The Mild Mild West

March 19, 2009 Guest

I just wanted a cool title like everyone else, but they took all the good ones. I personally predict the West region to be a region where the higher seeds prevail, but now that I have come up with a ridiculous title for a tourney region called mild, you know that will blow up in my face.

Disclaimer: I go to Mizzou. Mizzou is in the West. In my own bracket I have Mizzou to the final four and was on record on the news (I got interviewed) saying that anything less than a final four was a disappointment. For the sake of this post I will try to maintain objectivity, but I am only 22 and its a day before spring break so I may just be a little too giddy.

5 To Know About
The West Region:

1. UConn is really good.

So what that they lost in the Big East tournament? This team is for real. No one will finish within 15 points of them until at least the Elite 8. This is a team that lost only 4 games this year, and to be honest, there is a real good chance they don’t lose again. I really like Hasheem Thabeet (when he is not being Blair’s b****). Watch out for the Huskies.They are scary good. Like as scary as Robin Williams in ‘One Hour Photo’ good.

*Side Note*: I just want to point out how I miss the incredible UConn teams of the past. Don’t get me wrong, this team is good… but the 2003 game against Duke when about 20 NBA players were on the floor was incredible (Ben Gordon, Emeka Okafor, Josh Boone, Charlie Villanueva, etc.). We will never see that again. Stupid 1 and done rule.

2. Washington is overrated.

Yeah I went there. I know they were the regular season champs of the PAC-10, but this team lacks good size. I watched this team earlier in the year get completely manhandled by Kansas at the CBE, and decided that they were not worth my time. Brockman is good but when they hit a team with any decent size (see UConn), they will lose by 20+. They just can’t hang in the big boy league.

3. Memphis will falter.

I know Memphis believes that they should have been a number 1 seed, but I think that they are an overrated 2 seed. Last year, their team was incredible. This year may feel that way, but they lack the sheer athleticism (i.e. NBA talent) that last years team had. When you have the best player in the country on your team, life is easy, no matter how bad your conference is. This year, faulty decision making and turnovers will catch up to this team. Look for the MU/Memphis match up, because it could be a fun one.

Also, in my opinion Memphis does not deserve the right to play the “no-respect” card. Remember how this team lost to Georgetown? Georgetown! I don’t care how many Conference USA wins you have. Play in a real conference. 25 wins in a row is impressive. Only two of those being over tournament teams (and mediocre teams at that) is not.

4. Utah State is the sexy upset team.

I have heard this all over. I am impartial. Without Dominique James, Marquette is definetly vulnerable, but I am not ready to just count them out. Watch out for Gary Wilkinson of the Aggies though. He is fun to watch.

5. Missouri is a contender.

This is not a homer overstatement. CBSsportsine.com has Mizzou as one of the 10 teams who can win the whole thing. Watch out for the youth and inexperience to hurt. The only people with legitimate tourney experience are coaches, so we could see this team let the atmosphere or pressure really get to them (as it did in both Kansas games).

• • •

First Round Prediction:

UConn beats Huff’s Chattanooga Mocs
Texas A&M defeats BYU (I actually would have gone the other way but I put this post off for so long that the game is going on and last I saw A&M was up)
Purdue over Northen Iowa
Washington over Mississippi State
Utah State over Marquette (why not?)
Mizzou over Andy Bernard’s Big Red
Cal defeats Maryland
Memphis over some nerdy Cal school

Second Round Prediction: