March Madness – Part Three

Here are my picks based on the criteria from the first two blogs. I hope it helps when you guys are sitting down to play ‘THE PULSE’. Enjoy! (Here is the Bracket)

MIDWEST

1^st Round Upset Picks:
#9 Northern Iowa over #8 UNLV
#12 New Mexico State over #5 Michigan State
#13 Houston over #4 Maryland
#10 Georgia Tech over #7 Oklahoma State

For some reason the NCAA committee decided to put the top #1 seed, the top #2 seed, the top #3 seed and my favorite upset picks in the same region. You’re killing me smalls!

Georgetown AND Tennessee were my ‘dark horses’ in the tournament. Well they will meet in the second round, so looks like only one horse is moving on.

Kansas vs. Ohio State might be a classic like Duke/Kentucky 1992 and we all know how that ended.

MIDWEST Winner: Kansas

WEST

1^st Round Upset Picks: None.

No surprises here. This is Syracuse’s region to lose (even with this news). Kansas States poses a threat, but I’ve liked Syracuse from the beginning and I’m going to err on the side of continuity!

WEST Winner: Syracuse

EAST

1^st Round Upset Picks:

#9 Wake Forest over #8 Texas
#10 Missouri over #7 Clemson

This region has another great possible Elite Eight match-up: #1 Kentucky vs. #2 West Virginia (WVU). Said it from the beginning: I don’t feel comfortable with Kentucky winning 7 games in a row. West Virginia just won the Big East Tournament. Hmmm… Dick Vitale picked Kentucky to win, so that means I’m going to pick West Virginia.

EAST Winner: West Virginia.

SOUTH

1^st Round Upset Picks:

#9 Louisville over #8 Cal
#12 Utah State over #5 Texas A&M
#13 Siena over #4 Purdue
#10 Saint Mary’s over #7 Richmond

Another heavy region for possible 1^st round upsets. Just giving you a heads up. Probably going to be a Duke/ Villanova final. Villanova doesn't have the size, depth, experience or style of play to beat Duke. I’m not saying it’s not impossible for Villanova to win, but the smart money is to pick Duke in this region.

SOUTH winner: Duke

FINAL FOUR

Syracuse over Kansas

Duke over West Virginia

These games are so close that it’s a little mind-numbing. No one stands out from the rest. Yes, I am aware many people think Kansas is a sure thing. Not buying it. Since everyone is over-hyping Kansas, I am going to give Syracuse the victory based on the under-dog effect.

It’s West Virginia’s 1-3-1 and Da’Sean Butler against Duke’s Man-to-Man pressure and the Big 3 (Scheyer, Smith, Singler)! It’s Big East Tournament Champion against ACC Tournament Champion! Duke. I guess.

FINAL

Syracuse over Duke

Coach K vs. Coach Boeheim. Do you think Coach Boeheim might regret teaching Coach K about his 2-3 zone during the Olympics? Probably not, but it still matters when looking at this game.

However, in the end I pick Syracuse. Continuity!

2010 National Champion: Syracuse

I’m already second-guessing myself. That’s just the way the tournament is this year...right Mike Wilbon. So, those are my picks and I’m sticking to them! Enjoy the Madness and rack up those points!

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