The NCAA tournament getting underway with the big prize going to
the last team standing on April 2nd in San Antonio, Texas. I am going to go over those teams I believe
could have a great chance or be that Cinderella team this year with a chance to
win it all in the NCAA tournament.
Virginia: The top
ranked team and ACC Champion looked the part with a convincing win and cover
over North Carolina last Saturday. I love the defense and the coaching this
club possesses. They will be the number
one seed, yet which teams can knock them off?
Gonzaga: If the
refs didn't kill them in the finals last year, they could be defending national
champions. They have the personnel to
repeat and have a shot again this year.
Michigan: One of
my favorite coaches here John Beilein. The Wolverines just wrapped up their
second Big 10 Championship and Beilein already has them working hard toward
their NCAA prize. This team has all the
pieces in what's a wide open field. They also have been great for bettors.
Duke: Duke may
have lost to North Carolina in the ACC semifinals, but they have the coach and
the talent for a run deep into the NCAA tournament.
Arizona: The
Wildcats took care of USC last Saturday and won the PAC-12 Championship. This
team has been surrounded by turmoil off the court with both players and their
coach. Arizona could be an early exit
team this year.
Auburn: A
definite sleeper team. They have a solid ATS record for bettors and could shock
some of the higher seeds.
North Carolina:
Last year's defending champion has not lived up to where I had them ranked. They lost in the ACC championship to Virginia and while I expect they will be
around a while in the NCAA, I don't see any way to repeat.
Miami Florida:
This is a team that under achieved all year. They have never lived up to their
ranking and could be ripe for an early exit.
West Virginia:
This is a team with an excellent pressing defense and if they play teams that
can't handle the press, they will win some games.
Florida: This is
one team I have no faith in, though many disagree with me. I don't expect to
see this team around long.
Houston: This is
a red-hot team and has all that momentum that can propel a team far into the
tournament. They came seconds away from
a conference title, but lost by one point to Cincinnati. Watch out for this
club, they can go far.
St
Mary's: When it comes to winning the big games, this
team falters. This team struggled to beat Pepperdine in the WCC quarterfinals
and then lost to BYU in the semifinals.
I don't see them winning if they do make the NCAA's.
Middle Tennessee
State: This team has to be fatigued and if that doesn't get to them, they
could shock a mid to higher seeded team and go a few rounds.
Wichita State:
Not exactly the season the Shockers expected, especially after falling to
Houston in the Semifinals of their conference tournament. However, they are
very well coached if not a slow paced team.
From
what I have seen recently, these teams are not only talented but when really
focused, they will be tough to beat. That includes Virginia, Villanova, Xavier
and Duke.
There
are others of course that must be considered very dangerous any time they step
on the hardwood. Those teams are Kansas, Michigan St, Michigan, Cincinnati and
defending champ North Carolina. All these teams have what it takes to go deep
into the NCAA tournament and take down any of the top seeds.
I
said it before and I will say it again here, there are about 25 legitimate
teams that could win it all this year. Most years you could not find that many
clubs that could be considered, but there have been a few years when an
outsider could cut down the nets. Three that come to mind are Villanova, N
Carolina State and U Conn. They were all longshots. This year there
is a cluster of really capable teams that makes predicting anything but a very
tight tourney with many buzzer beaters.
Since I can't get out of
here without taking a shot, I'm going go out on a limb and say it will be ether
Virginia or Duke winning it all. Good luck and enjoy the best time of the year
for college basketball lovers.
For more of Jim Feist click here.