NCAA Bracket 2011: The Top 10 Games That Could Go To the Wire
What a crazy year this has been in college basketball. And the best part is that things will likely only get crazier as the NCAA tournament officially gets under way tonight with the two play-in games.
Some say this has been a down year for college basketball, because there seems to be no true elite team. Others say that this is a good thing because it means that there is more parity throughout the country. Due to this, many are predicting that this will be the most unpredictable and wild tournament in the history of the event. It's very difficult to get a read on the majority of the teams in this field, leaving many feeling uncertain as they fill out their various brackets.
As we have learned over recent years, March Madness is a time to expect the unexpected.
With that in mind, lets take a look at some of the first round games that could go down to the wire, sure to leave fans and viewers alike on the edge of their seats.
On second thought, it's March Madness: everyone is always on the edge of their seat.
Michigan vs Tennessee
1 of 10
At first glance, it would appear that this 8/9 matchup will not be much of a contest. Michigan enters this game playing some of their basketball of the year, having won 7 out of their previous 10 games, and also giving Ohio St. a run for their money before falling 68-61 in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament.
Tennessee, in contrast, is struggling mightily as they enter the tournament. They were just 3-6 in their last 9 games of regular season conference play before losing to Florida in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament. Although they were in most of those games, they couldn't close them out. They also had a terrible home loss to Mississippi St.
So why will this came be close? It is due to the fact that the Wolverines have a tendency to shoot themselves out of games. During the regular season, Michigan attempted 704 3-pointers, and only shot them at a 35 percent clip. That is decent, but not great.
Michigan can fall in love with the 3-ball at times, and it could prove costly if they aren't hot. The Vols are no slouch themselves offensively, averaging 70 points per game, so they have the ability to win a high-scoring affair.
Although it isn't a great draw for the Vols, as long as they can defend the three-point line, they should be in this game late.
Temple vs Penn St.
2 of 10
Although they don't have much depth, Temple is still a very balanced team. The Owls boast four players who average double figures in scoring, and have another player, Khalif Wyatt, who averages 9.5 points per game.
They are also dealing with multiple injuries. They lost forward Michael Eric for the year, and also may be without forward Scootie Randall, who is averaging 11.6 points per game, but is also dealing with a foot injury. Even without them, though, the Owls still have a very good backcourt in Juan Fernandez and Ramone Moore, as well as a very effective post player in Lavoy Allen.
However, Penn St. has a man named Talor Battle, and that's why they will be in this game.
Battle, who is averaging 19.8 points per game, can hit from anywhere on the court, and is lethal from beyond-the-arc. Although his shot selection is questionable at times, he can put up points in a hurry.
The Nittany Lions are also a veteran team, so they won't be intimidated by the spotlight.
Neither team has much depth, so the starters will decide this one.
Butler vs Old Dominion
3 of 10
This game features two of the better defensive teams in the tournament, so it's sure to be an all-out defensive battle.
Butler is currently riding a 9-game winning streak. They aren't as good defensively as they were a year ago, but they are still very effective. They also have one of the best defensive players in the tournament in Ronald Nored. They are also scoring the ball effectively, averaging 72 points per game, and are shooting over 36 percent from distance. Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard have the ability to carry this team a long way.
Although Old Dominion will have other ideas.
They get after it defensively. The Monarchs only give up 58 points per game while holding opponents to 40 percent shooting from the field. They are also a great offensive rebounding team, led by Kent Bazemore and Frank Hassell. As a team, they love to crash the offensive glass, so a missed shot isn't the end of the world for them. However, the Monarchs struggle with their outside shooting, so they are rarely able to blow teams out.
Points will be few and far between in this one.
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Kansas St. vs Utah St.
4 of 10
Kansas St. has one of the best players in the tournament in Jacob Pullen as well as a very good frontcourt that score in a variety of ways. Based on talent alone, the Wildcats should be able to win this game pretty easily.
The good news for Utah St., however, is that the game won't be decided on talent alone.
The Aggies are an excellent defensive team, only giving up 58.2 points per game. They also good on the boards, and also have a good amount of depth on the roster. Yes, they lack a ton of athleticism, but what they lack in athletes they make up in being a very fundamentally sound team.
If Kansas St. has one big flaw, it's they lack being a good fundamental team. They will make flashy plays, but will also make some real head-scratching plays.
The Wildcats should win this game, but they also could get very frustrated by the way the Aggies play. If they get to frustrated and let it affect them, they will be sent packing early.
St. Johns vs Gonzaga
5 of 10
The Zags will return to their role as the underdog. As we have learned in previous years, that is when they are the most dangerous.
Gonzaga is the type of team that does a lot of things good but doesn't do anything great. They are a decent defensive team, although they struggle to defend the three-point line. St. Johns was a good draw for them because the Red Storm often struggle to shoot the ball well from the outside.
The Bulldogs also have a very good post player in Robert Sacre, who at 7'0", is a tough guard for any opponent. He has the ability to step away from the basket and knock down open shots.
St. Johns is a veteran group, although they have almost no tournament experience. They are also dealing with the loss of D.J. Kennedy, who was the teams best defender and rebounder. It remains to be seen how well they can play without Kennedy.
Even if the Johnnies struggle early, guard Dwight Hardy, who is averaging 17.9 points per game, has the ability to keep the Red Storm in the ball game. He has also shown he is not afraid of taking the big shot late.
He could get that opportunity against the Zags.
Cincinnati vs Missouri
6 of 10
MIssouri has really struggled defensively this year, which is rare for a Mike Anderson-led team. The Tigers are giving up 71.4 points per game, and also have had trouble winning away from their home court.
The reason they will be in this game late is because they don't beat themselves by turning the ball over, and also shoot the 3-ball at a 36 percent clip, which is something they will need to continue in the tournament.
The Bearcats are a very good defensive team, only giving up 59.2 points per game. They also have Yancy Gates, who has the ability to take over a game at any time. They are a big, physical team that is more than content to grind out wins,
Their main problem is that, quite frankly, they disappear on the offensive end of the floor far too often. They go through some serious scoring droughts, which can't happen against Mizzou. They only shoot 34 percent from the floor, and aren't much better from beyond-the-arc. They shoot 32 percent from 3, but continue to shoot plenty of shots from downtown.
This is a very good matchup for the Bearcats, but the question is whether they can put it together for 40 minutes.
Xavier vs Marquette
7 of 10
It might be time to get familiar with Xavier guard Tu Holloway. You could hear the junior guards name mentioned quite often over the next few weeks.
Holloway is averaging over 20 points as well as 5.5 assists per game. He is a dynamic offensive player, and is also an elite three-point shooter. He is shooting 35 percent from beyond-the-arc.
Kenny Frease, the Musketeers 7'0" center, is also rapidly improving and gives the team a good option in the post. Xavier doesn't have much depth, so much of the offensive weight will fall on the shoulder of Holloway and fellow guard Mark Lyons.
The Musketeers will be tested right away against the Golden Eagles, who have faced many great players during conference play in the Big East.
Marquette is led by Jimmy Butler and Darius Johnson-Odom, with both players averaging 16 points per game. As a team, they excel from downtown, but also struggle to defend the three-point line. While they have some good depth, they don't really have an impact player down low. They need to crash the glass as a team in order to stay in games.
Nevertheless, no team in the country plays harder than Marquette, and head coach Buzz Williams won't let them give up.
They will find away to give Xavier a game, and maybe even pull out the win.
Texas vs Oakland
8 of 10
Although they struggled down the stretch, the Longhorns roster is filled with talent and NBA prospects. However, as usual, they are struggling at the wrong time.
Texas is very good at defending all five positions on the floor, and is one of the best teams in the tournament at defending the three-point line. Offensively, they are led by Jordan Hamilton, who averages 18.5 points per game. He is a dynamic talent who can take over a game.
Oakland will be ready, though.
The Golden Grizzlies played a very difficult schedule, including games against West Virginia, Illinois, Michigan St. and Ohio St. They have experience playing against some of the best talent in the country.
They are led by future-pro Keith Benson and stud-guard Reggie Hamilton. As a team, they love to get out and run and push the tempo. They also shoot the ball very well from downtown.
They have the offensive firepower to hang with the Longhorns.
However, beware. They seem to be a very trendy upset pick, and almost seem to be the favorite in this matchup the way a lot of people are talking about them. Don't forget that Texas was in the conversation for a No. 1 seed just a few weeks ago.
Wisconsin vs Belmont
9 of 10
In recent years, Wisconsin has had some very successful seasons only to reach the tournament and have some very disappointing losses. Such was the case last year when they were bounced by Cornell.
If they aren't careful, that could happen again this year.
Their opponents, the Belmont Bruins, play unlike any other team in the tournament. They rotate 11 players, with no player on their roster averaging over 25 minutes per game. They play all-out defensively, and are always bringing in fresh players off the bench.
Belmont's roster is also loaded with 3-point shooters, and as a team they shoot over 38 percent from downtown.
Any team that can shoot from the outside and defend has a chance to make a deep run in March, and this game is no exception.
Wisconsin boasts some serious talent of their own, but don't be surprised if Belmont is still hanging around with just a few minutes left to play.
Louisville vs Morehead St.
10 of 10
Louisville plays as a team, which is a major reason why they had a much better season than anyone thought they would.
Still, there are holes.
The Cardinals are very thin down low, with Terrence Jennings being their only real low post threat. Peyton Siva is a very dynamic, quick guard who can get anywhere he wants on the floor, but also struggles when forced into shooting jump shots. Louisville relies heavily on their outside shooting, as they should with the likes of Mike Marra, Preston Knowles and Kyle Kuric on their roster. But if they go cold, they don't have to many other ways to score.
Morehead St. has the top rebounder in the country in Kenneth Faried, but he can also score the ball. Faried is averaging 17.6 points per game.
However, they are more than Faried. They also have a very good guard in Demonte Harper, who contributes in a variety of ways. They are a very deep team, and won't be afraid of their in-state rivals.
If Louisville can't knock down shots from the outside, this could be a very dangerous game for them.
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