A Rare Final Four Caps College Basketball Season

And now for the grand finale. In a season of twists and turns and unpredictability, the NCAA
Tournament has fit right in with the regular season's drama and rollercoaster ride. The dust has now settled after two weekends of bracket busting and the Final Four is set with blue-blood North Carolina, basically first-timer Oregon and newbies South Carolina and Gonzaga.

Raise your hand if you picked that Final Four.

This Final Four feels different than most and that's because it is. Final Fours like this one don't come around often. In fact, they are so rare that the younger generation has never seen anything like this before. It's been 20 years since two teams west of the Mississippi River qualified for the national semifinals. The last time it happened was 1998 when Mike Montgomery and Rick Majerus took Stanford and Utah, respectively, into San Antonio. Enter Oregon and Gonzaga.

The Ducks have flirted with the Final Four before under Dana Altman's watch and after toppling Kansas in Kansas City, they seem primed for a title run. All that stands in their way is North Carolina, a team on a mission after last year's heartbreak courtesy of Kris Jenkins and Villanova. The Tar Heels survived a scare from Arkansas in the second round and Luke Maye carved out his spot in Carolina lore with his game-winner against Kentucky in the Elite 8. Mission nearly complete.

The two will fight for the right to move to the title game. North Carolina has been to the Final Four six times since 2000 and won two titles in the span. The last time Oregon was in the Final Four the championship game was played in Evanston, Illinois, FDR was only halfway through his Presidency and the Yankees were starting a World Series season with featured superstar Joe DiMaggio. Oregon won the title during that 1939 season, which was the first NCAA Tournament ever held.

On the other side it's a whole new world for both programs. South Carolina came out of nowhere, defeating Duke in the second round and defeating Florida in the Elite 8. Frank Martin has the Gamecocks playing lockdown defense, but they will have to handle a Gonzaga team that has only one loss this season and finally broke through after years of second weekend exits.

In 1999, Gonzaga made a run to the Elite 8 as a 10 seed and since then they have appeared in seven Sweet 16's and two Elite 8's. Mark Few now has the Bulldogs in the Final Four with a legitimate shot at a national championship. This is for all the former lovable Zags who came up a bit short (Casey Calvary, Dan Dickau, Derek Raivio, Adam Morrison, Jeremy Pargo).

This Final Four is college basketball parity at its finest. Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and others are watching at home while three new teams take the big stage. Complain if you want that South Carolina is unappealing to watch, Gonzaga got an easy road or that Oregon's jerseys are too much for the eyes. The point is this: this Final Four sums up why March Madness is just that - madness.

Significant history will be made and college basketball is a winner once again. In a season that has given us so many surprises, what else did you expect out of the tournament?

Louisville Set to Make History

Louisville fans across the nation have been dancing the night away lately, both literally and figuratively. The Cardinals have reached the title game in both men's and women's basketball which has given the program that has always been in the shadow of Kentucky something to brag about. With all of the pandemonium surrounding these two Louisville teams, however, comes two very special, and in one case horrific, reasons for their inspiration.

 Griner struggled against Louisville's physicality

The women's team at Louisville began the tournament as a disregarded five seed who finished in a three-way tie for third place in the Big East. With a 29-8 record at the end of the regular season, the Cardinals were pitted against Middle Tennessee. After disposing of the Blue Raiders by 25 points, Louisville moved to the second round where they took down the fourth-seeded Boilermakers of Purdue. The Cardinals now faced the biggest challenge of anyone in the tournament and that was to take on the powerhouse Baylor team from Waco, Texas. Led by national standout and dominating force Brittney Griner, the Lady Bears were riding on a 32-game win streak and the hopes of what was sure to be another national championship. Yet after a gritty and very physical performance from the underdog Cardinals, the Lady Bears found themselves on the losing side of an 82-81 final, snapping their winning streak and their title hopes.

So Louisville's magical run was now in full swing; they had taken down two teams that were higher seeds than they were and one of which was equipped with quite possibly the greatest women's college basketball player of all time. March Madness at it's finest, right? What more inspiration and encouragement could you want after taking down the top ranked team? But the Cardinals weren't done. While some teams, in any sport that is, tend to have "big game hangovers" Louisville took down two number two seeds in a row to advance to the national championship. With those two wins over Tennessee and Cal, the Cardinals are looking at possibly capping off what has been an unbelievable tournament run.

Pitino is one of the best in the Sweet 16

And with all that has been going on in the women's game, the same excitement has been present in the men's game. Louisville came into the tournament as the number one overall seed and was playing unbelievable basketball. The Big East champions cruised through the first two rounds, taking down the sixteenth-seeded Aggies of North Carolina A&T which was followed by a 26-point routing of the Colorado State Rams. That brought the Cardinals into the round that Rick Pitino might as well call home: the Sweet 16. Pitino boasted an unbelievable 10-0 record in the Sweet 16 and had won those ten games by an average of 22 points, a stat that didn't bode well for the twelfth-seeded Oregon Ducks. However, Oregon came out and gave the Cardinals everything they wanted before eventually falling short 77-69, sending Louisville dancing into the Elite 8 to face Mike Kryzewski's Duke Blue Devils.

As if being the number one overall seed and being ousted in the Final Four last season wasn't enough inspiration, this particular Elite 8 game provided Louisville with more reason to win than any team in the tournament. It doesn't need to be relived or explained, we all saw it. Kevin Ware's gruesome and horrific leg injury is one that will go down as one of the worst injuries in sports history and will be a defining tournament memory whether the replay is shown or not. The image of the Louisville players falling to the floor and crying showed just how close this team is and how sincere these athletes are toward each other. With Ware being taken to the hospital, Louisville came out with a tenacity and an urgency that Duke, quite simply, had no chance against. The Blue Devils fell 85-63 which left Louisville just two games away from completing their season with a championship.

Fans have adopted the slogan "Win For Ware"

Peyton Siva and Co. would then face the pesky Shockers from Wichita State in the Final Four just this past Saturday. Trailing much of the game, the title hopes for Louisville seemed to be dwindling. Yet with the help of their famed aggressive full court pressure, the Cardinals came roaring back to beat the Shockers by four, placing them in the championship against the red hot Michigan Wolverines. The championship game is to take place tonight in Atlanta.

There has been a lot to cheer about if you're a Louisville fan. Nothing short of good basketball has been played this March and if the Cardinals can come out on top these next two nights they will be the first program to win both a men's and women's NCAA division one basketball championship since Emeka Okafor and Diana Turasi led the UConn Huskies to the same achievement in 2004. Ironically enough, the Louisville women's team will have to beat the Huskies this year to take the crown. On the other hand, Louisville has its hands full with the tenacious inside game of Mitch McGary and the outstanding shooting Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Nik Stauskas bring to the table. A chance at history is just hours away, best of luck to both Louisville squads.

Duke-Louisville Elite 8 Preview

Cook and Duke will have to handle Siva and Louisville's pressure defense

It's a rematch of titans and one that is worthy of being the national championship game. On one bench sits Mike Krzyzewski, the greatest coach since John Wooden, and on the other is Rick Pitino. Pitino is highly successful and his Louisville squad is the overall number one seed. Standing in their way of the Final Four is Krzyzewski's Duke team that has finally regained full health and has been playing tremendous basketball. Both teams won by double digits in the Sweet 16 and now Duke is looking for its 16th Final Four berth while Louisville is looking for its 10th.

This weekend I have been volunteering at the Midwest Regional in Indianapolis and have had the opportunity to work closely with the media, watch the games and sit in on press conferences with players and coaches. I figured that since I had the All-Access pass in Lucas Oil Stadium I might as well use it to get a little work done on the blog and so today I sat in on both teams' press conferences and the quotes and comments used are directly from today's press conferences.

The key to tomorrow night's game will be Louisville's Gorgui Dieng. The 6'11" center from Senegal averages 10 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, but did not play due to injury in the November 24th match up in Atlantis in which Duke won 76-71. Dieng's rebounding and shot-blocking will be key to the Cardinals' game plan as they prepare to face Duke's talented front line of Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly.

"With Gorgui back in the lineup, it definitely gives us another dimension to the game," said Louisville point guard Peyton Siva. "You can never really replace Gorgui. He's playing good right now and is definitely going to help us out a lot."

There's no doubt that Dieng does give Louisville another dimension to the game, and Duke realizes that he will be a game-changer and they respect his talent.

"He's one of the best players in the country," said Krzyzewski. "I think it helps their defense to have a great rim protector, because they hit you with different types of defenses, and you can be even more aggressive knowing that your basket is protected. I think any team in the country would love to have him."

"I think he does the best job on their team of protecting the rim," added Duke center Mason Plumlee. "Obviously blocking shots, but also altering shots. I think he gives them a different dimension."

On the Duke side the focus will be on Seth Curry. The senior shooting guard was lights out against Michigan State in the Sweet 16, hitting 6-9 three-point field goals and scoring 29 points. However, Curry has struggled in the second game of stretches with quick turnarounds and in the third round game against Creighton he was just 2-9 from beyond the arc. Despite the numbers, no one on Duke seemed concerned and Curry was optimistic that he would be at his best tomorrow night.

Curry and the rest of the Dukies must be on top of their game if they are going to handle the pressure that Louisville will bring at them. The long, athletic Louisville squad forced 14 Duke turnovers back in November and nine of those were committed by the starting guard trio of Curry, Quinn Cook and Rasheed Sulaimon.

"We know how they are defensively, and we know one of the big keys of the game is to handle that pressure," said Sulaimon. "It's very hard to prepare for a team like Louisville, but knowing that we played them earlier in the season does help a lot."

"I think they're a better team now and they're playing the best basketball in the country, especially with Dieng there," added Cook. "We didn't see how they played with Dieng so I know our coaches are doing a great job preparing for those guys and I think we'll be ready."

Obviously there are plenty of story lines surrounding this game and one of the major ones is the fact that this is the first time Krzyzewski and Pitino have met in the tournament since the 1992 East Regional in which Christian Laettner hit the famous turnaround game-winner from the free throw line to send Duke past Kentucky. Both coaches were eager to reflect on that game and say that sharing that moment has actually strengthened their relationship.

"Rick and I are real close friends and I think he's one of the best ever," said Krzyzewski. "Our relationship was good before that game and after the game it's grown exponentially."

Pitino also had high praise for his counterpart saying, "I think it was such a high-scoring game with so much perfection in the way the players passed and shot the ball, that's what made it stand the test of time. That was fun to be a part of, and I've always loved Coach K from before that moment to today. I think he's everything our game stands for in a good way."

The other story line attached to this showdown is the looming conference realignment that will put Louisville in the ACC along with Duke. Pitino is reluctant to look into the future and comment on what that change will bring, but Krzyzewski sounded anxious to have the ACC add so many quality programs and voiced his opinion that, with the additions, the ACC could be the best basketball conference of all-time.

For now, Louisville and Duke will meet as non-conference foes with a trip to the Final Four on the line. Duke won the first match up of the season, but things are different now and the stakes are higher. If Duke wins then Krzyzewski will tie Wooden for the most trips to the Final Four, and if Louisville wins it will be their second straight trip to the Final Four.

If the game lives up the hype then it will be one of the best games of the season. Tip off from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis is scheduled for 5:05 ET on CBS.

Big Ten Hopes to See Championship Drought End

Payne and Thomas will be key to their teams' success in March

There's hardly a question that the Big Ten has been the most dominant conference from top-to-bottom this season and the Selection Committee agreed, giving the conference seven teams in the tournament. The conference has four teams that pose as serious title threats in Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State while Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota have the potential to win a game or two. However, for a conference that is so highly regarded this season, anything less than a championship could be viewed as a failure. The Big Ten hasn't experienced the crystal ball, confetti and championship podium since Michigan State's title in 2000 behind Mateen Cleaves and the Flintstones. That's a drought that isn't something to brag about.

Since 2001 the ACC has won five championships while the Big East and SEC have each won three. The Big 12 has one title courtesy of Kansas in 2008, but the Big Ten is empty handed. Four times the conference has had the runner-up and they have sent eight teams to the Final Four since 2001, so it's not as though the conference has been unsuccessful. Still, championships are the ultimate barometer and the Big Ten is looking up at everyone else. The conference hasn't been this good in a long time, but, then again, neither has the tournament as a whole. There is no clear favorite and that may work in the Big Ten's favor. If they are going to get back on top then this is the year to do it. Here's a team-by-team look at the seven Big Ten tourney participants.

Indiana Hoosiers (27-6, 14-4 Big Ten)
Indiana can be the best team in the nation on any given night, but they have looked suspect of late. They lost at home to Ohio State and have been defeated by Wisconsin twice this season. However, the Hoosiers are 7-2 against ranked opponents and defeated every Big Ten team except the Badgers. IU scores the ball at ease and they shoot nearly 50 percent from the field. They have two of the best players in the nation in Cody Zeller and Victor Oladipo and, barring some major upset, should be in Atlanta. Prediction: National Runner-Up

Ohio State Buckeyes (26-7, 13-5 Big Ten)
The Buckeyes are interesting. It seems as if DeShaun Thomas (19.6 points per game) is their only weapon, but somehow they keep winning ball games. Thomas is the only player who averages double figures and as a team Ohio State doesn't do anything particularly well. However, they guard hard and have arguably the best perimeter defender in the country in Aaron Craft. The other thing to look for in March is who's hot and the Buckeyes have won eight in a row to finish the season. OSU is 5-7 versus ranked opponents. Prediction: Sweet 16

Michigan State Spartans (25-8, 13-5 Big Ten)
Tom Izzo knows a thing or six about the final Four and his Spartan squad may be there again. Michigan State has a nice mix of outside shooting and inside force and that makes them a hard team to guard. MSU scores just 68 points per game, but they hold their opponents to a mere 59 per game. Keith Appling is reliable point guard and a tandem of freshmen, Gary Harris and Denzel Valentine, have contributed valuable minutes. Adrien Payne and Derrick Nix rebound the ball well and complement each other in the post. Prediction: Elite 8

Hardaway and Watford were part of two thrillers between IU and UM

Michigan Wolverines (26-7, 12-6 Big Ten)
Since the calendar flipped to Febrary, Michigan is just 6-6 and finished the season losing two of their last three. Behind Big Ten Player of the year Trey Burke and athletic wing Tim Hardaway, the Wolverines have a dynamic duo that could carry them to Atlanta. Also, look for Mitch McGary to be a key part to Michigan's tournament run. What could hold them back though is rebounding (156th in the nation) and decision making. Burke, for as good as he is, is prone to lapses in judgment and poor shot selection at times. Prediction: Elite 8

Wisconsin Badgers (23-11, 12-6 Big Ten)
Bo Ryan and the Badgers get the job done and it's usually not in pretty fashion. Wisconsin finished second in the Big Ten tournament and they have compiled a 23-11 record on the same principles that we have become accustomed to seeing from Wisconsin: defense, rebounding and toughness. Count on the Badgers to slow down the pace and make it difficult for opponents to score, but don't count on them to go too far because of their inability to score. Ohio State held them scoreless for the last seven minutes in the Big Ten title game and Wisconsin doesn't really have someone to take over a game. Prediction: Two and Out

Illinois Fighting Illini (22-12, 8-10 Big Ten)
Which Illinois team will show up in the tournament? The Illini have been up-and-down this season and that's the reality for a team that relies on jump shooting. Some nights the Illini can shoot a team out of the gym, but other nights they struggle to throw the ball in the ocean. The other dowside to Illinois is the fact that they have a nonexistent interior game. They rely solely on the perimeter players and that doesn't always work. That said, if Illinois catches fire then watch out because who knows how far they can go. Prediction: Two and Out

Minnesota Golden Gophers (20-12, 8-10 Big Ten)
Tubby Smith's Gophers are similar to several other Big Ten teams. They can beat anybody, but they win ugly and they lose ugly. Minnesota sometimes struggles to score the ball, but they can guard the ball well and they rebound. Like other big Ten teams, Minnesota can win if they make teams play to their pace and they find consistent offense from someone like Andre Hollins. However, they won't go very far if Trevor Mbakwe disappears and the offense sputters for long stretches. Prediction: Two and Out

This could be the Big Ten's year, but it's all about consistent play. They have beaten up on each other all year long and that has earned the conference a reputation. Now it's time to finish it off with a title. Michigan State and Michigan will play on Thursday. Indiana, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota will all play on Friday.

Bracket Breakdown: West

Steve Alford and Tony Snell of New Mexico

Of the four brackets the West is the probably the weakest, but that can also mean it is the most wide open. Gonzaga is the number one seed and deservedly so. They didn't play a real tough schedule, but anybody who wins like they did deserves the top spot. Ohio State played their way into a two seed after winning the Big Ten tournament and fellow Big Ten member Wisconsin sits at the five seed. New Mexico has played good ball and looks like they could make a run and Belmont and Wichita State appear to be upset picks. Also don't forget about Bruce Weber's K-State Wildcats. Here's a more in-depth look...

West Region winner: New Mexico Lobos
In a bracket that seems to have no favorite, take a good look at Steve Alford's New Mexico squad. The Lobos are 29-5 and went undefeated against ranked opponents. If you think for a second that the Mountain West was a walk in the park then hold on just a second. The MWC was arguably one of the top three toughest conferences and five teams made the tournament. New Mexico won the regular season and the conference tournament and they will now have a chance to make another tourney run -- this one of bigger proportion. It's not going to be easy as they will probably meet Ohio State in the Sweet 16. The Buckeyes have won 10 in a row and are playing very well right now. In the Elite 8 the Lobos will have to take down either Gonzaga, Kansas State or Wisconsin and that will be another tall task. However, Alford has played with the big boys before and has put together a tremendous season. Now it's time to do it on the national stage.

Lamont Jones of Iona

Upset Pick: Belmont over Arizona
The Bruins should come away the victor in this one. Belmont is 26-6 and won the Ohio Valley Conference behind a high-powered offense. They average 77.2 points per game which is the 15th in the nation and their 49 percent field goal percentage is fourth in the nation. Arizona has looked shaky of late, losing three of their last five. Although the 'Cats are talented, don't count on them making a run in this tournament.

Potentially Intriguing Matchup: Gonzaga vs. New Mexico (Elite 8)
Two mid-majors going head-to-head for the right to advance to the Final Four would be intriguing to watch. The Lobos and Zags have been in the tournament before and they both have seasoned veterans on the sidelines. However, neither team has made it the Final Four. It seems likely that this matchup could happen and if it does, the fans will finally get to see what all the hype is about these two squads.

Player to Watch: Lamont Jones, guard, Iona
Lamont Jones knows about big time competition. He transferred to Iona after two seasons at Arizona and he has torn it up for the Gaels. Jones averages 23.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game and his Gaels will have the tough job of beating Ohio State in the first round. Last season there were two 15 seeds that won a second round game and they both did so behind Superman-type efforts from their star players. Iona needs Jones to bring his A game if they are to upset one of the Big Ten titans.

Bottom Line: There is no clear favorite in this league, but New Mexico, Ohio State and Gonzaga are all playing good basketball. One of those three will emerge.

Bracket Breakdown: East

Cody Zeller of Indiana

Once again, another tough bracket and the East Region could make a case for the most difficult bracket of the four. Indiana is the top seed with ACC regular season and tournament champion Miami down at the two line. Big East powers Marquette and Syracuse are also in the mix and so are NC State and Illinois. Former tournament Cinderellas Butler, Bucknell and Davidson are also in the South. If you want to see an upset this may be the bracket it happens in.

East Region winner: Indiana Hoosiers
It's difficult to pick against Indiana after the season they had. The Hoosiers won at home and on the road, they beat the good teams and the bad teams, they won with perimeter play and post play, they won in a shootout and they won in grind-it-out Big Ten fixtures. IU is arguably the best team in the country and, as far as number one seeds go, they may have received the best draw. That should ease the tension for Hoosier fans since they didn't receive the Midwest Region number one seed which would have allowed them to play in Indianapolis. The route to Atlanta will put them against a couple of teams who have been inconsistent in NC State and Syracuse and the possible Elite 8 matchup against Miami should be fun. Expect the Hoosiers to come out of the East because of their complete play and ability to win in different styles.

Upset Pick: Bucknell to the Sweet 16
Bucknell is going to beat Butler and they may just upset Marquette as well. The Bison are a solid team led by center Mike Muscala and they have gone toe-to-toe with some of the nation's better teams and held their own. In January they should have defeated Missouri in Columbia, but they lost by two when Muscala stepped out of bounds on one of the final plays. A gifted big man is hard to guard and Muscala will test Butler's Andrew Smith. Should the Bison win their second round game they will have to get through Marquette who is always one of the toughest teams in America. It may not seem likely, but every tournament needs a Cinderella and for Bucknell the slipper might fit.

Mike Muscala of Bucknell

Potentially Intriguing Matchup: Indiana vs. Marquette (Elite 8)
Let's say Marquette handles Bucknell in the third round and then knocks off Miami in the Sweet 16. That would set up a meeting with Indiana for the right to advance to the Final Four and it would be the first time Tom Crean faced his former team since leaving the Golden Eagles. Crean took Marquette to the Final Four in 2003 with Dwyane Wade, Travis Diener and company and he is aiming to get the Hoosiers back to prominence now. Anytime a coach faces his former employer it makes for good headlines (see Kansas-UNC third round game in South Region) and this game would live up to the hype.

Player to Watch: Mike Muscala, center, Bucknell

Muscala is a gifted big man that can hurt opponents from anywhere on the floor. His unusual athleticism for his 6’11” frame makes him a difficult matchup and he averaged 19 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game this season. Muscala is also a gifted shot blocker (2.4 per game) and he ranks in the nation’s top 30 in points, rebounds and blocked shots. His rebounding total is the fourth highest in the country. Muscala played three games against teams from Power Six conferences and in all three games he posted a double-double. 

Bottom Line: Indiana is going to march to Atlanta without much trouble and prove they deserved the hype all year long. 

Bracket Breakdown: South

Otto Porter of Georgetown

The South Region is the most top heavy bracket of the four. Kansas headlines the region as the number two overall seed and they are joined by Georgetown, Florida and Michigan. KU won the Big 12, Florida won the SEC and Georgetown won the Big East. Michigan was a couple of bricked free throws from sharing the Big Ten title. Clearly, this is a bracket of winners, but also take a look at the coaches. Of the 16 coaches in the bracket, 10 have won a national title. It's also likely that one of those 10 adds some more hardware to their office. Let's take a look...

South Region winner: Georgetown Hoyas
The Hoyas are going to win the South Region for one reason: Otto Porter. The do-it-all wing player leads Georgetown in almost every major statistical category and he can beat opponents from anywhere on the floor. The road won't be easy for John Thompson's squad though. Most likely Florida will be waiting in the Sweet 16 and then either Kansas or Michigan will present a huge challenge in the Elite 8. Count on the Hoyas because of they are battle tested and they are 6-2 against ranked opponents. Behind Porter, expect G'Town to be back in the Final Four for the first time since 2007.

Upset Pick: Minnesota over UCLA
Minnesota isn't your typical 11 seed. The Golden Gophers defeated five ranked opponents, including #1 Indiana. However, they have lost three in a row and that doesn't always bode well coming into tournament play. Despite that, they should beat UCLA for a couple of reasons. One, they have played far superior competition and two, UCLA is without Jordan Adams. The freshman guard broke his foot during the Pac-12 tournament and the Bruins will struggle without him.

Nate Wolters of South Dakota State

Potentially Intriguing Matchup: Anybody who has to play VCU
Okay so that's kind of cheating, but anybody VCU plays will have a hard time. The Rams qualified for the Final Four in 2011 and their unique style of play makes them a difficult matchup. However, they will have to take down the titans to reach Atlanta, but that is something they have done before. Could they stop Trey Burke in the third round? Could they knock off Kansas just like they did in 2011? Will Florida or Georgetown be too much for them handle? Who knows. We also can't be sure they will even win their first game against Akron, but we can be sure that they will bring 100% effort and be fun to watch.

Player to Watch: Nate Wolters, guard, South Dakota State
Wolters has led South Dakota State to the Big Dance for the second straight year and the do-it-all guard can win a game by himself. The senior averages 22.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game and had a 53 point outburst on February 7th. His scoring average is fourth best in the nation. Wolters comes from the Summit League, but has performed against top competition. He posted 30 points against Alabama at the beginning of the season and then had 28 against New Mexico before Christmas.

Bottom Line: The South is loaded, but Otto Porter and Georgetown have been very consistent and have defeated some of the nation's elite. They will be in Atlanta.

Bracket Breakdown: Midwest

Peyton Siva of Louisville

Over the next three days we are going to do our best to break down the brackets from all angles. There may never have been a tougher field from top to bottom and it is completely open as to who the national champion will be. That should make for a fun three weeks full of upsets, great matchups and buzzer beaters. Without further ado, let's break it down.

The Midwest bracket is excruciatingly tough and contains the overall number one seed. The committee did number one seed Louisville no favors by including Duke, Michigan State and two tough teams in Oklahoma State and St. Louis. However, the third round matchups that Louisville and Duke could have are intriguing. Whoever comes out of the Midwest will have survived a difficult path and could be the favorite to win the national title.

Midwest Region winner: Louisville Cardinals
Louisville is the best team in the nation and they are playing great basketball right now. They have won 10 games in a row since losing the five overtime thriller to Notre Dame. The Cards won the Big East tournament and are definitely battle tested. However, are they ready for some of the battles they will have on their path to Atlanta? In the third round they could have a rematch against a tough Missouri team who they defeated by 23 at the beginning of the season. Mizzou has definitely improved since then and will be a tough matchup. In the Sweet 16 the Cards will have to go through either Oklahoma State or St. Louis and that won't be easy and then in the Elite 8 they will most likely face Duke or Michigan State. Talk about difficult. That said, Louisville is healthy and playing great and should prove to be the class of the Midwest Region.

Marcus Smart of Oklahoma State

Upset Pick: Middle Tennessee over Memphis
Picking Middle Tennessee over Memphis means that the Blue Raiders would have to first beat St. Mary's which is no easy task, but MTU is tough. They compiled a 28-5 record, yet failed to win the Sun Belt conference tournament. However, the committee let them in and now they will play a tough opening round game against another mid-major. My pick is that they beat the Gaels and then take down a Memphis team who is a little down this season.

Potentially Intriguing Matchup: Creighton vs. Duke (Third Round)
If Creighton defeats Cincinnati and Duke handles Albany like they should then the Blue Jays will meet the Blue Devils in the third round. Duke is a national title contender, but Creighton is a tough team led by Doug McDermott. However, he will have his hands full with Mason Plumlee and that will be a great one-on-one matchup to watch. Creighton is a solid team who might just knock off the Dukies earlier than the country expects.

Player to Watch: Marcus Smart, guard, Oklahoma State
Smart tore up the Big 12 in his freshman season, averaging 15.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. A physical specimen, Smart has the all-around game to take the Cowboys to the Sweet 16. The Pokes will need him to be at his best because they are matched up with Pac-12 tournament champion Oregon in the second round and then they will most likely have to play the Atlantic-10 champion St. Louis in the third round.

Bottom Line: The Midwest Region is extremely tough, but Louisville will live up to the overall number one seed and advance to the Final Four. 

Breaking Down the Brackets

The Madness is set for the next 22 days after the NCAA Tournament brackets were unveiled on Selection Sunday. It signaled the end to a wild regular season and an even wilder few weeks of conference tournaments. More importantly, it signaled the beginning of the wildest time in college basketball, and perhaps, in sports. There is always the talk about who had their bubble bursted, who belonged in, who is lucky to be in and all that. Those discussions are for the so-called experts to discuss on ESPN and CBS, but here on the World of Wadley it's all about the actual games and matchups. Here is a breakdown of the bracket.

South Region

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Kentucky was the obvious choice for the overall number one seed despite losing to Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament final. However, that does not mean their path to New Orleans is an easy one. Do not sleep on UConn at the nine seed. The Huskies were picked in the Top 10 before the season, but had a disappointing year. Still, they looked good in the Big East tournament and they have the players to match up with the Cats in the second round. I also like the 5-12 match up between Wichita State and VCU. Those are two quality mid-major programs and while I do think the Shockers are the better team, I am going to pick VCU. That's not to say Shaka Smart and the Rams will be making another Final Four run. In the second round they would be faced with Indiana most likely. The Hoosiers have turned it around and I would love to see them take on Kentucky in the Sweet 16 again. UNLV is a mid major to fear and I have them making a run to the Elite 8. They can beat Baylor and they will beat Duke. In the end though Kentucky will win the South Region in Atlanta.

Kim English

West Region

The West is a very interesting bracket because it contains some of the best mid major teams in the tournament. It also has arguably the best top four seeds with Michigan State, Missouri, Marquette and Louisville. Throw in Murray State, a team that only lost one game this season, and this is a tough bracket. Missouri may feel snubbed that they didn't receive a one seed from the committee, but they actually have the best half of any bracket they could have asked for. I say that because every team is like them. Florida, Marquette and Murray State are all teams without dominant big men. Mizzou does not play with a dominant big man and that's why I see them meeting Michigan State in the Elite 8. This makes for a very appealing matchup. It's hard to pick due to the fact that Michigan State has the size advantage. However, Mizzou has beat teams like Kansas and Baylor who play big. I am picking Missouri to advance to their first Final Four in the end. Also, sleeper team of the West is Long Beach State.

Kris Joseph



East Region
I do not regard the East as a very tough region. I see it as a very tough one to pick because I don't view very many teams as Final Four worthy. Vanderbilt and Florida State are hot right now and I've seen people picking them to face each other in the Elite 8. That is wishful thinking because Syracuse and Ohio State are too good to not be in Boston. I love Jim Boeheim's Syracuse team and have them playing in New Orleans. Ohio State is a solid team, but I see loopholes in their game. I do believe that Florida State and Vanderbilt will be in the Sweet 16. West Virginia and Gonzaga in the 7-10 game is going to be a very good matchup and I think the Mountaineers will win. Kevin Jones is too tough and has not been given his due this season. To me, this is the easiest bracket and it makes the path for the Orange an easier one than other number one seeds have.

Harrison Barnes

Midwest Region

Contrary to the East Region, the Midwest has some very good teams and some very enticing potential matchups. I like the first round 6-11 game between San Diego State and NC State. The Wolfpack were denied a chance to play in the ACC championship on a bad no call against North Carolina, but C.J. Leslie is a player to watch. Look for NC State to pull off the upset and meet Georgetown in the second round. St. Mary's is going to beat Purdue in the first round and it will mean the end for Robbie Hummel. I think Kansas is going to lose to North Carolina in the Elite 8 due to UNC's size. However, while that will be an exciting matchup, I can't help but be intrigued by the first round game the Jayhawks have against Roy McCallum and Detroit. KU has a bad history of being upset in the Bill Self era, and while I don't think Detroit can do it, I think this game could be a little closer than the Jayhawks would like.

So as of now my Final Four is Kentucky vs. Missouri and Syracuse vs. North Carolina. I have Kentucky and North Carolina in a rematch for the championship. They are clearly the two best teams in my mind and I think Kentucky will win the title. They are too talented and actually have some veterans on their team this season. There will be no Butler or VCU this season and the heavyweights will strut their stuff. The Madness begins Tuesday with the First Four in Dayton, Ohio.

Gonzaga's Success Brings High Expectations

Every Monday when I log onto ESPN.com I check the updated college basketball polls to see what changes occured the past week. Normally I don't look over it too hard, just a quick glance to see where my favorite team is and where other interesting teams are ranked. This past Monday something caught my eye though. As I looked up and down the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll and the AP Top 25 poll I noticed that Gonzaga was not ranked in either. How could this be?? Mark Few's Gonzaga Bulldogs have been a perennial Top 25 team since they burst onto the scene with Casey Calvary way back in 1999 with an Elite 8 appearance. Since then they have qualified for the Big Dance every year and made a Sweet 16 appearance four of those years. Because of that, America has come to expect big things from the Zags and to see them out of the Top 25 is almost unthinkable.

Here's the odd thing about Gonzaga: despite their successes they have recently been overlooked when it comes to mid-majors. Sure, they qualify for the NCAAs every year and have been to the Sweet 16 four times but they haven't made the Final Four. I say that like it's unbelievable that they haven't, but again, the expectations for Gonzaga are quite different from other so-called "mid-major" programs. George Mason sent shockwaves through the college basketball land in 2006 when they upset several powerhouse teams to make the Final Four, a first for the program. Butler has been the Cinderella the past two seasons, finishing as national runner-up and VCU appeared in the Final Four last year as well. That's three quality programs who have qualified for the Final Four, but none of them stack up with Gonzaga. When will we see the Zags in a Final Four? It seems long overdue.

How good has Gonzaga been since the 1998-99 season? Consider these numbers: 13 NCAA appearances, 4 Sweet 16's, 1 Elite 8, 12 Honorable Mention All-Americans or higher, 1 National Player of the Year, 3 NBA first-round picks. Under Mark Few the Zags are 314-82 and they simply don't lose at home. Since the McCarthey Athletic Center opened in 2004, Gonzaga is 93-7. What that number doesn't tell you is all the teams that won't come to "The Kennel" to play the Bulldogs. Big name programs would rather Gonzaga came to them or, instead of playing them on campus, would opt to play them at Key Arena in Seattle. Tom Izzo and Mike Brey took their teams into Spokane this year and, while Izzo and Michigan State escaped with a seven point victory, Brey's Notre Dame team was dominated by 20. The Zags demand respect and they are willing to travel all over the globe to get it.

Since 98-99 Gonzaga is 21-40 against Top 25 teams and they have defeated the third-ranked team three times and the second-ranked team once. Also, expect it to be a hard-fought game when they match up with a top team. Only five of those 40 losses have been by 20 points or more. There's not many teams in America who can say they have played 61 ranked opponents in that span and there are none of Gonzaga's size that can say that. Forget Butler when it comes to determining who is the best mid-major program. Gonzaga is the top dog.

The expectations for the program are always going to be high. That's a nice problem to have if you are Mark Few, but the question I have constantly been asking myself is, "When will Gonzaga appear in a Final Four?" Perhaps that isn't fair but they routinely show they are competitive on the national scene and that they have players capable of playing at the next level. It doesn't appear that this year will be the year, but how much longer will it be before Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs are playing in early April?

Izzo Becoming One of the All-Time Greats at MSU

By now, everyone has heard and seen that Coach Mike Krzyzewski has captured his 903rd win and passed Bob Knight on the all-time wins list. Congratulations to you, Coach K. It’s an honor well-deserved and well-earned. Yet, in the midst of all the hubbub about Duke and Coach K, I want to call attention to another coach. Tom Izzo has been the head coach at Michigan State for seventeen years now and, though he’s received a lot of recognition and admiration from analysts and fans alike, I still feel that he’s underrated.

Taking over the Spartans in 1995, Tom Izzo has certainly achieved more than some coaches achieve in their entire careers. He has been named National Coach of the Year four times which tops Coach K by one. He also reached his first final four as early as his fourth season. Izzo has brought and maintained a standard that Michigan State has upheld all these years. To compare him to other big-name coaches, Bill Self has been a head coach since 1993, has spent his last nine seasons with the renowned Kansas University, and has only reached one Final Four. It took Self fourteen seasons to get there and hasn’t visited since. Another big name that hadn’t taken a trip to the Final Four so quickly is John Calipari, who it took eight years to get there. Izzo has brought success to Michigan State and lots of it.

It’s not merely numbers that can define Izzo’s career, though. Rather, it is his passion for his players year in and year out. When offered the big time money to go coach the Cleveland Cavaliers, Izzo turned it down and returned to Lansing. Along with that adversity came the injury of former point guard Kalin Lucas as well as disciplinary issues with Korie Lucious. But Izzo stood firm. It didn’t matter that Lucious was one of the top performers at the time; Izzo dismissed him from the team and told the shooting guard that they would discuss his future with the team later on. The situation was handled without much media interference or opinion and Izzo still found a way to win. The man has the character and integrity that should be present in all coaches.

Another thing about Izzo is that, even when his team is not projected to be as successful as the previous season, he doesn’t shy away from the powerhouse teams. Lots of coaches begin their seasons with Division II teams or the lowest of Division I schools. Though the Spartans’ preseason schedule does consist of a few cupcake teams, Izzo began the year facing the championship-caliber Tar Heels of North Carolina, followed by the Blue Devils of Duke. How’s that for an early season wakeup call? The Spartans were unranked, and are currently the only team in the Big Ten without a win. Don’t take that 0-2 record as the Spartans starting off on the wrong foot, though. Michigan State handled UNC for much of the first half before falling short by twelve points, and also put up a great and aggressive effort against Duke on Tuesday.

That’s another aspect of Izzo that I admire greatly; Izzo teams don’t ever give up or quit. Duke was up 61-41 with only nine minutes left to play in the second half, yet Michigan State found a way to claw its way back in by cutting the lead to five in the final minute. A twenty point deficit, Coach K’s 903rd win on the line, and everyone in the arena expecting Duke to win, and yet Tom Izzo and his players never gave up. That’s what I love about Izzo’s coaching style. Players get frustrated, yes, but Izzo brings that intensity, that “I’m gonna give you all I got” mentality that is hard to come by. He never takes a seat and never gives any indication of giving up before that final buzzer sounds.

If I were Coach K, I’d be very proud of the fact that my milestone win came against a man like Tom Izzo. Coach K ought to know that he truly had to earn that win because, even though the two coaches have known each other for quite some time, Izzo was not going to simply hand Coach K win number 903. Izzo has been present at six final fours and has walked away with one NCAA championship. But it’s his willingness to lead and toughness to outlast the other teams that make him such a top-notch coach. He’s never been in trouble for illegal recruiting and has made Michigan State a perennial contender. Coach K said it best when he called Tom Izzo “a great man and Hall of Fame coach.” But before Izzo’s name is enshrined, he’s got a few more seasons to worry about and a few more Final Fours to play in.