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I think that there are six teams that should make it to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament without trouble:
Baylor, Louisville, Notre Dame, Mississippi State, Oregon, and UConn.
Of those, Connecticut perhaps has the weakest grasp on a position at that level. Unlike previous years when UConn would play a good dozen games against teams ranked at the end of the season in the Top 25 (and beat all or most of them), this year, we've played just four games against ranked teams (five, if you include DePaul, back in the rankings in the Coaches Poll). And of those, we've lost two, and lost rather big. And given the lackluster performances against middling AAC opponents of late, it's not clear that Connecticut will rise to the occasion as we have in the past.
For the remainder of the Elite Eight, Stanford is now playing like an elite team, and should make it in. But beyond that, the teams have been inconsistent. Oregon State just lost to Arizona State for the second time. Maryland has lost to three Big Ten teams that themselves are hardly world-beaters. So past Stanford, every other team appears inconsistent.
Perhaps the most dangerous team, and the one most capable of powering into the Elite Eight, is Miami, which seems capable of beating anyone- provided they feel like it- and getting to the Elite Eight or higher. They've beaten Notre Dame, Louisville, Florida State, Syracuse, and Marquette (back when Marquette was strong).
The cream always rises to the top. We seem to have six teams that qualify as the cream, with UConn's lack of a powerful post player our Achilles' heel. Oregon, with Hebard back, is back to being unbeatable. Stanford is now playing like an elite team, and Miami could beat anyone in the nation, provided their players feel like showing up.
Baylor remains the most likely to take it all. The early rounds? Pick 'em. But for the Elite Eight, I'm guessing that it's pretty clear.....
(Famous last words?).
Anyone else?
Baylor, Louisville, Notre Dame, Mississippi State, Oregon, and UConn.
Of those, Connecticut perhaps has the weakest grasp on a position at that level. Unlike previous years when UConn would play a good dozen games against teams ranked at the end of the season in the Top 25 (and beat all or most of them), this year, we've played just four games against ranked teams (five, if you include DePaul, back in the rankings in the Coaches Poll). And of those, we've lost two, and lost rather big. And given the lackluster performances against middling AAC opponents of late, it's not clear that Connecticut will rise to the occasion as we have in the past.
For the remainder of the Elite Eight, Stanford is now playing like an elite team, and should make it in. But beyond that, the teams have been inconsistent. Oregon State just lost to Arizona State for the second time. Maryland has lost to three Big Ten teams that themselves are hardly world-beaters. So past Stanford, every other team appears inconsistent.
Perhaps the most dangerous team, and the one most capable of powering into the Elite Eight, is Miami, which seems capable of beating anyone- provided they feel like it- and getting to the Elite Eight or higher. They've beaten Notre Dame, Louisville, Florida State, Syracuse, and Marquette (back when Marquette was strong).
The cream always rises to the top. We seem to have six teams that qualify as the cream, with UConn's lack of a powerful post player our Achilles' heel. Oregon, with Hebard back, is back to being unbeatable. Stanford is now playing like an elite team, and Miami could beat anyone in the nation, provided their players feel like showing up.
Baylor remains the most likely to take it all. The early rounds? Pick 'em. But for the Elite Eight, I'm guessing that it's pretty clear.....
(Famous last words?).
Anyone else?
