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NCAA Tournament picks 2017: Predicting the March Madness bracket

By Cody Williams

Mar 23, 2016; Louisville, KY, USA; A view of a March Madness logo on a basketball during practice the day before the semifinals of the South regional of the NCAA Tournament at KFC YUM!. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 23, 2016; Louisville, KY, USA; A view of a March Madness logo on a basketball during practice the day before the semifinals of the South regional of the NCAA Tournament at KFC YUM!. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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March 6, 2017; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs center Przemek Karnowski (24) celebrates against the Santa Clara Broncos during the first half at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
March 6, 2017; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs center Przemek Karnowski (24) celebrates against the Santa Clara Broncos during the first half at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

West Region – Round of 64

1. Gonzaga vs. 16. South Dakota

With only one loss on their overall record and a balanced team, the Gonzaga Bulldogs are indubitably going to be a tough out in March Madness. The Jackrabbits might be the most fun mascot in the tournament, but they won’t be around long enough for fans to enjoy it.
The Pick: Gonzaga

8. Northwestern vs. 9. Vanderbilt

Given what Northwestern and Vanderbilt showed during the regular season, them meeting in the 8-9 matchup feels fitting. Both teams are average on both ends of the floor. However, I trust the first-time dancers in the Wildcats to be more consistent than the up-and-down Commodores—even despite playing in unfamiliar territory.
The Pick: Northwestern

5. Notre Dame vs. 12. Princeton

This Notre Dame team has been hard to pin down at times this season in terms of what they are. However, they have too much size and are too well coached to suffer a first-round upset to a decidedly mediocre team like Princeton.
The Pick: Notre Dame

4. West Virginia vs. 13. Bucknell

West Virginia is another team that’s been vastly underrated this season, showcasing one of the elite defenses in college basketball. This Bucknell team is solid, but they’re going to have a difficult time breathing against the suffocating defense of the Mountaineers.
The Pick: West Virginia

6. Maryland vs. 11. Xavier

For a 6-11 matchup, the Maryland Terrapins and Xavier Musketeers are quite evenly matched. With that being the case, I have to go with the player I trust the most to carry his team to the next level in March Madness. After a strong (and wild) end to the regular season, that player is Melo Trimble as the Terps prevail.
The Pick: Maryland

3. Florida State vs. 14. Florida Gulf Coast

Dunk City lives again! This is obviously a different squad from top-to-bottom for Florida Gulf Coast, but they have the opportunity to pull off a massive in-state upset against Florida State. The Seminoles have the advantage here in every regard—but they’ve also shown a propensity for letting down in big moments down the stretch this season. That doesn’t sit well with me and leads me to get a little wild and call for a big upset.
The Pick: Florida Gulf Coast

7. Saint Mary’s vs. 10. VCU

There’s a contingency of fans and analysts out there that say the Saint Mary’s Gaels are being slept on. Unfortunately, I just don’t buy that. They were the second-best team in an overall weak West Coast Conference and simply haven’t proved they can topple top-tier teams. Lucky for them, this VCU team isn’t one of the Shaka Smart-coached teams of old. Thus, the Gaels move on—but not by as much as some would have you believe.
The Pick: Saint Mary’s

2. Arizona vs. 15. North Dakota

Arizona is one of the more dynamic teams in the country in terms of the different ways they can beat teams. The Wildcats can attack from all sides and be lethal in doing so. North Dakota is not a team that has a prayer of stopping maybe even one of those ways Arizona can attack.
The Pick: Arizona

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