The student news site of Westford Academy

WA Ghostwriter

The student news site of Westford Academy

WA Ghostwriter

The student news site of Westford Academy

WA Ghostwriter

March Madness: Pre-bracket Picks

By Sameer Kini
Sports Editor

It’s that time of a year again. March Madness is upon us. With Selection Sunday approaching, I would like to give my take on the contenders before the bracket even comes out. I will discuss the big name contenders who fellow aspiring bracketologists know of, but also who I think could make a splash as the Cinderella this year. I will also be publishing my bracket as the tournament kicks off next week.

The Favorites:

Kentucky – Atop the rankings for much of the season and with quite a bit of young firepower, I predict that the Wildcats will be the most highly-picked champions before the tournament. Talented freshman Anthony Davis has taken the league by storm, leading Kentucky in scoring and rebounding. Factor in underclassmen Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Doron Lamb and you have a team that looks unbeatable. Coach John Calipari has done a great job recruiting, and while it is tempting for me to think that this is the year, I’m worried about the lack of experience. Every year, the Wildcats storm into the tourney led by some hot shot freshman only to come up short when it matters, and I see the same this year. Davis will carry them to the Elite Eight or the Final Four, where I see them falling short.

Syracuse – Jim Boeheim has the Orange primed for a deep run in this year’s tourney, and I think they have a real shot. They have an incredibly solid roster and their usual issue of free throw shooting has not been as bad as it was the past few seasons. However, I do think that big men win when it comes to March, and while Syracuse has the talent to rebound, they will have to rebound better than they have all season. If Fab Melo and C.J. Fair can keep Cuse competitive on the boards, then I like their chances of making the Final Four.

North Carolina – Hard not to like the Tar Heels this year. The ACC regular season champions have a high flying offense that has been battle tested in their tough division. Harrison Barnes’ decision to stay and not go to the draft has paid off for Roy Williams’ squad, who seem incredibly well-balanced. Kendall Marshall has done a terrific job stepping up at point guard, but it is their front court that will win them games during the late stages of the tournament. As I said, I think big men win March, and John Henson and Tyler Zeller have been absolutely phenomenal this year. They are definitely beatable, but opponents will have to be on top of their game to even compete with the Heels this year, and a championship is in sight for them in my opinion.

Kansas – Every year it seems Kansas is able to put an incredibly well-rounded team on the court that can compete with anyone. Upperclassmen Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor lead the Jayhawks into the tourney, leading their team in points per game. Kansas is able to rebound well because of Robinson and 7 foot tall Jeff Withey, but also shoot 49% from the field, making them incredibly dangerous. The past few seasons, the Jayhawks have fallen to inferior teams due to mental lapses, but if Coach Bill Self can keep his players focused, I see at least a Final Four appearance for the Jayhawks.

Missouri – Mizzou has managed to fly under the radar all year it seems. Averaging 80 points per game and shooting just over 50% from the field, Missouri has been able to light up the scoreboard, and many people think that they will be able to make a deep run. While I do think seniors Kim English and Marcus Denmon have been playing with a chip on their shoulder all season, I do not think the Tigers have it this year. The team is incredibly small overall, as reflected in their poor rebounding, and their defense has been suspect at times. One bad game where they run cold shooting and I could see them getting beat by a far inferior team, so I would not be surprised to see an early exit for the Tigers.

Duke – My last favorite for the tourney this year is none other than the Blue Devils of Duke University. Despite losing the ACC regular season title due to a blowout at home at the hands of hated rival UNC, Duke still has an opportunity to make it deep in the tourney. During the game against Carolina, their major weakness was exploited: their weakness in the frontcourt and their lack of size. While their frontcourt leaves much to be desired in my mind, I do think there might not be a better backcourt in all of college hoops. Freshman Austin Rivers can do it all, stepping up in big games. Additionally, Seth Curry has been huge for the Devils, shooting about 40% from 3 point land. To be successful, this team needs to hit their threes, as evidenced by the loss to UNC. They will easily advance to the Sweet Sixteen in my mind, but as the competition gets stiffer, Duke will be outmatched on the boards and on defense. If they can drain their threes however, they are unbeatable, so when it comes to the Devils and their odds in the tourney the question that comes to mind is, are you feeling lucky?

Cinderella Hopefuls:

Murray State – For those who have not heard, the Racers are good and their superstar guard Isaiah Canaan is even better. They most likely will not get a high seed coming out of the Ohio Valley Conference, but that is no reason to shy away from picking Murray State for making some March magic happen. While they may not be tested against many ranked teams (2-0 vs. ranked teams this season), I still think that these Racers believe in themselves and their ability to make something happen, so I would not be surprised for them to upset a few teams during the tourney.

Cincinnati – Tough for me to explain why but after watching a few Cincy games this year, they have made me a believer. Playing in the tough Big East, they have proven that they can handle tough competition. Sean Kilpatrick is having a great season, and Senior Dion Dixon seems to step up in big games. I have also really enjoyed watching big man Yancy Gates play, as he is almost averaging a double-double, and if he can get it going for the tourney, I think that this team has a real shot at making some noise.

So there you have it, my pre-bracket picks. I am sure that some of my opinions will change when the actual bracket comes out, and we get to see each team’s respective road to the Final Four and beyond, but this is my general analysis of the top teams. I hope you all take a peek at my bracket once the tournament starts, and good luck to all in their bracket pools.

Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All WA Ghostwriter Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *