Hey. What's up. It's been a very long time, hasn't it? Anyway, who's ready to talk BASKETBALL?!? Yeah, it will be a blast. Here we go.
Before I get all into my super-serious analysis of the 16 team remaining teams in the tourney, we need to talk about something near and dear to my heart. That something- or actually someone- is Robbie Hummel. Now, I'm a big Purdue fan, so I may be a little (a lot) biased. Hummel had the game of his life in the first half. Seriously. It was awe-inspiring. It was one of the greatest displays of shooting I have ever seen. 22 points? Only missing 1 shot? It was neat. But that's really all he did. The second half was different. Kansas changed their defensive scheme, and put Elijah Johnson on Hummel instead of Thomas Robinson. After that switch, it was over. Purdue couldn't get their offense started without Hummel touching the ball, and they blew it. They turned the ball over twice in the closing minutes (thanks Lewis Jackson), and just like that, it was all over. My favorite basketball player of all time was done playing for my favorite institution of higher learning in this great country. With apologies to Larry Bird, Reggie Miller, Brian Cardinal, JaJuan Johnson, E'Twaun Moore, Tyler Hansbrough, Steph Curry (during the 2009 tourney), Kyle Singler (just kidding), Matt Howard, and Gordon Hayward, Hummel trumps all of you. Now, I just need to keep my fingers crossed that the Pacers will draft Hummel!!! Now, lets get serious...
SOUTH REGION:
KENTUCKY VS. IU: For some strange reason, I feel like we've seen this before. Oh, wait. We have. This time, the result will be totally different though. This time, I doubt the result will be the same. Kentucky is just so much more athletic than IU. They have an advantage at every position. EVERY POSITION! Jordan Hulls, frankly, sucks. Cody Zeller is really good, but Anthony Davis is better. I just don't see how IU can repeat the magic. I expect Kentucky to win, and win big.
BAYLOR VS. XAVIER: I just don't understand. These are two of the biggest underachieving teams ever. Baylor has so much talents, but they are so darn inconsistent. Same with Xavier. Tu Holliday is good, as with Mark Lyons and Kenny Frease. I am literally drooling over this match up. These two teams match up really well with each other. This might be the best game of the Sweet 16. I actually expect Xavier to win this game, but barely.
EAST REGION:
SYRACUSE VS. WISCONSIN: I keep expecting Syracuse to slip up, but, so far they haven't. They should have lost to UNC-Asheville (thanks incompetent refs!) and then they dominated the second half against Kansas State, so they are very confusing. However, I like Wisconsin to win this game. Jordan Taylor will have a big game, and that ginger who used to have a 'fro will do pretty well too.
OHIO ST. VS. CINCINNATI: My brain says there is no way Ohio State can lose this. They have so much talent, and it looks like Aaron Craft is finally starting to play a little offense. Yancy Gates, the Bearcat's big man, is no slouch. He is a threat both inside and out, and I haven't seen Jared Sullinger guard anyone on the perimeter too much. So I am going against my brain, Cincy will win.
MIDWEST REGION:
NORTH CAROLINA VS. OHIO: You probably already heard this, but Kendall Marshall is most likely OUT for this game. The Tar Heels are losing their most talented distributor, and that could be a big loss down the road. Still, it's Ohio that they are having. Ohio has good guard play, but that's about it. Who will stop Tyler Zeller? John Henson? Harrison Barnes? James Michael McAdoo? Yeah, that's what I thought. Tar Heels win big.
KANSAS VS. NORTH CAROLINA ST: It seems like yesterday that the Wolfpack were worried about even getting into the tourney. Now that they made it, they are in the Sweet 16! It's really something. But now they will face their toughest competition; the Kansas Jayhawks. Kansas looked extremely vulnerable in their game against Purdue, but they squeaked out a win (CURSE YOU LEWIS JACKSON). They should be motivated to win the game, but I don't think it will matter. NC St. will top Kansas.
WEST REGION:
MICHIGAN ST. VS. LOUISVILLE: I still don't trust the Spartans. I'm not sure why, but this team scares me. Louisville has a point guard, Peyton Siva, who is playing really well. I really am not sure about this game. Each team has their "stars"- Siva for the 'Ville and Draymond Green for MSU- but it looks even after that. I like Louisville in this game, but I don't think the winner of this game will make the Final 4.
MARQUETTE VS. FLORIDA: This game will be good. These two teams have a bunch of guards, but no real big man, much like Missouri (except these teams didn't totally destroy my bracket). They are both playing really well, but I like Marquette to win, and then go on to New Orleans and the Final 4.
Whew, that was fun. This is maybe the longest post I've made. EVER. That being said, I think most of these will end up being wrong, much like my bracket this year.
