WILKES-BARRE, PA – March Madness.
It’s finally here!
And while I admit I’m disappointed Syracuse won’t get its opportunity to run the table once again, I’ll have to settle for a No. 1 seed in the NIT. But enough about the Orange. I’ll come back to them later.
It’s time to talk about the teams in dance. Here’s a fresh set of Ebs’ Hot Takes, March Madness style.
Enjoy!
Arizona’s about to win it all. They don’t call the Pac-12 the conference of champions for nothing.
I’m calling my shot now. Arizona and UCLA will each find themselves in Phoenix with the Wildcats as the last ones cutting down the nets.
I’m a night owl, so I had the chance to catch the Pac-12 tournament the past few nights and Arizona impresses the heck out of me. Is there a hotter team in the country? The Wildcats beat UCLA and Oregon in successive nights to take home the crown.
The West is a pretty soft region. I love the Wildcats’ chances.
Middle Tennessee is about to make another splash. Remember when the Blue Raiders were a 15 seed and took down Michigan State last year? Well, they’re back and better than ever.
Led by Giddy Potts, Reggie Upshaw and Arkansas transfer Jacorey Williams, and combining for more than 47 points per game, Middle Tennessee has a favorable draw that could lead to a Sweet Sixteen berth.
The Blue Raiders don’t have to worry about Syracuse this year either.
I’m stuck on the Gonzaga-Vanderbilt second-round matchup. This could be Mark Few’s best team yet, and the Zags have beaten some really good teams. With wins against Arizona, Florida and Iowa State, it’s hard not to be impressed.
However, Vanderbilt is red-hot. With three of their final six wins coming against ranked opponents, the ‘Dores can play with anyone.
I just don’t know.
Remember the name Kevin Huerter. Maryland has a favorable bracket until the No. 6 seed has to play Arizona in the Sweet Sixteen.
This gives America a full weekend to learn Kevin Huerter’s name. The freshman sensation has been masterful for the Terrapins this season.
Deadly from the 3-point ark, Huerter makes an impact without scoring 20 points a night. This is Melo Trimble’s team and he’s along for the ride.
Syracuse deserved a spot in the tournament. Look, I get it. Syracuse was 2-11 away from the Carrier Dome and struggled out of the conference.
But ESPN’s Jay Bilas put it best, “When they say anybody can win on a given day. How many given days did you had? Syracuse had more given days than anybody at the end of the line and last year that got rewarded.” Syracuse had six, Wake Forest had two, Kansas State had two, and USC had one.
Heck, Wake Forest lost to Syracuse head-to-head and had a worse ACC record.
Hey, if you think all three of those teams are better than Syracuse I can live with that. But when you try and tell me you have a problem with their non-conference schedule and then in the next breath talk about an entire body of work it doesn’t make sense.
Last year the big thing was top-50 wins. Syracuse has more top-50 wins than any team in the bubble. The inconsistency from year-to-year drives me nuts.
Oh well. Maybe next year.
Come back tomorrow for Ben Whitney and please follow us on Twitter at @ByDJEberle & @MeetTheMatts, Instagram @MeetTheMatts and like our Facebook page, Meet The Matts.
With the NCAA Tournament starting Tuesday, I felt that last year’s edition of One Shining Moment deserved to be the video of the week. Here’s to hoping this year’s edition is just the littlest bit like last year.
