(Editor's Note: Due to a busy work week and coming off a 2 day bender, the Guide will be less than eventful in week's past. Look for the normalcy to return next week as The Tourney gets under way)
Well, if you didn’t notice, Chavalyez was up to his normal ways by going 8-3 during the weekend. That’s why he is paid the big bucks, boys. You better listen up and jump on, cause it’d be a shame for you to miss out on something this easy. The Guide is back this week, starting on Thursday…Conference Tourney style. We will be doing it a little different this week, picking championship matchups and winners for each of the big conferences. Only one NBA game all weekend on TV so this will be heavily concentrated in the amateur game. So, let’s get to it.
ACC – Since going to a 12 team conference, the ACC now uses the traditional format, with the top 4 seeds getting byes. In the past, the #1 would play the last place seed, skip the 2nd round and already be in the semis. This year, the usual are 1 and 2, with Clemson and surprising VA Tech getting byes as well. Look for upsets by NC State and UVA in day one, with possibly Maryland taking out Clemson in day 2. By Saturday, Bobcats arena in Charlotte will be filled with two shades of blue, as Duke and Carolina look to play a rubber match on Sunday. Dickie V will be going nuts on ESPN while Billy Packer will be his usual awful self on Raycom for local fans. Not sure which you would prefer, but the suggestion is to go with Dickie V and the WWL solely on the HD factor. As for the final on Sunday, the Heels clearly proved they are the superior team, when healthy. This will be at worst neutral, probably pro-UNC as Charlotte has more Tar Heel fans. It will be a good one nonetheless, the best matchup of all the tourneys.
Final, Sunday – Duke/UNC – Pick is UNC
Big East – It doesn’t get better than Madison Square Garden and the Big East Tourney. AI vs Jesus Shuttlesworth vs. Kerry Kittles in the mid-90’s, St. John’s always getting the homecourt support, and Melo and Gerry Mac for the Cuse. This list could go on forever. No other tourney has the history of the venue, players, and great games that this does. Add-in Bill Raftery and a little “ONIONS” and it makes for a great 4 days of games. Always getting the first start of the big tourneys on Wed. morning, they finish in style on Saturday night in the big city. This year, the top 4 seeds are significantly better than the rest of the league. Georgetown is becoming a trendy pick for the Final Four after taking care of Louisville (another winner from last week) for the Big East regular season title. UCONN has bloody battle ahead of them against WVU and could come out of that with a loss. ND and their conf. POY look to take the season series with Marquette. Look for the Hoyas to cruise to the final Saturday night as they are playing as well as anyone right now. As for their opponent, look for a surprise as Marquette will come from the 6 slot and take down the Irish, and then Louisville Friday night. Then, a rematch of an overtime battle from a couple of weeks ago, will easily go to JTIII and Georgetown.
Final, Saturday – Georgetown/Marquette – Pick is Georgetown
Big Ten – Least favorite of the Tourneys and in typical Big 10 form, took forever to conform to the rest of the country. The guide honestly could care less about these guys. Ohio State needs a couple of wins to get in so that is about the only interesting storyline (They will be one and done to the NIT). Look for Eric Gordon and Indiana to meet Neitzel and Izzo in the finals. The pick is MSU. Bo-Tion.
Final, Sunday – MSU/Indiana – Pick is Michigan State
Big 12 – This is where Kevin Durant went crazy and look for Michael Beasley to do the same. They will get to Saturday and have a rubber match with the Jayhawks. Unfortunately, that is where these one player type teams run into trouble. KU takes the series and meets OU, in the final, who will take down an overrated Texas team in the semis. On Sunday, the Jayhawks will prove that they are a 1 seed type of team that will be stuck going in as a #2.
Final, Sunday – Texas/Kansas – Pick is Kansas
Pac 10 – The final conference to change to a tourney champion, has provided some pretty entertaining basketball in its short lifespan. This year should be no different as only 4 teams are definite locks and 3 others are sitting very Bubblicious. AZ State looks the most impressive and if they can take down the Trojans today, they should be in. Arizona, with the longest consecutive tourney streak, needs a win against the Lopez Douches and possibly make the semis. Oregon should upset Wazzu and if they make it to Saturday, they should be in as well. Saying all that, look for UCLA to cruise to the Finals while only having to travel 10 or so miles down Olympic to the Staples Center. As for their opponent, another surprise pick by the Guide as Oregon will look to leave no doubt that they are a Tourney team.
Final, Sunday – Oregon/UCLA – Pick is UCLA ***GUS JOHNSON ALERT***
SEC - Finally, the ole SEC Tourney in the GA Dome. Not always the prettiest of basketball, but usually provides great endings and some Cinderella runs like Arky a few years back. This year the SEC is as down as it has been since the Guide has been following college hoops. Outside of Knoxville and the Orange Crush, there is not a team that is remotely close to making a run in the Tourney. Honestly, as much as it hurts to say, UT will probably be the only SEC team to make the Sweet 16. Look for some madness to begin in ATL as some upsets are bound to happen. As bad as upper tier is in the SEC, the bottom half is even worse. It would be easy to say that Miss St and Arky would get taken down as higher seeds, but who honestly is going to do it. UGA? Bama? No chance. Florida and UK will meet on Saturday, while UT will look to take out some revenge on Vandy for ending their VERY short reign as #1. The cats take down UF in what always seems like a home game for the Big Blue. UT pounds on those Dores and sets up a less than intriguing Final on Sunday. Kentucky will have all but wrapped up a spot in the Tourney by making it to Sunday. Depending on what’s happening elsewhere, UT probably could lose the game and still get a #1. It might not look that exciting, but remember, its Conference Tourneys and its better than watching the Bulls on ESPN.
Final, Sunday – UT/UK – Pick is UK
No comments:
Post a Comment