Here's hoping that some day Tulane will be involved in this discussion and get a chance to keep its opening-round perfect record intact.
My pick is Kentucky to win it all, and I'm surprised the odds are 50-50 according to Vegas. The Wildcats are by no means a lock in the one-loss-and-you're done system, but come on, they have to have at least a 75 percent chance to win it all. They've gotten better as the year has gone along, and John Calipari is one of the most underrated bench coaches of all time. Because people can't stand him, they act like he just rolls the balls out. This guy gets McDonald's All-Americans to play cohesively and never selfishly, which is an incredibly difficult task. I don't know he does it.
If Kentucky loses, it will be on a day it does not shoot well from outside and the other team does. No one is going to beat the Wildcats straight up.
If the Cats lose, this is my order of likely national champions.
1) Wisconsin --Frank Kaminsky definitely should be the player of the year. Wisconsin executes more efficiently on offense than anyone, and these guys are winners. That's why I think they will beat Arizona again in a regional final rematch of one of the best games I've seen in the last 10 years. Arizona is more talented, but the Wildcats don't have the same will to win.
2) Arizona --Because Arizona does everything well, is terrific defensively and would not be intimidated by Kentucky at all.
3) Villanova --This team cannot beat Kentucky, but it is capable of beating whoever does beat Kentucky. The idea that Villanova will flop because it has in the past is plain stupid. The other teams didn't go 32-2 and crush just about everyone in a good league (Big East). I have Villanova losing to Kentucky in the championship game.
4) Duke --the Blue Devils played the three most impressive games of any team not named Kentucky, beating a healthy Virginia on the road, Wisconsin on the road and crushing Notre Dame by 30. They definitely would have a shot at Kentucky if they played. The problem is their lows are lower than the other contenders and they will have a hard time getting to the championship game. Okafor misses too many free throws, they take too many 3s at times and they play questionable defense.
5) Virginia--I have Virginia losing in the second round to Michigan State, but if Justin Anderson gets healthy and plays well, the Cavaliers can beat anyone with their grinding, defensive style. It's brutal to watch but lethally effective.
No other team has a shot to win it all in my view. Gonzaga is better than its recent editions that flopped but not good enough defensively to beat multiple contenders. II have the Zags reaching the Final Four, but with little confidence in that prediction.
My regional finals are Kentucky over Notre Dame, Wisconsin over Arizona, Villanova over Michigan State and Gonzaga over Duke.
In the Final Four I have Kentucky over Wisconsin and Villanova over Gonzaga, then Kentucky cutting down the nets.
The last time I won an NCAA tournament pool was 1996, so it's been a long drought that is unlikely to end this time.
My pick is Kentucky to win it all, and I'm surprised the odds are 50-50 according to Vegas. The Wildcats are by no means a lock in the one-loss-and-you're done system, but come on, they have to have at least a 75 percent chance to win it all. They've gotten better as the year has gone along, and John Calipari is one of the most underrated bench coaches of all time. Because people can't stand him, they act like he just rolls the balls out. This guy gets McDonald's All-Americans to play cohesively and never selfishly, which is an incredibly difficult task. I don't know he does it.
If Kentucky loses, it will be on a day it does not shoot well from outside and the other team does. No one is going to beat the Wildcats straight up.
If the Cats lose, this is my order of likely national champions.
1) Wisconsin --Frank Kaminsky definitely should be the player of the year. Wisconsin executes more efficiently on offense than anyone, and these guys are winners. That's why I think they will beat Arizona again in a regional final rematch of one of the best games I've seen in the last 10 years. Arizona is more talented, but the Wildcats don't have the same will to win.
2) Arizona --Because Arizona does everything well, is terrific defensively and would not be intimidated by Kentucky at all.
3) Villanova --This team cannot beat Kentucky, but it is capable of beating whoever does beat Kentucky. The idea that Villanova will flop because it has in the past is plain stupid. The other teams didn't go 32-2 and crush just about everyone in a good league (Big East). I have Villanova losing to Kentucky in the championship game.
4) Duke --the Blue Devils played the three most impressive games of any team not named Kentucky, beating a healthy Virginia on the road, Wisconsin on the road and crushing Notre Dame by 30. They definitely would have a shot at Kentucky if they played. The problem is their lows are lower than the other contenders and they will have a hard time getting to the championship game. Okafor misses too many free throws, they take too many 3s at times and they play questionable defense.
5) Virginia--I have Virginia losing in the second round to Michigan State, but if Justin Anderson gets healthy and plays well, the Cavaliers can beat anyone with their grinding, defensive style. It's brutal to watch but lethally effective.
No other team has a shot to win it all in my view. Gonzaga is better than its recent editions that flopped but not good enough defensively to beat multiple contenders. II have the Zags reaching the Final Four, but with little confidence in that prediction.
My regional finals are Kentucky over Notre Dame, Wisconsin over Arizona, Villanova over Michigan State and Gonzaga over Duke.
In the Final Four I have Kentucky over Wisconsin and Villanova over Gonzaga, then Kentucky cutting down the nets.
The last time I won an NCAA tournament pool was 1996, so it's been a long drought that is unlikely to end this time.