NCAA Tournament picks 2017: Predicting the March Madness bracket
South Region – Round of 64
1. North Carolina vs. 16. Texas Southern
You can talk about whether or not the North Carolina Tar Heels were deserving of a No. 1 seed all you want, but they’ve been in the title conversation all season. Texas Southern, on the other hand, might be the worst team in the tournament. Don’t expect this one to come close to being the first 1-16 upset.
The Pick: North Carolina
8. Arkansas vs. 9. Seton Hall
The Arkansas Razorbacks and Seton Hall Pirates are contrasting images of one another, the former showcasing a good offense and subpar defense with the latter having a mediocre offense and quality defense. Both are inconsistent, so I’m giving the advantage to Seton Hall due to Khadeem Carrington being able to take over.
The Pick: Seton Hall
5. Minnesota vs. 12. Middle Tennessee
In the preseason, the Minnesota Golden Gophers weren’t expected to be good, but shocked everyone this season. However, this Middle Tennessee team showed they can be a dangerous team in March Madness last season and have returned their core. Book this one as the Blue Raiders’ second upset in as many years.
The Pick: Middle Tennessee
4. Butler vs. 13. Winthrop
Butler is a team that no one ever wants to see when the NCAA Tournament comes around. They have a knack for making noise this time of year and are loaded with veteran talent. Unfortunately for Winthrop, they’re simply going to be the first victim of the Bulldogs.
The Pick: Butler
6. Cincinnati vs. 11. Kansas State
Bruce Weber’s Kansas State Wildcats were impressive in their First Four victory over Wake Forest. However, the Cincinnati Bearcats are a different caliber of opponent with an elite level defense. Though we’ve seen these First Four teams have success in the past, I don’t see that being the case this year.
The Pick: Cincinnati
3. UCLA vs. 14. Kent State
It’s no secret that Lonzo Ball, Bryce Alford and the UCLA Bruins derive their success from their offense. It’s their defense that might wind up being their Achilles’ heel in the tournament. That won’t be a problem against Kent State in the Round of 64, however.
The Pick: UCLA
7. Dayton vs. 10. Wichita State
Many people have cried foul over the Wichita State Shockers only getting a No. 10 seed, and all complaints are warranted. They deserve a far better seat at the table, likely even higher than their opponent in No. 7-seed Dayton. With that said, this should be a good match, but the Shockers will advance.
The Pick: Wichita State
2. Kentucky vs. 15. Northern Kentucky
Kentucky is one of the more balanced teams in the country and there’s no need to gleam (just yet, at least) about their star power. Though they have an in-state matchup awaiting them in the Round of 64, it won’t be a problem as they’ll move on with ease.
The Pick: Kentucky