Washington, DC is East of Most Places, Yet...

The WWOD? Preview of Tonight’s Games in the "West" Regional

Since I've embraced the madness and made a self-diagnosis of my condition I figured that I need not be shy about the symptoms of my dementia. And, what shows off the mannerisms of my madness better than to add another tournament preview to the bonfire of unasked and unfounded prognostications? To put my late night ramblings into some context I’ve also included the pick from Vegas, the pick from noted college basketball blog Storming the Floor as well as the teams tapped by noted ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi.

#2 Duke vs. #15 Belmont
Thursday at 7:10 PM EST in Washington, DC
Vegas: Duke (-21)
Storming the Floor: Duke
Joe Lunardi: Duke
WWOD?: Most everyone's favorite part of the tournament is watching Duke get upset by a mid-major. That VCU game last year and that shot by Eric Maynor with less than two seconds left was the most irrepressibly exciting moment for lots and lots of folks. I can only hope to feel such feelings again this year. And, I think I will. I just don't think it will be tonight.

#7 West Virginia vs. #10 Arizona
Thursday at 9:40 PM EST in Washington, DC
Vegas: West Virginia (-2)
Storming the Floor: Arizona
Joe Lunardi: Arizona
WWOD?: Jeez, these two (along with Louisville and any team coached by Ben Howland) have been my tournament horses in most years. I've blindly picked both at various times with no good reason to do so yet been rewarded all the same. I won my office pool in 2005 based largely on WVU's run to the Regional Final. I've barely seen this Alexander kid (though he was very, very good when I did see him in the Big East tourney) from West Virginia play, and if Lute Olsen were on the sideline I would have picked him and Bayless in a heart beat. It would have been a lock. But, without Olsen and with the location favoring the Mountaineers so much I won't do more than take a flyer in an upset-themed bracket on the Hoopcats. The Big East bias beats out my Lute Olsen predilection. That sounds icky.