Wednesday, March 30, 2011

2011 NFL Mock Draft 3.0



















Now that the NFLPA has decertified and officially locked the players out, free agency is being put on hold. Should there be no resolution amongst the players and owners in the next couple weeks, this could very likely be the most unpredictable draft we have ever seen. The Combine and some personal workouts have changed my most recent mock draft a bit. Here are my current projections for the 2011 NFL Draft.

1. Carolina - Marcell Dareus DT/Alabama
2. Denver - Nick Fairley DT/Auburn
3. Buffalo - Cam Newton QB/Auburn
4. Cincinnati - AJ Green WR/Georgia
5. Arizona - Von Miller LB/Texas A&M
6. Cleveland - Da’Quan Bowers DE/Clemson
7. San Francisco - Patrick Peterson CB/LSU
8. Tennessee - Blaine Gabbert QB/Missouri
9. Dallas - Robert Quinn DE/North Carolina
10. Washington - Julio Jones WR/Alabama
11. Houston - Prince Amukamara CB/Nebraska
12. Minnesota - JJ Watt DE/Wisconsin
13. Detroit - Nate Solder OT/Colorado
14. St. Louis - Aldon Smith DE/Missouri
15. Miami - Mark Ingram RB/Alabama
16. Jacksonville - Ryan Kerrigan DE/Purdue
17. New England (from Oak) - Cameron Jordan DT/Cal
18. San Diego - Corey Liuget DT/Illinois
19. NY Giants - Akeem Ayers LB/UCLA
20. Tampa Bay - Justin Houston LB/Georgia
21. Kansas City - Tyron Smith OT/USC
22. Indianapolis - Anthony Costanzo OT/Boston College
23. Philadelphia - Mike Pouncey G/Florida
24. New Orleans - Adrian Clayborn DE/Iowa
25. Seattle - Brandon Harris CB/Miami
26. Baltimore - Jimmy Smith CB/Colorado
27. Atlanta - Leonard Hankerson WR/Miami
28. New England - Gabe Carimi OT/Wisconsin
29. Chicago - Derek Sherrod OT/Mississippi St.
30. NY Jets - Phil Taylor DT/Baylor
31. Pittsburgh - Aaron Williams CB/Texas
32. Green Bay - Benjamin Ijalana G/Villanova


http://dcprosportsreport.com/MockDraft.htm

Monday, March 28, 2011

2011 MLB Predictions



















We have a week to dissect every angle of this coming weekend's historic Final Four, but in the meantime we are just 3 days away from the start of the baseball season. If you are anything like me, you will agree that it is far too early to be thinking about baseball. Baseball doesn't take a front seat until the NBA Finals conclude. Then it quickly takes a back seat to football until the World Series puts it back in the forefront for a week or so. Nonetheless, it is still one of this country's major sports. As the sports fanatic that I am, I feel compelled to give you my predictions for the upcoming Major League Baseball season. Play ball!

AL East
Boston 100-62
NY Yankees 96-66
Tampa Bay 87-75
Toronto 84-78
Baltimore 67-95

The truth of the matter is that the AL's three best teams could reside in the East. Unfortunately only two of them can make the playoffs. Boston made some huge signings with Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford ready to make an immediate impact on their lineup, and still have solid pitching. The Yankees' pitching staff is a concern, but their lineup remains one of baseball's most dangerous. Tampa Bay should take step back, although they could make some noise if their young pitching staff matures quickly. Toronto has a loaded lineup, but will stay in the back of the pack. Buck Showalter got Baltimore playing some pretty good ball last year, but they won't be able to sustain it for an entire year. In the end, Boston claims the AL East crown while the Yankees earn the Wild Card.

AL Central
Minnesota 88-74
Chicago Sox 86-76
Detroit 85-77
Cleveland 73-89
Kansas City 63-99

The Central should be a three team race. Minnesota, Chicago, and Detroit are all capable of winning the division. Cleveland and Kansas City have some young talent, but won't be able to compete this year. Minnesota is my pick simply because I couldn't choose between the three teams at the top, but the Twins always seem to rise from the crop. They have some injury issues that must be addressed, but if they can get a healthy Justin Morneau I like their chances. The Sox may be the most talented team, but I suspect that they will underwhelm at some point in the season that will cost them. Detroit must overcome the off field distraction of Miguel Cabrera and hope that he has another MVP-caliber year amidst his personal issues.

AL West
Texas 87-75
Oakland 83-79
LA Angles 80-82
Seattle 67-95

Texas will repeat as AL West champs. They will certainly miss the dominance of Cliff Lee, but their young arms gained a ton of experience last year and they still have the most potent lineup the West has to offer. Oakland will make a run at the Rangers, but I think they are still a year away from Playoff baseball. The Angels could not land any of the big time free agents and will hover around .500 for the second consecutive year. Seattle does not have the roster to compete this year.

AL Batting Champ - Robinson Cano
AL Home Run Champ - Paul Konerko
AL RBI Champ - Alex Rodriguez
AL Wins Leader - Jon Lester
AL ERA Leader - Felix Hernandez
AL Saves Leader - Neftali Feliz

AL MVP - Joe Mauer
AL Cy Young - Jon Lester

NL East
Philadelphia 97-65
Atlanta 89-73
Florida 81-81
NY Mets 76-86
Washington 68-94

The Phillies pitching staff should be absolutely dominant. They have two Cy Young award winners, a World Series MVP, and a perennial All-Star in their rotation. Their lineup is among the league's best as well. Atlanta appeared in the postseason ahead of schedule in 2010 and should be right in the mix again. Florida is hoping to become this year's Atlanta and show up in the Playoffs slightly ahead of schedule. The Mets will continue their dysfunctional ways and finish below .500. Washington shouldn't expect too much of a splash until Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper can compete regularly at the Major League level.

NL Central
St. Louis 87-75
Milwaukee 85-77
Cincinnati 83-79
Chicago Cubs 78-84
Houston 73-89
Pittsburgh 63-99

Losing Adam Wainwright was a major blow to the Cardinals. Tony LaRussa has been doing this a long time though, and he will get the most of this team. Albert Pujols will put the contract talks behind him and show why he is baseball's best player while leading St. Louis back to the playoffs. Milwaukee's acquisition of Zack Greinke will allow them to stay neck and neck with the Cards. Cincinnati will look to show they weren't a one season wonder. The Cubs change in coaches will not change the history of underachieving. The Astros played well down the stretch last year but they won't be able to sustain it. And bringing up the rear will be the Pittsburgh Pirates as they continue their record setting futility with another sub-.500 year.

AL West
San Francisco 93-69
Colorado 90-72
Los Angeles 85-77
San Diego 76-86
Arizona 67-95

The defending champs will be back in October to defend their crown. This pitching staff is too much for anyone in this division to overcome. Colorado will get over the hump and represent the NL as the Wild Card. Carlos Gonzalez will continue his rise to stardom. LA has the talent to play in the postseason, but there are plenty of distractions within the Dodgers' ownership that will take some of the focus off of baseball. San Diego overachieved more than any other team last year. Don;t expect the same this year with the loss of Adrian Gonzalez. Arizona will come in last for the third year in a row.

NL Batting Champ - Troy Tulowitzki
NL Home Run Champ - Albert Pujols
NL RBI Champ - Ryan Howard
NL Wins Leader - Roy Halladay
NL ERA Leader - Zack Greinke
NL Saves Leader - Brian Wilson

NL MVP - Carlos Gonzalez
NL Cy Young - Zack Greinke

AL Wild Cards
Boston over Texas
NY Yankees over Minnesota

NL Wild Cards
Philadelphia over Colorado
San Francisco over St. Louis

ALCS
Boston over NY Yankees

NLCS
Philadelphia over San Francisco

World Series
Boston over Philadelphia

The Red Sox win their third World Series title since 2004. The additions of Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford pay off as they party in Beantown!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

2011 NCAA Tournament - Elite 8



















We are deep into our second weekend of the 2011 NCAA Tournament and only one of the number 1 seeds remain. Duke and Ohio St. were the next victims. That leaves Kansas as the overwhelming favorite to cut down the nets in Houston. But as we have seen through the Sweet 16, anything is possible.

2 Florida -4 vs. 8 Butler

How they got here:

Florida beat - UC-Santa Barbara 79-51, UCLA 73-65, BYU 83-74 OT
Butler beat - Old Dominion 60-58, Pittsburgh 71-70, Wisconsin 61-54

Players to watch:

Florida - F, Alex Tyus will need to continue his strong play and be a presence down low
Butler - G, Shelvin Mack needs to be equally impressive on both ends of the floor

The Gators were my pick to come out of this region from the beginning. I am sticking with that. Alex Tyus and Vernon Macklin have been beasts down low. They will continue their stellar play and get contributions from SEC Player of the Year Chandler Parsons and leading scorer Erving Walker.

Prediction - Florida 72 Butler 63

3 UConn -2.5 vs. 5 Arizona

How they got here:

UConn beat - Bucknell 81-52, Cincinnati 69-58, San Diego St. 74-67
Arizona beat - Memphis 79-77, Texas 70-69, Duke 93-77

Players to watch:

UConn - G/F Jeremy Lamb is the most versatile and important player on this team not named Kemba
Arizona - G Momo Jones needs another performance like the one on Thursday; no turnovers

UConn is on a mission. They are 11-0 in games played in tournaments this year. They won the Maui Invitational, the Big East Championship, and are on the verge of the Final Four. Kemba Walker will continue his epic run throughout March and lead the Huskies past Arizona.

Prediction - UConn 83 Arizona 74

1 Kansas -11 vs. 11 VCU

How they got here:

Kansas beat - Boston U. 72-53, Illinois 73-59, Richmond 77-57
VCU beat - USC 59-46, Georgetown 74-56, Purdue 94-76, Florida St. 72-71 OT

Players to watch:

Kansas - F Marcus Morris is the best player for Kansas and nobody from VCU will be able to stop him
VCU - G Joey Rodriguez will have to limit his turnovers and control the pace of this game

Kansas appears to be on the fast track to Houston. VCU's Cinderella story stops one game away from repeating the George Mason run. Kansas has a tendency to let less talented teams hang around in games. VCU will do the same, but the Jayhawks get one step closer to the ultimate goal.

Prediction - Kansas 75 VCU 69

2 North Carolina +1.5 vs. 4 Kentucky

How they got here:

North Carolina beat - Long Island 102-87, Washington 86-83, Marquette 81-63
Kentucky beat - Princeton 59-57, West Virginia 71-63, Ohio St. 62-60

Players to watch:

North Carolina - F Tyler Zeller will use his length and athleticism to get his points
Kentucky - C Josh Harrelson will use his muscle to offset some of the athleticism of UNC's bigs

Talk about tradition. You couldn't ask for more tradition than North Carolina and Kentucky. I think this is going to be a fantastic game. Both teams are loaded with young talent, length, and athleticism. The team that wins will be the team that imposes their will down on the blocks. I think that Tyler Zeller and Jon Henson will get the best of Terrance Jones and Josh Harrelson.

Prediction - North Carolina 82 Kentucky 74

Ringer's NCAA Tournament Record
ATS: 31-29
SU: 41-19

Monday, March 21, 2011

2011 NCAA Tournament - Sweet 16



















Yesterday was not a great day for me. I went 5-3 straight up and 2-6 against the spread. VCU, Florida St., and Marquette joined Richmond as double digit seeds to advance to the Sweet 16. We all get to catch our breath for a couple days before the action heats back up on Thursday. Here is a look at how I expect the Sweet 16 to unfold.

Southeast Regional - New Orleans

2 Florida -2.5 vs. 3 BYU

I picked Florida to represent this region in the Final Four on Selection Sunday. I have not seen anything in the first weekend of play that would make me waver from that. Florida dominated UCSB and pulled away in the final minutes to defeat UCLA. BYU was just the opposite. The pulled away late to beat Wofford in the Round of 64 and then blew out Gonzaga on Saturday. This game comes down to depth. I like the Gators to get contributions from a variety of players and be too much for the Jimmer to overcome on his own.

Prediction - Florida 75 BYU 67

4 Wisconsin -4 vs. 8 Butler

Both of these teams advanced further than I thought they would. Wisconsin has impressed so far with wins over very talented Belmont and Kansas St. teams. Butler has proved to be more then a one-year wonder. The Bulldogs knocked off both Old Dominion and Pitt in dramatic fashion. This is a matchup of very gritty, disciplined teams. Which ever team takes care of the ball better will move on to the Elite 8. I think Jordan Taylor will be the best player on the floor.

Prediction - Wisconsin 65 Butler 56

West Regional - Anaheim

2 San Diego St. +1 vs. 3 UConn

This is pretty much a pick 'em game. The Aztecs staved off elimination by beating Temple in double overtime to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history. UConn has made it a habit of reaching the Sweet 16. The beat Big East foe Cincinnati in the Round of 32 to continue their recent hot streak. I picked this matchup when the brackets were revealed. I picked UConn to win at that time. Nothing has changed. Kemba Walker continues his epic run through March.

Prediction - UConn 72 San Diego St. 60

1 Duke -9 vs. 5 Arizona

Duke is still alive in their bid for back to back national titles, barely. They saw a last second shot by Michigan's Darius Morris bounce off the rim and give them a 73-71 victory to advance to the Sweet 16. Freshmen sensation Kyrie Irving has returned to give the Blue Devils a boost off the bench. They face super Sophomore Derrick Williams who again showed he has a flare for the dramatic. He got an and-one in the final seconds to lead Arizona to a one point win over Texas in the Round of 32. Both teams are very talented, but Duke's experience pays off in the end.

Prediction - Duke 73 Arizona 72

East Regional - Newark

2 North Carolina -4.5 vs. 11 Marquette

There were many prognosticators that had North Carolina advancing to this point in the Tournament. Hardly any saw Marquette getting this far. North Carolina has won two high scoring affairs versus Long Island and Washington. The ladder needed a late rally for victory. Marquette on the other hand, is the first team with 14 losses to make it to the Sweet 16. They beat Big East rival Syracuse in the Round of 32. The Big East has struggled, and the Golden Eagles falling will leave them with only one Final Four hopeful.

Prediction - North Carolina 80 Marquette 74

1 Ohio St. -5 vs. 4 Kentucky

To show how surprising some of the outcomes have been in the 2011 NCAA Tournament, this is the only 1-4 matchup in the Sweet 16. This is one I saw coming all along. No team has looked better than Ohio St. They have won their first two games by 29 and 32 points respectively. Against George Mason in the Round of 32, they made 16 threes. When they shoot like that nobody can beat them. Kentucky has the talent to hang with the Buckeyes. They will need to use their athleticism to stay in this game. The Buckeyes come at you from all angles though, and will be too much for the Kentucky youngsters to handle.

Prediction - Ohio St. 72 Kentucky 64

Southwest Regional - San Antonio

1 Kansas -10.5 vs. 12 Richmond

The Jayhawks appear to have the easiest path to the 2011 Final Four. Remaining in the Southwest are Kansas, and three double-digit seeds. The first one they are asked to get past is Richmond. The Spiders dominated Morehead St. to reach their first Sweet 16 since 1988. It won't be easy to reach their first ever Elite 8. They will have to find a way to handle Kansas' Morris twins. Marcus and Markeiff will take this game over and end Richmond's dream run.

Prediction - Kansas 72 Richmond 57

10 Florida St. -4 vs. 11 VCU

This unlikely Sweet 16 game, assures us that at least one double-digit seed will reach the Elite 8. This would be the first time since 10th seeded Davidson did so in 2008. Remember in 2006 when George Mason went to the Final Four? That team has a lot in common with VCU of 2011. Both schools are in Virginia, hail from the CAAC, received controversial at-large bids, and rolled through power conference competition to reach the Sweet 16. Can VCU reach the Final Four as well? They will have to get past the nation's most imposing defense. I think VCU has just enough to get past FSU and set up a match with Kansas.

Prediction - VCU 61 Florida St. 59

Ringer's NCAA Tournament Record
ATS: 25-27
SU: 36-16

Sunday, March 20, 2011

2011 NCAA Tournament - Round of 32



















The drama returned on Saturday. Pitt and Butler had an ending unlike any other. In the end Butler continued their recent string of Tournament success and moved on to the Sweet 16. We also got a double overtime thriller from San Diego St. and Temple. The Aztecs held on in the end and advanced to their first ever Sweet 16. Sunday's games should provide more drama.

2 North Carolina -5 vs. 7 Washington

North Carolina showed they can still run and gun as they won a high scoring match with Long Island in the Round of 64. Washington held off a feisty Georgia squad to advance to today's game. There should be plenty of points in this one as well. Carolina will feed off of the hometown crowd and freshmen Harrison Barnes and Kendall Marshall will come up big as the Tar Heels move on.

Prediction - North Carolina 84 Washington 70

1 Duke -11.5 vs. 8 Michigan

How appropriate is it that these two schools face off a week after the "Fab Five" documentary debuted? Michigan doesn't have the same bad boy image that they did in the early 90s. Duke's reputation has stayed the same. And that reputation is one of winning. Both teams blew out the competition in the Round of 64. Duke beat Hampton by 42 and Michigan beat Tennessee by 30. This one won't be quite as easy for either. The Blue Devils prevail in the end behind the leadership of Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler.

Prediction - Duke 71 Michigan 58

1 Ohio St. -11.5 vs. 8 George Mason

Ohio St. won easily in their opener, blowing out UT-San Antonio. George Mason used a late rally to get past a talented Villanova squad. The Patriots probably won't be quite as endearing to this crowd as they were during their Final Four run in 2006. This will certainly be a pro-Buckeye crowd in Cleveland. George Mason will put up a fight, but in the end OSU will prove why they are the nation's number one team.

Prediction - Ohio St. 75 George Mason 66

4 Texas -6 vs. 5 Arizona

Texas staved off a furious rally by Oakland to hold on for a victory in the Round of 64. Arizona trailed throughout much of their game with Memphis, but took a late lead and got another game-sealing block from Derrick Williams. Texas has been very inconsistent in recent weeks. They will need a big game from Jordan Hamilton. He will be matched up against Williams. Ultimately, Williams leads his team to another win.

Prediction - Arizona 72 Texas 63

3 Purdue -9.5 vs. 11 VCU

Purdue was very impressive in their Round of 64 victory over St. Peter's. VCU already has 2 victories in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. Their most recent win, came in a surprising blow out of Georgetown. Purdue continues to get major contributions from JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore. The Rams will need to slow these young men down if they hope to pull off another upset.

Prediction - Purdue 74 VCU 70

3 Syracuse -4.5 vs. 11 Marquette

This is the second of two all Big East matchups in the Round of 32. Syracuse and Marquette each controlled their Round of 64 games in their entirety. The Orange dismantled Indiana St., while Marquette never let Xavier think they could win that game. Marquette won the only meeting of these two in the regular season. Syracuse gets revenge today and moves on to the Sweet 16.

Prediction - Syracuse 75 Marquette 62

1 Kansas -8.5 vs. 9 Illinois

Bill Self squares off against his former team today. Kansas struggled a bit versus Boston U. on Friday. They do not want to follow the same path that they took last year, losing in the Round of 32 to 9th seeded Northern Iowa. Illinois is looking to make up for a disappointing season. Beating the Jayhawks today could certainly provide some feelings of redemption. The Illini will scare Kansas but won't get over the hump.

Prediction - Kansas 67 Illinois 64

2 Notre Dame -5.5 vs. 10 Florida St.

Notre Dame seemed to have control throughout the game against Akron, but could never pull away. They got the victory though. Florida St. played phenomenally on the defensive end and held Texas A&M to 50 points. Chris Singleton returned and provided a huge boost for the Seminoles. FSU needs to be just as good defensively today. Notre Dame needs to consistently knock down open jumpers. The Irish have enough shooters to advance to the Sweet 16.

Prediction - Notre Dame 72 Florida St. 59

Ringer's NCAA Tournament Record
ATS: 23-21
SU: 31-13

Teams I like to cover the most: Notre Dame, Syracuse, Arizona

Saturday, March 19, 2011

2011 NCAA Tournament - Round of 32



















Today we start the Round of 32. I'm sorry but I refuse to refer to this as the 3rd Round. Yesterday's action was far less dramatic than Thursday. There should be much more drama today. Let's take a look at who will be advancing to the Sweet 16.

4 Kentucky -4 vs. 5 West Virginia

Kentucky needed last second heroics from Brandon Knight to get past Princeton in the Round of 64. West Virginia overcame a slow start to beat Clemson. This game should be a slug fest. Both teams defend the ball well, it will come down to who is hitting more shots from the perimeter. Brandon Knight will have a big game for the Wildcats today.

Prediction - Kentucky 68 West Virginia 63

2 Florida -5.5 vs. 7 UCLA

Florida looked like they had a point to prove on Thursday night. UCSB never stood a chance as the Gators blew them out. They get another team from SoCal today in UCLA. The Bruins had control throughout against Michigan St. They nearly blew a 23 point lead and barely hung on for a 2 point win. Florida and UCLA battle for the first time since they met in consecutive Final fours in 2006 and 2007.

Prediction - Florida 71 UCLA 66

12 Richmond -4 vs. 13 Morehead St.

One of these team will win today to ensure that there will be at least one double digit seed advancing to the Sweet 16. Richmond knocked off Vanderbilt to continue their hot streak. Morehead St. pulled off the biggest upset of the Tourney so far. Kenneth Faried will probably be the best player on the floor, but Richmond's duo of Kevin Anderson and Justin Harper will lead the Spiders to victory.

2 San Diego St. -6 vs. 7 Temple

San Diego St. had a slow start versus Northern Colorado but ultimately had too much talent. Temple used a last second shot by Juan Fernandez to beat their in-state rival Penn St. Expect another close one here. The Aztecs are looking for their first ever Sweet 16 appearance, while Temple is looking to reach its first one in a decade. Kawhi Leonard will propel SDSU to unchartered territory.

Prediction - San Diego St. 67 Temple 65

1 Pittsburgh -7.5 vs. 8 Butler

The Pittsburgh Panthers have become regulars in the Sweet 16. The Butler Bulldogs want to be come regulars. Pitt is searching for its 6th Sweet 16 appearance in the last 10 years and Butler its third. Pitt overwhelmed UNC-Asheville in the second half of their Round of 64 game and Butler used a buzzer-beater by Matt Howard to beat Old Dominion. I see another close one, and potential buzzer-beater but Butler will be on the wrong side this time.

Prediction - Pittsburgh 54 Butler 52

3 BYU +1.5 vs. 11 Gonzaga

Despite being a far better seed, BYU enters this game as an underdog. They used Jimmer Fredette's 32 points against Wofford to lead them to an 8 point victory. Gonzaga outplayed St. John's from the opening tip and beat the Red Storm by 15. BYU will miss Brandon Davies, especially against Robert Sacre, but Jimmer Fredette's dream season can't stop here. The Cougars will reach the Sweet 16 for the first time in 30 years.

Prediction - BYU 84 Gonzaga 72

4 Wisconsin -3.5 vs. 5 Kansas St.

Wisconsin and Kansas St. both held off great mid-major teams to advance to today's game. The Badgers beat a Belmont team that many felt would win that game. Kansas St. controlled the game against Utah St. and staved off a late rally to prevail. Jordan Taylor is great for Wisconsin, but K-State's Jacob Pullen is on a mission.

Prediction - Kansas St. 66 Wisconsin 58

3 UConn -3.5 vs. 6 Cincinnati

This is the first of two Big East vs. Big East matchups in the Round of 32. UConn probably likes this matchup, as they are coming off of a Big East Tournament title that included 5 wins in 5 days. Cincinnati has exceeded expectations for this season, and are eyeing their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2001. I don't think it happens this year. Kedmba Walker continues his magnificent run through March.

Prediction - UConn 69 Cincinnati 60

Ringer's NCAA Tournament Record
ATS: 18-18
SU: 25-11

Friday, March 18, 2011

2011 NCAA Tournament - Round of 64

The first day has certainly been sensational so far. In the first eight games, five of them were decided on the game's final possession. Butler's Matt Howard hit the only true buzzer beater as his putback lifted the Bulldogs over Old Dominion. Demonte Harper of Morehead St., Brandon Knight of Kentucky, and Juan Fernandez of Temple all hit shots in the waning seconds to put their respectibe teams up for good. We can only hope that tomorrow's action brings this much excitement.

4 Texas -10.5 vs. 13 Oakland
Prediction - Texas 76 Oakland 60

8 Michigan +2 vs. 9 Tennessee
Prediction - Tennessee 74 Michigan 67

2 Notre Dame -14 vs. 15 Akron
Prediction - Notre Dame 81 Akron 72

8 George Mason +1 vs. 9 Villanova
Prediction - Villanova 73 George Mason 69

5 Arizona -5.5 vs. 12 Memphis
Prediction - Arizona 92 Memphis 81

1 Duke -23 vs. 16 Hampton
Prediction - Duke 79 Hampton 53

7 Texas A&M -1.5 vs. 10 Florida St.
Prediction - Texas A&M 64 Florida St. 58

1 Ohio St. -22.5 vs. 16 UT-San Antonio
Prediction - Ohio St. 81 UT-San Antonio 52

1 Kansas -22.5 vs. 16 Boston U.
Prediction - Kansas 87 Boston U. 59

2 North Carolina -17.5 vs. 15 Long Island
Prediction - North Carolina 86 Long Island 67

3 Purdue -15.5 vs. 14 St. Peter's
Prediction - Purdue 71 St. Peter's 61

6 Xavier -2.5 vs. 11 Marquette
Prediction - Xavier 72 Marquette 71

8 UNLV -2.5 vs. 9 Illinois
Prediction - UNLV 69 Illinois 66

7 Washington -5.5 vs. 10 Georgia
Prediction - Washington 87 Georgia 69

6 Georgetown -5.5 vs. 11 VCU
Prediction - Georgetown 71 VCU 67

3 Syracuse -12.5 vs. 14 Indiana St.
Prediction - Syracuse 74 Indiana St. 56

Ringer's NCAA Tournament Record
ATS: 13-7
SU: 15-5

Thursday, March 17, 2011

2011 NCAA Tournament - Round of 64



















This is what we have waited all season for. Tomorrow we have our first full slate of games for the 2011 NCAA Tournament. The day will get started with Clemson coming off of a victory last night, having to recuperate quickly to take on a hard-nosed West Viginia team. There is sure to be plenty of action throughout the day. Here's to hoping that we are blessed with some memorable games. Let the Madness begin.

5 West Virginia -2 vs. 12 Clemson

The Clemson Tigers were victorious in their "First Four" contest versus UAB on Tuesday night. There wasn't much time to celebrate as they had to hop on a plane and leave Dayton for Tampa. Clemson will play in the first game of the day tomorrow against the West Virginia Mountaineers. Demontez Stitt leads the way for Clemson, while WVU uses a more balanced attack. Bob Huggins' squad will use more bodies and get contributions from a plethora of players including Kevin Jones, Casey Mitchell, and Truck Bryant among others. This will eventually wear Clemson down.

Prediction - West Virginia 69 Clemson 63

8 Butler +2 vs. 9 Old Dominion

Last year's tournament darlings make their 2011 debut tomorrow afternoon. Butler was inches away from pulling off a miraculous run and becoming national champions last year. They try to start another run tomorrow against Old Dominion. ODU is no stranger to tournament success. The Monarchs knocked off Notre Dame last year before losing to Baylor. Butler returns stars Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard from last year's team. ODU is lead by 6'9 big man Frank Hassell who has helped lead them to the nation's largest rebounding margin. Don't expect Butler's tournament run to last quite as long this year.

Prediction - Old Dominion 64 Butler 56

4 Louisville -9.5 vs. 13 Morehead St.

This game features two teams hailing from the Bluegrass state. This will be the second time in three years the teams will face each other in the NCAA Tournament. Louisville pulled away from a tight game in 2009 to win by 20. Many of the players are different than in 2009, but the nation's most dominant rebounder will try to lead Morehead to the upset of their in-state rival. Kenneth Faried will bring his 14.5 rebounds a game and try to prove he can do it against elite competition. Louisville will prefer to push the tempo of this game and win with the guard play of Peyton Siva and Preston Knowles. The superior guard play will eventually turn a tight game into a double-digit win in the end.

Prediction -  Louisville 75 Morehead St. 61

7 Temple -2.5 vs. 10 Penn St.

Temple and Penn St. square off in another in-state matchup. Despite not being in the same conference, these teams know each other very well. They recruit the same areas, and many of the players have either played with or against one another during their high school days and AAU ball. They will travel cross country to meet for the 92nd time in their history. The Nittany Lions made a surprising run to the Big 10 Championship game lead by their great PG Talor Battle. Temple's tenacious defense will be completely centered around stopping Battle. Unless Battle can go off, Penn State's first trip to the dance in a decade will end early.

Prediction - Temple 62 Penn St. 57

4 Kentucky -13.5 vs. 13 Princeton

This is a game of youth versus experience. In most situations you prefer experience. But that doesn't always hold true in modern day college basketball. Especially when the youthful team is coached by John Calipari. Calipari brought another loaded freshmen class into Kentucky this year. He has them clicking on all cylinders at the right time. Fresh off of an SEC Tournament title, they meet the Ivy League champion, Princeton Tigers. Princeton used a buzzer-beater by Doug Davis to beat Harvard and punch their ticket to the dance. This isn't the Tigers of old though - they can get up and down the court a bit. Unfortunately, Brandon Knight, Terrance Jones, and company can do it just a bit quicker and better.

Prediction - Kentucky 76 Princeton 53

1 Pittsburgh -18 vs. 16 UNC-Asheville

UNC-Asheville won an OT thriller in the first game ever of the "First Four", beating Arkansas-Little Rock 81-77. Their reward - a date with the Pittsburgh Panthers. As this is the first 1 versus 16 of the tournament, let's reiterate that no 16 has ever beaten a 1. Pittsburgh shouldn't overlook the Bulldogs from Asheville. As recently as 2009, the Panthers struggled as a 1 seed playing a 16. Jamie Dixon boasts a very talented and experienced ball club. Their strength is their rebounding, and they should feast on a smaller, less athletic opponent. Gary McGhee will own the glass and get second chance opportunities for his buddies Brad Wanamaker and Ashton Gibbs.

Prediction - Pittsburgh 74 UNC-Asheville 44

5 Vanderbilt -3 vs. 12 Richmond

Look for this to be the first upset of the day. There is always at least one 12 seed to beat a 5 seed every year. This could very well be it in 2011. Richmond has been smoking down the stretch of the regular season and conference tournament. They have won 7 straight and 11 of their last 12. Meanwhile, Vandy went just 3-4 down the stretch. There will be plenty of talent on the floor in this one. Richmond is lead by inside/out combo Justin Harper and Kevin Anderson. The Commodores have the SEC's leading scorer, John Jenkins. Richmond is a very good defensive club, and they will need to shut down the perimeter shooting of Vandy to pull the upset.

Prediction - Richmond 70 Vanderbilt 61

2 San Diego St. -15.5 vs. 15 Northern Colorado

San Diego St. enters this game with their highest seeding ever. Their 32-2 record is far superior to anything ever produced int he history of the program. Northern Colorado had a historic season in their own right. the Bears are making their first tournament appearance ever. Northern Colorado has nothing to lose in this one. San Diego St. has everything to lose. Despite their outstanding record, SDSU still has many skeptics. Kawhi Leonard, DJ Gay and company are still seeking acceptance on a national level. Though a victory over Northern Colorado may not provide that, it would be a step in the right direction.

Prediction - San Diego St. 77 Northern Colorado 58

2 Florida -13 vs. 15 UC-Santa Barbara

Florida finally has expectations again. The Gators have not won a tournament game since their back to back national championships in 2006 and 2007. Many thought that Florida would be a perennial power following that run. It hasn't panned out quite that way. Senior Chandler Parsons entered this season with a final chance to cement his own legacy. He was joined this season by the other 4 starters from last year's squad that was bounced in the first round by BYU. Parsons and the others haven't disappointed. Many view them as the favorite to come out of the Southeast Region as the Final 4 representative. They will beat the Gauchos easily.

Prediction - Florida 71 UC-Santa Barbara 55

3 BYU -8.5 vs. 14 Wofford

Everyone across the nation has Jimmer Fever. The nations' leading scorer and probable national player of the year, Jimmer Fredette, has been sensational all season long. Can he make a name for himself in the tournament as well? BYU went 27-2 before Brandon Davies was kicked off the team, and have gone just 3-2 since. They drew a tough Wofford club in their first game. The Terriers return 10 seniors to a squad that came within 4 points of knocking off Wisconsin in the 2010 NCAA Tourney. This will be a close game throughout, but Jimmer will put in his typical performance and will BYU to victory.

Prediction - BYU 76 Wofford 67

3 UConn -10 vs. 14 Bucknell

UConn is coming off a historic performance in the Big East Tournament. The Huskies reeled off 5 wins in 5 days to claim the conference tournament championship. Their best player, Kemba Walker catapulted himself to pure stardom by averaging 26 points and knocking down a game-winning jumper at the buzzer to beat Pitt. The question is how fresh can they possibly be. Bucknell will look to get production from their Center, Mike Muscala. He will need to prove he can handle big men from the Big East if he wants to lead the Bison to an upset. I see UConn struggling throughout before finding a groove to hold off Bucknell.

Prediction - UConn 68 Bucknell 52

4 Wisconsin -5 vs. 13 Belmont

Belmont is one of the best kept secrets in the country. They were the first team to reach 30 wins and enter with a 30-4 record. They get the Wisconsin Badgers. Wisconsin barely escaped Wofford in last year's first round, and have another difficult task ahead of them. They are lead by Jordan Taylor and Jon Leuer. The Badgers are coming off of a dreadful outing in which they scored 33 points against Penn St. in the Big 10 Tournament. They are seeking some sort of redemption. Belmont is a very talented and experienced team. I think Wisconsin has too much talent though, and Bo Ryan almost always has his troops ready to play.

Prediction - Wisconsin 70 Belmont 61

7 UCLA +1.5 vs. 10 Michigan St.

If you want to talk about a Jekyll and Hyde team, look no further than Michigan St. Tom Izzo's club was up and down all season long. His team lost 14 games on the year despite coming in as the number 2 team in the land. I actually picked them in the preseason to win the national championship. I don't think that will happen now, but I do see them getting past UCLA. The Bruins are back after a leave of absence the last couple seasons. I just feel they are a year away from really contending, and Coach Izzo brings something out in his teams during this tournament.

Prediction - Michigan St. 66 UCLA 52

6 St. John's -1.5 vs. 11 Gonzaga

Is it still an upset when you take Gonzaga? Well the spread says it's a minor one. Steve Lavin lead a basketball revolution at St. John's this year and has made them relevant for the first time in years. They get a tough matchup versus Gonzaga in the Round of 64. The Zags have been tournament darlings in years past, although they have had plenty of disappointment in more recent years. Dwight Hardy has been fantastic for the Red Storm, but the loss of DJ Kennedy will affect them. Robert Sacre is going to have a big game and get the Zags to move on.

Prediction - Gonzaga 76 St. John's 71

6 Cincinnati -1 vs. 11 Missouri

The seedings of these teams says that Cincinnati is better. The spread says that they are just slightly better. But truth be told, Missouri is superior in the talent department. They run and gun and are lead by Marcus Denmon. Cincinnati does not face a team with this style very often. They play in the rough and rugged Big East, and may not be ready for what Mizzou will throw at them. The Tigers never lived up to expectations and downright struggled at times this year. I think that their pressing, fast-breaking style will give the Bearcats trouble though.

Prediction - Missouri 84 Cincinnati 71

5 Kansas St. -2.5 vs. 12 Utah St.

This is one of the more intriguing games of the day. Kansas St. entered the season as a legitimate Final Four contender. They struggled through some adversity, but hit their stride down the stretch. Jacob Pullen has been phenomenal over the last month, and he will need to be again to beat a pesky Utah St. team. The Aggies have lost just 3 games all season, but only got a 12 seed. They will look to use this as fuel. This game will be close throughout, but Kansas St. will pull from their experience in last year's Elite 8 run and eek out a win.

Prediction - Kansas St. 71 Utah St. 64

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

2011 NCAA Tournament - First Four



















The inaugural "First Four" tipped off the 2011 NCAA Tournament on Tuesday night. The first game was a thriller between UNC-Asheville and Arkansas-Little Rock. Asheville trailed throughout most of the game but hit a late three to force OT and eventually advance to play Pitt. The second game was a snoozer that had Clemson thoroughly beat UAB, and prove that maybe some of the talking heads were correct in saying UAB didn't belong. Wednesday's games feature another evenly matched 16 seed game between UT-San Antonio and Alabama St. and another game between two teams that many feel did not belong in the field to begin with in USC and VCU.

16 UT-San Antonio -3.5 vs. 16 Alabama St.

UT-San Antonio and Alabama St. square off on Wednesday night for the right to move on to Cleveland and face the top ranked Ohio St. Buckeyes. Alabama St. is the only team in the field without a winning record. In fact at 17-17, the Hornets would be over .500 for the first time all season with a victory over UTSA. The Roadrunners hovered around the .500 mark throughout much of their season, before flipping a switch once the calendar turned to March. UTSA has won 5 straight which lead them to the Southland crown. Look for them to continue their hot streak through March and reach the Big Dance for the first time since 2004.

Prediction - UT-San Antonio 63 Alabama St. 59

11 USC -4.5 vs. 11 VCU

USC and VCU end the "First Four" with the late game on Wednesday. USC enters the game with a 19-14 record, that included some very erratic play. The Trojans had some great wins, beating 5 tournament teams, but also lost 9 games to teams that won't be playing in the Big Dance. VCU's admission into the tournament was deemed "laughable" just like UAB's. VCU and their coach, Shaka Smart, view their team's current perception as fuel to their fire. The Rams have a very talented team that battled through a tough Colonial schedule. I see this game being very close. It will come down to USC big man Nikola Vucevic taking over. VCU is a poor rebounding team, and the Trojans' size will win it in the end. Don't think that VCU won;t go down without a fight though.

Prediction - USC 62 VCU 61

Ringer's NCAA Tournament Record
SU: 2-0
ATS: 2-0

Monday, March 14, 2011

NCAA Tournament - First Four



















The 2011 NCAA Tournament officially tips off Tuesday night with the inaugural "First Four" games. These games will be played Tuesday and Wednesday night. The games feature the bottom 4 conference champion winners squaring versus one another, and the bottom 4 at-large teams versus one another. Tuesday night's games are UNC-Asheville playing Arkansas-Little Rock in the early matchup, and night cap will be Clemson versus controversial at-large pick UAB.

16 UNC-Asheville -3.5 vs. 16 Arkansas-Little Rock

UNC-Asheville and Arkansas-Little Rock square off in the first game of the expanded 68 team field in Dayton, Ohio. Asheville got here virtue of the Big South championship, while Little Rock took home the Sun Belt title. With 8 teams playing in Dayton over the next 2 nights, this game has more of a tournament game feel than the previous "play-in" game. Both team are eager for the chance to move on to Washington, DC and play the Pittsburgh Panthers - but they know they must win this one first. The Bulldogs of UNC-Asheville have rattled off 6 consecutive wins to reach the tourney for the first time since 2003. Arkansas-Little Rock made a surprising run through the Sun Belt Tournament capped by conference Player of the Year, Solomon Bozeman's game-winning 3 with one second remaining in the title game. Look for a slow start from both teams, but for Asheville to eventually impose its will.

Prediction - UNC-Asheville 68 Arkansas-Little Rock 59

12 Clemson -4.5 vs. 12 UAB

This game features two teams that many feel don't deserve to be here. Clemson hasn't heard quite as much, but the Tigers went just 2-7 versus tournament teams in the regular season with their wins coming against Florida St. and Wofford. Meanwhile, UAB's admission into the tournament has been described as laughable. Despite winning the regular season title in Conference USA, the Blazers went just 1-5 versus tournament teams. UAB fell off many pundits' radars after an opening game loss to East Carolina in their conference tournament. Both teams have a point to prove in Dayton. There was a lack of big time wins for either team, but that does not mean there is a shortage of talent. Demontez Stitt of Clemson will be the most talented of the bunch on Tuesday night. Look for him to take control of the game and lead the Tigers to a victory and a shot at West Virginia on Thursday in Tampa.

Prediction - Clemson 65 UAB 60

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Fill Out Your Brackets

Do you need help filling out your brackets? Here is a look at my picks all the way to the National Championship. I like Ohio St., Kansas, Duke, and Florida to reach Houston. When it's all said and done it will be Rock Chalk Jayhawk on April 4.

*Team in  bold is predicted winner

East Regional - Round of 64

1 Ohio St. vs. 16 UT-San Antonio
8 George Mason vs. 9 Villanova
5 West Virginia vs. 12 Clemson
4 Kentucky vs. 13 Princeton
6 Xavier vs. 11 Marquette
3 Syracuse vs. 14 Indiana St.
7 Washington vs. 10 Georgia
2 North Carolina vs. 15 Long Island

East Regional - Round of 32

1 Ohio St. vs. 9 Villanova
4 Kentucky vs. 5 West Virginia
3 Syracuse vs. 6 Xavier
2 North Carolina vs. 7 Washington

East Regional - Sweet 16

1 Ohio St. vs. 4 Kentucky
2 North Carolina vs. 3 Syracuse

East Regional - Elite 8

1 Ohio St. vs. 3 Syracuse

Southeast Regional - Round of 64

1 Pittsburgh vs. 16 UNC-Asheville
8 Butler vs. 9 Old Dominion
5 Kansas St. vs. 12 Utah St.
4 Wisconsin vs. 13 Belmont
6 St. John's vs. 11 Gonzaga
3 BYU vs. 14 Wofford
7 UCLA vs. 10 Michigan St.
2 Florida vs. 15 UC-Santa Barbara

Southeast Regional - Round of 32

1 Pittsburgh vs. 9 Old Dominion
4 Wisconsin vs. 5 Kansas St.
3 BYU vs. 11 Gonzaga
2 Florida vs. 10 Michigan St.

Southeast Regional - Sweet 16

1 Pittsburgh vs. 5 Kansas St.
2 Florida vs. 3 BYU

Southeast Regional - Elite 8

2 Florida vs. 5 Kansas St.

Southwest Regional - Round of 64

1 Kansas vs. 16 Boston U.
8 UNLV vs. 9 Illinois
5 Vanderbilt vs. 12 Richmond
4 Louisville vs. 13 Morehead St.
6 Georgetown vs. 11 USC
3 Purdue vs. 14 St. Peter's
7 Texas A&M vs. 10 Florida St.
2 Notre Dame vs. 15 Akron

Southwest Regional - Round of 32

1 Kansas vs. 8 UNLV
4 Louisville vs. 12 Richmond
3 Purdue vs. 6 Georgetown
2 Notre Dame vs. 7 Texas A&M

Southwest Regional - Sweet 16

1 Kansas vs. 4 Louisville
2 Notre Dame vs. 3 Purdue

Southwest Regional - Elite 8

1 Kansas vs. 3 Purdue

West Regional - Round of 64

1 Duke vs. 16 Hampton
8 Michigan vs. 9 Tennessee
5 Arizona vs. 12 Memphis
4 Texas vs. 13 Oakland
6 Cincinnati vs. 11 Missouri
3 UConn vs. 14 Bucknell
7 Temple vs. 10 Penn St.
2 San Diego St. vs. 15 Northern Colorado

West Regional - Round of 32

1 Duke vs. 9 Tennessee
4 Texas vs. 5 Arizona
3 UConn vs. 11 Missouri
2 San Diego St. vs. 7 Temple

West Regional - Sweet 16

1 Duke vs. 5 Arizona
2 San Diego St. vs. 3 UConn

West Regional - Elite 8

1 Duke vs. 3 UConn

Final Four

1 Kansas vs. 2 Florida
1 Ohio St. vs. 1 Duke

National Championship

1 Ohio St. vs. 1 Kansas

Ringer vs. Lunardi

The field of 68 has been announced and the brackets are being filled out by millions everywhere. There were a few surprises revealed to us. I correctly predicted 65 of the 68 teams in the Big Dance. I, like many, did not have UAB or VCU included in the field. I didn't have USC either. Colorado, Alabama, and St. Mary's felt their bubble burst as I had them in but the selection committee disagreed. In comparison, I proved to be every bit as accurate as ESPN's renouned Bracketologist Joe Lunardi. Lunardi also correctly predicted 65 of the 68 teams. He did not have UAB, VCU, or Georgia making the cut. I correctly predicted the seed of 31 teams versus Lunardi's 30. This included me having all 4 number 1 seeds right and Lunardi only having 3. You can continue to get predictions on every single game throughout the tournament. Look for previews of each region tomorrow.

2011 NCAA Tournament Projections



















Here is your up to the minute bracket projections. Bubble teams all across the country let out a sigh of relief as the Richmond Spider held off Dayton to win the A-10 crown. Elsewhere, Duke beat Carolina down and posibly locked up a 1 seed, and Kentucky beat Florida for the SEC title. Currently Penn St. is minutes away from ending their surprising run through the Big 10 Tournament one game short, as Ohio St. looks to be the overall number 1 seed. Even with the loss the Nittany Lions appear to have played their way in.

East Regional - Newark

Cleveland
1 Ohio St. vs. 16 Arkansas-Little Rock/UT-San Antonio
8 Missouri vs. 9 Butler
Washington, DC
5 Arizona vs. 12 Colorado
4 Louisville vs. 13 Morehead St.
Tampa
6 West Virginia vs. 11 Penn St.
3 Florida vs. 14 Bucknell
Tulsa
7 UNLV vs. 10 Marquette
2 Texas vs. 15 Boston U.

Southeast Regional - New Orleans

Charlotte
1 Duke vs. 16 Hampton
8 George Mason vs. 9 Michigan
Denver
5 Xavier vs. 12 Michigan St./Georgia
4 Syracuse vs. 13 Belmont
Denver
6 Kansas St. vs. 11 Villanova
3 BYU vs. 14 St. Peter's
Chicago
7 Utah St. vs. 10 Tennessee
2 Notre Dame vs. 15 Northern Colorado

Southwest Regional - San Antonio

Tulsa
1 Kansas vs. 16 UC-Santa Barbara/Alabama St.
8 Washington vs. 9 Florida St.
Tucson
5 St. John's vs. 12 Alabama/St. Mary's
4 Wisconsin vs. 13 Princeton
Washington, DC
6 Vanderbilt vs. 11 Illinois
3 UConn vs. 14 Indiana St.
Charlotte
7 Cincinnati vs. 10 Richmond
2 North Carolina vs. 15 Akron

West Regional - Anaheim

Cleveland
1 Pittsburgh vs. 16 UNC-Asheville
8 UCLA vs. 9 Old Dominion
Chicago
5 Texas A&M vs. 12 Memphis
4 Purdue vs. 13 Oakland
Tampa
6 Georgetown vs. 11 Clemson
3 Kentucky vs. 14 Long Island
Tucson
7 Temple vs. 10 Gonzaga
2 San Diego St. vs. 15 Wofford

*Final 4 would be East vs. West and Southeast vs. Southwest

**First 4 Out - Virginia Tech, Boston College, USC, UAB

Friday, March 11, 2011

2011 NCAA Tournament Projections



















The perceived play-in games are now complete. Clemson and Alabama have presumably played their way into the tourney with wins over Boston College and Georgia respectively. As of now, I still have Georgia in but Boston College on the outside looking in. USC and Memphis are amongst the bubble teams with opportunities to play their way in over the weekend. We spend much time debating the bubble teams, but Pitt's loss to UConn opens the door for Notre Dame, Duke, and North Carolina all to earn their way to a number 1 seed.

East Regional - Newark

Cleveland
1 Ohio St. vs. 16 Bethune Cookman/Texas Southern
8 Florida St. vs. 9 Butler
Tampa
5 Texas A&M vs. 12 Belmont
4 Louisville vs. 13 Princeton
Tulsa
6 West Virginia vs. 11 Clemson
3 Texas vs. 14 Indiana St.
Tucson
7 Temple vs. 10 Marquette
2 San Diego St. vs. 15 St. Peter's

Southeast Regional - New Orleans

Cleveland
1 Pittsburgh vs. 16 Boston U.
8 Missouri vs. 9 Old Dominion
Denver
5 Georgetown vs. 12 Michigan St./Georgia
4 Arizona vs. 13 UTEP
Charlotte
6 Kansas St. vs. 11 St. Mary's
3 North Carolina vs. 14 Morehead St.
Denver
7 Utah St. vs. 10 Tennessee
2 BYU vs. 15 Wofford

Southwest Regional - San Antonio

Tulsa
1 Kansas vs. 16 McNeese St./Arkansas-Little Rock
8 UCLA vs. 9 Michigan
Tucson
5 St. John's vs. 12 Colorado/Virginia Tech
4 Kentucky vs. 13 Oakland
Washington, DC
6 Vanderbilt vs. 11 Richmond
3 Syracuse vs. 14 Bucknell
Chicago
7 Cincinnati vs. 10 Gonzaga
2 Purdue vs. 15 Northern Colorado

West Regional - Anaheim

Charlotte
1 Duke vs. 16 UNC-Asheville
8 George Mason vs. 9 Washington
Washington, DC
5 UConn vs. 12 Alabama
4 Wisconsin vs. 13 Kent St.
Tampa
6 Xavier vs. 11 Villanova
3 Florida vs. 14 Long Island
Chicago
7 UNLV vs. 10 Illinois
2 Notre Dame vs. 15 Long Beach St.

*Final 4 would be East vs. West and Southeast vs. Southwest

**First 4 Out - Boston College, UAB, USC, Memphis

Thursday, March 10, 2011

2011 NCAA Tournament Projections

















Some of the bubble teams got a chance to prove their worth today. Colorado beat a hot Kansas St. team to propel them into the First Four knocking Alabama out for the time being. The Crimson Tide will have the opportunity to play their way back in, as we essentially have 2 play-in games tomorrow. Alabama gets Georgia and Boston College won today set up a date with Clemson. The winner of these two games will look much better come Sunday, and the losers could find themselves on the outside looking in.

East Regional - Newark

Cleveland
1 Ohio St. vs. 16 Bethune Cookman/Texas Southern
8 Florida St. vs. 9 Butler
Tampa
5 Xavier vs. 12 Clemson/Colorado
4 Louisville vs. 13 Princeton
Tulsa
6 West Virginia vs. 11 Boston College
3 Texas vs. 14 Indiana St.
Tucson
7 Temple vs. 10 Marquette
2 San Diego St. vs. 15 St. Peter's

Southeast Regional - New Orleans

Cleveland
1 Pittsburgh vs. 16 Boston U.
8 Missouri vs. 9 Old Dominion
Denver
5 Georgetown vs. 12 Michigan St./Virginia Tech
4 Arizona vs. 13 Belmont
Charlotte
6 Kansas St. vs. 11 St. Mary's
3 North Carolina vs. 14 Morehead St.
Denver
7 Utah St. vs. 10 Tennessee
2 BYU vs. 15 Wofford

Southwest Regional - San Antonio

Tulsa
1 Kansas vs. 16 McNeese St./Arkansas-Little Rock
8 UCLA vs. 9 Michigan
Tucson
5 St. John's vs. 12 UAB
4 Kentucky vs. 13 Oakland
Washington, DC
6 Vanderbilt vs. 11 Richmond
3 Syracuse vs. 14 Bucknell
Chicago
7 Cincinnati vs. 10 Gonzaga
2 Purdue vs. 15 Northern Colorado

West Regional - Anaheim

Charlotte
1 Duke vs. 16 UNC-Asheville
8 George Mason vs. 9 Washington
Washington, DC
5 UConn vs. 12 Georgia
4 Wisconsin vs. 13 Kent St.
Tampa
6 Texas A&M vs. 11 Villanova
3 Florida vs. 14 Long Island
Chicago
7 UNLV vs. 10 Illinois
2 Notre Dame vs. 15 Long Beach St.

*Final 4 would be East vs. West and Southeast vs. Southwest

**First 4 Out - Alabama, USC, Memphis, Missouri St.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

2011 NCAA Tournament Projections















There were some minor changes made to the projected field tonight. With the Big East Tournament underway teams like UConn and Marquette have improved their seeding. There are many more changes to come as the other major conferences begin play tomorrow. If Selection Sunday were today, here is what the field of 68 may look like.

East Regional - Newark

Cleveland
1 Ohio St. vs. 16 Bethune Cookman/Texas Southern
8 Florida St. vs. 9 Butler
Tampa
5 Kansas St. vs. 12 Clemson/Alabama
4 Louisville vs. 13 Princeton
Tulsa
6 West Virginia vs. 11 Tennessee
3 Texas vs. 14 Indiana St.
Tucson
7 Temple vs. 10 Marquette
2 San Diego St. vs. 15 St. Peter's

Southeast Regional - New Orleans

Cleveland
1 Pittsburgh vs. 16 Boston U.
8 Missouri vs. Old Dominion
Denver
5 Xavier vs. 12 Michigan St./Virginia Tech
4 Arizona vs. 13 Belmont
Charlotte
6 Georgetown vs. 11 St. Mary's
3 North Carolina vs. 14 Morehead St.
Denver
7 Utah St. vs. 10 Michigan
2 BYU vs. 15 Wofford

Southwest Regional - San Antonio

Tulsa
1 Kansas vs. 16 McNeese St./Arkansas-Little Rock
8 UCLA vs. 9 UAB
Tucson
5 St. John's vs. 12 Boston College
4 Kentucky vs. 13 Oakland
Washington, DC
6 Vanderbilt vs. 11 Richmond
3 Syracuse vs. 14 Bucknell
Chicago
7 Cincinnati vs. 10 Gonzaga
2 Purdue vs. 15 Northern Colorado

West Regional - Anaheim

Charlotte
1 Duke vs. 16 UNC-Asheville
8 George Mason vs. 9 Washington
Washington, DC
5 UConn vs. 12 Georgia
4 Wisconsin vs. 13 Kent St.
Tampa
6 Texas A&M vs. 11 Villanova
3 Florida vs. 14 Long Island
Chicago
7 UNLV vs. 10 Illinois
2 Notre Dame vs. 15 Long Beach St.

*Final 4 would be East vs. West and Southeast vs. Southwest

**First 4 Out - Colorado, Memphis, USC, Colorado St.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Conference Tournament Previews

Now that the big boys are underway, it is time to take a look at the major conferences and who are the likely winners, the dark horses, and the picks of your truly. Here is a conference by conference guide of who you need to bet on throughout this week.
ACC
Favorite: Duke (Even)
Darkhorse: Virginia Tech (15 to 1)
My Pick: Duke (Even)

Big East
Favorite: Pittsburgh (2.5 to 1)
Darkhorse: Cincinnati (25 to 1)
My Pick: Pittsburgh (2.5 to 1)

Big 12
Favorite: Kansas (0.5 to 1)
Darkhorse: Missouri (10 to 1)
My Pick: Kansas St. (7 to 1)

Big 10
Favorite: Ohio St. (0.5 to 1)
Darkhorse: Michigan St. (18 to 1)
My Pick: Ohio St. (0.5 to 1)

Pac-10
Favorite: Washington (2 to 1)
Darkhorse: Washington St. (12 to 1)
My Pick: Washington (2 to 1)

SEC
Favorite: Kentucky (1.5 to 1)
Darkhorse: Mississippi St. (20 to 1)
My Pick: Florida (2.5 to 1)

MWC
Favorite: BYU/San Diego St. (1.5 to 1)
Darkhorse: Utah (100 to 1)
My Pick: BYU (1.5 to 1)

C-USA
Favorite: UTEP (1.5 to 1)
Darkhorse: Memphis (8 to 1)
My Pick: UAB (2.5 to 1)

A-10
Favorite: Xavier (1.5 to 1)
Darkhorse: Duquense (8 to 1)
My Pick: Temple (2 to 1)

Monday, March 7, 2011

2011 NCAA Tournament Projections
















There were some changes made to the projected field tonight. A couple upsets occurred in the conference championship games. St.Peter's, Wofford, and Gonzaga all punched their tickets to the Big Dance. Most importantly for the bubble teams, Old Dominion won the Colonial title by defeating VCU. If Selection Sunday were today, here is what the field of 68 may look like.

East Regional - Newark

Cleveland
1 Ohio St. vs. 16 Bethune-Cookman/Texas Southern
8 George Mason vs. 9 Florida St.
Tampa
5 Kansas St. vs. 12 Boston College
4 Louisville vs. 13 Princeton
Tulsa
6 West Virginia vs. 11 St. Mary's
3 Texas vs. 14 Indiana St.
Tucson
7 Temple vs. 10 Tennessee
2 San Diego St. vs. 15 St. Peter's

Southeast Regional - New Orleans

Cleveland
1 Pittsburgh vs. 16 Boston U.
8 Missouri vs. Old Dominion
Denver
5 Xavier vs. 12 Georgia/Virginia Tech
4 Arizona vs. 13 Kent St.
Charlotte
6 UConn vs. 11 Gonzaga
3 North Carolina vs. 14 Milwaukee
Denver
7 Utah St. vs. 10 Michigan
2 BYU vs. 15 Northern Colorado

Southwest Regional - San Antonio

Tulsa
1 Kansas vs. 16 McNeese St./Middle Tennessee St.
8 UCLA vs. 9 UAB
Tucson
5 St. John's vs. 12 Michigan St./Clemson
4 Kentucky vs. 13 Oakland
Washington, DC
6 Vanderbilt vs. 11 Richmond
3 Syracuse vs. 14 Bucknell
Chicago
7 Cincinnati vs. 10 Butler
2 Purdue vs. 15 Wofford

West Regional - Anaheim

Charlotte
1 Duke vs. 16 UNC-Asheville
8 Villanova vs. 9 Washington
Washington, DC
5 Georgetown vs. 12 Belmont
4 Wisconsin vs. 13 Morehead St.
Tampa
6 Texas A&M vs. 11 Marquette
3 Florida vs. 14 Long Island
Chicago
7 UNLV vs. 10 Illinois
2 Notre Dame vs. 15 Long Beach St.

*Final 4 would be East vs. West and Southeast vs. Southwest

**First 4 Out - Alabama, Colorado, Memphis, USC

Sunday, March 6, 2011

2011 NCAA Tournament Projections

Championship Week has officially begun, and already we have seen some upsets that have some bubble teams sweating. VCU is on the verge of winning the Colonial title and stealing a bid from a bubble team. There will be more madness to come throughout this entire week. We will provide a couple different projections as the picture becomes clearer - or muffled in the coming days. For now this is how the 2011 NCAA Tournament could shake out if it started today.

East Regional - Newark

Cleveland
1 Ohio St. vs. 16 McNeese St./Texas Southern
8 George Mason vs. 9 Florida St.
Tampa
5 Kansas St. vs. 12 Boston College
4 Louisville vs. 13 Princeton
Tulsa
6 West Virginia vs. 11 St. Mary's
3 Texas vs. 14 Kent St.
Tucson
7 Temple vs. 10 Tennessee
2 San Diego St. vs. 15 Milwaukee

Southeast Regional - New Orleans

Cleveland
1 Pittsburgh vs. 16 Boston U.
8 Missouri vs. Old Dominion
Denver
5 Xavier vs. 12 Michigan St./Virginia Tech
4 Arizona vs. 13 Iona
Charlotte
6 UConn vs. 11 Georgia
3 North Carolina vs. 14 Morehead St.
Denver
7 Utah St. vs. 10 Michigan
2 BYU vs. 15 Florida Atlantic

Southwest Regional - San Antonio

Tulsa
1 Kansas vs. 16 UNC-Asheville/Bethune-Cookman
8 UCLA vs. 9 UAB
Tucson
5 St. John's vs. 12 Clemson/Gonzaga
4 Kentucky vs. 13 Oakland
Washington, DC
6 Vanderbilt vs. 11 Richmond
3 Syracuse vs. 14 Bucknell
Chicago
7 Cincinnati vs. 10 Butler
2 Purdue vs. 15 Indiana St.

West Regional - Anaheim

Charlotte
1 Duke vs. 16 Northern Colorado
8 Villanova vs. 9 Washington
Washington, DC
5 Georgetown vs. 12 Belmont
4 Wisconsin vs. 13 College of Charleston
Tampa
6 Texas A&M vs. 11 Marquette
3 Florida vs. 14 Long Island
Chicago
7 UNLV vs. 10 Illinois
2 Notre Dame vs. 15 Long Beach St.

*Final 4 would be East vs. West and Southeast vs. Southwest

**First 4 Out - Alabama, Colorado, Memphis, USC