Without Further Adieu....My Bracket 2010 (Note: Updated Final Four)

David Kaplan on 03.16.10 at 1:03 AM | 7 comments |

After a full day of research crunching numbers and examining trends of the 65 teams in this year's NCAA Tournament I have come up with my picks for this year's edition of March Madness which begins on Tuesday night with the Play In game between Arkansas Pine Bluff and Winthrop.The field is as wide open as I have seen in a long time with a number of high seeds ripe to be upset in the early rounds of the tournament....

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Perhaps the most intense sideline demeanor in college basketball, Martin is also an excellent coach who has his team ready for a deep run into late March or early April. The Wildcats are loaded with talent and they defend exceptionally well which means they will be a very tough out for whoever they match up against. Verdict: No worse than a trip to the Elite Eight with a real shot at beating Syracuse with a trip to the Final Four on the line.
Huggins team plays exceptionally hard and rebounds with great intensity but the Mountaineers struggle to score at times and that means if they run into a team that can pile up the points they are in trouble. They felt slighted that they did not receive a #1 seed but they did get a favorable road to travel. Verdict: Definitely to the Elite Eight with a good shot at going to the Final Four if they can slow down Kentucky to keep the game close before they find a way to win it late.
The Orange are very talented and they execute in their 2-3 zone exceptionally well which makes them tough to beat in the tourney because most opponents have never faced anything like it. However, keep in mind that no team that lost their first round game in their conference tournament has ever won the national title. Verdict: Final Four yes, but no 2nd championship for Jim Boeheim.
The Hoyas are deep and talented and with Greg Monroe patrolling the paint they are very tough to score on inside. The have some big wins such as a pounding of Duke in D.C. that showed just how good they can be but they also have some disappointing losses such as one to South Florida at home that leave you wondering if the Hoyas are truly ready for prime time. Verdict: Elite Eight
Coach Cal has a great team that may be the most talented of any of the schools in the Big Dance. The Wildcats are deep, athletic and they can score. However, they turn the ball over far too often to win a title and they are not great at the free throw line. Those two stats tell me that while they are a good team they are not good enough to be the last team standing when the tourney ends.
Coach K and Co. are deep and talented and they also received a very favorable draw as a #1 seed. There are challenging games on the road to Indy including potential matchups with Baylor, Villanova, and Louisville. The Blue Devils are definitely good enough to get to the Final Four but I think Baylor gets them in the Regional Final.
Matta's team has perhaps the nation's best player in 2G Evan Turner but as good as the Buckeyes lineup is their depth is a huge question mark. OSU plays 6 players most nights and in the 3 week grind that is the NCAA Tournament I have serious questions about their depth. In the end, OSU is a very tough team to beat but they just aren't good enough to get to the Final Four. Verdict: A trip to the Sweet Sixteen shouldn't be a problem but I just don't see a Final Four in their future.
The Baylor Bears have seen their program come from rock bottom under former coach Dave Bliss with a player convicted of murdering a teammate and major problems throughout the program. Enter Scott Drew who arrived from tiny Valparaiso and has rebuilt the program with great recruiting and a fundamentally strong style that makes Baylor very tough to beat. Many see this team's lack of experience in the Big Dance as a major impediment but I see them making a long run with a possible trip to the Final Four in their future. Verdict: Baylor reaches at least the Elite Eight.
Self is one of the best in the business and he is trying to lead his Jayhawks to their second National Title in three years. Sherron Collins leads the way and he is the glue that holds this team together. Verdict: National Title

Kansas State Head Coach Frank Martin

Perhaps the most intense sideline demeanor in college basketball, Martin is also an excellent coach who has his team ready for a deep run into late March or early April. The Wildcats are loaded with talent and they defend exceptionally well which means they will be a very tough out for whoever they match up against. Verdict: No worse than a trip to the Elite Eight with a real shot at beating Syracuse with a trip to the Final Four on the line.

7 Comments

Sasha Davis said:

Hells yeah KANSAS!

Posted on March 16, 2010 9:07 AM

Chasse Rehwinkel said:

I'm pulling for Lehigh...call it a feeling :)

Posted on March 16, 2010 1:37 PM

Theduds said:

I agree with many of those picks, but I can't see Baylor going that far.

Posted on March 16, 2010 12:44 PM

Theduds said:

I'm curious as to what made you change your pick from Kentucky to West Virginia. Was it a gut feeling, or what was the reasoning?

Posted on March 16, 2010 5:09 PM

TMac said:

Kap, please tell me you have a stellar track record picking Final Fours. Not only do I have the identical Four, but also Kansas taking WVU in the final game. Or maybe we're both idiots!

Posted on March 18, 2010 9:24 PM

IrishYeti said:

Dammit, Kaplan. Georgetown

Posted on March 19, 2010 7:09 AM

Huny said:

You blew it Kap!! I was watching Chicago Tribune live on Monday March 22nd and you said that Northern Iowa is the first Missouri Valley team to make the sweet 16 since Larry Birds Indiana State team!.Do your research Kap. The Southern Illinois Salukis made it to the sweet 16 in 2002 and 2007. Better luck next time. I believe you should mention this on your next show!!!
The Saluki men's basketball team garnered national attention by advancing to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen in 2002 and 2007.

Frank Hunsaker ex saluki!!!

Posted on March 22, 2010 6:22 PM

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Without Further Adieu....My Bracket 2010 (Note: Updated Final Four)

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