► Arkansas should not have been invited and USC is very overrated as a 5-seed. The more I look at this bracket, the more I realize these are not random matchups. They gave Texas the easiest path to a Sweet 16 birth because their record deserved a 4-seed - but we know this team is really a 1-seed when Durant, AJ and DJ are in their groove.
► Here's how Winthrop's non-conf schedule went: @ Iona, @ UNC, @ MissSt, @ Maryland, @ N.Ill, @ Wisc, @ E.Carolina, @ Old Dominion, @ Texas A&M. This team ran their conference and finished the season with only 4 losses. Notre Dame is tough, but the Eagles will no doubt repeat last year's performance where they almost upset 2-seed Tennessee. I'm looking forward to a Winthrop/Wisconsin rematch (Badgers won by 3 in OT @ Madison in December) for an Elite 8 birth.
► We see Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, Indiana and UCLA in the West bracket almost every year because the committee wants good, late-night ratings. OK, so maybe KU and UCLA are actually out west, but we're looking at 5 of the 6 elite programs (UNC) in a single bracket - their fans simply travel better than any other.
► I have yet to figure out why Florida is #1 in the Midwest and O$U is #1 in the South. My best guess is they want O$U-Wisc IV in ATL instead of St. Louis. Consider this: every year since '98 the Final Four features 2 teams from the same conference.
► BYU vs Xavier, Nevada vs Creighton, Marquette vs MSU, and Texas A&M vs Penn are so unattractive I don't even want to pick a winner.
► Here's how Winthrop's non-conf schedule went: @ Iona, @ UNC, @ MissSt, @ Maryland, @ N.Ill, @ Wisc, @ E.Carolina, @ Old Dominion, @ Texas A&M. This team ran their conference and finished the season with only 4 losses. Notre Dame is tough, but the Eagles will no doubt repeat last year's performance where they almost upset 2-seed Tennessee. I'm looking forward to a Winthrop/Wisconsin rematch (Badgers won by 3 in OT @ Madison in December) for an Elite 8 birth.
► We see Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, Indiana and UCLA in the West bracket almost every year because the committee wants good, late-night ratings. OK, so maybe KU and UCLA are actually out west, but we're looking at 5 of the 6 elite programs (UNC) in a single bracket - their fans simply travel better than any other.
► I have yet to figure out why Florida is #1 in the Midwest and O$U is #1 in the South. My best guess is they want O$U-Wisc IV in ATL instead of St. Louis. Consider this: every year since '98 the Final Four features 2 teams from the same conference.
► BYU vs Xavier, Nevada vs Creighton, Marquette vs MSU, and Texas A&M vs Penn are so unattractive I don't even want to pick a winner.