By Joe Smeltzer
Hello all. Due to time constraints, I didn't get to do an in-depth preview of all four regions like I had planned. The good news is, I do have some things to say about the Midwest, stating what I feel are the teams that can go far, and one team that could disappoint. Let's get into it.
Best Team: Michigan State
Don't let the three-seed fool you. With just four losses, it's a mystery to me how the selection committee felt there were eight teams with a better body of work than Sparty. With future lottery picks Miles Bridges and Jaren Jackson, along with the shooting of Cassius Winston, the Spartans are every bit as good as a number one seed, and in my opinion, the best team in the Midwest.
Biggest Disappointment: Kansas
It's not that I see the Jayhawks losing early. It's just that when you're a number one seed, expectations are through the roof, and anything less than a Final Four appearance will be thought of by many as a letdown. I see KU as the third most likely team in this region to get to the Final Four, and for a school with that pedigree, having a result like that would upset a lot of people.
Sleeper: Clemson
Hey, why not? Brad Brownell's team was one of the surprises of the ACC this year, and with players like Marcquise Reed and Dante Grantham, there's no reason the Tigers can't win a few games. Of course, they could also lose to New Mexico State in the first round.
Cinderella: NC State
The Wolfpack has busted brackets before, most recently with their upset of top-seeded Villanova in 2015, and they have the tools to do it again. I don't expect them to get past Kansas in the second round, but with State's history of upsets and Kansas' history of letdowns, it's not out of the realm of possibility
Champion: Michigan State
The best team in the region isn't always the one that gets to the Final Four, but that won't be the case here. Tom Izzo's crew will be ready to roll, and I don't think their balance of size and guard play will be stopped.
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