This year’s already exciting season
will become even more interesting as the regular season finishes and conference
tournaments and then the NCAA tournament begin. There are a few clear favorites
in the NCAA tournament already. They include two teams that sit atop the
Associated Press rankings, the #1 Kentucky Wildcats and the #2 Syracuse Orange
both with only one lose.
But the highly ranked favorites
aren’t what make the NCAA tournament exciting, it’s when the underdog teams
knock them off. Although the final list of teams making the NCAA Tournament
will not be known until “selection Sunday” there are a few teams I predict
could play the spoiler role.
The first two teams I will be keeping an eye on are both out
of the ACC. I think that both the Virginia Cavaliers (21-8) and Miami
Hurricanes(17-11) have a chance to be bracket busters. Virginia is sitting right
outside the top 25 but has played a better season than their record may show.
Of the team‘s 8 losses, 6 were by three points or less and five were against teams
in the AP Top 25. Although some may say this indicates they cannot win close
games, the team has also managed to pull out five narrow victories by 4 points
or less. They also beat a powerful Michigan team that is currently ranked #15.
Virginia has played a tough ACC conference schedule that is sure to prepare
them for the rigors of tournament time
While picking Virginia is not unrealistic, picking Miami may seem more of a stretch, but here is why I have faith. Miami’s 11 losses this season may not look good on paper, but when you look back and see that all of the losses have come at the hands of top quality opponents your opinion might change. Miami has also shown the ability to beat top ranked teams, including Duke and Florida State. Miami’s record may now look as appealing as other teams on the bubble but when you take into account the previous information and include the difficulty of there out of conference schedule I think that it will be hard to keep them out of the tournament.
While picking Virginia is not unrealistic, picking Miami may seem more of a stretch, but here is why I have faith. Miami’s 11 losses this season may not look good on paper, but when you look back and see that all of the losses have come at the hands of top quality opponents your opinion might change. Miami has also shown the ability to beat top ranked teams, including Duke and Florida State. Miami’s record may now look as appealing as other teams on the bubble but when you take into account the previous information and include the difficulty of there out of conference schedule I think that it will be hard to keep them out of the tournament.
March Madness is my favorite sporting event of the year. Any
team can win on any given day and if you slip up a loss means season over! With
an NCAA season which has already brought excitement and upsets every week, I
can‘t help but be excited for this season‘s NCAA tournament. At this point I’m
picking Michigan State as an early favorite to win the tournament.
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