2019 Midwest Region Thread (UK #2)

[pfrduke]

Discuss the teams and predict who will win here.

[OldPhiKap]

9F. And take Kentucky with you.

[JNort]

Tried to click Auburn but somehow clicked on Houston.

[devildeac]

Tried to click Auburn but somehow clicked on Houston.

Pfft. I tried to click on all the other 14 teams that weren't at the top of the list.

[gotoguy]

They're in good shape(playing at altitude) and have won alot of games so they know how. And besides i picked the Ramblers to go to the final four last year so why not.

[proelitedota]

UK will be upset in their second round game. UNC despite drawing a "hard" bracket will cakewalk to the FF, where they'll face not UVA.

UNC is playing their best basketball since their 2016 NCAA tournie run.

[duke2x]

UK will be upset in their second round game. UNC despite drawing a "hard" bracket will cakewalk to the FF, where they'll face not UVA.

UNC is playing their best basketball since their 2016 NCAA tournie run.

It pains me to say it, but I feel the same way about their draw. I still think they are behind Duke and UVA at a neutral site with neutral officials in a football dome.

Round 1 - Iona. Duke beat them easily last year.
Round 2 - 2 west coast teams on EDT. WA is overseeded, and UNC has seen the Syracuse zone before. USU doesn't have the talent.
Round 3 - I can see NMSU winning here as well. Altitude can make a difference, but it doesn't matter if you have more talent (CSU-Duke 2003). This KS team is overseeded, and KS frequently loses in KC. Auburn just played 4 games/4 days, which is usually a recipe for an early exit. Duke 2017 and many other schools can vouch for that.
Round 4 - KY should be favored. I'm not sold on Wofford pulling that upset. ISU is the sneaky pick over KY but doesn't have the talent to do it twice in two days. This is the only time I will ever say Go Big Blue!

At least UNC fans will have to watch their team on TV for a change. KC is sold out and a 15 hour drive. ISU, KS, and KY fans travel very well.

[brevity]

Here's hoping the vengeful ghost of Jim Valvano will guide Iona College to a historic victory. From this interview with Dereck Whittenburg:

After the game, Jim Valvano comes up to us, grabs us by the neck and says “I love you two guys. I’m Jim Valvano, Iona College.” I said, “Who is this crazy guy?” I had never heard of him before in my life. When Coach Valvano got the N.C. State job a year later [after Norman Sloan’s departure], he walked into the press conference and walked to the podium. I took one look at him and turned to one of the assistant coaches and said, “Isn’t that the guy who owns a college? He told me that he owned a college.” The assistant looked at me and said, “No Dereck, he coached at Iona College.” I mistakenly thought he said “I own a college” as opposed to “Iona College.”

I should also point out that while seeds 1-4 in this region did not win their conference tournament, seeds 5-8 all did. I don't know if one can expect carnage, but it would be nice to have.

[jv001]

Trying my hardest to jinx the cheats but man was it hard to pick them. GoDuke!

[DukieInKansas]

Here's hoping the vengeful ghost of Jim Valvano will guide Iona College to a historic victory. From this interview with Dereck Whittenburg:



I should also point out that while seeds 1-4 in this region did not win their conference tournament, seeds 5-8 all did. I don't know if one can expect carnage, but it would be nice to have.

My thoughts exactly! Work for us, oh wonderful spirit of Jimmy Valvano! We can all donate to the V Foundation if he works his magic.

[DavidBenAkiva]

When I was first going over the brackets last night, my eye was drawn to Auburn in this bracket. There's recency bias, for sure, but what they have done in the last couple of weeks - beating Tennessee twice - combined with their experience, generating steals, and shooting makes me think that they are as good a bet as any to reach the Final Four. And they have a couple of dudes inside that can contend with the athleticism that they'll see from any team. If there is one guard that is most likely to pull a Kemba from this region, it is Jared Harper. The only game the Tigers have lost in the last month was at Kentucky. That game was a blowout, where the Tigers lost 80-53 (haha), but still. Since then, they rattled off some impressive wins, including that 20-point beatdown of the Volunteers yesterday. I might pick them to play against Duke in the National Title game.

[BigZ]

I’m trying to vote but it won’t let me on any of the regions

I have Duke Nevada Auburn and Villanova.

[flyingdutchdevil]

I’m trying to vote but it won’t let me on any of the regions

I have Duke Nevada Auburn and Villanova.

Go big or go home?

Those are some bold, bold choices. I hope you win, because that Final Four is a cakewalk for Duke compared to most other Final Four options.

[pfrduke]

First round schedule/Kenpom odds for the Midwest:

Thursday
[13]Auburn (-6) vs. [49]New Mexico State (1:30, TNT)
[20]Kansas (-8) vs. [79]Northeastern (4:00, TNT)
[7]Kentucky (-16) vs. [145]Abilene Christian (7:10, CBS)
[19]Wofford (-5) vs. [55]Seton Hall (9:40, CBS)

Friday
[34]Utah State (-2) vs. [51]Washington (6:50, TNT)
[15]Houston (-12) vs. [111]Georgia State (7:20, TBS)
[6]North Carolina (-25) vs. [197]Iona (9:20, TNT)
[16]Iowa State (-4) vs. [45]Ohio State (9:50, TBS)

[Reddevil]

My hand would not allow me to hover over unc or ky, so I chose Auburn.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Iona isn't listed, and none of the other teams really spoke to me.

[jhmoss1812]

I think this is a really good bracket for UNC. There are not many slow tempo teams in this bracket. If these teams try to run with UNC, they will lose. There is no Zion or RJ in this bracket either. Kentucky is really the only team I see giving UNC any fits and I would like UNC in a rematch.

[KandG]

I think this is a really good bracket for UNC. There are not many slow tempo teams in this bracket. If these teams try to run with UNC, they will lose. There is no Zion or RJ in this bracket either. Kentucky is really the only team I see giving UNC any fits and I would like UNC in a rematch.

Agreed. Even though many have said "wow, what a stacked region", I think UNC matches up well with virtually every team. Though Duke should be favored in the East and their region isn't as loaded relatively speaking, there are two or three interesting teams that (in theory) represent tough matchups.

UNC doesn't have the same issue in this region with any team apart from Kentucky. It's fun to consider the best version of Auburn or Houston giving the Heels a game, but I'm just not seeing it.

[TruBlu]

I think this is a really good bracket for UNC. There are not many slow tempo teams in this bracket. If these teams try to run with UNC, they will lose. There is no Zion or RJ in this bracket either. Kentucky is really the only team I see giving UNC any fits and I would like UNC in a rematch.

“like” and “unc” should never be used in the same sentence, unless it is in the context of “I would like for unc to go to hell”.

[Kedsy]

I'm torn in my thinking as to which of Kansas or Auburn will beat UNC in the Sweet 16.