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NCAA 2011 Brackets Revealed, Can Texas Survive a Second Round Scare From Oakland?

The No. 4 seed in the West region is one of the top teams in the country. Yet because of their matchup against No. 13 seed Oakland, many people have the Texas Longhorns getting upset in the second round.

I, however, do not happen to be one of those people.

The Golden Grizzlies will have no answer for defending Jordan Hamilton and Tristan Thompson. Texas will simply wear them down as the game progresses.

Oakland can score. No one can take that away from them. But Texas can also score and they know how to do so against some of the elite teams in the nation. That is something that the Grizzlies cannot boast.

Regardless of what some of the so-called experts are advising you to do, make sure that you do not pick Oakland to upset Texas. It is something you will live to regret when everyone else makes fun of your bracket after Texas reaches the Final Four. 

Final Score: Texas 83, Oakland 74. The Longhorns will silence anyone who says that they will drop this game, as they will undoubtedly be playing with a chip on their shoulder following their No. 4 seed. Texas was ranked as high as No. 5 in the country just two weeks back, and they only lost one game in that time (aside from their two game losing streak at the end of last month).

For a complete look at March Madness 2011, make sure to check out Bleacher Report's extensive coverage. Also, make sure to download your own printable NCAA tournament 2011 bracket.

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The 2011 NCAA Brackets Were Revealed, and President Barack Obama Picked All Four No. 1 Seeds to Reach the Final Four.

President Barack Obama filled out his NCAA Tournament bracket for the world to see for the third consecutive year. He is 1-1 when it comes to picking the men's college basketball national champion. 

Obama picked North Carolina correctly in 2009, but went with Kansas last season instead of Duke. But he is not letting last year's mistake get in the way of selecting the Jayhawks to win it all once again.

I have absolutely no problem with that pick. I actually have Kansas winning it all in my bracket as well. But he picked all four No. 1 seeds to advance to the Final Four in Houston.

C'mon, Prez!

Not that I was expecting a politician to take a risk and go with a few upsets, but you couldn't play it any safer than going with his bracket.

He has Kansas defeating Pittsburgh, Ohio State defeating Duke, and then Kansas defeating Ohio State to cut down the nets.

Really going out on a limb, huh?

Throw a No. 2 seed in there somewhere! Take a No. 3 or even a No. 4 seed to at least reach the Final Four. Anyone can pick all four No. 1 seeds to advance to the Final Four. People who know absolutely nothing about college basketball pick that.

And that is why I am disappointed in Obama's selections. He does know a lot about sports; especially basketball. His knowledge shows that he is a very passionate fan of the game.

So although he must firmly believe that all four top seeds will advance to the Final Four, he should have gone with at least one to get knocked out earlier.

It would have made for a much better story where more people would have given him a higher approval rating.

Isn't that what politics is all about?

In case you are wondering about my Final Four picks, I do have Kansas cutting down the nets. Joining them in Houston will be Ohio State, Texas and Florida.

For a complete look at March Madness 2011, make sure to check out Bleacher Report's extensive coverage. Also, make sure to download your own printable NCAA tournament 2011 bracket.

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NCAA Brackets 2011 Revealed, Can Princeton Pull Off Another Monumental Upset Against Kentucky?

When the No. 4 seed Kentucky Wildcats take on the No. 13 seed Princeton Tigers, once coach feels as if Princeton can pull of the major upset.

That man happens to be John Calipari, who is the head coach for the Wildcats.

I'm sure that Princeton's coach also believes in his team's chances, but Calipari gets all of the air time.

The Tigers needed a last second shot at the end of regulation by Douglas Davis against Harvard just to get into the 2011 NCAA Tournament. That was not looking like much of a possibility over a week or so ago.

Princeton has played some great games in past tournaments. No one will ever forget when they almost became the first No. 16 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed when they almost beat the Georgetown Hoyas in 1989. Back in 1996, they eliminated the defending champion UCLA Bruins in the first round.

This team is slightly different from those teams. This one is bigger.

Calipari made it a point to let everyone know that Princeton has more size than Kentucky. He said that they can beat any team in the tournament. But does he believe what he is preaching, or is this just to get his team in the right state of mind to not take the Tigers for granted?

Someone ought to check to see how close Calipari and Lou Holtz are today.

The Wildcats are led by a pair of outstanding freshmen in Brandon Knight and Terrence Jones. They won their last six games en route to an SEC Tournament championship, and they are playing as well as anyone in the country right now.

Final Score: Kentucky 78, Princeton 67. The Wildcats are just a more athletic team. That is no knock against the athleticism of the Tigers, but Kentucky is the better team and will come out on top on Thursday. They should advance until the Elite Eight, where they should come up against the No. 1 seed Ohio State Buckeyes in what would be a classic matchup.

For a complete look at March Madness 2011, make sure to check out Bleacher Report's extensive coverage. Also, make sure to download your own printable NCAA tournament 2011 bracket.

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The 2011 NCAA Brackets Saw UNC-Asheville Win Their First Round Game in Thrilling Fashion, But Can They Turn That Into History?

No. 16 seed UNC-Asheville defeated fellow No. 16 seed Arkansas-Little Rock last night to officially become the first ever No. 16 seed to win a game in the NCAA Tournament.

Since the NCAA doesn't want to call those play-in games anymore, then I am correct in saying that UNC-Asheville made history.

But does that mean they can make most history on Thursday when they take on No. 1 seed Pittsburgh in the nation's capital?

The Bulldogs fought back to pick up an impressive overtime win last night. Matt Dickey scored 22 points, including the three pointer that tied the game toward the end of regulation. J.P. Primm hit some huge free throws down the stretch, and the Bulldogs showed why they were able to put it all together and win their conference tournament for the automatic bid into the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

People seem to forget about the Panthers because they were eliminated in their first game in the Big East conference tournament. What they seem to overlook is the fact that while they may have lost to the No. 9 seed in the conference, the Connecticut Huskies are not the typical ninth best team in a conference. 

Pitt is led by Alex Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker on offense, but they also receive some valuable playing time from Gary McGhee, who is one of the most physical big men in the tournament. This is an extremely dangerous team.

Final Score: Pittsburgh 81, UNC-Asheville 60. The Panthers are clearly the better team here, as they hold 10 wins over teams in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs do not have any, and in the three games they did play against teams who made this year's tourney, they are 0-3 with an average margin or defeat of 21 points per game. Hence, my score prediction of a 21 Pittsburgh victory on Thursday.

For a complete look at March Madness 2011, make sure to check out Bleacher Report's extensive coverage. Also, make sure to download your own printable NCAA tournament 2011 bracket.

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The NCAA Brackets Revealed a Shootout Between North Carolina and Long Island, But Can the Tar Heels End Their Recent Struggles?

When No. 2 seed North Carolina takes on No. 15 seed Long Island in Charlotte on Friday, the scoreboard operators better be plenty rested to work this game.

These teams can flat out score. 

On paper, you would have to think that this should be an absolute mismatch. But if you take a look inside the numbers, you will find that Long Island could be a more than formidable opponent for North Carolina.

We all know about the talent level for the Tar Heels. Harrison Barnes and Kendall Marshal have become two of the more impressive freshmen in the nation, and John Henson and Tyler Zeller have turned into double-double machines in the paint. They are not as deep as in years past, and that could be the one thing to hold them back as the tournament progresses.

The Blackbirds may not be nearly as well known to the casual fan, but that does not mean that they should be taken lightly. Julian Boyd is one of the better players from any of the smaller schools in the 2011 NCAA Tournament, and he is a very good all around player. Jamal Olasewere is a double-double machine for this team.

The Tar Heels average over 76 points per game, while the Blackbirds average over 82, yet the most stunning statistic is that Long Island only averages less than two fewer rebounds per game than North Carolina, who leads the country in that department.

Final Score: North Carolina 97, Long Island 86. This one could actually be close for awhile. The 'Heels have struggled recently with the play of their younger stars, but Roy Williams should have his kids ready for this one in their home state. Look for UNC to force Boyd to take some long three pointers and cause the rest of the team to struggle to stay afloat.

For a complete look at March Madness 2011, make sure to check out Bleacher Report's extensive coverage. Also, make sure to download your own printable NCAA tournament 2011 bracket.

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The NCAA Brackets Almost Always Feature a No. 12 Seed Upsetting a No. 5 Seed, But Can Memphis Be That Team?

When the NCAA 2011 Brackets were released, the first thing I always look at are the No. 5 seed vs. No. 12 seed matchups. They always pique my interest because they often result in upsets.

Any person who considers themselves a "bracket expert" will advise you to pick at least one No. 12 seed to upset at least one No. 5 seed. 

Since I am clearly one of those so-called experts, I will get it out of the way right now. Pick two No. 12 seeds to knock off two No. 5 seeds.

Just make sure which ones you pick, because obviously two of them will happen, while two will not take place.

The Arizona Wildcats are the No. 5 seed in the West bracket, and will face the No 12 seed Memphis Tigers in the second round. Many people like the Tigers after watching them win their conference tournament, but you may want to take a closer look at what they did the rest of the season.

The only teams that the Tigers beat who reached the 2011 NCAA Tournament were the Gonzaga Bulldogs and UAB Blazers. Gonzaga is a No. 11 seed facing a tough matchup against St. John's in the second round, while UAB got destroyed in the first round by Clemson.

If you look at the Arizona Wildcats on the other hand, they hold victories over UCLA and USC this season, which actually is not that much more impressive than Memphis' victories.

Both teams come from conferences that were not that exceptional this year. That is when you have to look for the biggest difference in the matchup.

His name is Derrick Williams, and he plays for the Wildcats.

Williams is a do-it-all type of player for Arizona. He averages over 19 points and 8 rebounds per game, and shoots very well from the field and from behind the three point line. He can take over a game for a team, and doing so against Memphis will not be a difficult task for him on Friday.

Final Score: Arizona 78, Memphis 74. Williams is the difference maker. Memphis may be a better all around team with more dpeht, but Williams will be enough to get Arizona past Memphis.

If you are looking for the two No. 12 vs. No. 5 upsets, go with Utah State over Kansas State and Richmond over Vanderbilt. West Virginia will get past Clemson.

For a complete look at March Madness 2011, make sure to check out Bleacher Report's extensive coverage. Also, make sure to download your own printable NCAA tournament 2011 bracket.

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NCAA 2011 Brackets Revealed, Can Tennessee Find Enough Magic to Get Past Michigan?

When the No. 8 seed Michigan Wolverines battle the No. 9 seed Tennessee Volunteers, it will be a matchup of two teams headed in opposite directions.

The Wolverines won nine out of their final 13 games after suffering a five-game losing streak that had everyone figuring they would be NIT-bound this year.

The Vols had an up-and-down season marred by head coach Bruce Pearl's eight-game SEC suspension that saw his team rally enough to secure an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament.

Both schools are led by some very talented players who could make it at the next level in some capacity. Michigan relies on Darius Morris and Tim Hardaway Jr. and plays fairly small. Tennessee is led by Scotty Hopson and Tobias Harris, and they are a physical team who should have a huge rebounding edge against Michigan.

The Wolverines and Volunteers hold some victories over good teams, but also some losses to bad ones. They are the models of inconsistency, but Michigan has been playing better as of late.

Tennessee has done a great job overcoming adversity and controversy all season long. They have had to deal with Pearl being on and off the court and listened to all of his critics say how he should not have a job. Through it all, his kids have played well enough to earn an invite to the Big Dance.

Final Score: Tennessee 68, Michigan 63. In the end, I like the size advantage of Tennessee. They will be able to outrebound Michigan from the opening tip, and their depth will be enough to get them past the Wolverines. I don't think the Vols could beat Duke in the next round, but they may be able to give them a run for their money. More so than Michigan.

For a complete look at March Madness 2011, make sure to check out Bleacher Report's extensive coverage. Also, make sure to download your own printable NCAA tournament 2011 bracket.

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Kyrie Irving Could Make His Return to the Lineup for Duke, But Is He the Missing Piece to a Repeat Title?

All of the talk surrounding the No. 1 seed Duke Blue Devils is not about what they did to North Carolina in the ACC championship. It is whether or not they will finally be at full strength for their opening game against No. 16 seed Hampton.

Rumors are running rampant that freshman Kyrie Irving could return as early as Friday against Hampton, but no one will say for sure. Maybe they want to keep it a mystery. Maybe they have no idea how Irving will respond in a game situation.

Either way, the return of Irving to Duke's backcourt could be enough to lift the Blue Devils ahead of the rest of the teams in the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

Here lies the problem. If you have not yet filled out your bracket, hold off as long as possible. You may be able to get more information on Irving's status throughout the day today and into tomorrow morning. At this point, you have to figure he will attempt to play, but no one knows how effective he will be on the floor.

Irving is coming back for a couple of reasons, provided everything goes well as far as his big toe is concerned. 

First, he wants to lead Duke to a title. Irving is just a freshman, so he was not around to cut down the nets last season when Duke defeated the Butler Bulldogs to win the national championship.

Also, it has been speculated all season that Irving is a "one-and-done" player who will enter the NBA after his freshman season. His stock is already high, but he may be coming back to have a shot at being the No. 1 overall selection in the 2011 NBA draft.

If there is still time, you may want to advance Duke a little further than you had them going before. I still don't have them winning it all, but I may advance the Blue Devils past the Texas Longhorns in the Sweet 16 with Irving in the lineup. I may even advance them to the Final Four in Houston.

But it all depends on the big toe of Kyrie Irving. 

If he plays and plays well, Duke can return to the finals. If not, I still have them getting upset by Texas.

For a complete look at March Madness 2011, make sure to check out Bleacher Report's extensive coverage. Also, make sure to download your own printable NCAA tournament 2011 bracket.

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NCAA Brackets 2011 Underway, Can Villanova Turn Things Around Against George Mason?

The No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed is always the toughest one to predict. You really might as well flip a coin or choose by which mascot you feel is better. The games are that tough to call.

That remains very true when No. 8 seed George Mason meets No. 9 seed Villanova. 

We all remember George Mason from a few tournaments back. They pulled off an improbable run to the Final Four, but this is not the same team heading into the 2011 NCAA Tournament. 

They are better.

I'm not saying that the same will hold true for the Patriots this season. If they can get past the Wildcats, which would be to the surprise of no one considering how poorly Villanova has played as of late, there is no way they could defeat No. 1 seed Ohio State in the next round. 

But first things first. Villanova was a top-10 team for part of this season. They have solid backcourt play in Corey Stokes and Corey Fisher, and can also play well inside with Antonio Pena and Mouphtaou Yarou. It is still a mystery as to how this team lost the last five games as well as seven of the last nine.

George Mason is led by Cam Long, but they have a solid team from to bottom. They are poised to win a game or two, and could very well win this game.

But the Wildcats will have something to prove. They are not as bad as they played down the stretch. But neither are they as good as they were to start the season. You have to decide whether or not they are better than the Patriots if they play somewhere in between.

Final Score: George Mason 71, Villanova 66. I liked the Wildcats to rebound in the tournament depending on their draw. I don't like this draw for Jay Wright's bunch. The only way they come out on top is if they dominate the paint. I don't have enough confidence in them anymore.

For a complete look at March Madness 2011, make sure to check out Bleacher Report's extensive coverage. Also, make sure to download your own printable NCAA tournament 2011 bracket.

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NCAA Brackets Revealed, Can Syracuse Avoid Another Early NCAA Tournament Exit?

No. 3 seed Syracuse is a heavy favorite against No. 14 seed Indiana State. But should they be, considering these two squads are actually a lot alike?

No, I'm not kidding. The Orangemen and Sycamores have a lot in common this season. 

Both had a winning streak of at least six games. Both also suffered from at least a four-game losing streak, dropping some of those games to weaker opponents who they should have beat.

Both teams hold a victory over DePaul (which granted, is a bigger deal for the Sycamores than the Orange). And both teams ended the regular season on at least a five-game winning streak, although Syracuse lost in the Big East tournament.

So as you can clearly see, these two teams are pretty much evenly matched.

Yeah, right.

Syracuse plays against the top teams in the country every night. They have stars who could play at the next level, including Rick Jackson, Kris Joseph and Scoop Jardine. They are coached by a legend.

Indiana State's biggest claim to fame is that Larry Bird is an alum.

Final Score: Syracuse 78, Indiana State 64. Really? Did you seriously think that this would be a close game? I don't have Syracuse going to the Final Four, but they should breeze past Indiana State. Sorry, Larry.

For a complete look at March Madness 2011, make sure to check out Bleacher Report's extensive coverage. Also, make sure to download your own printable NCAA tournament 2011 bracket.

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NCAA Brackets Revealed, Will Penn State Be Able to Shut Down Temple to Pull Off an Upset?

In the past, former coach John Chaney relied solely on defense to advance in the NCAA tournament. But when No. 7 seed Temple battles No. 10 seed Penn State on Thursday afternoon, Fran Dunphy will have no problem letting his Owls run up and down the floor and actually try and score more than 50 points per game.

But will the Nittany Lions allow Temple to run up and down on them? Penn State is known for actually playing better defense than Temple. Of course, they have to, because they often struggle to score many points.

This is another one of those matchups involving a team with a better record from a smaller conference taking on a team just a handful of games over .500 from a stronger conference. You have to decide what means more when choosing which team will advance in your bracket.

Temple is a very solid team. Juan Fernandez does an excellent job leading this team at point guard, and he has some help in Ramone Moore and Lavoy Allen. The Owls' biggest victory of the season took place against the Georgetown Hoyas. They also had a close loss to the Villanova Wildcats.

Penn State is extremely inconsistent. Some games they look like they have enough talent to make a deep run in the tournament, while other games they don't even look like they belong in the NIT.

So the question will linger in many people's minds as to which one will show up on Thursday. The one that twice beat Michigan State and Wisconsin and almost defeated Ohio State on the road, or the one that scored less than 50 points six times this season? Granted, one of those contests was a 36-33 victory over Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament.

Final Score: Penn State: 53, Temple 51. In the end, I like Talor Battle to take over for Penn State and lead the Nittany Lions to a minor upset over the Owls. They have been playing up-and-down basketball all season, but I like them enough in this one.

For a complete look at March Madness 2011, make sure to check out Bleacher Report's extensive coverage. Also, make sure to download your own printable NCAA tournament 2011 bracket.

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NCAA Tournament Tips Off, Can Clemson Make It Two Straight and Upset West Virginia?

With the newly formatted first round underway, two teams have already advanced into the official second round. No. 12 seed Clemson proved that they belong in the Big Dance with an emphatic victory over No. 12 UAB last night. They now get No. 5 seed West Virginia on Thursday.

The Tigers took care of the Blazers in easy fashion, but they do not get much time to prepare for the Mountaineers. This is part of the problem with the new format of the NCAA tournament. If these teams are technically part of the elite who earned a berth in the Big Dance, why are they treated like the wicked stepsisters who are really only just along for the ride?

It will not be easy for Clemson to turn around and pull off an upset against West Virginia. But you cannot count them out, because even though they will only have one day of rest, West Virginia has now been off since last Wednesday, and the rust factor could outweigh the lack of rest.

Depending on which you feel is more important, you will have to decide between rust vs. rest.

Personally, I am still taking a rusty Mountaineers team over a tired Tigers team. It has more to do with their overall teams than anything else. While the Tigers now have a new coach, this has not been a team that has enjoyed much success in the NCAA tournament over the past few years. Although, they generally do better when playing the role of the underdog.

It all comes down to the fact that West Virginia has beaten better teams this season. The Mountaineers hold victories over Georgetown, Purdue, Vanderbilt, Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Connecticut and Louisville. All seven of those teams are in the NCAA tournament.

The only team Clemson defeated that reached the tournament is Florida State. 

Final Score: West Virginia 67, Clemson 62. Jerai Grant, son of former NBA player Harvey and nephew of former NBA champion Horace, had a career night in the team's win against UAB. I don't see him having the same type of game against West Virginia.

For a complete look at March Madness 2011, make sure to check out Bleacher Report's extensive coverage. Also, make sure to download your own printable NCAA tournament 2011 bracket.