Prediction Brothers 2009 NCAA Tournament East Region Preview

Note: This is the third in a series of four regional previews for the NCAA Tournament. The fourth and final preview, the Midwest region, comes Wednesday.

West Region Preview from Sunday
South Region Preview from Monday

First Round Thoughts and Predictions

(Dayton, OH) Friday

No. 1 Pittsburgh vs. No. 16 East Tennessee State

ETSU gets nearly 55 points a game from Kevin Tiggs, Mike Smith, and Courtney Pigram. And then nothing. Meanwhile, Pitt has a scorer in Sam Young, a rebounder in DeJuan Blair, and an assist man in Levance Fields, with four others average more than five a game.

Pick: PITTSBURGH

No. 8 Oklahoma State vs. No. 9 Tennessee

Another tough 8/9 matchup exists here, and it's going to be a 15-round slugfest. It's a shootout with both teams averaging nearly 80 points a game. Both teams sometimes lack on the fundamentals, and both teams can push the pace. One team has to move on, and I see Oklahoma State making a few more free throws and committing fewer turnovers.

Pick: OKLAHOMA STATE

(Boise, ID) Friday

No. 5 Florida State vs. No. 12 Wisconsin

Although Florida State looks like a hot pick going into the tournament, their résumé isn't as impressive as some people think, as they only went 1-5 against top 25 teams and only have a +3.6 scoring margin. But Wisconsin doesn't have a go-to-guy, and they don't have any firepower.

Pick: FLORIDA STATE

No. 4 Xavier vs. No. 13 Portland State

Xavier is in my opinion the most dangerous team in the tournament. They've beaten Memphis and Missouri. They have the outside shooting needed to go deep. But they're a young team. Meanwhile, Portland State relies heavily on outside shooting and is too one-dimensional. I see a pretty easy win for Xavier in this one.

Pick: XAVIER

(Philadelphia, PA) Thursday

No. 6 UCLA vs. No. 11 Virginia Commonwealth

The pundits, experts, radio jocks, co-workers, and wives love VCU to upset UCLA in Philly. They're traveling too far, they'll say. VCU did it two years ago, they'll say. Darren Collison's injured, they'll say. "I'm not leavin' one-and-done this year!" Collison will say. And he'll be right.

Pick: UCLA

No. 3 Villanova vs. No. 14 American

American very well has the capacity to pull off the upset with their defense (58.4 PPG). Granted, half of their games are in the Patriot League, and Villanova is a fundamentally sound basketball team. Plus with the game at the Wachovia Center in Philly, it will be a home game for the Wildcats, and they won't disappoint.

Pick: VILLANOVA

(Greensboro, NC) Thursday

No. 7 Texas vs. No. 10 Minnesota

I can't believe how ugly some of these 7/10 games are this year. Texas is a shadow of their former selves (circa 2007 and 2008), and Minnesota has turnover problems and has gone 5-7 to end the season. With Tubby Smith at the helm and the fact that the Big Ten seems to steal a game every tournament lingering in my mind, I have to go with the Gophers in this one.

Pick: MINNESOTA

No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Binghamton

Like Villanova, Duke's playing in its backyard. They have something to prove this year.

Pick: DUKE