March Madness?

[ssuperflash]

Did anyone fill out a bracket? I have Kansas winning this year.

[heatcharger]

UVA's going all the way!



Sadly, this is not likely to happen considering they can't score to save their lives. Here's my real bracket:



I think the Big Ten got some pretty suspect seeds, but Wisconsin and Michigan will surprise some and make it to the Elite 8. Arizona has a pretty easy draw and should be able to handle Gonzaga. The Final Four will be in their backyard, so I have them winning it all.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

I do not fill out a bracket, but I have never had less faith in a Kansas team, no disrespect toward that opinion. KenPom ranking them 10th sounds slightly aggressive even with the miserable miscalculations ahead of them. UNC, Gonzaga, and Duke are all much deeper and Villanova has the best player who can carry a team along with the superstar beside him in the backcourt a la UConn 2014. And I probably shouldn't disrespect Arizona either.

[The Other Castro]

Final Four: Villanova, Gonzaga, Oregon, UCLA
Finals: Gonzaga, UCLA
Winner: Gonzaga

Disclaimer: I pick winners partially based on which team's logo I like better.

[anthonyjg]

I've got Duke, West Virginia, Louisville, and Kentucky in the Final Four with Kentucky beating Duke in the championship.

[Associate Justice PiT]

    As a WCC chauvinist, I look forward to seeing Gonzaga's epic exploits.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Final 4: Oregon, Kentucky, Villanova , Arizona

[RINO Tom]

Not yet, been following Coaching Search Season.

[Illiniwek]

Not yet, been following Coaching Search Season.

Yeah I've actually been hitting refresh all day on Illini message board sites rather than here

[Grumpier Than Thou]

My final four are Villanova, Gonzaga, Wichita State, and Michigan.

I have Wichita State and Villanova in the final.

I have Wichita State winning it all.

I'm a tad biased because I love Wichita State. Go Shockers.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

I would not even know where to begin with the Midwest region. Oregon was my #1 all season until the Boucher injury. That leaves me a bit clueless now. The only game I could call with any degree of confidence is Miami over Sparty. The 10-13 seeds are exceptionally strong but at the same time, the 4, 5, and 7 ought to be positioned to make a run should they survive a tougher than deserved first test. I like the Michigan pick on match-ups alone though I doubt they are close to the best.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

The only game I could call with any degree of confidence is Miami over Sparty.

Why's that? I've been personally torn about this game in my brackets, but I've leaned Michigan State because of the experience the team has + Tom Izzo's coaching ability.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

The only game I could call with any degree of confidence is Miami over Sparty.

Why's that? I've been personally torn about this game in my brackets, but I've leaned Michigan State because of the experience the team has + Tom Izzo's coaching ability.

I'll certainly be cheering for Michigan State, but what have they done at all this year? Get beaten badly on the road by OSU, Illinois, Indiana and Penn State with no wins of note? All half-decent wins came when their opponents were in the midst of extremely cold streaks.

Not sure where the experience argument is coming from necessarily. Eron Harris is the only player of note from last year. Matt McQuaid has failed to develop as expected.
Miami meanwhile has a couple returning pieces from a very strong team last year - less a bit of size - but still managed to compete at a very high level in the best conference. No road defeats were that bad, and they managed to take one at JPJ, one of the toughest places to play in all of college basketball (while Virginia too was on a cold streak, they really just had 3 losses against the top 5 teams in the country...it wasn't a true cold streak until Miami came in to steal one) Beyond that, beating Duke anywhere is impressive in its own right. Michigan State has never played up to a level like Miami has this year, and even Miami at its worst might have lost...Wisconsin or Northwestern from MSU's slate?

I know we're supposed to be comparing teams rather than resumes, but I have seen nothing to indicate that MSU can keep up with the Canes this year, styles aside. Izzo's made a couple boneheaded calls too, which have been dreadful to experience. Do they even have a coaching edge!

[LLR]

My Bearcats got a 6 seed, which is fine. Hopefully we'll make it to 16! (Doubt it, though)

I filled out like 5 brackets, and have no real predictions

[The Other Castro]

My final four are Villanova, Gonzaga, Wichita State, and Michigan.

I have Wichita State and Villanova in the final.

I have Wichita State winning it all.

I'm a tad biased because I love Wichita State. Go Shockers.

Wichita State is the most likely upset in the 1st round of any team IMO.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

My final four are Villanova, Gonzaga, Wichita State, and Michigan.

I have Wichita State and Villanova in the final.

I have Wichita State winning it all.

I'm a tad biased because I love Wichita State. Go Shockers.

Wichita State is the most likely upset in the 1st round of any team IMO.

I agree. They got screwed with their seeding, and I think they could give any of the top seeds in their region a run for their money.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

I've sworn the last couple years after seeing most of my upset picks blow up in my face that I would go chalk, so I have no 13-16s winning (I do have 12s MTSU and UNCW pulling minor upsets) and no double digit seeds to the Sweet Sixteen.  My final four is Duke, Arizona, Kansas, and UNC.  Duke plays UNC in an epic rivalry title game and makes it three of four this year. 

So, watch this be the year a 16 beats a 1 (let it be South Dakota St. over Gonzaga, please!).

[OSR stands with Israel]

http://games.espn.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/2017/en/group?groupID=1873474


Created a Group

Password : Madness 17

[The Other Castro]

http://games.espn.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/2017/en/group?groupID=1873474


Created a Group

Password : Madness 17

Good idea, just made one.

[OSR stands with Israel]

http://games.espn.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/2017/en/group?groupID=1873474


Created a Group

Password : Madness 17

Good idea, just made one.

can you join mine I created one specifically for Atlas forum

[The Other Castro]

http://games.espn.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/2017/en/group?groupID=1873474


Created a Group

Password : Madness 17

Good idea, just made one.

can you join mine I created on specifically for Atlas forum

That's the one I made it for.

[OSR stands with Israel]

http://games.espn.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/2017/en/group?groupID=1873474


Created a Group

Password : Madness 17

Good idea, just made one.

can you join mine I created on specifically for Atlas forum

That's the one I made it for.

can you post it

[The Other Castro]

http://games.espn.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/2017/en/group?groupID=1873474


Created a Group

Password : Madness 17

Good idea, just made one.

can you join mine I created on specifically for Atlas forum

That's the one I made it for.

can you post it

:/ It says I joined it and posted my bracket on it. Do you see it?

[OSR stands with Israel]

http://games.espn.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/2017/en/group?groupID=1873474


Created a Group

Password : Madness 17

Good idea, just made one.

can you join mine I created on specifically for Atlas forum

That's the one I made it for.

can you post it

:/ It says I joined it and posted my bracket on it. Do you see it?

yup thanks

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Can't wait until my alternate becomes visible on Thursday (since we're allowed two)!