2009 NCAA Tournament Thoughts- National Championship

Tonight the NCAA men's basketball championship is up for grabs between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Michigan State Spartans.

North Carolina is looking for the 2nd national title in five years while Michigan State is looking for their first one since 2000.

Very few predicted the Spartans to make it this far, and sadly I am no exception. I didn't think the Spartans had enough to get past Kansas in the Sweet 16. However, the Spartans have kept proving me wrong and they're going to have to do it again tonight against my National Championship pick.

The Tar Heels have proven throughout the tournament that they can beat you from so many directions. The Tar Heels have used a balanced attack to win every game by double figures during the tournament.

The starting lineup for the Tar Heels completely dominated Villanova in the Final Four getting a combined 60 points from Wayne Ellington, Tyler Hansbrough, and Ty Lawson.

One stat comparison that leaps off the page when looking over this matchup is the points per game average among the two teams. The Tar Heels averaging almost 90 points per game while the Spartans averaged just over 60.

The Spartans will have to figure out a way to slow down the high octane offense that the Tar Heels like to push. If the Spartans can slow down the pace of the game and turn it into a half-court game, they may have a chance.

I'm still sticking with my original national championship pick and going with the Tar Heels. Even if the Spartans do slow down the pace of the game, the Tar Heels just have too many weapons they can beat you with.

If Lawson is having a bad game, then Ellington, Green, or Hansbrough will pick him up.

I wouldn't be surprised to see this game close approaching 10 minutes to go in the game, but the Tar Heels will pull away and win by eight.

North Carolina over Michigan State, 79-71

NCAA Tournament Thoughts-Elite 8

The 65 teams we started with has now been dwindled down to just eight teams. This sets up some great matchups for the Elite 8:

1 Connecticut vs. 3 Missouri
1 Pittsburgh vs. 3 Villanova
1 N. Carolina vs. 2 Oklahoma
1 Louisville vs. 2 Michigan St.

Last season was the first time all four #1 seeds made the Final Four, and it looks like it may happen two straight years. However I wouldn't jump the gun. All four #1 seeds are going to have their hands full, and I just can't see all four advancing. I can three of the four winning, but not all four.

I can easily see all of the #1 seeds going down, but the one that is most likely to go down is Pittsburgh. They've looked sluggish in every game despite winning and Villanova is coming off 20+ point win over Duke.

Except for Memphis, my final four is sill entact. Better yet, my championship game which included Louisville and North Carolina is also still a huge possibility because both teams have been dominant during the entire tournament. Here's my predictions:

Louisville over Mich. St, 74-69
Villanova over Pitt, 67-64
UNC over Oklahoma, 85-83
Uconn over Missouri, 74-66

NCAA Tournament Thoughts-Sweet 16

The NCAA Tournament is now down to just 16 teams, and my bracket looks like a trailer park after a tornado just ripped through it.

I do still have all my Final Four teams left ( Villanova, Memphis, UNC, and Louisville) which is extremely important.

Perhaps the biggest shocked of this year's tournament is the fact that the top 3 seeds from each region made the Sweet 16, which is the first time that has happened in tournament history.

The highest seed still remaining is Arizona ( 12 seed) who stopped cinderella from coming to the ball by defeating Cleveland State.

Pittsburgh seems to be the #1 seed who is in the most trouble right now as they have had trouble with both of their games ( East Tenn. State and Oklahoma State). Sam Young has bailed them out in both games and if Young and Blair begin to play as they're capable of, then this is still one of the most dangerous teams in the tournament.

I still like North Carolina as my favorite because of the stellar play of Ty Lawson in the 2nd half of their win over LSU. I believe they will beat Memphis in a thriller due to the lack of major experience of the Tigers.

Selection Sunday!!!

The 2009 NCAA Tournament bracket has been set! Here's the four #1 seeds:

1. Pittsburgh


2. Connecticut


3. Louisville


4. North Carolina
   
   

The Big East has three of the four #1 seeds which is just amazing to me. Last year was the first time all four #1 seeds went to the Final Four and this year seems very likely EXCEPT for one.

In the end Memphis ( a #2 seed) will defeat Connecticut in the Elite Eight. It should be a great year but one thing that scared me while filling out my numerous brackets was the lack of a promising Cinderella team this season.

If I had to choose one it would be Mississippi State just because they're hot at the right time after defeating Tennessee in the SEC championship. Should be exciting!!