Upset picks

[HuskyHawk]

There's always a 12/5 upset, and we were an upset last year. It's not a bad call to make if you're just looking at the team on paper.

In the abstract, but this UConn squad has had a much higher floor than last season. It's also so solid defensively. Lastly the matchup is favorable, this is the kind of team UConn handles.

UAB over Houston is more likely.
Indiana can absolutely beat St. Mary's. No idea about Wyoming.
Iowa vs Richmond looks least likely. Iowa should steamroll them. PC got screwed, SDST is tougher than Richmond.

Of the 5 seeds, UConn is less likely than Houston or St. Mary's to be the one that goes down.

 

[UconnU]

It was trendy to pick against us in 2011 and 2014 as well. Who cares.

Charles Barkley picked us to lose every game lol

 

[Tenspro2002]

He’s not wrong.

My first worry when i saw the region was Arkansas playing with a chip on their shoulder. They are the highest seed there and potentially have to play two Northeast teams in New York.

lol Buffalo is closer to Toronto, Detroit, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh than it is to New England. It's a midwestern city.

 

[husky429]

In the abstract, but this UConn squad has had a much higher floor than last season. It's also so solid defensively. Lastly the matchup is favorable, this is the kind of team UConn handles.

UAB over Houston is more likely.
Indiana can absolutely beat St. Mary's. No idea about Wyoming.
Iowa vs Richmond looks least likely. Iowa should steamroll them. PC got screwed, SDST is tougher than Richmond.

Of the 5 seeds, UConn is less likely than Houston or St. Mary's to be the one that goes down.

I agree completely. Just saying if I'm a lazy pundit looking for a talking point, using a big name like UConn and pointing to our history gets clicks.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

How the hell many Vermont fans does he think will be in Buffalo?

I think the home court advantage for Vermont could stem from the entire UConn fan base rooting for Vermont at least fans with full session passes. Regardless if Vermont is close last 10 minutes Arkansas will surely feel it. Just my thoughts.

 

[BleedHuskyBlu]

Iowa is the trendy final four pick that will lose in the first round to Richmond

 

[August_West]

He’s not wrong.

My first worry when i saw the region was Arkansas playing with a chip on their shoulder. They are the highest seed there and potentially have to play two Northeast teams in New York.l

no he's not and that's a VERY good team. I don't begrudge him his complaints. A good coach always would do that.

 

[August_West]

Iowa is the trendy final four pick that will lose in the first round to Richmond

I could see that. Purdue is who I really think is overrated from B10 though.

 

[methodology]

Iowa is the trendy final four pick that will lose in the first round to Richmond

Doubtful they have one of the best players in the country in Murray and a ton of offensive firepower. I could see Iowa making a deep run more so than losing to Richmond

St Mary’s is the most likely to lose.

 

[Chonky]

lol Buffalo is closer to Toronto, Detroit, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh than it is to New England. It's a midwestern city.

You’re right. It IS a midwestern city (happens to be one that is VERY accessible to both Connecticut and Vermont). Doesn’t matter a bit to to the kids who are from way down in Arkansas. It’s still in NY. Still looks like a slight.

 

[HooperScooper]

lol Buffalo is closer to Toronto, Detroit, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh than it is to New England. It's a midwestern city.

I don't why these people in the media, including Seth Davis on the selection show, think this is a home game for UConn. Washington, DC is closer to Hartford than Buffalo is. If UConn was in a bracket in DC would anyone say this is a home game for UConn?

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Iowa is the trendy final four pick that will lose in the first round to Richmond

I sort of buy this. Missed shots beget missed shots beget puckered ________.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I don't why these people in the media, including Seth Davis on the selection show, think this is a home game for UConn. Washington, DC is closer to Hartford than Buffalo is. If UConn was in a bracket in DC would anyone say this is a home game for UConn?

I assume it's just because they're playing a team from the southwest and the game is in (arguably) the northeast. Seth's from Connecticut so I assume he has a handle on northeast geography. But I will say that in my experience most people who are not from the Northeast have no concept of where cities are relative to one another. Hell, I know people who grew up in NYC who couldn't come close to picking out upstate cities on a map.

 

[gtcam]

The first upset i want to see is Vermont over Arkansas
The second is either team Zaga faces before the sweet 16 beats them

 

[awfuldan]

Not an really an upset in my opinion but I can see 11 seed Rutgers finally winning a game then take down 6 seed Alabama.

8 UNC or 9 Marquette could beat Baylor if they play well.

10 seed Davidson can make noise again if they get past MSU and play Puke.

Rutgers actually did win a game last year as a 10 seed over Clemson. I picked them over Alabama in my bracket this year, but I will likely change that if Notre Dame wins the play-in game.

Would love to see Vermont knock of Arkansas but I have a hard time believing that will happen.

 

[August_West]

I don't why these people in the media, including Seth Davis on the selection show, think this is a home game for UConn. Washington, DC is closer to Hartford than Buffalo is. If UConn was in a bracket in DC would anyone say this is a home game for UConn?

So...... He's wrong..........................but....................................................I kinda dig it. It is the extrapolation of the NY Post article last week saying UConn has reclaimed MSG as home court. It wasn't essentially accurate but close enough. So all these pundits are on the bandwagon of "fear the UConn northeast travelling horde". Whether it's entirely true or not in the end doesn't matter as much as putting it in opponents heads that it does. See what I'm getting at?

 

[gtcam]

St Mary's saves it's best for Gonzaga
But they are a tough team - people here don't really get to see them but I have watched 5 of their games this season and they are solid.
I think Auburn is ripe to get beat early
I really like that Davidson team but they rely on the long ball too much- McKillop is a great coach

 

[gtcam]

So...... He's wrong..........................but....................................................I kinda dig it. It is the extrapolation of the NY Post article last week saying UConn has reclaimed MSG as home court. It wasn't essentially accurate but close enough. So all these pundits are on the bandwagon of "fear the UConn northeast travelling horde". Whether it's entirely true or not in the end doesn't matter as much as putting it in opponents heads that it does. See what I'm getting at?

I agree AW but I think that the one area that UConn is deficient on in terms of crowd participation is the student population. When UConn was in the OBE the student sections were great and they traveled. The current students have no history of bigtime NCAA basketball at UConn. I am quite sure that will change with success, I hope so. A lot of us diehards aren't getting any younger and things like health issues are creeping up fast and in my case (knee replacements, foot operations, back issues) have cost me going to some games.

 

[August_West]

I agree AW but I think that the one area that UConn is deficient on in terms of crowd participation is the student population. When UConn was in the OBE the student sections were great and they traveled. The current students have no history of bigtime NCAA basketball at UConn. I am quite sure that will change with success, I hope so. A lot of us diehards aren't getting any younger and things like health issues are creeping up fast and in my case (knee replacements, foot operations, back issues) have cost me going to some games.

Totally agree, thats why I said we arent what people think we are at this point. But hey, if "perception=reality" paradigm can give us any slight gamesmanship edge, Ill take it.

 

[connVA]

He’s not wrong.

My first worry when i saw the region was Arkansas playing with a chip on their shoulder. They are the highest seed there and potentially have to play two Northeast teams in New York.

I didn't even think about that. Vermont and potentially UConn in Buffalo- that is a pretty crappy draw for a #4.

 

[uconngb]

Solid points- I explicitly remember them picking against us after every win in 2014. Granted St Joes wasn't a dominating start to that run lol

Barkley couldn’t get enough of picking against us. And I didn’t think it was possible for that guy to look any dumber.

 

[aburks41]

Most of these "experts" probably pick 4 BIG 10 teams to make the final four each year, only for them to spectacularly flame out in the first weekend

 

[ucp990411]

How the hell many Vermont fans does he think will be in Buffalo?

I live in VT. Don’t be surprised

 

[UConNick]

I ran some numbers, and I’m in no way calling for it, but there’s a path for Longwood to be competitive with Tennessee. The Lancers are great three-point shooters and rebounders, and play at a slow-ish pace (all factors important to pulling upsets as a lower seed). I’ll probably pick it on a couple of my 10 brackets.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

How the hell many Vermont fans does he think will be in Buffalo?

both of them, and they'll be packing the good stuff -ben and jerrys, and cabots cheese. they always have the best snacks.
gonna blow the roof off of that sucka, too.