My Final Four (2/6/12)

Can Kentucky really be this good?

Current Final Four Predictions:  Kentucky, Ohio State, Missouri, and North Carolina

Kentucky:  Like I said in the description, can UK really be this talented?  Head and shoulders the best team in America, the Wildcats should have no problem at least getting to New Orleans.  A player that could very well win Player of the Year, Anthony Davis is the defensive presence coaches dream of.  Averaging 4.6 blocks per game, opposing players often think twice before bringing the ball inside when #23 is on the court.  Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is turning heads as well.  Although he scored only one point during Saturday's win vs. LSU, the 6'7" freshman pulled down six rebounds.  To further prove my point, if you placed Terrence Jones, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marquis Teague, Anthony Davis, and Doron Lamb individually on any team, nine times out of ten they would easily be the best player.

This team is so talented that they have almost zero negatives or downside.  As long as defense remains their main objective, they should have no problem making the final four.

Ohio State:  After Jared Sullinger's 24 & 10 performance vs Wisconsin on Saturday, the Buckeyes remain one of the more talented teams in college basketball.  Him and Fort Wayne, Indiana native Deshaun Thomas provide a formidable matchup for any frontcourt in the nation. 

To be honest, I was sold on this team after they destroyed Duke by 22 points on November 29th.  William Buford will control this team's backcourt, as well as Aaron Craft.  6'4" Sophomore Lenzelle Smith Jr. will need to step up in a big way as well.  Smith Jr. proved that he was certainly capable when he lit the Hoosiers up for 28 points during a game on January 15th.

Missouri:  Missouri may be the most tournament ready team in the nation.  With a loaded started line up, the Tigers have four players averaging double figures.  Marcus Denmon, preseason All-American choice by many, has not disappointed a tad bit during the Tigers' 2011-12 ride to national relevance.  Did you forget about Kim English?  The 6'6" senior from Baltimore has averaged double digits in three of his four collegiate campaigns thus far.  

When Phil Pressey is at his best, Missouri can beat anyone in college basketball.  He is a playmaking guard who can change the game in an instant.  My only concern about this team is their lack of size underneath.  For Frank Haith's sake, hopefully their backcourt excels to make up for their lack of size come tournament time.

North Carolina:  To say the Tar Heels confuse me would be an understatement.  Their loss in Rupp Arena is the only one of their defeats that anyone may have seen coming.  But losing 90-57 in Tallahassee?  This is the second most talented team in the country behind Calipari's Wildcats.  All of this team's problems should be solved by the time March rolls around.  UNC is much too talented to endure a surprise exit before the get to New Orleans.

Off to the Races

Always a big name amongst the nation's mid-majors, the Murray State Racers

are off to a perfect start after ten games.

March 18, 2010 will be a day that no one associated with Murray State University will ever forget.  On this day, Danero Thomas sank a buzzer beater to shock the 4th seeded Vanderbilt Commodores in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.  A stunned San Jose crowd looked on as the Racers celebrated on the HP Pavilion floor.  However, Murray State, through the conference tournament, finished with a 30-4 record.  They weren't exactly a team that had showed up out of nowhere and turned heads.

The 2011-12 team is now ranked in many top 25 polls, and have gotten of to a 10-0 start this year.  One of their victims were Josh Pastner's Memphis team, a club many believed would compete for a bid in New Orleans this year.  Seven players on this year's team were also on the 2009-10 squad, including the team's top three scorers this season (Isaiah Canaan, Donte Poole, and Ivan Aska).  They also defeated Dayton, a team that many are including in this year's NCAA Tournament field.

Their schedule from this day on doesn't get much more difficult.  With no BCS conference opponents remaining on their schedule, one may actually get to wondering if the Racers can go undefeated heading into what seems to be an inevitable NCAA Tournament appearance.

Despite their lack of quality opponents (with the exception of Memphis and Dayton), this is an experienced team which consists of three seniors & six seniors.  However, we will find out how truly talented and well coached this team is once March is upon us.