here and Sommerville is shut down by Rodney Carney, the dream ends.
UCLA vs. Gonzaga: The Zags are finally back to the second weekend after years of faltering. Morrison is the hardest to guard player in the country, JJ is the best. The key here is if JP Batista can find a way to play against Ben Howland's east coast minded athletes at UCLA. UCLA has better players at almost every position and should be able to beat the Zags. The real difference will be at the guard position, where Arron Afflalo and Jordan Farmar should overmatch Derek Raivio and Cespedes. UCLA moves on.
So we have learned? No matter what your front court looks like, it will come down to the guard play in the games.
UConn vs. Washington: Rudy Gay is one of four finalists for the player of the year, but he isn't the best player in this game, that honor would go to Washington's Brandon Roy. Roy will have to take his finalist snub to heart and put up the best game of his career to keep his Huskies in it, and that still won't be enough. Great teams have a tendency to not turn it on until the Sweet Sixteen, because, frankly, they can get by without their A game for the first two rounds. Washington's backcourt is going to have an awful time against Marcus Williams, and everyone knows of UConn's frontcourt duo of Boone and Armstrong. UConn rolls on.
Wichita State vs. George Mason: This Bracket Buster rematch will likely come down to the wire again. These two mid majors have shown their teeth this tournament and are lucky that one of them will be in the Elite Eight. The deciding factor will be inside where Jai Lewis will try to take down his third premiere big man of the tournament in MVC MVP Paul Miller. But if he could handle the likes of Tyler Hansbrough and Paul Davis, than this Paul will be no problem. George Mason squeaks it out.
Duke vs. LSU: The key to this game will not be JJ Redick. He will get his 30 points, he always does. It will also not come down to Big Baby Glen Davis and Tyrus Thomas ability to dominate down low, because they will cancel out JJ Redick. The match-up I am interested in is at the point guard position. I have read up a lot on Darrel Mitchell since his huge three against Texas A&M, and I don't see how Greg Paulus can handle him. Just a gut instinct, LSU upsets.
Texas vs. West Virginia: Texas is the most talented team in the country, though they don't use it like UConn, but when they do, no one can handle them. Texas should be able to physically handle West Virginia, and they had a tune up game against this modified Princeton offense in NC State. The Mountaineers 1-3-1 zone should also be an issue if Texas is able to rebound from its season high 24 turnovers they had in their game against West Virginia in November. Texas stays hot, rolls on.
Villanova vs. Boston College: Talk about a contrast of styles. Villanova has the undisputed best guard combination in the country and one could argue that Boston College controls the post better than anyone. If both teams play at their best, the wildcats win a close one, but if Villanova is a little cold, and Boston College hammers away as usual, the eagles will knock out the second one seed. Boston College barges on to Sunday.
Florida vs. Georgetown: Who is playing their best basketball at this point in the season, not Duke, UConn, or Villanova, its the Gators. Florida rolled in the SEC tournament and really dominated South Alabama and Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Joakim Noah has been the MVP of the NCAAs so far. Cory Brewer and Taurean Green have also poured in big time points. Georgetown's Roy Hibbert has arguably gained the most ground, if he was to enter, in the upcoming draft, but he has to contend with the most tenacious player in America, Joakim Noah. Florida holds on from the free throw line.
Memphis vs. Bradley: Memphis is too talented, too deep, and has to many athletes on defense for Bradley right? Right, but the Braves are arguably more prepared than the Tigers by playing in the strong MVC as opposed to the C-USA. In the end though, Cinderella falter here and Sommerville is shut down by Rodney Carney, the dream ends.
UCLA vs. Gonzaga: The Zags are finally back to the second weekend after years of faltering. Morrison is the hardest to guard player in the country, JJ is the best. The key here is if JP Batista can find a way to play against Ben Howland's east coast minded athletes at UCLA. UCLA has better players at almost every position and should be able to beat the Zags. The real difference will be at the guard position, where Arron Afflalo and Jordan Farmar should overmatch Derek Raivio and Cespedes. UCLA moves on.
So we have learned? No matter what your front court looks like, it will come down to the guard play in the games.
posted by Sean Umstead at 1:50 PM
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