Marquette's been playing really well, but Izzo is always tough in March and he's got veteran guards again, which is when he usually wins.
Pitt's D has been much improved in March, but they did play two trainwreck offensive teams. I think Xavier cruises.
Creighton Baylor is a toss-up. Does Baylor make a bunch of midrange pullups or miss more of them? Can they stop Kalkbrenner on rolls to the rim?
Another thing to consider is Creighton's short and lousy bench just got shorter and lousier with Mason Miller's ankle injury. Playing the 5 starters more minutes in the high altitude in Denver will be challenging.Marquette's been playing really well, but Izzo is always tough in March and he's got veteran guards again, which is when he usually wins.
Pitt's D has been much improved in March, but they did play two trainwreck offensive teams. I think Xavier cruises.
Creighton Baylor is a toss-up. Does Baylor make a bunch of midrange pullups or miss more of them? Can they stop Kalkbrenner on rolls to the rim?
Izzo has taken 2 5s and a 7 to the Final Four, and another 7 to the E8. I agree that best teams usually win in these rounds, but he can be an exception.I agree on Xavier/Pitt. Pitt is very mediocre, and the only team from Lunardi's last 4 in or last 4 byes that is still in the Tournament. If Xavier shows up focused on offense, they should score at will.
Marquette is a better team than Michigan State and the better teams usually win in the second and third rounds.
Creighton has the better starting lineup but their bench just sucks, and Baylor is good. This game is a toss-up.
Wish they didn't cram our game in between Marquette & Creighton within a 2-hour window. That's my only real beef with the tourney scheduling - all Big East teams on the same day.
Well, that and how they have 2 stand-alone games on Sat & Sun afternoon and everything else at night. (Gonzaga-TCU a 9:40 tip on a Sunday night?)
Yells at another cloud
Pitt is still not it.
Why isn't UConn playing on CBS locally? Isn't CBS for the best viewer draws, and wouldn't that be UConn in CT?Marquette next up at 5:15p on CBS. Hoping for 2-0.
Izzo has taken 2 5s and a 7 to the Final Four, and another 7 to the E8. I agree that best teams usually win in these rounds, but he can be an exception.
This is the way!
I've got Marquette, Baylor and Pittsburgh in my bracket, and I'm sticking to it.
Anything can happen of course, but I think Marquette has more talent and Smart is easily as good a coach as Izzo. Baylor can stink a place up, but as mentioned above, both the venue and Creighton's bench liabilities favor Baylor. And Xavier looked like crap last game, their success has become Hunter's responsibility, and Pitt arguably now has better guard play and inside play with the development of the Diaz twins.
Can you please give me your picks on Thursday??Xavier and Creighton advance. MSU is too tough in March.