Ballsy 2009 Tournament Predictions | Sweet 16 & Elite Eight
By robmurray
Welcome to the second annual ‘Ballsy Tournament Predictions’. The Second Round was not an exciting one, as we predicted almost no upsets and no double-digit seeds making it to the Sweet 16. I know, I was disappointed myself. I got two six seeds and one five-seed making it to the final sixteen. Don’t worry, I foresee some excitement and shake ups in the second week of the tournament.
Like I say over and over again, don’t listen to my predictions. I haven’t gotten anything right since 1996. Having said that, let’s move on to our Ballsy Sweet 16 & Elite 8 Predictions.
WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEK:
– Monday: First Round Predictions
– Tuesday: Second Round Predictions
– Wednesday: Sweet 16 & Elite Eight Predictions
– Thursday: Final Four & Title Game Predictions
SWEET SIXTEEN
EAST BRACKET
#8 Oklahoma State #5 Florida State
Yep, I did it. I knocked the Panthers, a favorite to win it all by many, out of the tournament. Who the hell do I think I am? I’ll tell you who I am. I’m a guy who’s putting the OSU Cowboys into the Elite Eight. No, I don’t think they’re one of the top eight teams in the land, but they can beat Pittsburgh by spreading it out. Look for them to do it yet again against the Seminoles.
#2 Duke over #3 Villanova
Nearly everyone has Duke falling to the Wildcats, but I just don’t know why? Villanova’s strength is the same as Duke’s strength. Duke’s weakness is the same as Villanova’s weakness. Duke’s advantage, over the last two months, no team has done a better job at not turning it over. Duke may miss more shots in the end, but they’ll take more attempts.
SOUTH BRACKET
#4 Gonzaga over #1 North Carolina
Yep, I’m picking the upset. Another #1 goes down. This will be one hell of a battle; two teams who really like to score a lot. The winner will easily clear 90. As a long time football and basketball guy, I know how devastating a toe injury is. Even if Lawson feels better, he’s never going to feel perfect and that will hurt the Tar Heels. He and that toe really are that important. If Lawson was healthy, I’d pick Carolina to go to the title.
#2 Oklahoma over #6 Arizona State
Griffin vs. Harden…size always wins, baby. At least that’s what my wife always says.
MIDWEST BRACKET
#4 Wake Forest over #1 Louisville
Sorry folks, the Cardinals are a scam. They may have won the Big East, but they did it without having to travel to either Pittsburgh or Connecticut. Wake Forest has three NBA-ready players on their roster and not even Louisville’s full-court press can slow down Jeff Teague.
#6 West Virginia over #2 Michigan State
The year of the Big-Ten fraud comes to an end, when the 7th best Big East school knocks the top team in the Big Ten out of the tournament. Call me a Ebanks groupie, but I believe he’s going to have a huge tournament.
WEST BRACKET
#1 Connecticut over #4 Washington
It should be fun to watch the Huskies’ senior, Jon Brockman, standing only 6’7, muscle 7’3 Hasheem Thabeet for rebounds. For the record, Brockman averages 11.3 rebounds per game, one more than Thabeet. Too bad Washington doesn’t have an answer for A.J. Price.
#2 Memphis over #3 Missouri
Yes, you probably already know that Mike Anderson was the last coach to defeat John Calipari in Conference USA, so does that mean he has some secret to success? Who cares? Wasn’t that like in 1976?
ELITE EIGHT
EAST BRACKET
#2 Duke over #8 Oklahoma State
The Blue Devils get lucky again. Since the Cowboys took care of Pittsburgh, Duke meets up with another team that they match up well against. No team guards the three-point line better than the Devils, while OSU has no answer for Singler & Henderson. After four years, Duke returns to the Final Four.
SOUTH BRACKET
#2 Oklahoma over #4 Gonzaga
The Zags get another shot to break through the Final Four wall, but unfortunately for them, the countries best player (Griffen) stands in their way. For Blake, by game number four, it will be like stealing candy from a baby.
MIDWEST BRACKET
#6 West Virginia over #4 Wake Forest
If there’s a coach who can make the Demons look young, it’s Bobby Huggins. Despite the fact three Big East teams ‘earned’ a #1 seed, it will be the Mountaineers who are the lone Big East representative in the Final Four. Oh shit, did I just give away the next bracket?
WEST BRACKET
#2 Memphis over #1 Connecticut
Here’s how it works. If the Huskies had Jerome Dyson, I’d pick them. In fact, if Lawson was healthy for UNC and Dyson was playing, I would have picked a UNC/Connecticut final (with Carolina winning it all). However, Dyson is out and Connecticut is just 4-3 without him. The Tigers will be able to control Thabeet, but Price won’t be able to handle Evans. It’s back-to-back Final Fours for Memphis.
Tune in tomorrow for my Final Four predictions.