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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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Feb 9, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Lonzo Ball (2) reacts during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 9, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Lonzo Ball (2) reacts during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

South Region – Round of 32

1. North Carolina vs. 9. Seton Hall

Seton Hall comes into March Madness with an above average defense and an average offense. They have the potential to be competitive with some of the best teams in the country. However, I don’t think that’ll be the case against the Tar Heels. With how North Carolina controls the pace of games in addition to their ability to dominate on the glass, the regular season ACC Champions should be able to move on with relative ease.
The Pick: North Carolina

12. Middle Tennessee vs. 4. Butler

Though Middle Tennessee has been battle tested after last season and are a dangerous team that can beat teams inside and out, they don’t possess the same methodical and disciplined style that the Butler Bulldogs provide. Once again, I’ll mention that you never want to see Butler this time of year and that still applies. Thus, Butler moves past the Blue Raiders and onto a Sweet 16 date with the Tar Heels.
The Pick: Butler

6. Cincinnati vs. 3. UCLA

Because of how prolific they can be on offense, the shortcomings of UCLA on defense are sometimes overlooked. Ultimately, that should be their undoing and prevent them from going too deep into the NCAA Tournament. However, I don’t think that Cincinnati is the team capable of taking advantage of that. They’re a team whose success is predicated on the strength of their defense and, though their offense is solid, they don’t have what it takes to stop Lonzo Ball and Co.
The Pick: UCLA

10. Wichita State vs. 2. Kentucky

It’s incredibly tempting to take Wichita State here in a massive upset. They’re exceptionally undervalued as a No. 10 seed and, subsequently, are a rough matchup for the Kentucky Wildcats in the Round of 32. Even if that’s the case, though, Kentucky just has too many stars that Wichita State won’t be able to match. Both with Bam Adebayo on the interior and the likes of Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox on the perimeter, Kentucky will simply overwhelm the Shockers.
The Pick: Kentucky

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