Bracket Racket

It has been nearly a week and I haven't touched this blog, so here we go again. The NCAA Tournament is on and I fully expect my bracket to be ruined by this time Thursday night. Commence the Madness and the anxiety that comes with it.

I might as well document a few of my picks for all of you to either ridicule me for or so I can say "I told you so." (The former is far more likely.)

• I think that many of the higher seeds will win in the second round (formally known as the first round). I'm just not feeling all the upsets yet and I won't count a 9 seed over a 8 as an upset.
• I have Purdue in the Elite Eight. I think JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore will be the difference makers for them to make a run. They seem to be due and not many have them getting that far, so I'll be the one to take them. I will take Michigan State to the Sweet 16. Tom Izzo always has his team ready and look for Kalin Lucas step up big. I don't usually favor the Big Ten like this, so this is rare.
• Duke has a terrible road to Final Four and they are the only #1 seed that I have missing the Final Four. I could see them losing in the second round to either Michigan or Tennessee or Texas, San Diego State, later on. I have them falling to UCONN in the Elite Eight. (FYI: I have BYU in the Elite Eight, too. "Jimmer-mania.")
• Now, you're probably saying: "UCONN to the Final Four?" Kemba Walker has been awesome and the tourney always has a player who just takes over (i.e: Stephen Curry). I think he could be it. They have seen the emergence of Alex Oriakhi, Jeremy Lamb, and Roscoe Smith, as well. If the Huskies weren't playing Bucknell in the opener, I would have them out because they had the five straight days of winning in the Big East Tournament. However, I think the Bison don't have the same luck they had a couple of years back against Kansas.
• I think either Oakland beats Texas and makes the Sweet 16 or Texas can make a Final Four run. It all hinges on that first round. I want Oakland badly, but I'm afraid it might be the Longhorns advancing. Prove me wrong, Grizzlies.
• To recap: My Final Four looks like this: Ohio State, Connecticut, Kansas, Pittsburgh. 
• Championship: Kansas over Ohio State. Morris twins inside beat out Jared Sullinger, Kansas wears out the short Buckeye bench and shots don't fall for Ohio State. Rock Chalk Jayhawk.

I actually like the First Four format but I wish it didn't mess with team's travel and the sanctity of the 64 team bracket. It gives a team like Clemson or VCU a chance to prove they should be in the field and if it were eight #16 seeds, nobody would watch that. I have always wondered why Dayton, Ohio gets those games, but they have proved this week that they can support teams that they don't have a rooting interest in.

Somebody has to do it
Frankly, I was less than thrilled to see the SDSU women's basketball team draw #2 Xavier in the first round on Monday night, heading to Cincinnati to play on the Musketeers' home floor. Teams start to build reputations in the tournament and the Jacks have proved they are in the field annually recently. Just like Texas and Middle Tennessee State got in the field on their reputation as being good tourney teams. But, if you look at the record (19-13), you see why SDSU is a 15.

In the end, it's just a number and the Jackrabbits knew they were going to be in for a game, regardless of what seed they received. They get a great Musketeer team that is ranked 5th in the nation and has two losses this year, at Duke and at Stanford. Their two terrific posts, Ta'Shia Phillips and Amber Harris, will provide plenty of work for Jennie Sunnarborg and Katie Lingle under the hoop but I think SDSU will be okay. As is usually the case in tournament games, the Jacks will need to be hot from outside to stay close. Hopefully, the game will be fun to watch. (1:30 PM, Sunday on ESPN2.)

Enjoy the next few days of basketball.