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2011 NCAA Bracket Predictions Get An Assured Upset in Utah State Versus Kansas State Contest

The upsets are there. They are lurking as unassuming games with no real promise of certainty. Well the biggest upsets are always the five versus twelve games. There are sure to be at least one that goes down to the final seconds.

I have a game that may actually be commanded by the lesser seed through the entirety of the contest. The Utah State Aggies got a bum deal with their 12th seeding. They are a much better team than the selection committee has let on.

Kansas State sometimes fails to command the low post. They allow some teams to get to too man boards leading to a great many second chance buckets. Utah State loves the boards. They rarely get out rebounded and should make mince meat of Kansas State down low.

K-State coach Frank Martin knows this could be a trap game, "They’re similar to a Big 12 team...They have two frontcourt guys who can both score and rebound at the rim. They have a point guard that is very athletic and can get the ball anywhere he wants to. They have an athletic small forward who can shoot it and drive it. … They’re very compatible with Nebraska."

Lost in all of this is the chip that rest firmly on the Aggies shoulder. The three loss team knows they should be a top seed in the tournament. They will make no excuses. Instead, they will use the snub as motivation.

A team scorned is a very dangerous team. Kansas State may have received the higher seed, but the selection committee did them no favors by giving them the Aggies in the first round.

The Wildcats will rely heavily on their star guard Jacob Pullen. If he is on, his jump shot could pull the Aggies off the boards. Any bit of sluggish play on his part could sent the Wildcats packing.

Nothing like a little added pressure in March. Regardless of the outcome, this is sure to be one of the most exciting matches of the weekend.

University of Northern Colorado head coach B.J. Hill is our guest columnist, read his insightful column here.

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NCAA Bracket 2011 Finally Delivers a Worthwhile Play-In Game in UAB Versus Clemson

I was just about over the play-in game. Every year we are treated to a meaningless game pitting two 16 seeds against one another. The winner gets the prize of being blown out in the first round.

It was a pointless exercise in futility. Two teams that were borderline at best rarely drew my interest. That all changes with the new format, in one regard. The twelve seed contest taking place Tuesday night actually has some ramifications to the final field of 64.

UAB and Clemson take to the hardwood tonight. The winner gets West Virginia in the opening round. I know. Technically it is the second round. I will let you know the second that I buy into that sentiment.

ESPN's Eammon Brennen agrees, "when Clemson and UAB take the floor tonight, we won't just be watching teams guaranteed to lose to the No. 1 seed in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Instead, we'll have reason to pay attention to the tourney action in Dayton for the first time since the tournament expanded to 65 teams.

One of these teams has a real shot of moving past West Virgina. I will give you a hint, it's not UAB. Clemson is on a tear. They trounced Boston College to open the ACC tourney, and then very nearly landed a huge upset over North Carolina.

Clemson relies heavily on their defense. They don't have a real consistent three-point threat, so they have had to make due by imposing turnovers. That is the kind of mind set that yields results in this type of one and done tournament.

West Virginia is a team that can get cold in an instant. They don't have a consistent scorer to speak of. If Clemson brings the thunder on defense, which they will, West Virgina could be looking at an early exit.

The real issue facing Clemson is exhaustion. They have the game plan and roster to move past the Mountaineers, they just don't have the schedule.

They will tip off tonight in Dayton. If they win, it's a plane flight to Tampa for a Thursday night game. Was a Friday match-up too much to ask for?

The name of the game in March is to get hot. Clemson is one of the hotter teams in the field. I expect great things from the Tigers.

They could also let me down in a big way. This is March Madness after all.

University of Northern Colorado head coach B.J. Hill is our guest columnist, read his insightful column here.

You don't have a bracket? Shame on you. Get it here.

Do you want all the best 411 on March Madness? Well click here and dive right into our March Madness Central.

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Texas Does Not Look Like A Solid Team Currently That Could All Change in An Instant

Texas is a mystery. They have at times looked like real contenders to make a deep drive into the NCAA tournament. Other times, they look like a team with no will to step past the first weekend. Texas gets Oakland to start their march with destiny.

It could be a very short march. We will know early if Texas plans to make a statement. This is a team that gets off to very early leads when they are int he right mind set.

They don't always keep those leads. They lost three of their last five games. One of which saw a commanding lead surrendered to Colorado. Head coach Rick Barnes has faith that this team is different though. He trusts that they can bounce back unlike past Texas teams.

He tells Yahoo Sports Jason King, "This team has been pretty resilient,” Barnes said. “I’ve had teams like the one last year where, at this time of the year, it wasn’t in a good place. I’ve had other teams that weren’t in a good place that went out and won a game and got on a roll. You just never know what’s going to happen."

Mindset is the name of the game. When their mental acumen takes a dive, their defense is the first to exit the building. A usually stout defense allows too many easy buckets. They become porous on the inside.

That is exactly where Oakland will strike first. Keith Benson can get up and down the court with the best of the big men. He is an 18 points a game bruiser that Texas will need to stop if they hope to continue.

If they do move on, it is unrealistic to think this team can flip a switch and give some measure of consistency. They continually meander every other game. That may be fine and well for the regular season or the Big 12 tournament.

This is the big dance though. You need to stay focused and consistent. After that, you need a great deal of luck. Do the Longhorns have what it takes? I am confident they can weather the storm against Oakland. Their own worst enemy will come back to haunt them at some point.

Texas will end up beating themselves at some point.

University of Northern Colorado head coach B.J. Hill is our guest columnist, read his insightful column here.

You don't have a bracket? Shame on you. Get it here.

Do you want all the best 411 on March Madness? Well click here and dive right into our March Madness Central.

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2011 NCAA Bracket Predictions Have Arizona in A Precarious Situation Against Memphis

There is nothing guaranteed in the NCAA Tournament. All teams are susceptible to the one and done format provided by March Madness. Arizona has all the tell tale signs of a top seed on its way out.

This is not to say that they Wildcats are not a formidable team. They produce buckets with the best of them. Every major player needs a big gun to get them out of a jam. Arizona has that in forward Derrick Williams.

Williams is a bruiser down low. He can nab boards at a dominating clip, and can finish at the rim easily. He also brings defenders off the boards with his three-point shooting skills.

Williams is lights out from distance. He gave Doug Heller of the Arizona Republic some insight to his mind set.

"A lot of people shoot well in practice, but sometimes when they get to the big stage, the bright lights, they see that and they get shocked. They just can't shoot as well. But when I'm in the game, I'm just in the mode."

That is where the major advantage of the Wildcats ends.

Peter Keating and Jordan Brenner of ESPN explain the major flaw in their match-up with Memphis, "Arizona generates only 45.7 percent of its points on 2-pointers, 312th in the country, and does a terrible job of defending teams inside, allowing teams to shoot a staggering 50.5 percent on 2-point FGs."

The Wildcats rely too heavily on the three-pointer. A team like that would be devastated on a cold shooting night. If Memphis doesn't get the better of them, someone surely will.

The Tigers on the other hand are extremely deep. They have a four players that can add to their production off the bench. The Wildcats will struggle to find a hot hand if they are placed in a tough spot.

I also like the play of Tarik Black. The Tigers big man will play toe to toe with Williams. He is not afraid to get into a shoving match for boards.

The opening round has all the signs of a major upset. The Wildcats are a good team. They just don't match-up particularly well against Memphis. Arizona will have to get hot, and stay there to pass their first test.

Sluggish play would be devastating for one of the Pac-10's best.

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George Mason Basketball May Suffer From Rough Road Ahead of Them

Get out your violins. I am about to tell you a sad tale. It is a story about a team that should go much farther than they will in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. That team is George Mason. Let us all have a moment of silence for their lot in life.

George Mason is a good team. They are big and athletic. Their bright spot is rebounding, and pounding the ball down low. The Patriots could very well make a deep run, if they weren't forced to encounter the biggest mismatch of their season.

I firmly believe that George Mason will get passed Villanova. They have the guns to sidestep a very gifted Nova squad. The Patriots have a big player with immense talent in Cam Long.

Long will pose a problem for Nova from the start. Mike Huguenin of Yahoo Sports breaks him down, "Cam Long is the Patriots’ best player and a first-team All-Colonial selection. He’s a solid all-around player who can hit the 3-pointer; he leads the team in scoring and steals, is second in assists and third in rebounds."

That is as far as this gifted team will go. Their size advantage and rebounding acumen take a dive in their potential second round match-up. That is where Ohio State and the big bad Jared Sullinger will be waiting for them.

Huguenin continues, "He has a high basketball IQ and does everything well. He’s also the rare young big man who understands that his place is in the low post. Ohio State has a lot of talent, for sure, but Sullinger’s vast repertoire of skills make all those talented teammates more dangerous."

So as teams like Florida that should be ousted immediately get easy roads, a team like George Mason will be thwarted before their seats are warm.

Such is the wild journey known as March Madness. Perhaps the Patriots can shock the world with a deep run like Butler gave us last year.

I just don't see it.

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NCAA Bracket 2011 Has Many Tough Roads, Florida's Is Not One of Them

Here is the thing. A good portion of these big programs will fall short of their end goal. I would say all but one of them will. Where their road ends we will not know until the clock strikes zero in their game. There are teams that have an easier path to victory.

The Florida Gators have an easy path to the Sweet 16. They start against an undersized UCSB team, a team that is just happy to be here. While the Gauchos fly cross country, the Gators will be playing in their own back yard.

Then comes either UCLA or Michigan State. In any other year, those teams would strike fear into the hearts of anyone that dare oppose them.

This is not one of those years. John Gasaway of ESPN echoes the sentiment, "Florida will play the winner of Michigan State-UCLA, meaning the Gators are sure to see a well-coached opponent with a rich history of NCAA tournament success. That being said, these are not the most fearsome editions of the Spartans or the Bruins that we've seen come down the pike."

After that, Florida could get a number of teams on the mend. St. John's will be missing D.J. Kennedy. BYU is without Brandon Davies. Without key guys, these teams would be easy picking for the Gators.

That leaves them right at the doorstep of the Sweet 16. It is nice what a generous seeding can do. Florida is no marvel of basketball acumen. They really should not be a two seed. This sentiment is heard far and wide.

Israel Gutierrez of the Miami Herald states, "Somehow, the Kentucky Wildcats, who beat the Gators twice, including handily in the Southeastern Conference tournament championship game Sunday, fell two seeds lower than Florida. So much for common sense."

So, the Gators should not be this high. I agree. They hate pesky defense. They are thin on the bench, and they rely too heavily on the outside shot.

But this seeding nabs them a Sweet 16 berth. Don't get mad at me. Get mad at the selection committee.

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Wisconsin is Staring a Potential Upset Right in the Face

As you sit down with your bracket in a quiet place, you will pray, meditates or light incense. You will do anything to get some insight into the bigger upsets. There is nothing grander than picking a hug upset. It gives you cause to take to the streets and deride your friends for their folly.

Just how to spot one is the issue.

Well, the Wisconsin Badgers have a lot of the sure fire signs of a top seed on its way out the door. Steve Megargee of Rivals.com chips in with this little nugget of wisdom, "Wisconsin is making its 13th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, and the Badgers have been eliminated by lower-seeded teams in each of the past four seasons."

The Badgers will have to shake off the shackles of underachievement to get out of the first round. Even then, it may not be up to them. Belmont is a very good team. They may be small at the forward postilion, but they make up for it on defense every where else.

The Badgers will struggle to score in this contest. ESPN's Andy Katz is just as fearful for Wisconsin, "Wisconsin couldn't have had a worse draw. The Badgers face a trendy upset pick in the first round in 13-seed Belmont. The Bruins enter the tournament on a 12-game winning streak; the Badgers arrive in Tucson after a dreadful performance against Penn State. Wisconsin is ripe for an upset."

We haven't even talked about their three-point shooting. Belmont can drain the long ball as well as anyone in the tournament. This may be the fashionable pick for an upset currently. As you can see, it's for a very good reason.

It's been real Wisconsin. We will see you next year.

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NCAA Bracket 2011 Poses Some Big Questions, St. John's Is A Team With a Tough Road

This has been a very lucky month for St. John's. Actually, it has been very unlucky. You know what? It's both. The Red Storm lucked out in their contest with Rutgers earlier this month.

The refs failed to witness a travel that would have given the ball back to Rutgers with a second on the clock in a close game. St. John's escaped with victory.

Then came the bad news. D.J. Kennedy was hit with a season ending injury. The team leader tore his ACL in the Big East tournament. Now the Johnnies will have to maneuver the Southeast regional without him.

Kenedy is filled with optimism for his teammates. He told the New York Post, “To be honest, I think, with or without me, the team could go as far as it would...One thing about us, we got a lot of experience. We got a deep team. I’m looking for my teammates to go forward."

The tournament would be a tall task, even with him. They have one of the toughest draws in the bracket. Their first opponent may very well be their last.

Gonzaga is a high scoring, well conditioned machine. Their depth and conditioning may leave St. John's gasping for air. They open in the high altitude of Denver. Gonzaga guard Steven Gray told the Seattle Times, "We got some big conditioning in (last) week...We had tough practices with a lot of running. We're as well-prepared for it as we could be at this point."

St. John's on the other hand will have to contend with one less player. They are now down to eight that average 10 or more minutes.

Let's say this game isn't a trap. Let's say that the Johnnies can sidestep flaming out early. They will then likely play BYU. Without Kennedy, there is nary a player that can guard or limit the production of Jimmer Fredette.

I hate to say it, but St. John's luck may have run out. They will need a player to step up in a huge way if they are to get out of this region. I just don't see that happening.

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