How do all their brackets fill? Have you consulted all the advanced measurement locations that you can pay for and reached for your local clairvoyant?
The predictions below will not necessarily help you with your console, but there is a method behind (Mars) madness. I cover my last four elections in a later column, but for the moment here are three bold predictions for the NCAA tournament.
Only 4 sec -law do the second weekend
The thing about naming a record 14 schools from the same conference to the tournament is that these schools are starting to lose groups.
It will have retroactive arguments about each team’s dignity, although it really shouldn’t. A seed no. 10 is not suddenly deserving because it lost to No. 7. With that said, this is qualified as a bold prediction because of the big numbers – it would require 10 SEC teams to lose in the first or second round.
I like that Auburn and Florida should sail quite easily. Then you can choose two of Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky. End of the list. I explained on Monday why no 4 seed Texas A&M was ripe for an upset, and Missouri was a fantastic story this season but has a really tough move with Drake and Texas Tech in their way. Maybe Ole Miss comes from Iowa State in the second round because the cyclones are down on a key player? But at that time we really extend.
Cooper Flagg will not be Duke’s leading goal scorer in the tournament
October 4, 2024; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils Guard Cooper Flagg (2) dribbles the ball towards Fram Mason Gillis (18) with the ball during countdown to madness at Cameron indoor stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Pictures Even accounting for Flag’s ankle damage – if it causes him to miss a game or two – I don’t think he will lead the duckies in points per match.
- When he returns, he will be worked back in gradually, and he was not a particularly overused player to begin with – Duke has other weapons.
- Blue Devils has another beginner who postpones three, and his name is Kon Knueppel.
This tournament will be Wisconsinite’s upcoming party at the level of Jack Gohlke last year. Knueppel has an average of 18.1 points per match and shot 44.2% from deep in his last nine matches, much higher than his already respectable seasonal average. Two of the three worst 3-point defense within the tournament field happens to be Mississippi State and Baylor. One of these teams will be Duke’s second round of opponents.
A High Major School undergoes a coaching change after elimination
February 11, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Ucla Bruin’s head coach Mick Cronin reacts during the second half to Illinois who fights Illini at the State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Pictures There are several large boys coaching jobs that are open to starting the week, including Indiana, Villanova, Virginia and NC State. But it has been quiet on the Western Front for some time now – probably because some or all of these schools are attracting a head coach at present in the dance.
Brad Brownell from Clemson and Buzz Williams from Texas A&M have been linked to the Indiana job in recent days. Doesn’t Ucla coach Mick Cronin sound pretty tired of California’s life when he complained about travel back in January? Can he be one who takes a place on the carousel?
If and when a move like this happens, it will start a chain of Domino that could compete last year’s madness, when John Calipari lost Kentucky for Arkansas.
