Here is some March Madness advice with the NCAA Tournament being right around the corner!
Do you smell that? Brackets are in the air! It is almost time for your office’s/church’s/school’s/family’s/cell block’s annual NCAA bracket wager. As Belly Up Sports’ resident NCAA expert (don’t snicker), I’m here to answer your burning questions. That’s right, get the March Madness advice you need to win your pool and avoid coming in last. Now, you won’t have to get that embarrassing tattoo. (You didn’t know your pastor was about that life, did you?).
Our first question comes from the left coast:
Dear Chaka,
With San Diego State having an incredible, undefeated season, is this the year that the “mid-majors” finally topple the name brands, close the deal and bring a title home?
Should I bet the farm that Malachi Flynn and the boys bring a title back to the Gaslamp Quarter, or am I California dreamin’?
Sincerely,
Aztec Angst
Dear Aztec Angst,
Great question!
I have the utmost respect for Malachi Flynn and the squad in San Diego. The transfer from Washington St. is ballin’ out, leading the undefeated squad in points per game, (16.7), assists per game (5.1), and steals (1.9). He is a lockdown defender and, traditionally, veteran guards show out in the tourney.
With Yanni Wetzel owning the paint (12.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG) and the balance of having Matt Mitchell (12.4 PPG) and Jordan Schakel (10.1 PPG) to share the scoring load, San Diego State looks poised to do some work. This squad embraces playing tough defense to go along with their balanced offensive scoring attack.
The problems I see is this:
- Gonzaga is also playing well and has played tougher competition, meaning that if SDSU gets a one seed in the tourney, they will, likely, be shipped east to play games. That’s no picnic.
- The potential two seeds look like a murderer’s row of blue bloods that will have a potential home-court advantage if SDSU makes it to the Elite Eight (Duke, Maryland, Louisville, Kentucky).
- Brian Dutcher, the Aztecs’ head coach, doesn’t have the pedigree that says he is, necessarily, built to thrive in these big moments.
I would love to be more positive, but if SDSU doesn’t get a quality draw in terms of location, I do not see them getting out of the second weekend. They will, likely, play their first two games in Sacramento. After that, the Sweet 16 will be in Houston, New York, or Indianapolis, assuming Gonzaga gets the bid to go to LA as a one seed. That’s tough!
Maybe SDSU could benefit from losing a game and getting a two seed in the west?
But I see them going home in the Sweet 16. That’s my March Madness advice.
Dear Chaka,
With the season being so crazy, who is the squad that isn’t on the national radar that I want my Kansas Jayhawks to avoid?
Who will be that team in the Elite Eight that will surprise folks because they are not household names?
Sincerely,
Rock Chalk Chucky
Dear Rock Chalk Chucky,
First of all, ya’ll had better worry about Baylor, forget some team you aren’t expecting.
But, if you are looking for a team that Blue Bloods don’t want to see in a dark alley, or in their side of the bracket, I’ll give you three.
Creighton
One, I bet you don’t even know where Creighton is, let alone how good the Blue Jays are?
You not into watching basketball played in Nebraska, I feel you. But these guys are for real! Their motto is “Let it Fly” and they are one of the best shooting teams in the country at 47 percent. They score almost 80 PPG as a team, led by Ty-Shon Alexander and Marcus Zegarowski. Greg McDermott’s squad is 21-6 and poised to make a deep tournament run.
Colorado
Two, you mean you don’t stay up late to watch Pac-10 basketball? That’s cool! You’re the one missing out on all those pearls of wisdom from Bill Walton.
You’re also missing out on watching an exciting Colorado squad. Tad Boyle has led his team to a 20-6 record and they have been mainstays in the Top 25.
The Buffaloes will put handcuffs on your offense, holding opponents to 62.2 PPG. McKinley Wright (13.6 PPG) and Tyler Bey (13.5) provide the scoring punch. These boys might be the only college kids in Colorado that you don’t want smoke from.
Michigan State
Three, I get it. Michigan State has had a disappointing season, by their standards. They came into the season ranked number one in the AP Poll. They have fallen out of the rankings and look discombobulated at times.
Heres the deal, though. Veteran guards win in March. Cassius Winston (18.2 PPG, 5.7 APG) is still an absolute nightmare in big games and he is going to look to go out with a bang in March.
The Big 10 is a gauntlet, so don’t let their 17-9 record fool you. 9-6 in conference has them tied for third. They are as likely as any team in the country to make a conference and NCAA tournament run.
Plus, if you bet against Tom Izzo in March, you stupid! That’s my March Madness advice.
Dear Chaka,
Help!!!
I can’t come in last in my pool, AGAIN! My friends are ripping me. My wife won’t listen to my advice on the brackets. Even my 12-year-old started calling me Dyson cause, as he says “Daddy SUCKS!!!”
Who is that team that I can put in my Final Four that will make me look like a friggin’ genius!
Sincerely,
Dyso…I mean, Tyson from Tennessee
Damn, Tyson!
Maybe its time little Johnny got his cell phone thrown in the toilet. He needs to learn some respect!
And, if you don’t want to look like an idiot this year, the team that you need to know about is Dayton.
The Dayton Flyers have been top 10 in the polls since their early-season success in Maui, for example, where it took overtime for Kansas to take them out in the championship game.
Dayton is 24-2 and unbeaten in the A-10. Anthony Grant has his team playing tough, physical, and fast. Coach Grant knows a thing or two about leading a program with a smaller profile to tournament success from his time as the head guy at VCU.
Plus, Obi Toppin (19.4 PPG, 7.7 RPG) is a sure-fire lottery pick and the closest thing college basketball has to a human highlight film this season. He leads the NCAA in dunks, but his game is well rounded. Don’t be surprised if Toppin is an all-American and a finalist, if not the winner, of several postseason awards, including A-10 Player of the Year, and the Naismith Award for National Player of the Year.
With Toppin leading the way, you might sleep on Jalen Crutcher (15 PPG, 4.9 APG). Do so at your own peril. He is the lead guard for this top 10 offense, as the Flyers score over 80 points per game.
I like them in pretty much any matchup to have a shot at Atlanta and the Final Four. And many have no idea how good they really are. That’s my March Madness advice.
Well, that’s all the mail for now. Check me out on Twitter and check out my podcast “F” in Sports for more hot takes and humor. Belly Up Sports will have you covered as we head toward March!
