Selection Sunday

The coffee is brewing. The bags under my eyes are prominent… and it’s far too early to be up on Any Given Sunday. But why is this Sunday different from all other Sundays? Simple – it’s the one day of the year where 65 teams realize they are no longer playing for pride or tradition – it’s now a MARCH to glory.

It’s Selection Sunday and I’ve got the fever.

Before the ACC and SEC championship games become forgone conclusions (UNC and Florida are far too easy picks to ignore), I offer my thoughts on where some teams should fall in the seedings.

You can search a dozen bracketology projections and find Rock Chalk Jayhawk and the Ohio State Nuts That Fall from Trees as easy #1 seeds.

No disagreement here.

Where I think it becomes interesting is the 2 other top seeds. Hard to argue against Florida if they do beat Arkansas for the SEC tournament title. Plus, the Gators are the reigning champs, so they get a little boost here out of respect.

I’ll give Billy the Kid’s bunch a #1 seed and wouldn’t say it’s a stretch to say you’ll be seeing them in Atlanta.

But for the final #1 seed… I’m giving it to Wisconsin for a few reasons.

First and foremost, I think they beat the Buckeyes today for the Big 10 title. They’ve beat them once this year and could’ve easily beat them a second time if not for some ill-timed poor shooting. I think they find their stroke today. Wisconsin 65 – OSU 59.

And before you Bruin fans start filling up my inbox with cries of Pac 10 bias (I’m an Arizona alum… if you don’t know, now you know), here’s why I’m slotting them in as a 2 seed. I live in LA and have had the displeasure of watching UCLA play a number of times and here’s the thing… they are a hot and cold team. I haven’t watched them play an impressive game from tip to buzzer yet.

Out of their 5 losses, only 1 came to a quality team (Oregon). Losses to subpar Stanford, Washington and West Virginia are too hard to ignore. While I won’t hold the Pac 10 tourney loss to Cal against them (it’s a semi-rivalry, and Cal looked good), you can’t ignore the fact Ben Howland’s kids have lost their last 2 ballgames by a combined 17 points. Not exactly nail biters.

And as I sit here and type this, someone needs to tell Dickie V to get outta my head. As the Tarheels are pulling away from a gritty and gutty Wolfpack squad, Vitale offers this nugget of info –

“No team has EVER snagged a #1 seed after losing their last 2 ballgames.”
Never. Ever. Like I said, lock UCLA in as a #2.

#1 seeds – KANSAS, OHIO STATE, WISCONSIN, FLORIDA

Having said that, I’m handing the #2 seeds to:

The Bruins (don’t forget to say I told you so)

Memphis (they didn’t play the most formidable opponents on the globe, but not much you can say against a 30-3 record….even if they did only beat ONE ranked opponent all year – a 80-63 win against a then-ranked-#22 Kentucky…the record alone earns them the 2 seed).

UNC – more times than not, a top 10 team that blows through the ACC tourney earns the #1 seed. And while the Heels are well on their way to doing just that, I just can’t give them the nod over the Gators.

To me, going 13-3 in the SEC is more impressive than UNC’s 11-5 record in the ACC. And while many bracketologists will point to a season sweep of Duke as a big notch in the belt, while it’s commendable, this is a Duke team that will likely find themselves as a 8 or 9 seed when the brackets are announced later today. If that’s what you’re hanging your hat on, you don’t get to hang it on the top rack.

The final 2 seed goes to Georgetown. You won the Big East. You get a 2 seed. ‘Nuff said.

One quick note on the Hoyas – Roy Hibbert makes a name for himself come tourney time. He’s big. REAL BIG. If the bracket shapes up favorably, lil John Thompson and his boys can make a run. Elite 8 is not out of the question. Just a hunch.

(By the way, NCST has cut UNC’s lead to 7 with 12 minutes to play. Like I said, the Heels are a 2 seed).

#2 seeds – UCLA, UNC, MEMPHIS, GEORGETOWN

I’ll spare you breaking down seeds 3 – 16 (you can thank me later), but a few notes on where I think some teams fall and why…..

- It’s going to be odd to see the aforementioned Blue Devils slotted with such a crooked number next to their name. But this is not your grandfather’s Duke team. They are not good. They are not deep and they are not deserving of anything more than an 8 or 9 seed. I’ll give them an 8 since their name alone is probably good for at least one level boost. Coach K won’t let his guys get bounced in the first round. It’ll happen in the 2nd.

- My beloved Arizona Wildcats are an absolute enigma. This team has more raw talent than some of Lute’s squads in years past. But there’s just no chemistry. Marcus Williams is a selfish player who refuses to pass when his stroke isn’t there. If there’s an early round exit for UA, I can all but guarantee that will be a big reason why. Mustafa Shakur has failed to develop into a typical leader at the point that Cats fans have come to expect. In the line of Stoudamires, Bibbys, Jason Terrys and even Jason Gardeners, 2Pac has failed to live up to expectations. The one guy I can’t wait to see take the March Madness stage is freshman Chase Buddinger. If any of you haven’t seen this kid play, you need to. He’s got size. He understands the game. And he’s got a wicked outside shot. He’s a streaky shooter as most young players are, but doesn’t rely solely on an outside shot to score. He can get to the rack and he is solid from the line. This is a future college POY in the making folks. If he stays at least 3 years, he’ll be knocking on the door of the UA record books. As far as seeding, look for the Cats as a 9. Sadly, I don’t see them going very far.

- Watch out for Oregon in the tourney. And no, this isn’t Pac 10 homer love. In fact, I’m jaded towards the rest of the Pac. I only have love for my Cats. But Oregon is quick. They’re athletic and Aaron Brooks is a true leader. After storming through the Pac 10 tourney, a 3 seed is not out of the question. Don’t be surprised if this is the last Pac 10 team standing in the field of 65,

(Quick addition – with 5 minutes left, NCST is down 3 and UNC is crumbling. Meanwhile, Florida is running away from Arkansas. I’m not saying. I’m just saying…)

- I CANNOT wait to see Texas fab frosh Kevin Durant on the big stage. This kid is special. He’s the #1 pick in the draft in whatever year he comes out… now or later. I think Texas earns a 4 seed and Mr. Durant helps this team make a run towards Atlanta. I would love to see them in the same bracket as Ohio State. How cool would a Greg Oden vs. Kevin Durant battle be? If it happens, don’t be surprised if the Horns hook the Buckeyes.

- A couple teams to watch – Tennessee and Marquette. They should both earn a 6 or 7 seeds. I love the passion Bruce Pearl instills in his kids. And Marquette just knows how to play the game right. Curious to see how they both fair.

- And what would a March Madness blog be without a quick prediction of who we’ll see in Atlanta...

FINAL FOUR: GEORGETOWN, FLORIDA, TEXAS, WISCONSIN

TITLE GAME: FLORIDA BEATS WISCONSIN ( I hate picking the repeat champ and there’s no harder sport to do it in then college hoops, but Billy D’s kids are deep and they’re balanced. I think they cause a lot of mismatches with most teams that haven’t seen them yet).


Alright folks, that’s all I got for now. Check back tomorrow for my take on the brackets once they’re filled in.

And when my girlfriend yells at me for being late today, please tell her you enjoyed reading this. I need all the help I can get.