Here’s my latest projected NCAA tournament field of 68.
UNC Asheville*/Miss. Valley State*Top seeds
Syracuse: With Dion Waiters coming off the bench, depth is the calling card for this Orange team.
Kentucky: Can Anthony Davis’s shot-blocking prowess lead Coach John Calipari to his first national title.
Duke: The Blue Devils perhaps are the least flawed team in an overall flawed ACC this season.
Baylor: As good as the Bears were during their Elite Eight run in 2010, they are more dangerous this postseason.
Rising
Florida State: Fortunes can change quickly, especially when you get the offensive output like FSU got the last few games.
Xavier: After losing five of six games post-brawl, Xavier still may prove to be the class of a strong Atlantic 10.
Vanderbilt: The return of Festus Ezeli helped the Commodores start playing like they were expected to play this season.
Creighton: The nation’s best player that you may not have seen yet is forward Doug McDermott, averaging more than 23 points per game.
Falling
Indiana: The recent slide by the Hoosiers suggests that it may be a year too early for Tom Crean’s team to be a serious national contender.
Connecticut: There is no Kemba Walker to bail out the Huskies, who have lost three of five Big East games.
Seton Hall: Two straight road losses to non-NCAA tournament-caliber teams raise some red flags about the Pirates.
Memphis: A disappointment this season, the Tigers have a diminishing margin for error in league play.
Sleepers
Weber State: Damian Lillard, the nation’s top scorer, makes the Wildcats a nuisance for a potential high seed in the first round of the NCAA.
Oral Roberts: The Golden Eagles have not lost since Dec. 15 at Gonzaga.
Cincinnati: Mick Cronin’s team has become road warriors in league play, which makes them a tough out come March.
Virginia: With only two losses by a combined five points away from home, Cavaliers are piecing together a solid resume.
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