Before each round of the Men's NCAA Tournament,
SI.com's Luke Winn weighs in with predictions.
(Any serious insight should be taken as a mere coincidence.) |
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First Round -- Friday, March 19
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Orlando: 12:15 p.m. EST
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(3) N.C. State vs. (14) La.-Lafayette
Who made Sam Perkins look 21 years younger, renamed him Marcus Melvin and sent him to play for UNC rival N.C. State? I suspect it may be the work of this man, the evil Dr. Melvin.
Wolfpack 78, Not-so-Ragin' Cajuns 66
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Columbus: 12:25 p.m. EST
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(5) llinois vs. (12) Murray St.
Elisha Cuthbert is The Girl Next Door. Cuthbert Victor is the Guy Who Must Score ... a lot, if Murray State is going to win without suspended second-leading scorer Kelvin Brown.
Illini 69, Racers 61
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Kansas City: 12:30 p.m. EST
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(7) Memphis vs. (10) South Carolina
The New York point guard phenomenon seems to have no bounds. Seton Hall (Andre Barrett), UConn (Taliek Brown) and Pitt (Carl Krauser) we can understand, but in SEC country? Michael Boynton, an overlooked senior from Brooklyn, wants to lead his Gamecocks to the big stage in East Rutherford. But first things first -- beat Memphis.
Gamecocks 80, Tigers 75
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Milwaukeee: 12:30 p.m. EST
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(6) Boston College vs. (11) Utah
Ironic, that once Rick Majerus steps down, the selection committee places the Utes in his old hometown of Milwaukee. Or perhaps the committee held off until now for precautionary reasons. Bratwurst and Polish sausage ... not so good for the arteries.
Utes 65, Eagles 62
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Orlando: 2:45 p.m. EST
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(6) Vanderbilt vs. (11) Western Michigan
If the Broncs lose this early, I look like a buffoon in my "Expert's Bracket." So I've called the facilities folks in Orlando and told them, "Under no circumstances agree to Vandy's request to put the benches under the hoops and keep fans no closer than 100 feet from the court."
Broncos 79, Commodores 76
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Columbus: 2:55 p.m. EST
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(4) Cincinnati vs. (13) East Tennessee St.
Best Huggs this season: Cincy's Bob, or Snoop Dogg's Huggy Bear in Starsky and Hutch? Snoop currently has the edge, but Bob could save himself with a couple of tourney wins, then a massive, double-technical flameout/ejection in the Sweet 16. Bob, is it in you?
Bearcats 73, Bucs 66
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Kansas city: 3 p.m. EST
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(2) Oklahoma St. vs. (15) Eastern Washington
I wondered if EWU would be willing to take a cue from Louisiana-Lafayette (once Southwest Louisiana) and ditch its "directional school" title in favor of one based on its hometown. But then I found out that EWU's hometown is Cheney. Not good. Rename your university "Washington-Cheney," and you'll have a team with corrupt boosters and serious questions about its heart.
Cowboys 82, Eagles 73
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Milwaukee: 3 p.m. EST
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(3) Georgia Tech vs. (14) Northern Iowa
After watching the Bulls win multiple titles with Luc Longley, I take it as a good sign when a team has a plodding, Australian big man with a great name like Luc, or even Luke. And Tech has just that in Luke Schenscher. On that basis alone, I've slotted them into the Final Four.
Yellow Jackets 84, Panthers 71
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Orlando: 7:10 p.m. EST
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(2) Mississippi St. vs. (15) Monmouth, N.J.
Not that anyone's giving the Hawks much of a chance ... but I take it as a bad sign when any reference to Monmouth needs to be accompanied with an "N.J.," the assumption being we don't know which Monmouth this is, or where Monmouth might be located.
Bulldogs 83, Hawks 68
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Columbus: 7:10 p.m. EST
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(1) Kentucky vs. (16) Florida A&M
Does this warrant analysis, or even a joke? When the No. 1 team in the bracket plays a team with a losing record, there's nothing to say. Enjoy the A&M band.
Wildcats 90, Rattlers 67
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Milwaukee: 7:20 p.m. EST
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(6) Wisconsin vs. (11) Richmond
Bo Ryan (shown at left) and Jerry Wainwright (shown at right) look like they could be brothers. One brother just won the Big Ten tournament, and gets to play in Milwaukee, while the other brother has to play the equivalent of a road game in the first round. He's the grumpy sibling for a reason.
Badgers 76, Spiders 72
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Kansas City: 7:25 p.m. EST
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(5) Providence vs. (12) Pacific
You think you know nothing about the Tigers? Real story: When Friars assistant Bob Welsh tried to record Pacific's Big West title game win for the team's video library, he accidentally taped Body by Jake instead.
Friars 71, Tigers 65
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Orlando: 9:40 p.m. EST
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(7) Xavier vs. (10) Louisville
While Providence-Pacific is the tourney matchup with the greatest geographical difference (3,081 miles from Rhode Island to Stockton, Calif.), Xavier-Louisville is the closest (105 miles). All that lies in between is the meandering Ohio River, horses, bluegrass, Pete Rose and a few thousand hill people.
Musketeers 73, Cardinals 69
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Columbus: 9:40 p.m. EST
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(8) Washington vs. (9) Alabama-Birmingham
For the pick here, we turn to our expert in the Northwest, Rick Neuheisel. I let him in to the SI.com pool to get a look at his bracket ... and even he's not taking Washington. How a team named after a sport coat beats anybody, I'm not sure, but I'll trust Slick Rick.
Blazers 86, Huskies 84
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Milwaukee: 9:50 p.m. EST
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(3) Pittsburgh vs. (14) Central Florida
Quick, name someone from UCF other than Daunte Culpepper. You lose. And they lose.
Panthers 68, Golden Knights 52
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Kansas City: 9:55 p.m. EST
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(4) Kansas vs. (13) Illinois-Chicago
Kirk Hinrich and his multiple lookalike possibilities (Elf, Harry Potter, "Zoom-Zoom" commercial kid) was the fallback Jayhawks joke for so long, it's tough to come up with a replacement. So I leave you with just the pick here, and promise, next round, to come up with a doozy.
Jayhawks 78, Flames 75
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First Round -- Thursday, March 18
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Raleigh: 12:20 p.m. EST
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(5) Florida vs. (12) Manhattan
Everyone and their mother is picking Manhattan. But do the Jaspers really want to irk Gator Nation? I mean, aren't most Manhattanites going to move down there at some point? I'll take the upset: Florida.
Gators 66, Jaspers 64 |
 
Buffalo: 12:25 p.m. EST
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(8) Texas Tech vs. (9) Charlotte
Time to dust off the ol' Bobby Knight theory, formulated during his loss to Southern Illinois in 2002: Faced with little hope of a deep tourney run, Knight's troops opt not to spend another week under his wrath ... and run off to Mexico for spring break.
49ers 75, Red Raiders 69
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Denver: 12:40 p.m. EST
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(4) Maryland vs. (13) Texas-El Paso
Every time I read Nik Caner-Medley on the TV screen, I do a double take. Three names, and he can't spring for a "C" in the first one?
Terrapins 69, UTEP 58
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Seattle: 2:40 p.m. EST
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(8) Alabama vs. (9) Southern Illinois
I tend to be fascinated by sports/pop-culture look-alikes, and was extremely disappointed to find out that Salukis' forward Brad Korn (shown at left) doesn't even slightly resemble the guy from Korn (shown at right).
Crimson Tide 64, Salukis 63
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Raleigh: 2:50 p.m. EST
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(4) Wake Forest vs. (13) VCU
Jeff Capel (now the coach at VCU) takes on an old ACC foe -- in Raleigh, no less. But Capel was nothing without the help of his Duke brethren -- and his Rams will get spanked.
Demon Deacons 86, Rams 70
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Buffalo: 2:55 p.m. EST
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(1) Saint Joseph's vs. (16) Liberty
Lost in the commotion of the Billy Packer-Phil Martelli Selection Sunday contretemps was the fact that, in Martelli's first CBS interview that day, he was seated facing the camera while wearing shorts so small that, well ... let's just say he was in Stockton territory.
Hawks 92, Liberties 69
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Denver: 3:10 p.m. EST
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(5) Syracuse vs. (12) Brigham Young
Nice of the selection committee to send the Orangemen to Denver, where, I imagine, Carmelo Anthony will feel obliged to wine and dine his former teammates on his NBA bankroll ... and politely inform them they don't have a chance of repeating.
Cougars 72, Orangemen 69
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Seattle: 5:10 p.m. EST
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(1) Stanford vs. (16) Texas-San Antonio
First the committee changes the region names on us. Then they start running this tourney like the Olympics, where the host team (San Antone) gets an automatic bid regardless of merit? What next? Double elimination?
Cardinal 89, Roadrunners 71
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Raleigh: 7:10 p.m. EST
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(1) Duke vs. (16) Alabama St.
Just when you thought every last derivation of Antoine had been exhausted -- Antwan, Antawn, Antawan, Antwain -- the Hornets bring us another: Antquon James, who plays a minor role (3.3 ppg) and likely will have little effect on the outcome. Hey, you've gotta find something interesting about the 1-16 game.
Blue Devils 93, Hornets 66
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Buffalo: 7:10 p.m. EST
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(2) Connecticut vs. (15) Vermont
Anyone see the setlist for Phish's 3/14/04 show? One song: The Star-Spangled Banner. The America East final, on UVM's campus, was one big Vermont lovefest, with ex-Gov. Howard Dean and America's finest jam band in attendance. If Connecticut tried to trot out its own celebs, I doubt Gov. John G. Rowland (who is fighting impeachment) and Michael Bolton (that no-talent ...) would go over nearly as well. The Huskies, luckily, need no outside star power to help them advance.
Huskies 100, Catamounts 75
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Denver: 7:20 p.m. EST
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(3) Texas vs. (14) Princeton
Big shots from the Lone Star state meet the Ivy Leaguers head-on. What is this, a Republican Party fundraiser?
Longhorns 67, Tigers 60
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Seattle: 7:35 p.m. EST
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(7) Michigan St. vs. (10) Nevada
Tom Izzo, I dare you to make another Elite Eight run and ruin my bracket. And Nevada, in exchange for the upset pick, can we shorten your nickname to one word? It's driving me nuts.
Wolf Pack 66, Spartans 65
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Raleigh: 9:40 p.m. EST
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(8) Seton Hall vs. (9) Arizona
Sorry to be the jerk who brings this back up after it's been dead for more than a year, but the Wildcats' alleged robbing of a Lawrence, Kansas, vending machine was one of my top 10 stories of last season.
Wildcats 84, Pirates 75
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Buffalo: 9:40 p.m. EST
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(7) DePaul vs. (10) Dayton
First it was Quentin Richardson and the Blue Demons. Now, it's Quemont Greer. Makes you wonder, how did DePaul let Qyntel Woods get away? Or Quin Snyder, for that matter? Not that you're doing a bad job, Dave Leitao.
Blue Demons 70, Flyers 69
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Denver: 9:50 p.m. EST
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(6) North Carolina vs. (11) Air Force
Can't the Falcons do anything modern? The hoops team goes with the Princeton offense. The football team runs the wishbone, for crissakes. Is the Academy flying around in a fleet of Piper Cubs?
Tar Heels 65, Falcons 53
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Seattle: 10:05 p.m. EST
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(2) Gonzaga vs. (15) Valparaiso
Never expected these two to be paired in a 2-15 game, did you? It's a meeting of former Cinderellas, except this time, Gonzaga is dolled up in a Versace dress and rolling to the dance in a Bentley, while Valpo is standing out back in a paper bag. You get the picture.
Bulldogs 83, Crusaders 60
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Tournament record: 0-0
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