Friday, March 30, 2007
Final Four Picks
Mikey C. is going to post a nice baseball preview tomorrow, but for now here are our picks for the rest of the NCAA tournament.
Mini Me:
Well I correctly predicted the Final 4, so there is no way I am changing my original picks now. So without further ado, here are my picks...
UCLA over Florida
Why do I have UCLA advancing over the defending champs? Yes this same Florida team beat UCLA last year in the finals, but I think this year's Bruins are better equipped to knock off the Gators. Here is why:
1. Farmar is no Afflalo. Farmar was a great talent, but he didn't have the capability to take over a game like the way Afflalo showed us he could do vs. Kansas. That game solidified Afflalo as the leader of this team and if UCLA's offense stalls at times during the game Afflalo is capable of single-handily keeping his Bruins in the game.
2. Darren Collison. Perhaps the most underrated guard in the whole country. Not only does he do a great job of running the offense from the point position, but he is also a major threat from behind the arc (46% on the season) and will provide solid perimeter defense on the Gator guards.
3. Their bigs (Mbah a Moute, Mata, and Aboya) have not only matured but gotten better, specifically on the defensive end of the floor. As a result, I believe they will have more success containing Horford and Noah than they did last year.
4. And finally, redemption. I even think that UCLA would agree that they were a little overwhelmed/outmatched last year in the finals. But this team has a chip on their shoulder to prove that this year is their year.
Ohio State over Georgetown
Hibbert vs. Oden. It has been a long time since college basketball has seen two phenomenal true centers go at it in the Final Four. These two are so essential to their team's success, not only because of their points, rebounds, blocks but also because of the space they clog up in the paint on the defensive end. Conley Jr. and Green have to change the way they play when those forces are protecting the basket. Maybe this is somewhat of an oversimplification, but I believe whichever center can stay on the court the longest, their respective team will come out on top. However, I urge viewers not to change the channel even if one team gets up by 15-20 points, because both teams have shown during this tourney that they have the offensive firepower to comeback from any deficit.
UCLA over Ohio State
UCLA's tourney experience will be the difference-maker in this one. UCLA's pressure defense will be a little bit too much for Conley Jr. to handle. Oden gets into foul trouble and UCLA wins their 12th championship in school history, and the first since 1995.
MVP: Aaron Afflalo
Easy E's picks
Final Four:
Florida over UCLA
Ohio State over Georgetown
Final Game:
Florida over Ohio State
Final Four MVP: Corey Brewer
Mikey C's picks
Final Four:
UCLA over Florida, 67-63
Georgetown over Ohio State, 75-69
Final Game:
UCLA over Ohio State. 60-52
Final Four MVP: Darren Collison
Mini Me:
Well I correctly predicted the Final 4, so there is no way I am changing my original picks now. So without further ado, here are my picks...
UCLA over Florida
Why do I have UCLA advancing over the defending champs? Yes this same Florida team beat UCLA last year in the finals, but I think this year's Bruins are better equipped to knock off the Gators. Here is why:
1. Farmar is no Afflalo. Farmar was a great talent, but he didn't have the capability to take over a game like the way Afflalo showed us he could do vs. Kansas. That game solidified Afflalo as the leader of this team and if UCLA's offense stalls at times during the game Afflalo is capable of single-handily keeping his Bruins in the game.
2. Darren Collison. Perhaps the most underrated guard in the whole country. Not only does he do a great job of running the offense from the point position, but he is also a major threat from behind the arc (46% on the season) and will provide solid perimeter defense on the Gator guards.
3. Their bigs (Mbah a Moute, Mata, and Aboya) have not only matured but gotten better, specifically on the defensive end of the floor. As a result, I believe they will have more success containing Horford and Noah than they did last year.
4. And finally, redemption. I even think that UCLA would agree that they were a little overwhelmed/outmatched last year in the finals. But this team has a chip on their shoulder to prove that this year is their year.
Ohio State over Georgetown
Hibbert vs. Oden. It has been a long time since college basketball has seen two phenomenal true centers go at it in the Final Four. These two are so essential to their team's success, not only because of their points, rebounds, blocks but also because of the space they clog up in the paint on the defensive end. Conley Jr. and Green have to change the way they play when those forces are protecting the basket. Maybe this is somewhat of an oversimplification, but I believe whichever center can stay on the court the longest, their respective team will come out on top. However, I urge viewers not to change the channel even if one team gets up by 15-20 points, because both teams have shown during this tourney that they have the offensive firepower to comeback from any deficit.
UCLA over Ohio State
UCLA's tourney experience will be the difference-maker in this one. UCLA's pressure defense will be a little bit too much for Conley Jr. to handle. Oden gets into foul trouble and UCLA wins their 12th championship in school history, and the first since 1995.
MVP: Aaron Afflalo
Easy E's picks
Final Four:
Florida over UCLA
Ohio State over Georgetown
Final Game:
Florida over Ohio State
Final Four MVP: Corey Brewer
Mikey C's picks
Final Four:
UCLA over Florida, 67-63
Georgetown over Ohio State, 75-69
Final Game:
UCLA over Ohio State. 60-52
Final Four MVP: Darren Collison
10 Comments:
I gotta hand it to ya, you have some grapefruits to pick 2 upsets...
Something is telling me UCLA is ready to pounce on Fla too
I've still got the Bruins over Georgetown... these all should be great games.
I have Georgetown over UCLA in the title game.
florida over g-town in the finals.
i never really though of Afflalo like that.
good freaking point.
for some reason i was looking at it the other way around.
hmm...
We suck at this.
Yes, yes we do.
I just went 0-2, so I really suck at this.
Man, Easy E NAILED it.
I bow down to Easy.
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