by Brandon Call
Daily Lobo
This year's men's NCAA Tournament can be defined by one word - predictable.
As I do every year when facing the dilemma of filling out an NCAA bracket for an office pool, I tend to go for the higher seeds. This year, my strategy is finally paying off.
Of the teams advancing to the Sweet 16, just five are not supposed to be there.
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This year's big surprise comes with lowest seed No. 7 UNLV defeating No. 2 Wisconsin 74-68 on Sunday. However, was the win all that much of a surprise?
In first-round action, Wisconsin fell into an 18-point hole against No. 15 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi,
before star player Kammron
Taylor led the Badgers in the
second half to a 76-63 victory.
Against UNLV, Wisconsin was led again by Taylor, who had a game-high 24 points. Only one other Badger player managed to score in double digits. That's what happens to teams whose tournament hopes rely solely on one player's shoulders.
The same was true for No. 4 Texas in the Eastern Region. After surviving a 79-67 scare from No. 13 NMSU in the first round thanks to a 27-point effort by freshman standout Kevin Durant, is it any shock that the Longhorns were blown out 87-68 by No. 5 Southern California?
USC's win was a team effort in which all five starting players scored in double digits. For the Longhorns, Durant's 30 points were just not enough.
Top seeds Florida, Kansas and North Carolina were in cruise control, facing few challenges on their way to Sweet 16 appearances. Ohio State, the other No. 1 seed, was the only one really tested in a 78-71 overtime win over No. 9 Xavier on Saturday.
Besides Wisconsin's loss, the other No. 2 seeds - Georgetown, Memphis and UCLA - are also still alive.
No. 6 Vanderbilt's double-overtime 78-75 thrilling win over No. 3 Washington State provided a bit of hope. But then again, the Cougars were picked to finish last in the Pac 10 in preseason polls.
In addition, newly hired Washington State head coach Tony Bennett managed to turn the struggling program around from an 11-17 record last season, in which the team was just 4-14 against conference opponents. Bennett may have added some magic to the squad, but he is no miracle worker. A Sweet 16 berth would have been nice, but it would have been a stretch for a team that lost in the
Pac 10 Championship semifinals to none other than USC.
The other No. 3 seeds moved forward in the tournament, as Oregon, Texas A&M and Pittsburgh pose threats for possible upsets in the next round.
No. 5 Butler, No. 4 Southern Illinois and No. 5 Tennessee round out the top 16.
What this year's tournament lacks is the excitement of the underdogs, as everyone loves rooting for the little guy. There is not a single double-digit seed left in the tournament, and big-conference schools, namely those from the SEC and Pac 10, dominate the field.
The NCAA selection committee is to blame for the uninspiring tournament. This year, only six of the 34 at-large bids went to mid-major schools. That number is down from 12 in 2004 and eight last season. It is these teams that make the NCAA interesting for viewers.
You may recall No. 11 George Mason's inspiring run to the Final Four last season. No top seeds advanced further than the Elite Eight for the first time since 1980 in last year's tournament. Television
ratings soared, and people had something to talk about.
But sorry, not this year.
This season, Cinderella did not receive her invitation to the ball. Who will be the Prince Charming to sweep basketball enthusiasts off their feet? Vanderbilt is a long shot. UNLV is an even worse bet. Looks like its going to be the year that high seeds reign supreme.
My pick is Kansas. The Jayhawks have gotten over their first-round exits the past two years and are on a 13-game winning streak heading into their matchup with Southern Illinois.
However, if anyone can push Kansas, Southern Illinois can. The Salukis are tough on the perimeter, but the Jayhawks are playing on another planet.
Kansas led the Big 12 in shooting and defense, which is a good indication it can punch its ticket to Atlanta. Winning teams have offense; championship teams have defense.
So if you fell in love with Cinderella, and she ruined your bracket and stole your heart last season, this year you are off the hook. Pull out a cold one and watch a wild Sweet 16 that features some good matchups.
