The NCAA whirlwind continues today, though the floor in Tampa will get the day off. Daytime drinking and take-out are acceptable and encouraged. I'm sitting here getting ready for Duke and West Virginia with a can of Pabst and a cup of a coffee. Not in the same cup, though. That would be gross. It definitely looks awfully sunny out, but I'll just have to take the window's word for it today.
Here's what's on tap (other than the PBRs) and here are the experts' (and my) quick decisions about them:
#2 Duke vs. #7 West Virginia
Saturday at 2:10 PM EST in Washington, DC
Vegas: Duke (-4)
Storming the Floor: Duke (over Arizona)
Joe Lunardi: Arizona (who he had beating WVU)
WWOD?: This game seems like the pressure point for most brackets out in the world since there are two sorts of people who fill out brackets. Those who build there bracket around finding the team who can beat Duke and those who are smarter than us. After the Belmont game it is clear that Duke can be had and that without a dependable inside force they are not the teams of March-past. The fact that they are a two-seed is a testament to how good Coach K really is. Even if I hate his commercials. If Joe Alexander can be the best player in this game and his teammates can get on the defensive glass and hit a couple of big threes then the Mountaineers can win this game. Will that happen? Probably not. But it very well could and that's why I picked WVU.
#3 Wisconsin vs. #11 Kansas State
Saturday at 4:20 PM EST in Omaha, NE
Vegas: Wisconsin (-5)
Storming the Floor: Wisconsin
Joe Lunardi: Wisconsin (over USC)
WWOD?: Well, I mostly picked Mayo over Beasley in Round One. I was wrong about that. If K-State wins this game then this becomes the Beasley Tournament. I would love to see it. I was down on Wisconsin in last year's tournament, but for no reason whatsoever I'm less skeptical this year. They beat Texas in Texas, which impresses me and they won the Big Ten tournament, which impresses me less. I'll probably bet Wisconsin (a 30-win team only getting 5...) and root for K-State in this one. It's a win, win.
#3 Xavier vs. #6 Purdue
Saturday at 4:40 PM EST in Washington, DC
Vegas: Xavier (-3)
Storming the Floor: Xavier (over Purdue)
Joe Lunardi: Xavier
WWOD?: Xavier (over Baylor) was how this one went on my brackets. How do I think it will go in real life? I still got Xavier (and like that they're only getting 3 points). This might be where I roll over some of the pennies I picked up on Louisville last night. Purdue has my Big Ten bias going against them. And, they're young too. Which is why I picked against them in the game with Baylor. Clearly they got me on that one. My mouth was open. But, I've got to stick to my guns. In addition to the two strikes I have against Purdue (Big Ten and Youth), I've also got to factor in that Xavier is led by senior point guard Drew Lavender. Senior Point Guard? Check, check and check. Not from the Big Ten? Check. Xavier is the pick.
#4 Washington State vs. #5 Notre Dame
Saturday at 6:40 PM EST in Denver, CO*
Vegas: Washington State (-2.5)
Storming the Floor: Notre Dame
Joe Lunardi: Washington State
WWOD?: Any day of the week I would want to pick against both of these teams, but here I like them both. I guess it is all going to depend on the tempo of the game. I don't think that Notre Dame has the defensive chops to stick in there on a slow half-court game and I don't think that WSU has the scorers for a three-point shooting contest. So, I'm going to go with the team with the better story line (emergent and goofy Harangody who people like to upset UNC) from the Big East here. Though, I just hope this one looks like a 4/5 and gives Gus Johnson a chance to go wild after a boring opening day in Denver.
#3 Stanford vs. #6 Marquette
Saturday at 6:45 PM EST in Anaheim, CA
Vegas: Stanford (-3)
Storming the Floor: Stanford
Joe Lunardi: Stanford
WWOD?: Big East underdog? You know I want to take them. But, I don't think I can. Especially because of those uniforms. The fact that the game is in California and the Cardinal has the twin towers inside doesn't hurt their chances either.
#1 Kansas vs. #8 UNLV
Saturday at 6:50 PM EST in Omaha, NE
Vegas: Kansas (-13.5)
Storming the Floor: Kansas
Joe Lunardi: Kansas (over Kent State)
WWOD?: What's the Matter with Kansas? In March? With a team having such a checkered history in games like this I could understand why you might roll the dice with the Rebs. But, I'm hoping to watch Kansas matchup against Georgetown down the line so I'm pulling for the Jayhawks. Because sometimes I pick games based on what I want to see happen rather than what is likely to happen.
#4 Pittsburgh vs. #5 Michigan State
Saturday at 9:10 PM EST in Denver, CO*
Vegas: Pittsburgh (-2.5)
Storming the Floor: Pittsburgh (over Temple)
Joe Lunardi: Pittsburgh
WWOD?: It seems like Pitt is the dark horse d'jour for a lot of people, which means that there are a lot of people expecting them to win this one. I'm in that number. I still think the Pantheres fit all of those "peaking at the right time" cliches. And, like I said about Tom Izzo the other day (and incorrectly about Jim Calhoun), he is good enough to get you one win every year regardless of what sort of team he brings with him. He already got that win. I picked them to pull the second-game upset last year (over UNC). I'm not going to do the same this year.
#1 UCLA vs. #9 Texas A&M
Saturday at 9:15 PM EST in Anaheim, CA
Vegas: UCLA (-10.5)
Storming the Floor: UCLA (over BYU)
Joe Lunardi: UCLA
WWOD?: UCLA in Anaheim. I can't go against it. Of all the games today this is the only one that would really surprise me if it went to the underdog. The 4/5 games are pick 'ems. Kansas is notoriously dicey this time of year. Xavier is a high-seed from a mid-major playing a lower-seed from a major conference. Michael Beasley gives K-State a chance to beat anyone. Even the Knicks. And, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Marquette took down Stanford as the Pac-10 hasn't fared so hot (3-3) so far this year. No other result would surprise me, except if Texas A&M beat UCLA. So, you know what that means...
*Gus Johnson is in Denver and he has the best two paper-games. If they can play-out as good as they write-out then we're all in for a good night with Gus. He deserves this after sitting through so many bad Knicks games.
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