15 March 2010
Written by: Rob Lazlo
WESTSyracuse/Vermont
1/16
Gonzaga/Florida St.
8/9
Butler/UTEP
5/12
Vanderbilt/Murray St.
4/13
Xavier/Minnesota
6/11
Pitt/Oakland
3/14
BYU/Florida
7/10
Kansas St./North Tx
2/15
I have an upset special in the first round here with #12 UTEP, who was a surprise loser in their conference tourney, going up against a strong Butler team. Murray St. is a team that can be looked at in the first round as well, although I’m not picking them to advance. In the second round, I have Syracuse, Vanderbilt and Kansas St. advancing, but I have Xavier upsetting Pitt. Syracuse takes out Vanderbilt and Kansas St. takes out Xavier, but I have the Orange advancing to the Final Four.
See the rest of the divisional March Madness breakdown after the jump......
SOUTH
1/16
Cal/Louisville
8/9
Texas A&M/Utah St.
5/12
Purdue/Siena
4/13
Notre Dame/ODU
6/11
Baylor/Sam Houston
3/14
Richmond/St. Mary’s
7/10
Villanova/Robert Morris
2/15
In the first round, I have two upset plays: #9 Louisville over #8 Cal and #11 Old Dominion over #6 Notre Dame. A lot of people will be picking Siena to beat Purdue, hobbled by the loss of Robbie Hummel. I have Purdue losing in the second round to Texas A&M, not the first. A major upset call for the second round: I have Louisville taking out Duke while Baylor and Richmond both advance. I have Texas A&M Beating Louisville after that, while I have Baylor beating Villanova and then beating A&M to go to the Final Four.
EAST
1/16
Texas/Wake Forest
8/9
Temple/Cornell
5/12
Wisconsin/Wofford
4/13
Marquette/Washington
6/11
New Mexico/Montana
3/14
Clemson/Missouri
7/10
West Virginia/Morgan St.
2/15
In the first round here, I have Missouri upsetting Clemson, and two teams to watch: #12 Cornell and #14 Montana. I’m not picking those games, but you should consider them. In the second round, Texas will give Kentucky a fight, but I’m taking the Wildcats to go the sweet 16, along with Wisconsin, New Mexico and West Virginia. Here’s the round where I’m going upset special: I have Wisconsin taking out Kentucky while West Virginia drops New Mexico. I have West Virginia going to the final 4.
MIDWEST
1/16
UNLV/Northern Iowa
8/9
Mich St/New Mex St.
5/12
Maryland/Houston
4/13
Tennessee/San Diego St.
6/11
Georgetown/Ohio
3/14
OK St/Georgia Tech
7/10
Ohio State/UCSB
2/15
Kansas is the class of the NCAA as far as I’m concerned and I see them moving forward here. In the first round of games, I have a mild upset for #9 Northern Iowa over UNVL. For the more adventurous, #6 Tennessee is wildly inconsistent, having beaten both Kansas and Kentucky this season but at other times looking quite lost on the floor. I’m not picking them to lose to San Diego State, but it’s worth a look. In the second round, I like #5 Michigan State to dispatch #4 Maryland with the other top seeds advancing. Kansas takes out whoever they play after that, while I have another mild upset with #3 Georgetown over #2 Ohio State. Kansas goes to the Final Four.
FINAL FOUR AND CHAMPIONSHIP GAME PREDICTION
That leaves me with Kansas v. Syracuse and West Virginia vs. Baylor in my Final Four. I have Kansas, which I firmly believe is the class of the field here, winning the national championship over West Virginia.
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