[dogthebountyman]

10 bold predictions about the tournament
By Myron Medcalf

Well, it’s early, but that doesn’t mean we have to wait to make predictions. And in my opinion, you don’t waiver. You make statements and projections and you stand by them, regardless of what happens in the coming weeks. Hold me to the following bold predictions about the NCAA tournament:

1. No Big East team will reach the Final Four: Another big haul for the Big East. Nine of its teams will participate in this season’s edition of the NCAA tournament. But I don’t think the conference will send any teams to New Orleans. I think Syracuse, a team that’s vulnerable due to its challenges on the glass, has a tough path in the East with Ohio State and a pair of hot squads (Florida State and Vandy) standing in its way. Georgetown, Cincy and UConn could lose in the first round. Marquette has to get through Missouri. I just don’t see it. No Big East in the Big Easy.
2. [+] Enlarge
   Peter G. Aiken/US PresswireKim English and the Tigers could be one of two teams representing the Big 12 in New Orleans.
   
   The Big 12 will send two squads to New Orleans: Among the 2-seeds, Missouri has the easiest path to New Orleans. The Tigers’ speed and perimeter versatility will pose matchup problems for every team in the West Region, including No. 1 seed Michigan State. Kansas losing in the first round to Detroit? Nah. The Jayhawks will beat every team in the Midwest, including the Tar Heels if they face them in the Elite Eight.
3. Vanderbilt will reach the Final Four: I know it’s the sexy pick following its win over Kentucky in the SEC tournament title game. But the Commodores shouldn’t be judged by that victory. And they shouldn’t be dismissed because of premature exits in past years. They have veterans. And they’ve built momentum down the stretch, a la Connecticut a year ago. They’ve hit nearly 40 percent of their 3s this season. The East Region is stronger than it looks with teams such as Syracuse, Ohio State, Florida State and Wisconsin in the mix. But the Commodores can emerge with their senior leadership and shooting. Plus, they have the confidence that comes from beating Kentucky, a team that they challenged in two previous meetings, too.
4. Iona will win two games: I don’t agree with the Gaels’ inclusion. Washington and Drexel had stronger arguments. But just because many don’t believe they belong doesn’t mean that they won’t prove critics wrong. I think the Gaels, who own the No. 1 scoring offense in the country (83.3 ppg), are dangerous. To reach the third round in the West Region, the Gaels will have to get through BYU in Dayton and Marquette in Louisville. Mark it down. The Gaels are playing a pair of shaky defensive teams. They have three NBA-level talents inScott Machado, Michael Glover and Lamont “Momo” Jones. As much I thought Iona didn’t have a case for a slot in the field of 68, I think the Gaels can show doubters that they’re worthy.
5. The Badgers will go home early: I’m picking Montana over Wisconsin in the 13/4 matchup in the East Region. Wisconsin’s offense has stalled multiple times in recent weeks. Even though the Badgers are capable of neutralizing any offense, they’ve had problems capitalizing due to their own inconsistent offense. Montana will be ready. The Grizzlies beat their Big Sky rivals Weber state by 19 points in the conference’s tournament title game, their 14^th consecutive victory. Plus, Will Cherry (16.0 ppg) can match Jordan Taylor. Grizzlies will advance.
6. Long Beach State is a Sweet 16 team: Numerous NCAA tournament teams have hungry veterans. But few upperclassmen have gone through the things that T.J. Robinson,Larry Anderson and Casper Ware have throughout their careers. The seniors missed the past two NCAA tournaments after losing in the conference tournament title game to UC Santa Barbara twice. But this season they earned the Big West’s automatic bid. If Anderson’s not ready (knee injury), then that will change Long Beach State’s March Madness potential. But even without Anderson, the league’s defensive player of the year, this is a talented team that’s played the top nonconference schedule in the country. The 49ers will not be intimidated. They’ll beat New Mexico and Louisville on their way to the Sweet 16.
7. [+] Enlarge
   AP Photo/Lenny IgnelziCreighton's Doug McDermott may meet up with former high school teammate Harrison Barnes of North Carolina.
   
   Michigan State will be the first No. 1 seed to fall: Call me crazy. But I think Memphis’ athleticism will create problems for the Spartans in the third round. I understand the “How will the Tigers guardDraymond Green?” question. But what about Will Barton and Joe Jackson? In the Big Ten, the Spartans didn’t play teams that possessed the raw athleticism that’s anchored Memphis’ roster. The Spartans will be tougher than the Tigers in this East Region matchup, but the latter has an element that Michigan State hasn’t faced since its season-opening to loss to North Carolina.
8. Doug McDermott will outplay Harrison Barneson Sunday: I expect North Carolina and Creighton to advance and set up a Sunday matchup in the Midwest Region between former high school teammates Doug McDermott and Harrison Barnes, who earned two state titles together at Ames High School in Ames, Iowa. The Tar Heels will win the game, but McDermott will be the star. Both guys have talked about this potential matchup in the past. The McDermott vs. Barnes buildup will be immense. But McDermott will outperform his prep teammate in their first collegiate meeting, albeit in a loss.
9. The VCU/Wichita State winner is headed to the Sweet 16: It’s unfortunate that this game will eliminate a potent mid-major. Wichita State and VCU, a Final Four team last year, are two of the best in the country. I predict that the winner of this game will end up facing Kentucky in the Sweet 16. They’re both tough, physical defensive teams that will pressure Indiana in the round of 32. The Hoosiers have struggled outside of Bloomington. And whether they face the Shockers or the Rams, they’ll be in for a battle, one that I expect them to lose.
10. The West Coast Conference won’t win one game: BYU will lose to Iona. Saint Mary’s will go down against Purdue. West Virginia will beat Gonzaga. I thought the WCC would turn the corner this year with the way BYU, Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga fought for the WCC title. But all three have looked vulnerable in recent weeks. I just don’t think they’re going to advance. Plus, tough matchups for all three teams in their first games. Iona is very talented. The Boilermakers are tough, too. Kevin Jones will lead the Mountaineers to a win over the Bulldogs.

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/53100/10-bold-predictions-about-the-ncaa-tourney

[Bcatswin]

Holy shit how much more wrong could this guy of been

[darkhat]

haha what a moron.

[LT Profits]

I would normally sympathize with a few misses, but he might go 0-for-everything.

[LT Profits]

If you take the headline of No 2 literally, he is still alive. Pretty sure he meant MIZZOU and Kansas though, Baylor would be a backdoor.

[Bcatswin]

I reread and laughed again, good fine dog.

[dogthebountyman]

I reread and laughed again, good fine dog.

haha it is pretty epic.

[k13]

He got caught with all these loser mid majors like most people plus like the majority blew their load to Vanderbilt and FSU because they won big tourneys and beat NC/Kentucky.

Typical overreaction.

[Louisvillekid1]

wow, atleast he'll get 1/10 right after louisville beat Mich St...

GO CARDS!

[actiondan]

New sweet 16 column up now. Likes Xavier and Wisconsin and Cincinnati to advance and Kentucky in a blowout. Shall we fade fellas?

[ehp6737]

Epic Fail to the max

[Bcatswin]

New sweet 16 column up now. Likes Xavier and Wisconsin and Cincinnati to advance and Kentucky in a blowout. Shall we fade fellas?

Fuk sakes thats the last thing i wanted to read.

[MoneyLineDawg]

Fuk sakes thats the last thing i wanted to read.

Hey, even a broken clock is right twice a day!

[thetrinity]

wow beyond terrible, deserves to be fired actually for something so ridiculously off.

[EPote14]

wow lmao epic failure

[Bcatswin]

Hey, even a broken clock is right twice a day!

[dogthebountyman]

Fuk sakes thats the last thing i wanted to read.

This guy scares the crap out of me. I was going to press Wisconsin heavy now I may pass lol.
I think Helen Keller has a better read on the tourney then Myron Metcalfe.

1. Kentucky will beat Indiana by 15 or more -- Vengeance is coming. On Dec. 10, Indiana defeated the Wildcats on a Christian Watford buzzer-beater. The shot stamped Indiana’s revival as “official.” But the Hoosiers aren’t playing that Kentucky team this weekend. The Wildcats have evolved. I think Indiana has matured, too. But Kentucky will make a statement in this matchup. Think “Scarface.” These players have had to watch that game, that shot, all season. They’ve lost only twice, but they’re reminded of the defeat in Bloomington often. I think we’ll see the most impressive effort from the Wildcats that we’ve watched all season. They’re not going to beat the Hoosiers. They’re going to crush them. Indiana gets full credit for the December win over Kentucky, but you can’t overlook the fact that Anthony Davis picked up early fouls and the Hoosiers surged past the Wildcats when the freshman of the year was on the bench. That was one of the few games in which Davis suffered from foul trouble. Won’t happen again. And Davis will be a constant force. And the Wildcats will avenge that earlier defeat with a “someone throw in the towel” assault of the Hoosiers.
2. Keith Appling will be the most valuable player for the Spartans in the Sweet 16 -- The sophomore guard scored 19 points and hit a crucial 3-pointer in the final minutes of Michigan State’s win over St. Louis. He’s a talented guard who will be called upon to navigate Louisville’s twisted zone (if the Cardinals use it) and help the Spartans fend off Florida’s 3-point attack or Marquette’s running game. The Spartans have never missed the Final Four as a No. 1 seed. This season won’t be any different. But Appling will emerge as Robin to Draymond Green’s Batman. Green will continue to excel, but he’ll face pressure on all sides. St. Louis stuffed the lane so well that Tom Izzo had to move Green to point. The Spartans need a Scottie Pippen right now to help them reach New Orleans. And after watching the Spartans in Columbus, I’m convinced Appling will enter New Orleans as a star.
3. Jordan Taylor hits a big shot to beat Syracuse -- Hard to peg this one. Both teams like to dictate the tempo. Wisconsin will work the shot clock and try to slow the game down. Syracuse is one of the best transition teams in the country. They force turnovers with that stubborn, lengthy zone and they run. It’s a great contrast in styles by two programs who’ve found ways to force teams to play at their preferred pace. This will be a tug-of-war. A battle for 40 minutes. And at the end of the day, it’s going to come down to crucial plays in the final minutes because I expect a tight game. Taylor struggled at the start of the year as he tried to adjust to life without Jon Leuer. But he’s certainly looked like an All-America candidate recently. Taylor will play hero again against the Orange with a game-winning shot. It was easy to forget how good he was last season during this year’s trials. But Taylor has regained that old swagger. Look for the big shot against the Orange.
4. Thomas Robinson averages 28 points/12 rebounds against NC State/North Carolina -- I still have Kansas in New Orleans. The Jayhawks didn’t look great against Purdue in the round of 32, but going to St. Louis and the Edward Jones Dome will feel like home with the numerous Kansas fans that will flood that facility. But environment alone can’t affect this outcome. The Jayhawks will need the best Robinson can give to get past NC State (a Sweet 16 sleeper that could pull off the upset) and North Carolina, even if the latter doesn’t have Kendall Marshall. And I believe Robinson will put together a string of performances that will define his career at Kansas. He’ll average 28.0 points and 12 rebounds. He recorded only 16/13 and 11/13 in wins over Detroit and Purdue. That won’t get the job done in the Sweet 16. Robinson will step up and take the Jayhawks to New Orleans with the kind of outings that are expected from national player of the year candidates in March.
5. Xavier, not Baylor, will play Kentucky in the Elite Eight -- Baylor has the length and athleticism to cause matchup hell for Xavier. Perry Jones and Co. against Kenny Freaseseems unfair. Brady Heslip is on fire from outside. But the Musketeers will do more than make this a game. They’ll be tougher than a Baylor Bears squad that’s failed to match more physical teams in multiple matchups this season. Jones has scored nine points combined in his team’s two NCAA tournament games. As impressive as Heslip was against Colorado (nine 3-pointers), it’s unlikely that he’ll match that output against Xavier. Tu Holloway andMark Lyons will pressure Baylor on the perimeter. The Cincinnati-Xavier brawl has not defined the season for either squad. This is one of those games in which the personnel certainly favors the Bears. But Xavier will push Baylor to the brink and ultimately score a 10/3 upset. The health of Dezmine Wells’ toe, however, will certainly play a major role in this prediction.
6. Ohio won’t be represented in New Orleans -- One of the best storylines of the tournament unfolded over the weekend. Four Ohio schools (Xavier, Cincinnati, Ohio State and Ohio) reached the Sweet 16. But I don’t think we’ll see any of them in New Orleans. Even if Marshall can’t go, the Tar Heels have far too much athleticism and size for Ohio. I’m picking Cincinnati over Ohio State. I like the Yancy Gates-Jared Sullinger battle and the Bearcats’ athleticism on the perimeter. But I don’t think Cincy gets past Wisconsin, the team I’m picking to beat Syracuse. I think the Musketeers can defeat Baylor in the Sweet 16, but they’re not going to beat Kentucky. It’s a great accomplishment for one state to send four schools to the Sweet 16. But it won’t have any reps in New Orleans even though the numbers favor it right now. Sorry, Ohio.

[Bcatswin]

Guy is on a roll!!!!!

[dogthebountyman]

Guy is on a roll!!!!!

He couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat.

[SASH]

Ha! Espn's writters, anchors, commentary people are a joke these days. Not only dropping the ball on this, but just horrible in general now

[Louisvillekid1]

so happy he's on Mich St...

[agendaman]

bcats/congrats. again on ohio /wonder if that guy put money on those picks HOWEVER i got michigan state at 10-1 /use state as hedge bcats gl

[greenhippo]

How can someone be intellectually dishonest enough to post a single column on the NCAA for the rest of the tournament? If you can't get a single one of 9 (NINE) predictions right with one pending, how can you sit there and think "time for some more predictions"? He should literally be fired while having every member of the ESPN staff throw eggs at him and his car while recording it and showing it in the SportsCenter intro for the next year. Utter embarrassment.

[onlooker]

Surprised they didn't remove that sh!t.

[dogthebountyman]

Guy ruined his career by fading Wisconsin. Wiped out #3 and #5 of his top ten.

[milwaukee mike]

How can someone be intellectually dishonest enough to post a single column on the NCAA for the rest of the tournament? If you can't get a single one of 9 (NINE) predictions right with one pending, how can you sit there and think "time for some more predictions"? He should literally be fired while having every member of the ESPN staff throw eggs at him and his car while recording it and showing it in the SportsCenter intro for the next year. Utter embarrassment.

[milwaukee mike]

you can tell the guy is an idiot by how he uses "waiver" instead of waver

[ChiLLx]

Anyone actually going to fade this? Does anyone actually think that UK will "blow out" IU now?

[dogthebountyman]

Anyone actually going to fade this? Does anyone actually think that UK will "blow out" IU now?

He deserves a fade. Not only was he dead wrong on all he maxed out how wrong you could be.
By Thursday at 4pm Iona was already on a bus home, the west coast conference had a win (BYU) and Wisconsin won by 24 points getting ready to advance and knock off Vandy.
So even with 90% of the thur/fri games to go he was already done 0-3 lol.

MAJOR FADE IN ORDER. Indiana will prob hang tight or beat Kentucky.

[crustyme]

i actually read this prior to the tournament. actually agreed with some of them.

but give him a break.... he called them bold for a reason and not easy predictions.

[lite1up]

OK, but he's literally 0-7 so far with a realistic shot at 0-10. Very likely a Big East team makes the Final Four, very unlikely 2 Big 12 squads make the Final 4. Maybe he gets the Michigan State one right. Either way it's hard to be this wrong.

[MJT1212]

this guys worse than my Big Dance gambling record this year and thats ******* "turrible" as Barkley would say...

i'm fukking 2-10

[CWD]

you can't work in sports media unless you are full of shit. telling it like it is too boring.

this writer got just what he wanted has people copy/pasting his entire article on forums for everyone to see so you bit this one hard

[ChiLLx]

He deserves a fade. Not only was he dead wrong on all he maxed out how wrong you could be.
By Thursday at 4pm Iona was already on a bus home, the west coast conference had a win (BYU) and Wisconsin won by 24 points getting ready to advance and knock off Vandy.
So even with 90% of the thur/fri games to go he was already done 0-3 lol.

MAJOR FADE IN ORDER. Indiana will prob hang tight or beat Kentucky.

I admit I'm an IU fan and I don't think we can win but crazier things have happened. Giving the Hoosiers 9 points on a neutral court seems too high though, the line should be 5-6. And this guys soooo confident it will be a blowout I might have to fade. UK hasn't played a team as good as IU since they last played IU.

[CWD]

I admit I'm an IU fan and I don't think we can win but crazier things have happened. Giving the Hoosiers 9 points on a neutral court seems too high though, the line should be 5-6. And this guys soooo confident it will be a blowout I might have to fade. UK hasn't played a team as good as IU since they last played IU.

so you've got indiana better than the entire sec cause kentucky beat them before conference play opened?