March Madness has reached the Sweet Sixteen, so that means one thing for most people's brackets: They're busted.
By this point, we're left rooting for all underdogs because we have no chance of winning our bracket while a girl who did not watch a single game all year is winning after making her picks based on mascots.
While putting the Tubby Smith and Marc Iavaroni rumors on hold for this weekend (and believe me, I could write about this every week), here's one updated look at who will be in St. Louis in one week.
Arizona: It's tough to pick against Illinois with the way it has won this year, though I think it will fall in the regional final. Sure, Arizona did lose to Virginia, but it had a great inside-outside combination in Salim Stoudamire and Channing Frye. Frye is so long at 6'11" and Stoudamire shot over 50 percent from three for the season. Yes, that's not a misprint and is simply unreal.
The 'Cats certainly will earn their place in St. Louis, as both Oklahoma State and Illinois can certainly win it all, let alone the region. Illinois will not be tested on the court in the Sweet Sixteen, but there is an interesting subplot here.
UWM coach Bruce Pearl, while an assistant at Iowa in 1989, taped a conversation with an Illinois recruit about bribes and then went public with it, triggering a massive investigation that put the Illini on NCAA probation. Think the fans in Champagne have been salivating over payback?
Washington: My original pick of Wake Forest is gone, and like everyone else, I first jumped to Louisville. But I've since become a Washington supporter.
Both teams have a chip on their shoulder: Louisville to prove it was under-seeded and Washington to prove it was not over-seeded.
Washington lost just five times all season, all in hostile territory. Just one of those losses came to a non-NCAA tournament team and the Huskies boast four wins over Sweet Sixteen teams. Yet, still no respect. Despite winning the Pac-10, they did not have a first team All Pac-10 player, with 5'9" Nate Robinson and Tre Simmons, who average 32.9 combined points per game, on second team.
Sure Louisville has looked dominant in their first two games, but I'll take the Huskies here, though I have changed this pick several times.
UNC: They have the easiest road of the one seeds to the Final Four, playing a Villanova team without their second-leading scorer and leading rebounder and then either a six or ten seed.
Both N.C. State and Wisconsin (I think the 'Pack) will force UNC to slow it down and play a half-court game but UNC is too good and playing too well right now to be deterred. After bowing out in the ACC semifinals, the Heels have played the blue-collar style that coach Roy Williams wanted. UNC was the best team in the nation last weekend and still will be in a week.
Felton had 15 points and eight assists with no turnovers in round two, while ACC Rookie of the Year Marvin Williams had 20 points and 15 boards, his second straight 20-point effort. Basically, UNC won by 28 and 27 points while most starters did not play full games and third-leading scorer Jawad Williams managed just 10 points combined.
Utah: I think the Spartans will knock off the Blue Devils and the Wildcats will sputter offensively, paving the way for All-American Andrew Bogut to lead Utah back into the final four.
As an aside, Utah coach Ray Giacoletti somehow has gotten this team this far, but I can't help but question the way his offense runs. Bogut should touch the ball every possession and catch it in the post, not go minutes without a touch or eventually get the ball with his back turned 25 feet from the basket. Then again, that's why I'm writing and Giacoletti is coaching.
The biggest reason I'll be rooting for Utah is so Kentucky will lose, thus allowing Virginia to go hard after Tubby Smith. Published reports put Smith as Virginia's top choice, with the Cavaliers left waiting around until the Cats lose. Also, if Smith stays at Kentucky, remember the name I mentioned last week in this same space: Marc Iavaroni. He told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that he had interest in listening about the job and he could pull a Charlie Weiss that would allow him to stay with the Suns through the summer. As expected, I couldn't get through a whole column without talking about the next coach.
I think tomorrow will be the night Duke loses, even if Redick is hot. If MSU's Paul Davis can get Shelden Williams in foul trouble, the Spartans have the depth and athleticism to knock off the Devils. Plus, it's nice to give myself another incentive to root for Duke.
With those four teams, I'll take an Arizona-UNC final, where I think Roy Williams finally gets to cut down the nets. Not that you should trust my picks given the state of my bracket.
Read More
For Leah Hayes, 'Just keep swimming' is what Virginia is all about
By Xander Tilock | YesterdayShe shatters records in the pool and is an inspiration to swimming fans and all those with alopecia.
Virginia comes back from a 20-point gap but falls short versus No. 18 Georgia Tech
By Victoria Blankenship | YesterdayVirginia loses another ACC bout in heartbreaking fashion.
How a reinvention turned Andrew Rohde into men’s basketball’s most reliable player
By Thomas Baxter | 2 days agoThe guard has become one of Virginia's primary threats.
