Selection Sunday Bracket Breakdown - 03/16/25

Mark Henry Jr., Sam Oshtry, Sean Barnard, and Joe Tansey break down the #SelectionSunday bracket reveal as we head straight into the #Madness this week!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Number one on your car radio preset hand the new
and improved Diehard Radio app W DAYES and WD two
seven Bring Date Philadelphia, Ice, Fox Sports Radio Like Gambler.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Hello and welcome to the live Selection Sunday Bracket breakdown
Here from the Gambler, We've got an hour and twenty
minutes ahead of you of breaking down every angle from
the bracket we just got here on Selection Sunday. We
got you for an hour twenty We're gonna have Sam

(00:31):
Austrey from the Score and from The Gambler here popping
in in just a minute. We're gonna have my co
host on the Tough Cover Radio show, Sean Bernard, popping
in here in just a minute. We're gonna have Joe
Tanzy popping in from later on in the show. And
then at eight o'clock, we've got our guys Sean Brace,
Nick McLay and Ryan Beef coil down in the embracement

(00:52):
at Sean Brace's house and they're gonna be covering everything
from and they're probably gonna have lines.

Speaker 3 (00:58):
Hopefully we get some lines out during this show.

Speaker 2 (01:00):
Usually I feel like they leak around seven seven point
thirty for the lines for the games and the times
for the games, and we got our guys, Sam popping
in your happy holidays, Sam, It's one of the best
days of the sports calendar.

Speaker 3 (01:11):
How are we feeling it?

Speaker 4 (01:13):
Sure is, I'm feeling great. I'm not too happy with
the one seed in Maryland's region at all. Would have
loved to seen Duke, would have loved to seen potentially Auburn, Florida.
I think it's the best of all the one seeds.
But we'll talk about all that. But I'm doing great, Mark,
How are you?

Speaker 2 (01:30):
I'm doing fantastic, and yet there's so much to get to,
so many things to cover.

Speaker 3 (01:36):
I guess my first question to you, how do you
handle selection Sunday?

Speaker 2 (01:40):
Do you have an empty bracket that you're filling out
along the way. That's what I've got, the empty bracket
that I wrote the names in here. That's a tradition
for me. Everybody's got their own way of handling it.
How do you handle select?

Speaker 4 (01:51):
Yes, the last two years I've done shows for it,
so really I'm just taking I'm writing down every matchup
of each region. I don't even look at the bracket.
I think about who was going on? Really, just write
notes like very quick bullets, of course, do a lot
of notes in the beginning, coming in to prepare, but
just writing notes of Bullet's quick of the matchups, who
I think could win, who I think could go far.

(02:12):
So really just writing down the matchups, putting the notes,
thinking of who I could win. But I don't do
a whole bracket just yet. I like to let it simmer.

Speaker 2 (02:21):
Let's do I'm trying to figure out the best way
to do this, and let's go reagion by region, and
let's do it the way that in the order that
they presented it. And I'll present my screen here and
we'll take it from I believe this is the South
Region as the top, with Auburn as the number one
overall seed, which, first of all, I think is preposterous

(02:43):
that Auburn got the number one overall seed, considering, you
know the fact that you have them losing three of
four games leading into the tournament. I don't think that's
ever happened for a number one overall seed in history.
Before I thought it probably would have made more sense
for Duke to be the number one overall seed, or

(03:04):
for maybe even Houston to be the one seed. I
know that most people don't agree with that, but what
was your take on Alibury to get in the one.

Speaker 4 (03:11):
Yeah, look, it's just one of those things where this
is pretty much decided days ago, like before the conference
tournaments start, really towards the end of the regular season.
So I think, if up to me, I'm given Duke
the number one overall seed. But you have to understand
that this committee valued the SEC and how deep and
talented this SEC team was. I think it was fourteen
teams ended up getting in. You over under a couple

(03:33):
of weeks ago, it was twelve and a half. So
this team, including Texas and including Oklahoma or Oklahoma's the
Big twelve, but including Texas and some of these other
bubble teams they got in. They got in dance and
then that's just kind of how it goes where they're
valuing the SEC. So of course they're going to give
Auburn that number one seed over a team like Duke
who played a really weak ACC schedule.

Speaker 3 (03:54):
And then when you go down the list and when
they were revealing this, it was probably five straight teams
that think they got too low of a seed.

Speaker 2 (04:03):
You know, Louisville comes in at an eight, which shocking
after the run they made in the a SEC tournament.
I think I think they were being seated as a
sixth by Palm today. I don't know where Lune already
had them, but it shocking to see them drop down
to an eighth. Not exactly an easy matchup there for Auburn,
especially letting them play in Lexington, which not a far
drive from Louisville. You got Creighton at a nine after

(04:25):
the run they made in the Big East Tournament. You
thought maybe they'd get up to a seven seed, but
they'd probably be an eight seeded down there.

Speaker 3 (04:32):
As a nine. Not that that not that there's a
huge difference between any and nine.

Speaker 2 (04:35):
Michigan I was seeing seated as a three seed today
by Palm, and they go and win the Big Ten
Tourney and it doesn't matter. They're down there at a
five with a twelve seed who some people thought might
have been in if they lost. If they you know,
that would have been inferred them being an eleven seed
or better. So that's and then Texas A and M
probably feels like they're probably seated at the flour But

(04:58):
I mean a week ago they were like a two s.
So there's a bunch of straight teams that did not
love their draw. Here, I'm sure, and we can get
to the bottom half of the region, but this top
half of the region.

Speaker 3 (05:10):
What's your kind of overall takeaway?

Speaker 4 (05:11):
And this was an incredibly difficult draw for Auburn to
play Louisville or Creighton. And the lines are coming out
as we're talking, so we're going to react to them live.
Louisville is a minus one and a half point favorite
over Creighton. That opening line touching that I am because
I love Creighton. I think Creighton. I know you agree
with me like I love it sucks for me, I

(05:34):
do too, But I think criminally Creton is criminally underrated.
I think both these teams are underrated just based on
the scene that they got they deserve based on the
resumes that that higher than eight to nine. What we
saw is that commit really didn't value the ACC at all,
and it's not like they should have. The ACC was horrible,
except for putting North Carolina in which they have no
business being in a tornament. But as it comes out,

(05:54):
the North con Athletic director is the head of the
yerious selection committee. So I didn't even think about that
when we're talking about it yesterday, so of course they
get in even though they have no business being in.
I thought it was gonna be an over a team
like Texas or Xavier, but it ended up being over Indiana.
There is no way that you can put a UNC
team in a horrible acc with one quad one win
over an Indiana team with four quad quad quad one

(06:18):
wins and no losses past the quad two. So just
a little side tangent. It doesn't really matter once you
react to the snubs because we move on and we
talk about the matchups. But Indiana should have been in
the stance over North Carolina. North Carolina is no business
being in id a loss they get in. I will
say this, Louisville Creton Like to your point, both these

(06:38):
teams are underseated. I would have put them on like
the seven, maybe even on the six line. For a
team like Louisville, I think is really impressive. That is
a tough, tough draw for all.

Speaker 3 (06:47):
And it's not an easy draw in.

Speaker 2 (06:51):
I think whoever you get out of that five to
twelve matchup, I actually think whoever wins that five to
twelve is gonna be Yale, which we can get into upsets.

Speaker 4 (06:57):
A little later on, you can Yale's winning.

Speaker 2 (07:00):
I love Yale in that game. T yeah, yeah, let's
let's get into it. And I think Louisville Creighton is
one I will not be betting. I'll I'm gonna pick
Louisville in my bracket just because how they've been so
good here as of late since December fifteenth, twenty one
and two with a top twenty offense and a top

(07:20):
twenty defense, eleven and one in their last twelve.

Speaker 3 (07:23):
And that's an eight seed. And you're you know, you're Auburn,
You're the number one overall seed. That's who you can see.

Speaker 2 (07:28):
And not to mention creating the team you knew, you know,
I love a fifteen and four since January fourth, the
number twenty seven offense, number thirty eight defense. In that stretch,
McDermott has made back to back Sweet sixteens three of
the last four years he's made Sweet sixteens, including an
Elite eight in there. That is one of the best
eight to nine matchups I can ever remember in the tournament.

(07:51):
And that's just one. I'll have to see what the
total is. Maybe that I'll have a play, but I
can't imagine I'll.

Speaker 4 (07:56):
Be on one last I have the.

Speaker 2 (07:58):
Time into the numbers there a little bit, but I
don't think I'll have a play on that game. But man,
it's gonna be a fun one to watch. And it's
kind of the same thing with the five to twelve.

Speaker 3 (08:07):
The first two.

Speaker 2 (08:08):
Obviously one to sixteen you know what you're gonna get,
but the eight nine and the five totald you. The
first two matchups that were revealed to us, I was like,
these are nightmares for me to pick because Michigan's been
a team. Even when people were out on Michigan and
throwing in the towel, I was saying, the way that
they have these two bigs, it is a tough matchup
on a night to night base, especially in like a
tournament setting. I think they proved that in the Big

(08:29):
Ten tournament marching their way through a couple of close wins.
They've found a way to win a lot of close
games this season, but you see San Diego seems to
be a nightmare matchup for Michigan. Michigan had their big
problem all year has been turning the ball over.

Speaker 3 (08:46):
Do they have the guard play?

Speaker 2 (08:48):
And that's obviously more important than ever In March, you
see San Diego. They are sixth in turnovers per game. Offensively,
they don't turn the ball over, but more importantly, they're
second enforcing turnovers. I think that's a nightmare for Michigan.
You see san Diego also top ten and three point rate.
They absolutely fire it away from deep, and they're pretty
efficient from it as well. It's not like they're firing
and missing. I'm going with you see san Diego here

(09:11):
with a little twelve thirteen second round matchup, and I
think you see San Diego goes all the way to
the sweet sixteen.

Speaker 4 (09:19):
So I'm completely in on with you on you see
san Diego beating Michigan. First off, this Michigan team was
really real, reeling down the stretch of the regular season,
had dropped a bunch of games to some of the
better teams in the Big Ten. They go on this run.
It's hard to win four games in four days. Don't
get me wrong. That is an incredible compsmen winning four
games and four days. But we often see teams do

(09:41):
that and then they stumble in the NCAA tournament. Of course,
you have a team like NC State. He was doing
this incredible Cinderella run who won five and five games
last year and then of course make the Final four.
This Michigan team's on Thursday, playing on Thursday, they were
probably praying that they were playing on a Friday to
get an extra day off. They just played four games
in four days, an impressive, impressive stretch, of course, to

(10:02):
win the Big Ten tournament title. They're losing on Thursday,
like that is a tough turnaround. They are losing on Thursday.
So I got UC San Diego beating Michigan. I thought
Michigan was gonna have a tough drawn and that they
were gonna lose regardless. I mean the matchup to obviously
depended on the matchup, but I was going to really
target Michigan's opponent when it's a team like u C.
San Diego, which has better guard play. We know of

(10:24):
Laud and Danny Wolfar in that Michigan front court. That
back court for u C. San Diego is better than
Michigan's back court. When you have better guard play, that's
what you can win. In March. I love this UCE
San Diego matchup, and the line agrees. Michigan only opening
as a three and a half point favorite. That is
an absolutely one of my favorite plays of this entire

(10:45):
first round. You see San Diego on the money line,
but then on the other side, I know you transitioned here,
but on the Yale text A and M matchup, I'll
read you a little stat that I sent to you,
but there's it's very rare for mid majors to go
to back to back torn and have upsets in both
of them. It's only happened twice. It was Middle Tennessee
State in twenty sixteen twenty seventeen and then Harvard in

(11:06):
twenty thirteen twenty fourteen. So Yale obviously upset Auburn in
that four to thirteen matchup last year. Now Yale has
another difficult matchup against the Texans, a team where they
can match the physicality of Texanan and Texta. A and
M is one of the is not one of it's
the best offensive rebounding team in the entire country. And
so you have this Yale group that is just as

(11:28):
just as physical and are going to dominate, not dominate
the glass against a team like Texan M. But it's
going to be a pretty comptable matchup when you have
two of the great rebounding teams to physical rebounding teams,
and they're really going to neutralize text A and M's
advantage on the glass. So I think it's a more
interesting game. I'm sure tex ANM isn't happy about that drill.
Text A and M opens seven and a half point favorite.

(11:49):
I'm not touching the points in that, but I'd be
surprised if Yale pulls off another first round up sick.
So I got a Texas A and M and you
see San Diego, and then I'll go U see San
Diego to advance.

Speaker 2 (12:00):
And real quick, And I guess the counterpoint is like, yeah,
my dog agrees the YEP bulldogs she likes. But I
guess I'll go to you would you rather have that number?
And know it's been brutal for the teams who have
tried to repeat after a year as a mid major,
or you look at that as a positive for experience,
like I do think that a lot of these guys

(12:22):
same team to the next year. I think there's a
factor to be had about them having experienced from last year.

Speaker 4 (12:29):
I think it's more that it's like a lot of
luck comes in an upset like that, when you're you're
the worst team, A lot of luck comes to win
pull off that upset, and I think that's kind of
why you don't see it often, where these teams don't
get lucky year in and year out pulling off upsets
like that. I will just say real quick, at the
top of that bracket, Creighton, it'll be interesting what the
line is. Obviously, Auburn will be favored, assuming Creighton beats

(12:51):
Louisvio in advances and I like Creighton to advance, I'll
be betting that at minus one and a half hopefully
doesn't move too much in or a plus one and
a half hopefully doesn't flip the other way, and cran
becomes favored because I like creating to advance. That create
Auburn matchup is a really interesting matchup. We know Auburn
coming in this tournament has lost three of their last four.
Don't look as good. The best three point defense in

(13:13):
the country, they allow the fewest three point makes in
the entire countries. They're phenomenal at that, but that's like
Creighton is a high powered offense, but not for their standards.
One thing that Auburn's really gonna have to struggle with
is creating plays a drop coverage, so They just put
Ryan Capprenner in drop and they force teams to shoot
a lot of threes. Auburn they can make threes. They're

(13:33):
not a three point specialist team. They like to play
inside through Jeni Broom. So I think they're gonna struggle
against that creating matchup, assuming that's the game. I'm not
picking one way or the other just yet. Don't be
surprised if Creighton's in the sweet sixteen.

Speaker 2 (13:48):
No, I would not be shocked if either of Creighton
or Louisville beats Auburn. But I will say outside of
that eight nine, I think you've got to love the
draw for Auburn. Like I think it's a pretty I
don't know if you think the four of the or
all that scary. Iowa State and Michigan State probably as
favorable a two three as you could have gotten in
this in this bracket. So let's go to the bottom

(14:11):
half here, though, And I know UNC, we all think
that they shouldn't be in. I will say the teams
that they left out for UNC are the right teams.
If they were, that's fine. They're the one that's the
toughest one. I'm happy they left Boise out we don't
need another Mountain West team. You had your chance against

(14:32):
Colorado State that was a playoff game. I think that's fine.
Let that game matter. And and uh, West Virginia was
a team who I think absolutely thinks and good on
the committee for for not just putting them in because
everyone had them in. You look at six and nine
since since mid January with the number one sixty seven

(14:54):
offense in that stretch, I'm good. I don't need to
see West Virginia since they lost Tucker to broph they
are not an interesting team and that was pretty early
in the year.

Speaker 3 (15:03):
So yeah, I am.

Speaker 4 (15:05):
I'm I'm with you in West Virginia because that team
started out playing really well and everyone kind of just
assume they have been all full recently, so they have
no business being in the dance. I will say every year,
like I dive into bracketology, and every year these guys
are all so wrong in the bubbles, wrong, so wrong,
like they have no idea. There's really no point of

(15:26):
even like looking at the Bractologists bubble because and I
don't know exactly how the seating and the matchups panned down.
I haven't dove into which Bractologists were more right than
others just yet. But they are dead wrong in the bubble.
I mean all of them had uncaut Texas out, they
all had Boise stayed in. I mean they were just
so all at Indiana, in most of West Virginia in.

(15:46):
They were just dead wrong. They had no idea what
the bubble was looking gonna look like. And that's how
it is most year. So I don't even know why
we always just surround our opinions of who's gonna be
in or not based on the bractologists when they're as
wrong or right as us.

Speaker 3 (15:59):
So let keep it moving.

Speaker 2 (16:01):
I so, if we look at the bottom up of
this region, Ole Miss against either of these teams, are
you taking Ole Miss? Or I know that there's some
stats out there that at least one of these kind
of first four teams usually gets to the Sweet sixteen,
if not at least wins a game. I'll tell you
what all this talk about unc If Carolina beats San
Diego State, I like them against.

Speaker 4 (16:21):
The as much as they don't deserve to be in
this back, I'm one percent with you. I could easily
see North Carolina not just beating Ole Miss, but making
a little bit of a run against Iowa State team
that's gonna be miss, missing Keyshawn Gilbert so for the
entire tournament. So if they can even get past Lipscomb.
So I think North Carolina could be in the sweet sixteen,

(16:44):
but they have no business being in the bracket, but
they are, and I like I like North Carolina in
that game, assuming it's North Carolina over San Diego State.

Speaker 3 (16:51):
If it's San Diego State, I like Ole Miss.

Speaker 2 (16:53):
But I will say, if you're Iowa State, I don't
think that's a scary six eleven there for you. It
could have been worse as you're kind of banged up.
I think Iowa States getting to the sweet sixteen. So
I've got Iowa State over hopefully unc but potentially Almoss
there in the second round. Moving to the bottom half
you already know. For me, not gonna dive too deep
into Marquette New Mexico. I'm overvaluing the Big East. If anything,

(17:18):
I think the Big East is getting screwed on some
of these seeds. I think this is probably fair for Marquette,
but they got a great draw here. I think New
Mexico stinks. They're actually the best team. According to Bartrovik
in the entire Mountain West, but still the number seventy
nine offense, number thirty eight team in the country. That's
your best team in the conference. I'm out on the
Mountain West. Gimme Marquette. I'm excited to see what the

(17:40):
line is on that game. If Marquette's anything under three,
I really really like Marquette in that matchup.

Speaker 3 (17:46):
But having said that about Marquette, I think this is
a great.

Speaker 4 (17:50):
Three and a half Marquette minus three and a half.

Speaker 2 (17:51):
I'll be on Marquette three and a half. I don't
love it, but I'll be on three and a half.
But Michigan State pretty good draw for the Spartans here.
I think it's Michigan State. I was State in the
Sweet sixteen, giving Michigan State all the way to the
Elite eight.

Speaker 4 (18:05):
Yeah, I'll probably go with Michigan State all the way
to the Lite eight. But that market matchup, and I'm
with you. I think Marquette rolls past New Mexico. That
Marquette Michigan State matchup is tough for Michigan State. Again,
I think Marquette is underseated as well. I think they
should have been probably on the sixth line. So that
Marquette Michigan State matchup is really tough for Michigan State.

(18:25):
I could see potential upset. I love this Michigan State team.
I don't excuse me, I don't love it in terms
of the National CHAMPIONSIP connection. With this draw, I think
Michigan State escapes to the Sweet sixteen and then the
Elite eight when whether it's iOS State in North Carolina
or whoever it is. Iowa State, by the way, huge favorite,
O lipscom thirteen and a half point favorite.

Speaker 2 (18:47):
I don't like any of these lines you're giving me,
but I didn't like that region when it got released,
So let's move on to these other regions. I think
I'll probably have some better takes on the lines, hopefully,
And I think that the overall kind of sentiment for
me in this I believe this is the East region
for Duke. What a draw for the Dukies. I mean,

(19:11):
I am not an Arizona guy, not really an Oregon guy.

Speaker 3 (19:15):
Don't really I'm not really really all that intrigued by.

Speaker 2 (19:17):
Either twelve or thirteen. There eight or nine. You avoid
kind of the even if you're not a big Yukon guy.
You avoid Danny Hurley. You avoid Gonzaga, you avoid Louisville
and Creighton like I don't think you get a dangerous
eight to nine here. I think it's Mississippi State. I
don't love that matchup, but I'll go in Mississippi State.
Baylor is really just linked in. I think they're ten

(19:37):
and eleven in their last twenty one games and Big
Tuls get conference. But ten and eleven is is pretty crazy.
So and I will say the metrics still like them
in that stretch, even in that twenty one game stretch.
Their top twenty five in the offense, top fifty in defense.
But miss mestake Chris Jans had some success in the
tournament in the past, so give me the give me

(19:57):
the bulldogs there.

Speaker 4 (19:59):
Let's look the line for that Baylor Baylor opening as
a minus one and a half point favorite of Mississippi
State Duke's draw. They got blessed. This is a phenomenal draw.
I will be shocked now when Cooper flags me back.
With or without Cooper flag, I would have been shocked
if Duke is not in the Elite eight. And it's
such a great draw that Duke jumped Auburn as the

(20:21):
favorite to win the entire thing then, So so we're
looking at the odds or for the whole thing. Duke
is plus three twenty. Florida now is the second past
Dods plus four fifty, Auburn plus five hundred, Houston plus
seven fifty, Alabama and Tennessee plus sixteen hundred. But Auburn
was the favorite before the bracket reveal. So that's how
great of a draw Duke had. I'm with you on this.

(20:43):
Oregon I think will beat Liberty. Let's look what that
line is. But I don't think Oregon is a serious threat.
Oregon minus five and a half over Liberty. And then
you have that Arizona Acroy matchup, and Arizona's minus fourteen
and a half, so they're a huge favorite. I don't
see Arizona being upset in that game. I think it's
gonna be the you like Akron.

Speaker 3 (21:02):
I'll definitely be on Akron with the points there.

Speaker 2 (21:04):
I just think I think this Arizona team Tommy Lloyd
is a generational fraud when when it comes to the tournament.
I just and also you look at Arizona. I don't
believe that the shooting is gonna work in March. I
get the offense is graded out well all year long.
They're two hundred and ninety four from three point rate,
two hundred and forty ninth and three point five.

Speaker 4 (21:25):
They plays so fast, like both so fast.

Speaker 2 (21:29):
I think that Akron with the three point rate that
they have, it's and Arizona not three more than threes
more than two.

Speaker 3 (21:34):
And I think I know the athletes.

Speaker 2 (21:36):
I think Akron's gonna be able to stick with them
just off three pointers and Arizona not taking enough of them.
But I think not a huge Oregan guy this year.
I think they've been since January first of twelve and
eight fifty first in Bartrvic like but Dana Altman in
March is an absolute machine. Gimme Organ to the Sweet
sixteen and gimme Duke without flag.

Speaker 3 (22:00):
Even if they can hold.

Speaker 2 (22:01):
Them out to the Elite eight, I think do cruises
cruises to the elite eight.

Speaker 4 (22:05):
So this is what I wanted when this four seed
was coming out. I wanted Maryland to have that four
seed because I think one I wanted Duke.

Speaker 3 (22:13):
I like your draw better than that person I think.

Speaker 4 (22:16):
To get to the Sweet sixteen. But Florida scares me
more than any other one seed.

Speaker 3 (22:20):
Right now, we'll talk about that. I got marily winning
that game.

Speaker 4 (22:24):
But all right, we'll get there.

Speaker 2 (22:27):
We'll talk about the bottom of the East region. Here
we've got BYU VCU initials.

Speaker 4 (22:32):
Game.

Speaker 3 (22:32):
Hate this game.

Speaker 2 (22:33):
I'll be on VCU in the bracket. This is a
nightmare matchup. Both teams really like I will. I will
say VCU, you look at how good they've been lately,
and I think they should have got in even if
they lost today. Twelve and one start of February, number seventeen, offense,
number thirty three defense, great guard play, four guys and
double figures, two bigs who have one and a half

(22:54):
blocks are more per game, and b YU another one
of these teams. I've had a couple of these pop
up well US their last five tournament games dating back
to Jimmer in twenty eleven, which is their only Sweet
sixteen appearance in their last twenty one appearances over the
last forty years. So not a ton of success in
the tournament for BYU. Not that really matters, Just a

(23:15):
fun little nugget. Give me VCU in that matchup to
match up with Wisconsin, who I have cruising past VCU
and Wisconsin on to the Sweet Sixteen on miss I
reversed it.

Speaker 4 (23:26):
Yeah, this is the chalkiest region to me, I will
be shocked if it's not Duke Alabama in the Elite eight.
I mean, every year you're gonna have some crazy upsets,
but every year you're also going to have just a
one to two matchup. The two best teams in the
region advanced into the Elite Elite eight. This is the
region is coming from. I think Alabama got a great draw.
Vanderbilt St. Mary's a very interesting game because Saint Mary's

(23:48):
a great offensive rebounding team. But Vanderbilt has so much
experience going through SEC and some of the best offensive
rebounding teams in the country that they had to play
night in, night out like a Texas A and M
like a Florida. So Vanderbilt has that line let's look
at it right now. But Vanderbilt has that experience, but
with battling elite rebounding teams.

Speaker 3 (24:09):
St.

Speaker 4 (24:10):
Mary's minus four and a half is the line.

Speaker 3 (24:12):
Saint Mary's minus four and a half.

Speaker 2 (24:14):
Yeah, that's my play at the tournament plus four and
a half.

Speaker 3 (24:18):
I absolutely love, love of love Vandy.

Speaker 4 (24:22):
Yeah, I think you're right. I do think the little
neutralized Saint Mary's on the glass, So I think you're right.
I'll probably like that. Going back to that BYU VCU game,
I'm going with BYU. But that is a really tough draw.
Like I really love this BYU team. That's a really
tough draw. VCU is really good defensively, uh physical that
that's kind of like another Big twelve team that that
BYU will have to face when they play VCU. So

(24:45):
I'm going BYU. In Wisconsin, Montana, I sent you this
as well, but here's a stat about Montana's out of
the Big Sky. The Big Sky is three and thirty
nine in the nca Tournament, with an average margin of
defeat by over sixteen points the last three at the
last five times Montana was in the tournament that lost
by thirty plus points. I don't think they have any chance.

(25:05):
It's just there's some teams that come from certain conferences
where you play such a different style and then you're
matched up against the power conference team like Wisconsin and
you have no chance just stylistically. I think this is
one of those games. I think Wisconsin wins easily. Let's
look at that line real quick, because if it's a
pretty big line half.

Speaker 5 (25:27):
What is it?

Speaker 3 (25:28):
Seventeen and a half?

Speaker 4 (25:29):
Wow? All right, that's massive. I don't know if I
could touch that. I don't know if I could touch
the seventeen and a half. But I think Wisconsin rolls them.
That's gotta be the biggest. No, it's not the biggest.

Speaker 3 (25:42):
Let's see.

Speaker 2 (25:42):
Yeah, so I think we boilth have Bama Wisconsin coming
out of that bottom region.

Speaker 4 (25:47):
Yeah, I got bamed Wisconsin BYU. Is a tough one
for me. Give me, give me BYU Alabama.

Speaker 2 (25:55):
I yeah, I'm going Wisconsin Bama, and I'm going Bama
on to the Elite eight. So I've got one verse
two in the first two regions we've covered here, But
let's move on to the next one rapid fire.

Speaker 3 (26:08):
Here.

Speaker 2 (26:08):
I said going in Houston was my champion, and there's
some things that concern me about the path. Don't love
the eight seed, don't love the five seed, but I
think it could have been worse on the bottom half
talking about the Elite eight. So overall, I'm probably not
really either pleased or annoyed about the path here for Houston.

(26:28):
But Ken Palm does have Gonzaga as a top ten team.
I think that's a tough matchup though with Georgia, that's
a game I will not be touching. I see gonzagas
five and a half point favorite here. I'm staying away
from that one, but would not shock me at all
if Georgia wins that game, especially shorter trip for Georgia
to Kansas than obviously from Seattle.

Speaker 3 (26:50):
With Gonzaga, I have.

Speaker 4 (26:52):
Two plays I love in this top region. I agree
with you. I think Houston vance's, but I also think
Gonzaga is a tougher matchup than Houston is probably hoping for.
That's gonna be a tough one eight game in that
round of thirty two. I love McNeice here. Clemson. I'm
not out on Clemson. I know you're a huge Clemson guy.
I'm not out on Clemson. It's just a tough drawl

(27:13):
like mcneese's in the tournament back to back years. Obviously,
they lost last year with Will Wade. It's probably Will
Wade's last year. Mcneise he should get a Power five
or Power Conference job. I just I think they're incredibly
well coached. I think this is a game and the
line is seven and a half. That is one of
my favorite plays. Plus seven and f McNeice over Clemson

(27:33):
and then Purdue. High Point every tournament, almost every tournament
going back, Let's let's find the stat real quick. Almost
every tournament there is always one of the top four
seeds loses one of the first round games. The high
Point is beating pur doing this Purdue obviously, what absolutely
you're with me on that?

Speaker 3 (27:55):
Yep?

Speaker 4 (27:56):
All right, so at least on a wrong stat, wrong stat,
let's find the right one here.

Speaker 2 (28:03):
Produced three hundred and sixty second and two point defense
by the way, since January first.

Speaker 4 (28:08):
Yeah, so I'm on high Point. I think high Point
has a chance to even make one of those Sweet sixteen.
You're always gonna have one of these lower seeded teams
in the Sweet sixteen. I think perdue after the third
nice run last year with Zach Edy, after being upset
the year before that, and as the number one seed.
I think high Point lose wins that opening round match
against Purdue.

Speaker 2 (28:29):
We got Sean Bernard joining us over there. Sean underscore
Bernard won. We're going through here on Twitter, go and
give him followed by the way my topcover radio co host.
But we're going through the South region here or no,
the West region my apologies the West Region with Houston.
Any big takeaways from this top half of this bracket, Seawan.

Speaker 5 (28:48):
Yeah, I'm very intrigued by the Gonzaga and Georgia matchup there.
That is one that I have my eye on. I
know Gonzaga is a team that a lot of people
have respect for. I will say personally, I think there's
a little bit more respect for the Gonzaga every that
comes with it than this specific team. But there's still
a good team, no doubt about it. I love this
Houston team, and I know Mark Henry Junior share is
that exact same opinion there. It's awesome to just look

(29:09):
at the bracket to see what we have in store here.
I've still been kind of crawling through a circle in
the matchups that stand out to me. I do also
share Sam's opinion that I like McNeice over Clemson here,
that this Clemson team I do think has shown a
little bit of cracks in the armor of late that
does concern me there. They're still good. It will be
a battle, but I think that's gonna be a trendy
twelve to five matchup right there.

Speaker 2 (29:28):
I love the matchup for Clemson. Mcnease doesn't really worry me.
I just think that they're not gonna be able to
match up athletically with Clemson. Clemson's eighteen to three in
their last twenty one games, in the top twenty offense
in the top fifteen defense.

Speaker 3 (29:40):
Really, it just seems like they're just not a good
matchup with Louisville.

Speaker 2 (29:43):
They're fifteen to two in their last seventeen games, with
only losses to Louisville to win over Duke in their
top twenty offense top ten defense in that stretch. They
also beat Kentucky in the Not Kong. But regardless of
what we say about Clemson, I think the number one
thing we could say about them is they handle below
average teams to average team and not only handle them,
but usually pummel them. So I won't be betting it,

(30:04):
but I love the path that Clemson got to the
Sweet sixteen. I'll be looking for a Sweet sixteen future
on Clemson more than betting that game because I love
the Purdue being there four, but I don't love the
upside for Clemson beyond that. Obviously, with Houston in the
top half of the region, so I was hoping Clemson
would be maybe in the Maryland or kind of where

(30:25):
Memphis is over in the Florida region, or maybe even
in the Auburn region where Michigan is, but tough straw
for them. I'm going Houston over Gonzaga, Clemson over high
Point here in the second round.

Speaker 4 (30:37):
All right, I found the stat real quick, so let
me just read it to you. Fifteen of the last
sixteen tournaments, at least one of the top four seeds
or seeds anyone on the seed one to four line
has lost. So there's going to be a team that's
seeded one through four that's going to lose. It's Purdue
and high Point plus nine and a half. Love that.
So I got McNeice and high Point. I'll have mc

(31:00):
nie in the sweet sixteen, and then I'll go Houston
narrowly beating Gonzaga. So I got Houston high Point and
of course Houston advancing to the elite.

Speaker 3 (31:09):
I've had the thirteen, winning in every four to thirteen
we've done so far.

Speaker 2 (31:12):
I'm going Yale over A and m I'm going Akron
over Arizona, and I'm going high Point over Purdue for
bracket purposes. And part of the reason for that is
I like UCSD to get to the Sweet sixteen. I
like Oregon to get to the Sweet sixteen, and I
like Clemson to get to the Sweet sixteen. So I'm
willing to mess around a little bit more on a
matchup when I know that it's only worth one round
of points and I have them losing to the next

(31:33):
round anyway. But Akron's more of a swing. I believe
it with high point. I've said week in and week out,
I don't care who Purdue gets. This team is an
absolute abomination down the stretch here, three and six in
their final nine games, and I get that they got
far last year. Matt Painter is still Matt Paynter once
Zach eed he's not averaging fifty a game Perdue was

(31:56):
the one hundred and eighty six best defense in the
last six weeks.

Speaker 3 (32:00):
Out on them.

Speaker 2 (32:01):
Are we all Houston coming out of there at top half?

Speaker 5 (32:05):
Yeah? And I will say if McNeice makes a Sweet
sixteen run, as Sam just predicted there, their manager shout out,
my boy, emir over there might pulling more in nil
than any player in this tournament.

Speaker 4 (32:16):
Serves it.

Speaker 2 (32:17):
That's good bottom half here. I love the Xavier got in.
I'm so happy they're favored against Texas in the first
four rightfully, so I'll be on Xavier in that game,
But I hate the matchup here with Illinois as a
sixth seed. Illinois has shown the promise when they're able
to get it going, they look like one of the

(32:40):
best teams in the country, and they showed it for
the first two months of the year. From November through
mid January, Illinois was twelve and three.

Speaker 3 (32:50):
They were the number.

Speaker 2 (32:50):
Five team in the country in bark Torvik. They also
just closed the year four and one with winsover purdueing
Michigan sprinkled in there. They've got a lottery pick. Let
me throw it to you. What do you guys think
on that matchup?

Speaker 5 (33:01):
Yeah, and to kind of even minimize it a little
further there, I think beyond just Illinois as a team,
it's Casparis Jackie Unis, who's the guy that when he's on,
when he's playing well, that team looks phenomenal, But there's
so many stretches where he basically feels non existent out there. Now,
Xavier is gonna be a tough draw. I'm with Mark
that I think they're deservingly favored over Texas and I
do think that they will handle that game there, but
I think Illinois is I feel bad. I wish there

(33:24):
was a better kind of bottom of the bracket. I
think we feel similarly about Tennessee with Rick Barnes and
with kind of the outlook there. I don't believe Wafford
will give him much of a challenge in the first
half the first game there. I do like Utah State
over UCLA. I think that's kind of not a huge
upset there, but the ten to seven. And I do
like Kentucky taking care of business, but by Troy. I
bought more and more in on this Kentucky team as
this season progressed. But any thoughts from usam.

Speaker 4 (33:46):
Yeah, you sl minus five and a half wow over
Utah States. That's an interesting line. I really like Utah
State there as well. Not high on this UCLA team
three months ago, I thought this team wasn't gonna make
the tournament when they're going through rough stretch in the
Big Ten, especially some of those East Coast matchups, and
it's tough a team out west has to travel east
and play like teams like Maryland, Penn State, Rutgers, all

(34:08):
those teams. I don't like this UCLA team.

Speaker 1 (34:10):
Atto.

Speaker 4 (34:11):
I love Utah State in that matchup. The more I
look at the bottom half of this bracket, the more
I thinking Houston has no chance of not being in
the final four. And we talked about it yesterday, where
this team is pretty immune to upsets. It feels like
they're just that dominant. I don't see anyone that can
meet them. We talked to a lot of people are
gonna pick Kentucky. I feel like as a popular pick,

(34:31):
Kentucky hasn't strung together win streaks of four or five
six games. I don't trust it throughout their SEC conference schedule,
and it wasn't against like the best teams in the SEC.
I don't trust that they're going to do that on
the way to an Elite eight. Tennessee I don't necessarily
love Tennessee either. Illinois I think is a really good team.
They mentioned on the broadcast, but Illinois has had seven

(34:53):
different starting lineups since January. That's just a team that
was killed by injuries, killed by a lot of illness
around Anuary or early February. This Illinois team is mostly
pretty much healthy. They're back now, they're playing really well
to finish the regular season. Three straight wins. I could
see this Illinois team in the Elite. So I'm going
Illinois coming out of this bottom half of the bracket, Illinois, Houston,

(35:14):
and then Houston advancing to the final four.

Speaker 2 (35:16):
To be fair on Kentucky, this is a Kentucky team
that beat Duke in the non Con, that that beat
Gonzaga in the non Con, beat Louisville and then on.
They do have wins over Florida, A and M, Mississippi State,
Tennessee twice, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, Missouri. Like, they have a ton
of wins, and I get they haven't strung it together,

(35:37):
especially in SEC play. It did stringing together in the
non con a bit. There obviously some easy games sprinkled
in there.

Speaker 4 (35:43):
But I'm going to I will say about the non
Con it doesn't really matter to me that much, like
it does to an extent your team like Duke and
you're playing in the ACC and you want to see
how they match up against good teams. That was and
we've talked about this where that was November.

Speaker 2 (35:57):
I generally don't care about it too much either, but
it's only in reference to a Kentucky team that is
playing played a really brutal SEC scud even for the
SEC like obviously some SEC schools played much easier schedules,
Like I know Florida didn't have quite as easy, quite
as hard of a schedule as Auburn and Florida did,
So it's hard to compare some of it. But I
I only have Kentucky win in three of them. I

(36:19):
think Kentucky gets to the eliteing. I think they win
their first round game, in the second round game, in
their sweet sixteen, and then I would love to bet
Houston in that of the eight matchup against Kentucky.

Speaker 4 (36:29):
It wouldn't shock be in the slightest if Kentucky's in
the elitia. I just think that's Illinois is a tough
draws that sixth seed. And like I said, Illinois is healthy.
Their teams back together and they were playing well down
the stretcher of that of the season. So I like Illinois.

Speaker 2 (36:41):
Mark Polk never never made never never made a second round,
oh and two in the in the tournament.

Speaker 3 (36:46):
It is a factor.

Speaker 5 (36:47):
Yeah, that is a good point there. I will throw
in I'm a believer. Believer or tega Oway is a
dude for Kentucky that he's really grown on me and
I think come on especially strong in the second half
of the season. But beyond that, like just kind of
the roster or standpoint, this doesn't quite hold the same
weight as some of the Kentucky teams. And obviously we're
in still an era of transition following the Cala Perry
point and that Mark Pope is really really building out

(37:08):
that program. But I've kind of liked what I've seen
from Kentucky down the stretch. It feels like this team
collectively is bought in a little bit. I don't I
think I'm gonna talk myself in by the time we
get there. To then beating Illinois, I don't think they
have any chance against a team like Houston, but I
like the matchup the draw against Troy. I think that's
a pretty clean path there. And I also like the
stance of with this matchup that Illinois they're gonna have
to go to battle with likely Xavier possibly Texas there

(37:30):
that I'm not rolling out Trey Johnson in company. I
do think Xavier is rightfully the favorite there, but that
to me is gonna be a far more notable matchup
as far as taking a toll on a team compared
to Kentucky. I think we'll handle things pretty easily.

Speaker 2 (37:41):
And one more thing on the Kentucky matt we do
have to get to the next region. One more thing
on the Kentucky thing. They beat Tennessee twice the two
times they played him. And if you're talking about the
seat sixteen a potential matchup there, they beat Tennessee in
Knoxville by double digits.

Speaker 3 (37:53):
So I think that's a beautiful, beautiful Whoever.

Speaker 2 (37:57):
Wins that three to six, it could be a Xavier,
by the way, Like I if it's Kentucky, it's Illinois,
it's Xavier. I like whoever it is to be whoever
comes out of that bottom half.

Speaker 3 (38:06):
By the way, there's.

Speaker 2 (38:07):
Always one matchup that depresses me to have to pick
a team to win. That's Ucla. I'm gonna advance Ucla
just out of respect to mc cronin. But I think
Tennessee a team I don't really like all that much
at all and would have loved to have a good
seven or a ten to knock them off early.

Speaker 3 (38:22):
I think Tennessee's got a free pass to the sweet sixteen.

Speaker 5 (38:26):
Yeah, Sam, do you want to take it away there?

Speaker 4 (38:29):
No, I was gonna say I got nothing on that.

Speaker 5 (38:31):
Yeah, I wish there was like a pathway where it
was like, like, I think this very easily if the
bracketed aligned differently. That we're talking about. Tennessee is a
serious fraud watch potential first round upset. Just don't see
it the way that things shake out, So they should
be thankful for that. I do think that they've they've
shown flashes where they look like this team played very
well in the conference tournament, all these these kind of
things there. But yeah, I think we all feel that
Tennessee doesn't deserve to be in quite that tier of

(38:53):
real deal contenders in the way that they are seated
in a way they should be.

Speaker 2 (38:56):
Before we get Sam out of here, we got it
talk about the last region, got to talk about the
Maryland Terrapins and his draw, and I'll just say, and
I'll lead it off this way, the Maryland Terrapins are.

Speaker 3 (39:10):
Going to the Elite eight. I like the draw from Maryland.

Speaker 2 (39:13):
I think that five to twelve is beautiful as a
second round matchup.

Speaker 3 (39:17):
Don't love Memphis.

Speaker 2 (39:18):
I think Colorado State gets it done there and moves
on to the second round, and then I think Maryland
takes care of business of the Sweet sixteen. I think
I'm more sure Maryland will be in the Sweet sixteen
than I am with the Florida Gators, who have to
deal with the defending back to back national champs in Yukon.
And I understand that Yukon has been so up and down.

(39:39):
They are five and one in their last five or
in their last six. Coming in, they are a top
fifteen offense. So Florida gets it up and down. Obviously
a much better defense than Yukon has. I don't if
you put Schreuth Sierum in Todd Golden's you know, creeper personality,
I don't think he's telling you that he's happy that
he draw.

Speaker 3 (39:58):
He drew Danny Hurley in the.

Speaker 4 (39:59):
Second R round.

Speaker 3 (40:00):
Yukon to the Sweet sixteen.

Speaker 4 (40:02):
Wow, Yeah, I mean, look, that's gonna be a really
popular pick just because of Yukon's pedigree and the back
to back defending national champions. I'm here to tell you
I would be shocked if Yukon beats Florida. I just
don't think this Yukon team is that good. And look,
they gotta get through a tough Oklahoma team. This Oklahoma
team is thirteen line by conference.

Speaker 3 (40:23):
What what's the line? Please tell me it's.

Speaker 4 (40:25):
Sorta half Yukon Florida half.

Speaker 2 (40:28):
I was hoping to get like a like a one
and a half to snipe on Yukon there.

Speaker 3 (40:33):
That would have been you know.

Speaker 4 (40:34):
That's a tough. Look. I think Yukon's definitely gonna win.
But Oklahoma was a tough matchup. They were thirteen. No,
non conference fell off a little bit, but I have
some big time wins earlier this season. Even though I
said non conference doesn't make.

Speaker 3 (40:45):
Me yeah against what I said with that earlier, because I'm.

Speaker 4 (40:49):
Out on whatever supports my opinion.

Speaker 3 (40:52):
Seventy thirteen in the last twenty number eighty two defense.

Speaker 4 (40:56):
Look, I think Yukon's gonna win for sure. I just
don't think they're gonna be this faria tea out of
all the one seeds. I was more scared for Maryland
matching up against against Florida. I just think they're so
they've been so dominant. We talked yesterday about how I
love their offensive style of play. It's really a pro
style offense. They bigs who can pass the ball. They
have great guards, of course, Walter Clayton, Elijah Martin, all

(41:19):
those guys. They're just Will Richard. Everyone like that. They
have so many unstoppable pieces and watch that's why their
offense is so good. And then there were great offensive
rebounded teams, so they create extra possessions for the for themselves.
I think this Florida team is so good. I did
not want to see them. But I will say in
terms of a path to get to a Sweet sixteen,
which would be a good year for Maryland. If they
got to the swixteen, I'd be happy. Look, I'm still

(41:41):
I'm still in recovery from yesterday's defeat. How you possibly
don't guard the inbounder and let him go coast to
coast without the ball. You learn that stuff in elementary school,
fourth grade basketball. Stop the ball, stop the ball, Stop
the ball. How they just didn't stop the ball with
four and a half seconds left and we'd be on
the three seed line.

Speaker 3 (41:58):
Probably, no, you wouldn't. Michigans are five. They didn't care
the committee that.

Speaker 4 (42:04):
Was ended the regular season, But that was because that
Michigan ended the regular season. Maryland ended the regular season
incredibly well, winning ten of the last twelve games.

Speaker 2 (42:12):
I think what they said is they did not care
at all about that game in the outcome, which is
what we complained about on Saturday, that the Committee's not
taking these games.

Speaker 4 (42:22):
Yeah, it's more like, yeah, I mean, you're probably You're
probably right. It's more the championship though. For me, it
was just that that that that winning advancing to the
Big Ten final was enough when they were right in
between that four to three. And I don't think the
committee respected Michigan from the end of the regular season,
but Maryland had that respect because they were trending upwards
and they would have kept going regardless Wisconsin.

Speaker 3 (42:43):
Wisconsin stayed on the three like I don't know who,
and Maryland.

Speaker 4 (42:46):
Has a better resume than Wisconsin. They just do like
they have a better resume. Beat them, had to add
more quad one wins, all finished highering the Big Ten.
Maryland has a better resume. Every Ken ponm that ranking everything.
So how Wisconsin's on the three seed line and Maryland
wasn't doesn't make any sense to me. But that's just
how it played out.

Speaker 2 (43:02):
But I'm here to tell you I actually like how
it played out for Maryland more than if they would
have had the Michigan path and you go and win it,
you get one last day in we also saw them
beat the crap out of a good team before who
do they beat?

Speaker 6 (43:14):
Who do they be?

Speaker 3 (43:15):
Right before they lost to Illinois Illinois. Oh, they beat
the they beat guitar out of Illinois in that game.

Speaker 2 (43:22):
But before the day before they moved on and lost
by a buzzer beater. Like, I'm not going to punish
you by losing by one point in a buzzer beater
in a semi final when the next game also was
won by like a point or whatever it was today,
a couple of points. So I actually like how it
played out for Maryland. I love how the bracket broke
out from Maryland. Teuan Bernardo.

Speaker 4 (43:42):
Look, so I'll just say real quick to your lips
to God's ears, Mark, like I hope we could be Florida,
but I just I just don't feel good about it.
But I'm with you that I like how it played
out to the extent that I think they have a
really easy trip uh to the Sweet sixteen. Would loveee
future yeh as you should. Grand Kine is not difficult matchup.
I think Maryland takes care of them easy. Memphis, Colorida State.

(44:03):
Colorado State is a three and a half point favorite
over Memphis. That's a twelve. That's favorite over a five.
I think I thought Memphis was gonna win, but I don't.
That's that's an interesting play. If Colorado State's favored by
three and a half, none of those teams worrying me.
I would love to see Memphis. I think they stink
that they obviously had a lot of close games throughout
the entire season. In a week, American Athletic Conference just

(44:26):
escaped in the championship game. I don't think Memphis is
that good, so I love how it played out in
ter games in Sweet sixteen. But man, Florida, Florida just
scares me.

Speaker 5 (44:35):
Now Here is where I stick my neck in a
little bit to stick up for the Grand Canyon analysts.

Speaker 4 (44:41):
Why God do that to me?

Speaker 5 (44:42):
Sul I will one hundred percent be taking the plus
eleven and a half in favorite, Oh GC, you, I
think that they are alive dog as well. Maryland's a
very good basketball team. They should win this game, no
doubt about it. But this isn't a matchup that you
should overlook. That Grand Canyon team. They strap up defensively. Man,
that they That's the biggest thing that I think this
game is gonna be one and lost that that team's everywhere.
They got a lot of long athletes that switch all

(45:03):
over the floor. Tylon Grant Foster headlines things offensively there.
He's had a tough shooting year, but there's other talent
behind him. They added Jacobe Coles to transfer Portner, who
I like quite a bit. And Duke Brennan is not
a nobody who's gonna be the primary matchup with Derek
Queen there. I think this is gonna go be. I
still think Maryland ultimately ends up probably getting the win
moving on, like, I don't think this is one that
they should be, you know, losing sleepover. But that isn't

(45:24):
a matchup that I would take lately if I'm Maryland
right now. That if they can get a little foul
trouble or you know, things get weird, which can happen
in the tournament. GCU is a live that is a
team that will take advantage if you give an opportunity.
Maryland's got to be very careful not to.

Speaker 4 (45:36):
But the thing is, and I gotta get out of
here in a second. But the thing is about about Maryland.
They're not one dimensional, like they have a phenomenal defense
and offense, Like they can beat you in a game
that that's sixty two to sixty or they can beat
you in a game that's eighty six to eighty two.
So yes, Grand Canyon is a very good defensive team.
Maryland has so many weapons I talked about yesterday, the

(45:56):
best starting five, especially offensively in the country, and I
just I just even if they strap up, Maryland can
also match that with their defense because they're not a
one dimensional basketball team. So I don't know if I'd
lay the eleven and a half with Maryland. That's a
lot of points, but Maryland should win somewhat comfortable.

Speaker 5 (46:13):
If I was gonna say, if Maryland gets into foul trouble,
like that's probably the number one thing that like, if
that happens, it might be game over with that because
of like you said, it is the best starting five,
and it's incredibly talented. Their first five names on that roster,
we look beyond it, and the drop off is probably
more significant than any other team in this tournament.

Speaker 4 (46:32):
Yeah, you're right about that. The bench concerns except George
Ronmo's playing well as a backup big, but other than him,
the bench concerns are serious, Like if they get him
in the foul trouble, you kind of have to play
through that, like you really just do it'll win and
go home scenario. But foul trouble is the one thing
that could really kill them.

Speaker 5 (46:49):
Yeah, beyond the starting five, three point six points is
the most points per game of any player on that team.

Speaker 3 (46:54):
Yeah, I think that matters.

Speaker 2 (46:56):
Reason Like the second matchup of the weekend usually is
when matters more. I think that first matchup you're usually
able to spam kind of your starters. And like you said,
obviously foul trouble one is one concern. But Sam, I'll
get you out of here on this your final four.

Speaker 3 (47:13):
How's it looking?

Speaker 4 (47:14):
So this is a really interesting bottom half of the bracket.
I love Arkansas in this game. Kansas has been for
months now an ultimate fade the second they got into
the tournament. What a phenomenal matchups in Providence, right Island.
You ricked Patino, you got John Calipari, you got Bill self.
That's just incredible going on in Providence for a lot.
And on Thursday. I love Arkansas in that game, and

(47:38):
I like Saint John's too. I really think Saint John's
I think it's like there's always gonna be an upset,
but I think I feel chalk where it's Saint John's
Florida coming out of the West region. I also love
u NCW. I love UNCW in this game. Let me
look at the line right now before I give my
final four. Fifteen and a half. Wow, that's a wild number.

(47:59):
I love UNCW in that game, Drake. I think Drake advances,
So I'll go Saint John's over Drake to advance there
my final four. All right, let's let's work through this.
So first off, everyone knows the stat about ken Pom
and how the last twenty one and the last twenty
two national champions have been top twenty five and on

(48:22):
offensive efficiency and defensive efficiency. Based on that, there's only
seven teams that can win it. They're Florida, Auburn, Duke,
Houston obviously all the one seeds, and then some interesting names.
You got Tennessee, Iowa State, and Clemson. I don't think
any of those three teams are serious threats, but interesting names.
And then you four teams that just miss out on

(48:44):
that that could play themselves into top twenty five offensive
and defensive efficiency. That's Wisconsin, that's Maryland, that's Michigan State,
and that's Louisville. My final four, well, I guess let's
work through this because I really haven't. I'm not sure,
but I'm gonna go. I think we're gonna have a chalt.
I think Duke is going to be in the final four.
I think Florida's gonna be in the final four. I

(49:06):
think Houston is going to be in the final four.
And I think Michigan State is gonna be in the
final four. Now, a lot of fun, nothing fun from
what I just said. It's subject to change. I'm probably
gonna put a lower seat in there at some point,
but I think out of that bracket Michigan State. I
could see Marquette if they somehow defeat Michigan State. But
that's my final four.

Speaker 3 (49:25):
Isn't that there? It is?

Speaker 2 (49:27):
Yeah, I'm not too far off from it. But we'll
get Sam out of there so he can go right
for the score. Everybody go check him out at s
Austreet on Twitter. Should have Joe Tanzy popping in here soon. Sam,
thanks so much for coming on.

Speaker 3 (49:41):
Man.

Speaker 4 (49:42):
All right, boys, thanks for having me. It's March, baby,
it is March.

Speaker 2 (49:46):
It is gonna be a full week here from the
gambler of content all week long. I know Monday, we've
got a ton of stuff planned. We'll be doing stuff
all week here. And I know coming up in a
half hour at a o'clock we've got Sean Brace, Ryan,
Beef Cooyle, and Nick McClay coming from the bracement here.

Speaker 3 (50:05):
You know Beef's favorite bets.

Speaker 2 (50:07):
How Nick mclay's feeling about Iowa State Keyshawn Gilbert just
got a knock out for the tournament. Right as attorney said,
I think he's saying first round exit, which you gotta
you gotta be concerned about Nick McClay. But let's let's
talk about the bottom half of this region here, Sean
I we didn't really get to We let Sam run
through it. Missouri Drake is the toughest matchup for me

(50:30):
to pick in this hacket. I have no idea what
to do with it. Missouri is so fast paced, but
you have a lot of and then Drake so so
slow paced. You have a lot of concerns with the offense,
but a fantastic defense. Sorry I thought I lagged out
there for a second, but that's a matchup I have
the whole entire bracket filled out every single slot. That's

(50:53):
the one slot I don't have a slot in. I
don't know which way to go. It doesn't really I
think Texas Tech beats either one of them, but anything
from the bottom half of the region here, especially specifically
that kind.

Speaker 5 (51:06):
Of quadrant, yeah, I mean the the top two games
I'm a little more uncertain of. I was surprised to
hear Sam's belief in UNCW that I would like to
and at another occasion will definitely dig a little bit
deeper in that conversation with him, because I'm a big
believer in this Texas Tech team and think that I
see that this bracket shaping out to being Saint John's
versus Texas Tech to kind of punch their ticket through.
Beyond that, I love the Saint John's team, man, that

(51:27):
I'm really bought in what they're doing. Rick Patino has
them back, There's no doubt about that, and that is
who I see coming out of this quadrant overall. It'll
be awesome if we get I will be rooting for
Arkansas over Kansas, and do think that that's how things
end up shaking down a little Calipari versus Patino will
be unbelievable television there. So this is probably the section
of the bracket I'm most excited about, just from like
a viewing experience, as far as the puer takes. I

(51:49):
love Saint John's to win, feel really confident about that.
Do lean on Arkansas, but I don't love this matchup
for them. Kansas has been probably the most underwhelming team
in the country all season. It's insane that they started
the year as highly ranked as they were with all
this belief and just really of underwhelmed there. I do
like this Texas Tech team, think they take their business
pretty comfortably. So kind of surprised again by Sam's reaction

(52:09):
there and time.

Speaker 2 (52:10):
Time out, time out. You're the number one John Calipari
guy in the country. You're telling me you're not in
love with this matchup.

Speaker 5 (52:17):
I will be taking Arkansas. I do believe in John Caliparty.
I haven't loved how Arkansas ended the year. I'll say
that I.

Speaker 2 (52:25):
Get it SEC, and I'm one of the people saying
we can't just give the SEC every benefit of doubt.
There are some benefits I'm willing to give it. That
schedule is so brutal. You look at Arkansas schedule. They
played such a gauntlet and still I mean the last
couple games short a tough kind of clothes to the
last couple of games, But they really turned it around

(52:45):
last fifteen games nine and six in a really really
tough stretch. Like you go look at those nine wins.
They are not easy wins for them to have earned.
And they've got a top ten defense in that fifteen
game stretch. This team can strap it up and lock
it up. I really really like where Arkansas is at defensively,
and I think a sign of like anything like that's

(53:06):
just sign this team is fighting for cal like. It
was a rough start to the year. And I think
you can point right to that game where they turned
it around and beat Kentucky in Kentucky as this team
had it right then. And Boogie Flanned is allegedly coming back,
I think he should stay away. They were zero to
five in the SEC when he was playing. Maybe maybe
you should stay away Kansas. On the other hand, you

(53:28):
have a Kansas team at seven and eight since since
since January twelfth, I don't think that there's a lot
to be excited about with the way that Kansas is playing.
I think I saw five and a half for Arkansas
as a five and a half point dog. If that's
the case, Woo pig suie, I am all over the Hogs.

Speaker 3 (53:47):
I'm calling the.

Speaker 5 (53:48):
Hogs and it is five and a half is the
number that I'm seeing there. And I will add like
it's a it's bizarre and we've seen this in a
couple different situations there, but like with Arkansas specifically, there
was so much turnover from the coaching standpoint, the roster standpoint.
But they have guys with some legitimate march madness scars.
A guy like John L. Davis is gonna be huge
in this and really in this entire run if they
can put anything together there. So you've got me back

(54:09):
on the Arkansas train there, wu pig baby that I'm
back in on the Razorbacks then, but I will very
much I think that might end up the Saint John's
versus Arkansas. That's how things shake out. Just from like
a pure television standpoint of seeing Patino coaching, Patito and
Galabari facing off there, that might be my favorite match
for this entire tournament. That's how things break down.

Speaker 3 (54:30):
I think it's how things will break down.

Speaker 2 (54:32):
I love that and I'll just I'll tell you right now,
and not only have Saint John's coming out of this
bottom half of this bracket, I have them coming out
of the entire bracket, and I have them going all
the way to the national championship. I love the Johnnies.
I think they're the hottest team in the country. Rick
Patino is, in my opinion, the story of sports right now,

(54:54):
not just a story of college basketball.

Speaker 3 (54:57):
I think he's the story of sports.

Speaker 2 (54:59):
I think what he has done with a program that
in our entire cognizant lifetimes has not been a factor.
They have not won the Big East in twenty five years.
You go and do that on the MSG floor. I
think that's going to put some kind of juice in
that team. And he said it best at the end,
maybe saved the best for last.

Speaker 3 (55:19):
He's the goat.

Speaker 2 (55:20):
He's the greatest college basketball coach I've ever seen. And
what he's done at every stop he's been. You look
at the first season and then the second season, and
what they've done is nothing short remarkable. Twenty five and
two in their last twenty seven games, nineteen and one
in the last twenty games since January first, Saint John's
and Houston are far and away the two best defenses

(55:40):
in the country, and the only defense is under a
ninety in defensive efficiency on bark Torvik, which is far
ahead of Michigan State at like ninety one in third
place in that timespan. I think Saint John's their defense
is going to carry the way I know that the
shooting isn't what I would normally pick for a run,
Patino is the one coach I'll bet on to figure
it out.

Speaker 5 (56:00):
Yeah, Patino has been a quote machine lately, by the way,
with all the stuff that he's saying just hilarious. So
I like that he's let loose a little bit. And
I will notice as far as the defense conversation that yes,
there's a lot of very good defensive teams across this country.
There's plenty of metrics you can dive deeper into. With
Houston and Saint John's specifically, there's another level that those
two get to from a gear that it feels like
they have ten guys on the floor at times, the

(56:22):
way they can swallow you up, the rotating swarming the ball,
all those things. So I do think like it's very
clear to me there's a steep drop off between Houston
and Saint John's and everyone else from a defensive perspective,
and I think that play has come tournament time.

Speaker 2 (56:37):
I was on mute there and couldn't take myself off.
Let's let's kind of I'm I'll look for a kind
of an overall thing.

Speaker 5 (56:44):
Oh, let's go to Duke.

Speaker 3 (56:45):
Actually, Sean, you're you're you're an NBA guy.

Speaker 2 (56:47):
Obviously you're highly plugged in on the draft and all
things Cooper Flag and all and the Flag watch. We
were just talking about flag version the other day, and
the biggest news if it's not Rick Patino, is Cooper Flag.

Speaker 3 (57:01):
And when will Cooper Flag play.

Speaker 2 (57:03):
I think a big thing that I would say about
that is the NCAA made sure that that's not a
big problem because I don't think that they have a
hard drawl to get to the sweet sixteen. In fact,
I said earlier, I think Cooper Flag could sit out
to the Elite eight, and I think he'll have a
game to play.

Speaker 5 (57:19):
Yeah, And it surprised me by the way I'm starting
to see the takes of like why would Cooper Flag
come back? Or this might be the last time we
see him at Duke I don't think that's the way
that guy ticks, and I don't think that there is
any reason for that the case for the same reason
where you have this same belief that like the people
taking that stance is kind of coming up the opinion
of he's already got the number one pick lined up,
why would he risk it? I would push back on

(57:40):
that is because he's got the number one pick like
lined up here, that even if he does come back
and have a stinker, everyone's gonna brush it off. Like
and from what I've seen of Cooper Flag obviously never
talked to him, interviewed him, or anything along those lines,
but it seems like this is a dude that's fueled
by competition that he's gonna want to step back out there.
It seems pretty universal that if Cooper Flag is healthy
and on this duke team, they're the best in college basketball,

(58:00):
and even with the uncertainty, they're the betting favorite and
deservingly so. Here, So there's a lot of talent on
that duke Rosstow. I mean, they won the a SEC
Tournament without him obviously last night that we just saw
that there, So I'm buying in on this duke team.
There obviously go to another level if Cooper Flag is there,
but even if he isn't for a couple of games,
I shared the same opinion Mark, but I really have
no doubt in them. I think this team is Duke
Konkin upples the real deer common is it Moloch? Is

(58:22):
that how you say this guy's name? I've messed it
up every time, But he's it's interesting, it's cool to
watch him play. His approach to the game I would
honestly describe as like inquisitive. He's like still figuring out
all the things that he can do. But the guy
can play. So there's a lot of talent on that
Duke team. I'm a believer.

Speaker 2 (58:38):
Yeah, and Duke really really impressive obviously to go ahead
and you know, win the ACC without Cooper Flag when
it would have been pretty easy to I think just
pack it in yep and say, you know, we have
a one seed, let's you know, let Louisville have their
fun here. But that's not what they did. They went
ahead and they played their butts off. From that, they

(59:01):
go ahead and win the ACC dominate in pretty dominating fashion.
And I think Duke is a pretty safe bet. Maybe
the safest bet in the sport to get to the
Elite eight. I have them going to the final four
and beating Alabama. I think that's a really tough matchup.
I think for both those teams that's going to be really,
really tough. I know Obama people are not going to
be high on them coming off of a tough loss

(59:23):
to Florida Grant Nelson. I think their most important player
got banged up in that game this second half. It
was a close game until he went out. Mark Sears
also played banged up in that game, and maybe that's
a concern. Maybe they're still banged up. I haven't heard
concern about them long term too much, but I think
you have to love the draw here for Duke to

(59:46):
get all the way to the final four.

Speaker 5 (59:47):
Yeah. No, I am in agreement there, and it will
be interesting to see. I do share most of your
belief that, like the NCAA, is very vested in getting
Cooper flag on the floor, and I think that there's
a pretty short chance that he is right from the
start this tournament. That seems to me where reports are
indicating there. We'll see what level he's moving at. He's
not a guy who I would say is overly built
upon his athleticism. If he is a little bit hampered there,

(01:00:08):
but he's a difference maker for that team, and more
specifically on the defense event is where we'll feel his impact.
So I do hope we get to see Coop. I
think he's a guy that can take over, like the
NCAA experience for some people out there, So shout out
to him. Hope he's healthy, Hope we get there the
best paunch from Duke and if they deliver it. The
rest of the country is in some trouble.

Speaker 2 (01:00:24):
And so I guess let's just let's just run through it.
Let's finish it off. Let's go to the elite eight.
Do you have a bracket filled out here, Sean Bernard.

Speaker 5 (01:00:31):
I do not. I've kind of been doing it off
hand here. I should have written one down, but I
can work through it with you.

Speaker 2 (01:00:37):
Let's go to the top left region, and I'm pretty
chalk here. I've got Auburn in Michigan State. And this
is a tough one for me because there's a big
part of me that wants to pick Auburn to not
make the final four. Obviously losing three of US four
in a row to go into the tournament. I've been
all year saying I don't think that they're just this
prohibitive number one team that's way better than the rest

(01:00:59):
of the county. I still absolutely don't feel that way.
I think them being the number one overall see is
a joke, to be honest. Losing three of the last four,
but whatever, it's not that big of a deal. One
seeds or one seeds. So I just don't have a
team in this region that I want to make the
final four, that I want to put in and that
I feel like, Oh, if you gave me a Saint

(01:01:20):
John's in the Auburn region, if you gave me a
Maryland in the Auburn reagion, you gave me a Texas Tech,
you gave me an Alabama, maybe even maybe even a Wisconsin.
But I just Michigan State's the closest thing that I'm
going to get to that in this region, and I

(01:01:41):
can't pull the trigger. I don't know if they have
the top end talent. Izzo's went on and on all
year about how this is his favorite team because it's
one of his least talented teams.

Speaker 3 (01:01:48):
I get it.

Speaker 2 (01:01:50):
I don't think one of his least talented teams is
getting to the Final four when he's had plenty of
teams that haven't made the Final four. Obviously, every draw
is different, every turn he's different, every team's different.

Speaker 3 (01:01:58):
But and Izo's done a hell of a job. But
I don't think Michigan State's getting the fountal Fo.

Speaker 5 (01:02:02):
Yeah. I do mostly agree with that. I do want
to ask, I'm I apologize, I apologize if I missed
this early on here, But Michigan, what's your outlook for Michigan?
Is that a team that you have no belief in?

Speaker 4 (01:02:13):
No.

Speaker 2 (01:02:13):
I like Michigan, but I think they got a nightmare,
nightmare twelve seed with UC San Diego, and specifically for
not just because I like U see San Diego, but
specifically for Michigan, who's been one of the worst teams
in the country at turnovers. Dusty May on part of
my take, talked about how him and a few other
coaches in the country whose teams were struggling with turnovers

(01:02:36):
had a group chat with practice techniques and drills that
could work to limit turnovers.

Speaker 3 (01:02:41):
And I guess I forget who it was. He said
that there was.

Speaker 2 (01:02:44):
A team that's really really turned it around, and he
was asking them what. I think it might have been Arkansas,
might have been someone on Califari's staff. I can't remember
who it was, but they were asking like, what did
you do to turn it around? And they told him
to drill. And thus he's like, oh, damn it, We've
done that one hundred times and it hasn't done anything.
So I think that shows how frustrated he is. Obviously,

(01:03:06):
going with the Big Ten tournament, no one's talking about turnovers.
That has been the problem all year. You see San
Diego second in the country at forcing turnovers. They've got
a guy who has who gets three point two steals
per game, leader in the country. They have another guy
who gets two and a half, another guy who gets
one and a half.

Speaker 3 (01:03:21):
Like they are just an absolute juggernaut.

Speaker 2 (01:03:23):
In terms of forcing turnovers, a little bit like those
those Havoc Shaka Smart VCU teams of the past when
they started making their runs. Very similar for you see
San Diego they've won fifteen straight. They had a twelve
game win streak before that, so they've had two really
really long, long, prolonged kind of periods of success. They're
also top ten and three point rate and top fifty

(01:03:45):
and three point efficiency. You're talking about a team that's in.
They're six in limiting turnovers. They don't turn the ball over.
You don't turn the ball over. They turn you over,
and they shoot more threes than you. I think that's
gonna be tough for Michigan. Let's bring Joe Tanzy in here.
Let's there we go and Joe Tanzy how we feel
in selection?

Speaker 3 (01:04:04):
Sunday? Happy holiday brother.

Speaker 1 (01:04:05):
It's nice to see a bracket in front of me.
It's a It's just it's so nice. It really is it?

Speaker 3 (01:04:12):
Really?

Speaker 2 (01:04:13):
I had an empty one that I printed out and
filled along. I still have to get a few paper ones.
I'll be going to my little apartment complex clubhouse and
printing out a couple of brackets for myself after this.
So while I'm listening, of course to Brace Beef and
Clay and McLay. But biggest takeaway when this bracket came out,

(01:04:34):
you can go anyway you want, Joe, where are you going?

Speaker 1 (01:04:39):
I'm glad West Virginia's not in agreed. I think that's
the biggest thing Carolina getting in it. It is what
it is, right, I think I don't care.

Speaker 5 (01:04:51):
I hate it is what it is.

Speaker 3 (01:04:53):
Yeah, I'm happy it is. That's kind of how I
feel about it.

Speaker 1 (01:04:58):
It is interesting though that we have two national championship
participants from the last three years playing in the first
four this time around. That's an interesting factory just to
you know, have been two very consistent teams, San Diego State,
North Carolina. I guess the initial thing to me is
which team makes the run from the first four, because

(01:05:18):
every year except for twenty nineteen that a team has
won a first round game that have won in the
first four, and looking at the bracket, really initial thoughts
is I think that that San Diego State Carolina winners
got a chance against All miss I think that's probably
your your trendsetterre there the other things I looked at

(01:05:43):
Memphis Colorado State intrigues me in the five to twelve game.
I know this kind of goes against the Mountain West
rule that we've had our previous years, right, but Memphis
they played with fire that entire the entire AAC tournament
and they've done this. They've done this for a few
years now Underpenning in the season, So why is it
going to change now? Colorado State Hot It's Nico Medved's

(01:06:06):
last ride at Colorado State. He's gonna get the job
at Minnesota, So that one intrigues me. Accurate intrigues me
as well. Agreed against Arizona, that's the one where I'm
kind of looking at, like realistic kind of upsets for
twelves and thirteen's. I know a lot of people are
gonna be on high point because of their win streak. Liberty.

(01:06:30):
I think that's a horrible matchup for them against Oregon,
so I don't don't see I don't see a Cinderella
run there. I guess you can see the exact same
thing against for Grand Canyon against Maryland. Grand Canyon likes
to play it slow, drawn out game in the sixties.
That happened in there. Everybody and your mom is going
to be on the Yale. You see San Diego upset train.

Speaker 3 (01:06:52):
I'm right there. I'm right there. Less on Yale, more
on you see San Diego. And I get that.

Speaker 2 (01:06:58):
I like Michigan, so it's tough for me to fade Michigan.
But you see San Diego, I think is the perfect
matchup for them. As I was just saying to Sean,
they're number two in the country at forcing turnovers.

Speaker 3 (01:07:07):
That's obviously been Michigan's problem all year long.

Speaker 2 (01:07:10):
They also take their top ten and three point rate,
top fifty to three point efficiency. They don't turn the
ball over sixth then limiting turnovers on the offensive side
in the country. So I really if Michigan got any
other twelve seed, I think I have them in the
sweet sixteen.

Speaker 3 (01:07:26):
But I really do believe in the San Diego team.

Speaker 1 (01:07:29):
I think you have to look at the variants right
Like at their best, Michigan destroys this team you also
have to really know, but you you also have to
think about this is San Diego just happy to be there.
It's their first ever tournament bit in program history, like
they put a lot into just getting there, and also

(01:07:50):
look coaching. For me, that's one of the biggest X factors.
Dusty Mays had a deep marks from Florida Atlantic. I
think that that's also an X factor to me. And
I look at the bigs too. What happens if Michigan
just feeds Wolf and Golden for forty minutes? Can you
see San Diego stop that? Probably not so, I think

(01:08:10):
to me, there's just too many red flags with that matchup.
I think the one that maybe I think this is
really kind of a fate of the one team. But
Lipscomb's got some intrigue.

Speaker 3 (01:08:23):
Hmmm, okay, only because of the Iowa State station line.

Speaker 1 (01:08:27):
Huge line. I would I would, I would assume so.
But the reason I say this is because we're looking
at the kind of unexpected teams, right, because everybody in
the world is going to be on Yale because of
last year. They're gonna be on U see San Diego
because they're the hot team in Michigan's inconsistent in their
A twelve seed. But if you look at the just
over the last month, we've been talking about fading Iowa

(01:08:48):
State in the group chat for so long at this point, right,
So why wouldn't Why wouldn't that apply to the the
NCAA Tournament. I think Keisham Gilbert's already ruled out, and
you have a team in Lipscomb. They've only had one
loss since the start of February. They ranked top fifty
in two point and three point efficiency on CAMPOM, seventh

(01:09:09):
in free throw shooting. Like there's a lot of offensive
metrics there. I mean, look, look, they're different teams obviously,
because BYU is a big twelve team. But watch the
b YUI have a State game, right, that's highest scoring?
I was State, Curtis Jones had one of his best
days ever, and it still wasn't enough because BYU could
shoot the ball and they eventually won that game. So

(01:09:32):
what if a similar type game plays out against a
team that literally nobody's gonna pick.

Speaker 2 (01:09:38):
I got sorry about that. Let me throw a matchup
at you that I was talking earlier. I had the
entire bracket filled out and didn't have this one game
filled out. I can't figure it out. It's such a
styles clash Missouri Drake, where you go in that matchup?

Speaker 3 (01:09:53):
I have no idea.

Speaker 2 (01:09:54):
It's my least confident game in the entire bracket, first, second, third,
fourth round, whatever it is, I have no idea what
to do with it.

Speaker 1 (01:10:00):
I will say there's a to that point because it's
in that part of the bracket. There's always one game
in the first round that you look back on, whether
it's Thursday or Friday night, and like, oh that game happened, Yeah, yeah,
that's Texas tech U and C Wilmington. It always feels to.

Speaker 2 (01:10:16):
Take on UNCW. Sam is hyping him up, Me and
Bernard love Texas Tech.

Speaker 1 (01:10:21):
It always feels like Texas Tech or Iowa State or
a team like that plays like a seventy seven to
fifty type game. Yeah, and it just gets lost in
the shuffle and we don't even talk about it. I
think that's that game. God, that sounds like an awful
Missouri and Drake like that really is, Like it's the
ultimate variance matchup, isn't it? Because who knows? I don't

(01:10:42):
know if that's I don't know where to go in
that one. I would think Missouri.

Speaker 3 (01:10:47):
That's what I have tentatively in my head is Missouri.

Speaker 2 (01:10:50):
I will say, I say this a lot with brackets,
And if you have a situation like that, like you
can't figure out what to do, Missouri Drake and you
love Texas Tech no matter what, you're picking Texas Sector
the Sweet sixteen.

Speaker 3 (01:11:02):
Usually I say, get a little funky mess with it.
You pick the upset if.

Speaker 2 (01:11:06):
You're only if you have them only going to the
second round anyway, and you have them out if it's
that fifty to fifty four you can't decide. Usually I
say side with picking the upset. I've kind of done
that in a couple of situations here so I think
I might zag there and go with Missouri here. But
one more thing before I get to the elite eight
for all of us before our final fours, Duke, I

(01:11:28):
think my biggest takeaway from this entire bracket is what
a draw for the Duchies, especially into the like to
get to the elite eight, I should say, and I
think score.

Speaker 1 (01:11:40):
A lot of points. They're gonna have to score a
lot of points in those games to get to the eight.
You're saying, to get to the final four. If chalk
holts final.

Speaker 2 (01:11:47):
Four, yeah, the eliting matchup would be tough. Either Bama
or Wisconsin I think are both really really tough matchups.
But do you think anyone in that top half of
that Duke region scares you in terms of keeping them
out of the elite Probably not.

Speaker 3 (01:12:01):
But we also have to see what Coop.

Speaker 1 (01:12:02):
We have to have to see what Cooper flag is.
It is like I wouldn't expect to see him until
the second round, agreed, And I mean nine eight nine
winners can always be a little frisky. As we've seen
in years past, you know, we usually see one of
the top seeds go down. I will say, because I've
spotted this right away. The McNeice high Point part of

(01:12:23):
the bracket as well. I'm going to apply the same
thinking of the San Diego Yale portion of the bracket.
Those are your four most popular upset teams. I can
see it coming from a mile away. You see San
Diego as the heartwarming story Yale won last year against Auburn.

Speaker 3 (01:12:41):
You Wade and a mere Khan.

Speaker 1 (01:12:44):
They will Wade, Who's how many feet does he have
out the door at this point?

Speaker 2 (01:12:48):
Yeah, however many he can, he can. It's a damn
good offer. So I I think, uh, I agree with
you on Clemson. I love Clemson in that matchup. I'll
be laying the points with Clemson.

Speaker 1 (01:12:58):
Perdue would be a fantastic second round game.

Speaker 3 (01:13:01):
But I think Produce stinks, I more so than the
other matchups.

Speaker 2 (01:13:04):
I think for Due, three hundred and sixty second and
two point defense since January first is the stat. With Purdue,
they just have no resistance on getting to the basket there.

Speaker 1 (01:13:14):
So well then that that gives my guy Bodo Bodo
at Justlin Bodo Boto at high Point.

Speaker 5 (01:13:21):
I love it. I love it.

Speaker 2 (01:13:22):
I think high Point is going to be fun in
that matchup. I don't know what the line is, though,
I'm excited to kind of.

Speaker 1 (01:13:26):
I think they're there. Their team total is going to
be interesting in that game. Interesting to go with that stat.
They'd like to attack the rim. Botoboto is a really
good rim protector, and Keza Jiffa one of the point
guards you'll fall in love with in the tournament. He
loves to drive as well. I think to that's that
specific specifically, high point team total might be an.

Speaker 2 (01:13:45):
Early Look, let's go to the final four. Let's all
give our final fourth here. Coming out of the top
left region, I've got Auburn beating Michigan State.

Speaker 3 (01:13:53):
I think, Sean Bernard, you're in the same boat there.

Speaker 5 (01:13:57):
We're in the South. You're talking.

Speaker 3 (01:13:58):
Yeah, the top left is the Yeah, that's the South.

Speaker 5 (01:14:01):
Yes, Yes, I do. I want to get off Auburn man.
I really like, don't love them as basketball team, but
I don't see a team in this bracket that I
think can beat them, to be perfectly honest, and my
frustration with them, I've talked to you about this on Saturday, Mark,
but it feels like every single game that there's just
a couple stupid things that they do that drive me crazy,
and it feels like that they make way too many
mistakes to kind of measure up to these true top

(01:14:22):
top teams. But then again, they're the number one team
in the country. They have been for stretches this season.
They look very good at their peak and there's no
arguing that. So I think I am locking in with
Auburn getting the job done there, but don't feel great
about it.

Speaker 1 (01:14:34):
Tansy, this is just gut look because I'm really looking
at the brackets for the first time. I'll give you
hot Tay. I want to do predictions just yet. But
whoever wins that San Diego State North Carolina game could
easily make the Sweet sixt team.

Speaker 3 (01:14:50):
Gotcha, gotcha? Bottom left here, I have a curve ball
with Maryland going to the elite, and but I have
Saint John's taking down Maryland and Saint John's going all
the way to the final four schaum Bernard Where.

Speaker 5 (01:15:04):
Yeah, yeah, Saint John's over to Louisville is my my
pick in this brat Louisville. I'm buying it on Louisville
a little bit. I think they're a fun story in
this bracket.

Speaker 3 (01:15:15):
Top left.

Speaker 5 (01:15:17):
What am I looking at with the West?

Speaker 3 (01:15:19):
Yeah? This is Florida and Ukon, Oklahoma is the eight nine.

Speaker 5 (01:15:22):
Okay, I got you all right, let me pick this out.
I should have done the Mark Henry Junia write it
down technique for sure, but I am rolling with Saint
John's to come out of this portion of the bracket.
I do think that they I think they got a
really chance to winning it all this year. I love
Patino Squad. They're obviously cooking form. Defensively, I think they're
a level that only them in Houston can reach. So
I think Saint john is the winner of this region.

Speaker 3 (01:15:43):
Tansy, what do you got for me?

Speaker 1 (01:15:45):
Just a quick take on it. I think Saint John's
Arkansas would be a fascinating, fascinating stylistic matchup. Kansas is
Kansas is dead to me. I think Arkansas. So it
was Arkansas, but I mean, at least Arkansas. Saint John's
give you the storyline in center.

Speaker 2 (01:16:00):
I agree, top right, we just broke it down. I've
got Duke over Bama. A little bit of chalk there
in the top right.

Speaker 5 (01:16:07):
Sean, Yeah, I'm on Duke as well, And I honestly
it did move me a little bit the way that
they played without Cooper Flag that I was impressed with
them as a complete team there. Flag's kind of the
ceiling razer there and a guy that I do expect
to look like himself once he does in evitably return
to the court there. But I think without him that
they would still be considered National Champion contenders. And I
think that's pretty telling for the rest of the rosters.

(01:16:27):
So I do think Duke's by by far the best
team in this portion of the bracket here, And do
you think they optimately end up at the final four?

Speaker 1 (01:16:33):
Tansy, I think this is a pretty clear bracket if
and if Cooper Cooper Flag is healthy, I could also
see this being a pretty quick run to the final
for Duke. As much as I hate to.

Speaker 2 (01:16:48):
Say that, Yeah, I don't disagree at all. Bottom right,
last bracket for the first time ever in a bracket.
But when I when I got Houston's name, I filled
it out to the champion. I didn't wait to see
the rest of the region. I just wrote them all
the way through. I didn't care who was going to
be in the region. I will say not a grade
eight nine can tag of Georgia a little scary, But

(01:17:09):
I will say I believe in this Houston team more
than I've ever believed. And I usually I'm not the
guy who picks the one seed like I usually picked
like a two or three. I hit big with Nova
in twenty sixteen, but I love Houston. They've lost four games,
three and overtime fourteen combined points in those four losses
that they've lost by They're number one in BARTORVIC twenty
six and one in their last twenty seven games, two

(01:17:31):
thirteen game win streaks. And what's different this year with Houston?
They're three top scorers shoot thirty or shoot forty two
percent from three on a combined sixteen to three point
attempt seven to the top eight guys. But on the
team last year that made a run to the Sweet sixteen,
they only got hurt. They only lost to a good
duke team when their best player got hurt in that game.
They've been knocking on the door too long. I think

(01:17:52):
this is the year. I think Houston's winning all Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:17:55):
LJ.

Speaker 5 (01:17:55):
Cryer leading the conference in three point shooting, an experienced roster.
I'm with you on Houston. Mark. I am a subscriber
to the theory the defense wins championships. It does really
feel like there's a level that this team gets to
where it feels like they got ten guys on the floor.
They're swarming you, they're blitzing you, they're forcing turnovers. They're
all over the place, and I think that pays its
toll throughout this tournament. So I'm in on Houston. I
think they got a pretty good chance of winning it

(01:18:16):
all as well. I feel really good about them getting
out of this portion of the bracket.

Speaker 1 (01:18:20):
When I look at title contenders, I like to pick
apart the flaws first, right because then you're peeling back
the layers of the onion. Auburn they've lost three to four. Yes,
they're very good. Florida did did going all the way
to the SEC championship game actually hurt them. That's happened
in the past with the SEC and the Big Ten.

Speaker 6 (01:18:38):
The coach has never won a tournament game. Florida also
a big thing Duke Cooper flag. If he's healthy, they're
in great shape. Houston has the least amount of flaws
of the four number one seats. You put it, it's
very very easy. That being said, that means they're probably
gonna lose the second round to Knzaga.

Speaker 5 (01:18:56):
All right.

Speaker 2 (01:18:58):
You put it perfectly though. I love the way you
just wrapped a ball on this show. Great stuff from Sam,
Great stuff from Sean. Thanks to Joe Tansy for popping
on everybody. Go check him out on Twitter. Check out
hit stuff over on Bleacher Report, check him out at
Jay Tansey ninety on Twitter.

Speaker 3 (01:19:12):
That's gonna do it for this show.

Speaker 2 (01:19:14):
Let's hand it over to Sean Brace, Beef and Nick
McLay down there in them bracement over there at Sean
Brace's house. What you say, Tansy went away, but think
Tanzy said, magical things happen in the bracement.

Speaker 3 (01:19:26):
So tough cover country. Let's ride.

Speaker 1 (01:19:29):
You can wager on it. We're talking about it. It's
the Gambler.