Last night I did the Mid West and West brackets, Tonight I will go over the South and East. We will also get a better insight to how far I think the Lobo's will take this magical season. Thanks for coming back for Part 2.South Region - #1 seed: Duke Blue Devils
This is the weakest of all of the regions. Duke was very lucky to get a #1 and to get the 3rd #1 is well.. unexplainable. I think that the #2 seed Villanova, the #4 seed Purdue and #6 seed Notre Dame teams are very weak. Purdue is killed by injury and they could lose in the 1st round. Villanova is good but they will struggle to get out of the 2nd round.
I see Duke vs Texas A&M and Baylor vs. Richmond as the games to move along in the sweet 16. A&M is a good team but will not have enough to deal with the great shooting Dukies. One of the best games of the tourney could be Baylor and Richmond. Both of these teams are athletic and very agile. they love to run the floor and can bang the boards with the best of them.
Duke and Baylor should square off to see who arrives at the Final Four. I would not be surprised to see Baylor win the game, but I am leaning towards history. Let's but it this way, Duke has a bunch! Playing in numerous final fours and winning a couple of championships. Baylor has not won a tournament game in something like 50 years. The moment will get to them and Duke plays in yet another Final Four.
There are so many teams in this bracket that are over rated. Cal is not a very good team. They played in the weak Pac-10 and they were so very lucky to get a #8 seed. Louisville can beat the best, as long as they wear Orange. the bad news is they will have to beat a good Duke team in the 2nd round and there will be no Orange to be seen, so Rick P goes home early.
Best 1st rd game: Texas A& M vs Utah State
This will be a fun game to watch. the Utah State team can down right play and they shoot the heck out of the ball. They will give A&M all they can handle.
Game that should be close but won't be: Purdue vs. Siena
I feel bad for Purdue. the injury bug really hurt this team. they have a very hard time scoring points and they seem to have no direction. Siena is talented and will give the big boys from the Big 10 more than they can handle. Don't be surprised if Siena wins by double digits.
Potential 1st rd upset: Old Dominion vs. Notre Dame
ODU has a great chance to pull off the upset. Love the way they play and hit the boards. Notre Dame will need their stud to step up. If he does not score 20 + they lose in round #1.
East Region - #1 seed: Kentucky Wildcats
We go from the weakest to the strongest. This is one tough bracket. There are a number of good teams that might not have played up to their potential this year, but when they do show up, watch out! Texas, Wisconsin, Marquette, New Mexico and West Virginia can all play. The Mountaineers will be out to prove they they should have been a #1 seed.
The Wildcats can win it all but it would not be a big surprise if they lost any where from round #2 on. The team is loaded with YOUNG talent and that does not always go well in the tournament. Walls is a rent a player for the year and he has been well worth it for the boys in Blue. He could be the #1 pick in next years NBA draft. He is talented and strong and oh yeah .. YOUNG!. I do not see the Cats coming out of this region. I think that Texas will show up once the lights hit the court in the big show and this spells doom for many teams in the bracket.
Texas vs Temple and New Mexico vs. West Virginia in the Sweet 16 games. Yes this will be the bracket of surprises. Texas is very talented and Temple has been tough all year. This will be a close game but the Horns pull away late and win the game. I would LOVE to say that the Lobos win this game and move on to the big 8 but I just don't see that happening. The West Virginia team is strong, tough and talented. They should be a #1 seed and they will have a chip on their shoulder all tourney. The Lobos great dream season ends in the Sweet 16 as WV moves on. The road to the Final Four will be a great game. Texas vs WV. A game of the big boys.. well it will be close but the Team from Texas goes home and the mountaineers head to the final four.
Best 1st rd game: Temple vs. Cornell
The Red are for real and they are smart as well. This could be the best 1st round game of the entire tournament. It will be a fun one to watch. The Ivy league has never been known for basketball powers but this Cornell team is very good.
Game that should be close but won't be: Marquette vs Washington
The Huskies will get run from the first tip. They played in a bad conference and they are not very good. The Big east boys will man handle the Huskies. They beat Washington by 15+
Potential 1st rd upset: Missouri vs, Clemson
The Big 12 was a great conference this year, the ACC not so much. Look for Mizzou to handle the Tigers. They play great defense and can shoot pretty well. Clemson should win this game, but they won't.
Final Four - Kansas, Syracuse, West Virginia and Duke
Not a bad group. it would be a great final Four if this works out like I think it will. Let's take a look at the games.
Kansas vs. Syracuse
This will be a great game. The Orange when healthy are as good as anyone in the country. The Jayhawks have proven all year long that they are the team to beat. With that said, Kansas pulls away late and the Jay Hawks go back to the National Championship. Kansas 82 The Orange 76
West Virginia vs Duke
WOW! This will be a dual of different styles. The finesse ACC team with slick shooters and great free throw shooters vs. the pound the boards, drive it down your throat Big East. Who wins? I think that Duke wins a close one, but it will be a big time struggle. Duke 77 West Virginia 76 in OT!
Kansas vs. Duke - The National Championship!
This game could be a let down. Duke will be exhausted after playing in such a tough semi to reach this game. Kansas will smell blood and I think this could be a little blow out. Kansas is too good, too talented and they will be cutting down the nets at the end of the day. Coach K will fight hard but come up just a tad short. Kansas 85 Duke 72
It has been fun writing down all of my thoughts on the tournament. I love college hoops. I am looking forward to a great tournament. Good luck to all of your teams, except of course they are playing the Lobos. hehehe have a great two weeks, watching great hoops.
This is the weakest of all of the regions. Duke was very lucky to get a #1 and to get the 3rd #1 is well.. unexplainable. I think that the #2 seed Villanova, the #4 seed Purdue and #6 seed Notre Dame teams are very weak. Purdue is killed by injury and they could lose in the 1st round. Villanova is good but they will struggle to get out of the 2nd round.
I see Duke vs Texas A&M and Baylor vs. Richmond as the games to move along in the sweet 16. A&M is a good team but will not have enough to deal with the great shooting Dukies. One of the best games of the tourney could be Baylor and Richmond. Both of these teams are athletic and very agile. they love to run the floor and can bang the boards with the best of them.
Duke and Baylor should square off to see who arrives at the Final Four. I would not be surprised to see Baylor win the game, but I am leaning towards history. Let's but it this way, Duke has a bunch! Playing in numerous final fours and winning a couple of championships. Baylor has not won a tournament game in something like 50 years. The moment will get to them and Duke plays in yet another Final Four.
There are so many teams in this bracket that are over rated. Cal is not a very good team. They played in the weak Pac-10 and they were so very lucky to get a #8 seed. Louisville can beat the best, as long as they wear Orange. the bad news is they will have to beat a good Duke team in the 2nd round and there will be no Orange to be seen, so Rick P goes home early.
Best 1st rd game: Texas A& M vs Utah State
This will be a fun game to watch. the Utah State team can down right play and they shoot the heck out of the ball. They will give A&M all they can handle.
Game that should be close but won't be: Purdue vs. Siena
I feel bad for Purdue. the injury bug really hurt this team. they have a very hard time scoring points and they seem to have no direction. Siena is talented and will give the big boys from the Big 10 more than they can handle. Don't be surprised if Siena wins by double digits.
Potential 1st rd upset: Old Dominion vs. Notre Dame
ODU has a great chance to pull off the upset. Love the way they play and hit the boards. Notre Dame will need their stud to step up. If he does not score 20 + they lose in round #1.
East Region - #1 seed: Kentucky Wildcats
We go from the weakest to the strongest. This is one tough bracket. There are a number of good teams that might not have played up to their potential this year, but when they do show up, watch out! Texas, Wisconsin, Marquette, New Mexico and West Virginia can all play. The Mountaineers will be out to prove they they should have been a #1 seed.
The Wildcats can win it all but it would not be a big surprise if they lost any where from round #2 on. The team is loaded with YOUNG talent and that does not always go well in the tournament. Walls is a rent a player for the year and he has been well worth it for the boys in Blue. He could be the #1 pick in next years NBA draft. He is talented and strong and oh yeah .. YOUNG!. I do not see the Cats coming out of this region. I think that Texas will show up once the lights hit the court in the big show and this spells doom for many teams in the bracket.
Texas vs Temple and New Mexico vs. West Virginia in the Sweet 16 games. Yes this will be the bracket of surprises. Texas is very talented and Temple has been tough all year. This will be a close game but the Horns pull away late and win the game. I would LOVE to say that the Lobos win this game and move on to the big 8 but I just don't see that happening. The West Virginia team is strong, tough and talented. They should be a #1 seed and they will have a chip on their shoulder all tourney. The Lobos great dream season ends in the Sweet 16 as WV moves on. The road to the Final Four will be a great game. Texas vs WV. A game of the big boys.. well it will be close but the Team from Texas goes home and the mountaineers head to the final four.Best 1st rd game: Temple vs. Cornell
The Red are for real and they are smart as well. This could be the best 1st round game of the entire tournament. It will be a fun one to watch. The Ivy league has never been known for basketball powers but this Cornell team is very good.
Game that should be close but won't be: Marquette vs Washington
The Huskies will get run from the first tip. They played in a bad conference and they are not very good. The Big east boys will man handle the Huskies. They beat Washington by 15+
Potential 1st rd upset: Missouri vs, Clemson
The Big 12 was a great conference this year, the ACC not so much. Look for Mizzou to handle the Tigers. They play great defense and can shoot pretty well. Clemson should win this game, but they won't.
Final Four - Kansas, Syracuse, West Virginia and DukeNot a bad group. it would be a great final Four if this works out like I think it will. Let's take a look at the games.
Kansas vs. Syracuse
This will be a great game. The Orange when healthy are as good as anyone in the country. The Jayhawks have proven all year long that they are the team to beat. With that said, Kansas pulls away late and the Jay Hawks go back to the National Championship. Kansas 82 The Orange 76
West Virginia vs Duke
WOW! This will be a dual of different styles. The finesse ACC team with slick shooters and great free throw shooters vs. the pound the boards, drive it down your throat Big East. Who wins? I think that Duke wins a close one, but it will be a big time struggle. Duke 77 West Virginia 76 in OT!
Kansas vs. Duke - The National Championship!
This game could be a let down. Duke will be exhausted after playing in such a tough semi to reach this game. Kansas will smell blood and I think this could be a little blow out. Kansas is too good, too talented and they will be cutting down the nets at the end of the day. Coach K will fight hard but come up just a tad short. Kansas 85 Duke 72
It has been fun writing down all of my thoughts on the tournament. I love college hoops. I am looking forward to a great tournament. Good luck to all of your teams, except of course they are playing the Lobos. hehehe have a great two weeks, watching great hoops. 
Notre Dame is going to mess up your bracket bigtime. They were actually playing better without Harangoodie, or what's=his-name. Now the other guys know what they can do, plus they get him back.
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