Back by popular demand (or so I keep telling myself), NCAA fans get answers to their March Madness questions.
The calendar has officially turned to March! That means it is March Madness time! For us college basketball fans, this is truly the most wonderful time of the year (suck it, Andy Williams).
The questions this week have taken a turn, however. It seems all anybody wants to talk about is… what’s wrong?! What’s wrong with North Carolina, or what’s wrong with the Pac 12, or what’s wrong with Shaq’s hairline:
Shaq lost a bet to D-Wade. Now America knows what his hairline looks like ?
(via @NBAonTNT)pic.twitter.com/4Anp0ohY6e
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 4, 2020
While some things remain a mystery, I’m here to answer your toughest “What’s wrong…” questions. I’m all over these like an MSG security guard on Spike Lee!
March Madness: What’s Wrong with Kentucky?
Dear Chaka,
Did you see that embarrassment on Senior Night at Rupp? What the heck is going on with the Cats? What does this mean for the SEC Tournament and the NCAA tourney?
Sincerely,
Bluegrass Bobbie
Dear Bluegrass Bobbie,
That was a rough game. Any loss to an unranked opponent at home is tough. A loss to Tennessee is even worse. Add to it the fact that the Cats blew a 17 point second half lead with under 17 minutes to go in the game, and I understand why you have those Bluegrass blues!
My advice… be easy!
The Cats still have two potential All-Americans in Nick Richards and Immanuel Quickley. Either of those thoroughbreds could win SEC Player of the Year and that doesn’t even take into account the likely SEC Freshman of the Year in Tyrese Maxey and defending SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Ashton Hagans.
Sometimes, a loss going into the conference tournament is just what a team needs to refocus for the stretch run. I like Kentucky to go DEEP in the NCAA tournament.
Oh, and they still have this guy coaching them:
“Your not gonna like me cause we’re coming to your town and we’re gonna beat your team” – John Calipari #UKvsWVU pic.twitter.com/NYZMPD5Ihk
— Evil Scratch (@Evil_Scratch) January 28, 2018
March Madness: What’s Wrong with Duke?
Dear Chaka,
I get that we don’t have Zion anymore, but we’ve lost three of our last five games. Are we going to mess up this National Championship for Coach K?
Sincerely,
Distraught in Durham
Dear Distraught,
I’ll get into what’s wrong with Duke (everything, I hate Duke), but the real question is WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU (see previous parenthesis)?!
Rooting for Duke is like rooting for the IRS. Are you kidding me, right now?! Who the hell is screening these messages?
Ugh! If you must root for Dook and Coach K, then I guess you should be worried.
You are young, even for a Duke team. Normally, there are some more veterans sprinkled in with the one-and-done guys, but Jack White and Javin DeLaurier are the only filler around stud freshmen Vernon Carey and Cassius Stanley and sophomore lead guard Tre Jones.
They may be wearing down toward the end of the season, which isn’t a good sign considering the ACC is far from a juggernaut this year.
I see Duke as a candidate for an early upset during the first weekend of the NCAA tourney. Their matchup will be critical as to whether they will advance; this is not a team that wants to see a veteran-laden club from a mid-major conference to start things.
What’s Wrong with Baylor?
Dear Chaka,
Do you remember when Baylor was number one in the polls? That seems so long ago…
What are our chances in the tourney after blowing our seeding at the end of the season?
Sincerely,
Gip Chains
Dear Gip,
There is no shame in losing to Kansas. Frankly, they are one of many teams that can win the title this year. Plus, you have a win over them in Lawrence.
That TCU loss was a stinker, though! Baylor’s offense has been a bit hot and cold all season. The offense comes easy when Jared Butler and MaCio Teague are rolling. The problem is those guys shoot 42 percent and just under 40 percent from the floor, respectively.
There are games where Baylor is putting up enough bricks to be on an episode of Fixer Upper!
The Bears’ defense is good enough to befuddle teams in a one-game winner-take-all scenario like the NCAA tournament, though. Freddie Gillespie anchors a Baylor defense that gives up under 60 points a game.
I trust Scott Drew and Baylor. I won’t have them going home in my bracket before the Elite 8; relax and enjoy a long tournament run.
That’s all for now, March Madness fans! Keep your letters coming and continue to check out the best basketball content on the web at Belly Up Sports NBA page. Follow me on Twitter and check out my podcast “F” in Sports.
