When you're wrong, you're wrong. And boy was I wrong about some of the games that took place this weekend in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. I'm leading my pool, but, as with mos everyone else, I took a few lumps in these initial rounds. Before I break down each region, let me offer a mea culpa to George Mason, who I thought never should've been in the field of a 64 with teams like Florida State and Michigan seemingly more deserving of a spot. But boy have they proven me -- and many other professional NCAA men's basketball pundits -- wrong. They're into the Sweet Sixteen. More power to 'em. I don't know if Florida State or Michigan would have played as well.
Atlanta Region
Who's advancing?
Duke, LSU, West Virginia and Texas have all moved on to the Sweet Sixteen.
What went down?
Duke dispatched of Southern and George Washington easily and now face their toughest match up yet against LSU. Syracuse, who must have been emotionally, mentally and physically drained after their exciting Big East Tournament run. They were essentially non-competitive against Texas A&M. I thought the 'Cuse would at least get out of the first round. A&M gave LSU a run for their money in the second round, falling by only one point. West Virginia, much like Duke, cruised into the Sweet Sixteen, beating Southern Illinois and Northwestern State. Northwestern State upset Iowa in the first round, in what was an inexcusable loss for the No. 3 seeded Hawkeyes. As expected, N.C. State and Texas advanced to face each other in the second round, with Texas eventually beating State in a game closer than it should have been.
Who will win?
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 4 LSU: Duke has played well all season, but beating up on the ACC in down a year for the conference (the ACC received only four bids to the Tournament) does little to impress me. I think LSU has too much of an inside presence for Duke to handle. I'll take LSU advancing to the Elite Eight.
No. 6 West Virginia vs. No. 2 Texas: Texas is a strong team all around, but their biggest advantage rests on their frontline in the form of potential NBA Draft No. 1 pick LeMarcus Aldridge. West Virginia is a strong team, but they lack an interior post presence. All their players are more comfortable facing the basket and shooting jumpers, including 6-foot-11 Kevin Pittsnogle. Aldridge dominates the game, and the Longhorns advance to face LSU.
Oakland Region
Who's advancing?
Memphis, Bradley, Gonzaga and UCLA all moved on to the Sweet Sixteen.
What went down?
Memphis had little trouble getting out of the first two rounds. Gonzaga faced a couple of scares in their two wins. UCLA easily won their first-round matchup before struggling against an undermanned Alabama team. The shocker of this bracket -- and probably of the entire Tournament thus far -- is Bradley. The No. 13 seed upset Kansas, a team many people -- myself not included -- picked to go to the Final Four, then beat Big East power Pittsburgh in the second round. This is probably the best and worst case scenario for Memphis. They'll get to face the lowest seed possible in the Sweet Sixteen, but they're also playing a team that defeated Kansas and Pittsburgh. The other upset to note here is Alabama's defeat of Marquette, another Big East school. We were led to believe the Big East was the best conference in the NCAA this year because it received eight bids to the Tournament, but its schools have been falling early and hard so far.
Who will win?
No. 1 Memphis vs. No. 13 Bradley: Bradley's Cinderella ride has come to an end. The Tigers are too big, too long and too athletic for Bradley. Memphis also plays great defense, which will disrupt this mid-major from gaining any offensive flow. Memphis takes this team with ease.
No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 2 UCLA: Adam Morrison's ride is finished. He can turn his attention to the NBA Draft. UCLA will demonstrate their superior athleticism and outrun the Zags into the Sweet Sixteen in what should be ultimately a close game.
Washington, D.C. Region
Who's advancing?
Connecticut, Washington, George Mason and Witchita State all moved on to the Sweet Sixteen.
What went down?
Talk about an upset region. The mid-majors ruled this side of the bracket with George Mason and Witchita State stunning their competition. This potentially gives UConn an easier road to the Final Four, which may be necessary considering their play of late. They eeked out wins against Albany and Kentucky. For a team that by many accounts should win the NCAA Tournament, the Huskies have looked awfully sluggish and uninterested at times. Meanwhile, Washington, a team that seemed to struggle to end the regular season, upset Illinois to advance. Tennessee, overrated to begin with, barely beat Winthrop, a team out of the Big South, one of the weakest conferences in the league. Then, they lost to No. 7 seeded Witchita State, which really wasn't much of a surprise. What was shocking, though, was Witchita State's defeat of Seton Hall, another Big East team. I envisioned Seton Hall advancing to the Sweet Sixteen. Then, there's George Mason, which provided two major upsets that make Witchita State's accomplishments pale in comparison. GMU defeated a tough, physical Michigan State team in the first round, then defeated UNC in the second round by five points. I made a lot of noise about GMU's existence in the NCAA Tournament, as well as North Carolina being given a No. 3 seed, while Tenessee received a No. 2. UNC still should've been seeded higher than Tennessee, but maybe the Tar Heels weren't prepared for postseason basketball. George Mason certainly was.
Who will win?
No. 1 UConn vs. No. 5 Washington: I saw Washington lose to Stanford earlier this year, and after that contest, I became unenamored with Washington. I think they're a decent team that's lucky to have gotten this far in the Tournament. UConn handles Washington in a game that's over by halftime.
No. 11 George Mason vs. No. 7 Witchita State: Who knows? Either way, one team's magical ride will continue into the Elite Eight. I'll pick George Mason because I think Witchita State may become complacent. They're not facing an elite program, so the potential is there for them to ease up a bit. George Mason still feels slighted by all those naysayers -- myself included -- who thought the Patriots had no right being in the Tournament to begin with.
Minneapolis Region
Who's advancing?
Villanova, Boston College, Florida and Georgetown all moved on to the Sweet Sixteen.
What went down?
This region played out almost as expected. Upsets weren't plentiful, and the only one with any significance occurred in the first round matchup between Nevada and Montana, which Montana won. Boston College, a four seed, got a bit of a scare against Pacific, as the Tigers took the Eagles into double overtime in their first-round game. BC regrouped and took care of Montana in the next round. Villanova edged Arizona in the second round. Both teams blew out their first-round opponents. Wisconsin-Milwaukee beat Oklahoma, which barely registers as an upset. This was a game Wisc-Milwaukee should've won. Florida crushed South Alabama and Wisc-Milwaukee. Georgetown squeeked out a victory against Northern Iowa before dismantling No. 2 seed Ohio State in the second round. Again, I expected the Hoyas to take care of the Buckeyes. Ohio State was another team seeded too high.
Who will win?
No. 1 Villanova vs. No. 4 Boston College: Neither team has looked very strong in the early going, but I like Boston College in this one. I think the Eagles are too tough inside with Craig Smith and Jared Dudley. Guard play is a concern for BC against a tough 'Nova back court. But the Eagles are stronger and more physical, which should be enough to carry them into the Final Four.
No. 3 Florida vs. No. 7 Georgetown: The Hoyas are for real, folks. But Florida might be too much of a matchup problem for them. Georgetown likes to slow it down offensively, which oftentimes is the great equalizer for them. But the Gators will push the ball and create opportunities for their jump shooters. Florida takes it.
Enjoy another weekend of college basketball, everyone.
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