ThePhanastasio

Haha! Duke got slaughtered by North Carolina. Looks like they're not going to be getting that bid for a number 1 seed! Although I imagine it will be North Carolina, I'm kind of holding out hope for Michigan State. Tom Izzo is one of my top 3 coaches. Also, if that happened, I'd be a pretty big fan of three of the number one seeds: Kentucky, Syracuse, and Michigan State. I detest Kansas.

Hoping Duke, as a 2 seed, get stuck in Kentucky's bracket. Such a mismatch! Kentucky's perimeter defense and inside presence would destroy them.

Also hoping that Syracuse and Michigan State are on the OPPOSITE side of the bracket from UK. Those are the two teams I feel have the best chance of beating my 'Cats. They need not even be allowed to try until the title game.

I'm also feeling that Louisville could very well get upset in the first round again, depending on who they have to play. I'd love to see it.

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Electrophonic Tonic

As a Cuse fan, I would love to have Duke in my bracket too.

I'm glad you can't have 2 teams from the same conference in the top 2 slots of a bracket. Marquette scares the crap out of me as a #2 seed. The other team Cuse would not want to see would be Missouri. They shoot the ball too well, would negate Melo on the inside because of their lack of size and are one of the few teams that run transition as well, or better than Syracuse does.

From what I remember about the rules, Kentucky and Syracuse are locks for the top 2 #1 seeds. Thus, they would be on opposite sides of the bracket. Leaving their only possible matchup in the title game... which would be a damn good game.

As for top 5 seeds that I could see being upset (barring the matchups):

Wisconsin- Same old Wisconsin. Scoring 50ish points a game. But, they're had a harder time controlling the pace to something that is comfortable for them. If a team can score 65 points, I think they have a legitimate shot at beating Bucky.

Duke- Just not a good team. Barely team Virginia and Virginia Tech at home, got very lucky against North Carolina the first time, and then spent yesterday doing an impression of Jodie Foster of a pinball machine in the rematch, at home no less.

Louisville- Think Wisconsin, except they have the ability to score and just cannot.

Florida- Even in their wins, I've never thought to myself "Wow! They're good". I would point out a specific weakness, but I can't even point out their identity as a basketball team. And that may be their weakness.

Georgetown- They have played to their competition all year. And that's a problem if they'll be a top 4 seed.

Murray State- From the 4 games I've watched them play; they seem very reckless and out of control. Sure, they have a knack of hitting their shots. But if a team slows them down (not named Louisville or Wisconsin), I think they'll struggle big time.

debaserr

I win!

1st Rd: 26/32

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ThePhanastasio

Well, both of our Final Fours are still intact, which is more than anyone else in my Bracket Pool can say!

I have Kansas over UNC, though, in the Elite 8 - and Kansas in the title game. The champ is the same, though! Took the same hits you did for the Duke and Mizzou upsets - had both in the Sweet 16 - and the same with Michigan...but, unfortunately, I had Temple in that game.

I did pick the Colorado upset, though.

If I'm not mistaken, I'm beating Obama right now. You definitely are.

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debaserr

The best bracket I think got 29/32.

I made two brackets. I should have made more, it's fun. The matchups that were iffy to me I picked the opposite in my other bracket, which is 40% right now.

I really should have picked the OU over Michigan, I went there and we knocked off Georgetown two years ago.

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ThePhanastasio

You went to OU? Sweet! My friend graduated from their media department thing last year, and she loved it.

My school didn't make the tourney this year, but they did manage to knock of Louisville in the first round last year...which just about made my entire year!

I actually regret not picking the Duke upset. They've not impressed me this year, and I left that spot blank for a good twenty minutes before finally deciding that as much as I wanted it to, it wasn't going to happen.

But, heck yeah, it totally did!

I'm currently most wary about Syracuse being in my elite 8; I turned my final bracket in before Melo was declared ineligible.

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debaserr

Damn, that IU v VCU game was epic. The Hoosiers were down for 90% of the game and couldn't score in the 2nd half. VCU was up 8 or so with a few minutes left and they went into another gear. I was convinced they were losing before. VCU is so amazingly disruptive on D.

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debaserr

After the first weekend:

Bracket 1 - 92.4%

Bracket 2 - 98%

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ThePhanastasio

I'm thrilled to see that Florida and Kentucky have been two of the most dominant teams in this tournament! Florida, in their two games, have won by an average of 30 pts, and Kentucky are peaking at the exact right time.

The Florida/Marquette game tonight is the one I'm most looking forward to - after last year's Elite 8 run in which most complained about Florida's excessively high seeding, I'd like to see the underrated 7 seed this year take a nice run to the same level...I think the way the Gators are playing, they can beat Marquette, but they won't blow them out. A possible Michigan State matchup in the Elite 8 if they manage to defeat Marquette would probably be asking too much.

As far as the Wildcats go, Marquis Teague is finally playing to his potential. With Jones finally awake from whatever stupor he was in for most of the season, Darius Miller logging quality minutes, and MKG and Davis playing with such defensive intensity, I don't see Indiana pulling off another stunner on the 'Cats.

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debaserr

RO16 Picks:

1 Syracuse v 4 Wisconsin - I have 0 confidence in this pick.

1 MSU v 4 Louisville - Louisville's O will stagnate while Green picks them apart multiple ways. I never see many MSU regular season games, and I'm always astounded at some random new kid they have playing (Green isn't quite new, I'm talking about whomever their new lead guard is).

2 OSU v 6 Cincinnati - Cincy has better guards and Gates will negate Sullinger, but Deshaun Thomas should push OSU over the top.

3 Marquette v 7 Florida - I expect Marquette to own the paint and play better defense.

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3 Baylor v 10 Xavier - Baylor has the talent to be a dominant team but it never happens. I will stick with Tu.

1 UNC v 13 Ohio - UNC could have five lottery picks this year.

1 Kentucky v 4 Indiana - I'm hoping this one's close, and I suppose anything could happen. Having said that, all of UK's young guys have had so many reps since the first meeting.

2 Kansas v 11 NCST - I believe in Thomas Robinson. The rest? Not so much. They were gifted a win v Purdue.

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