2019 NCAA Tournament: Field of 64 predictions
It’s that time of year again. The 2019 NCAA basketball tournament brackets are out. Millions of people wager billions of dollars on this annually. From the secretary at the office that chips in $5 for the pool and just picks the favorite mascots to the hardcore fans that play in Calcutta’s worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, there is something for everyone.
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Most of the hardcore aren’t out here scouring the internet in search of the little golden nugget of truth that no one else has overturned. They had their minds made up on Sunday night who their targets were.
However, for most of us average people, we mull over the brackets for a few hours trying to figure out what kind of upsets will happen and where.
Fair warning: I haven’t won a bracket pool in quite some time, but I am consistently in the top five or so. It just depends on the size and payout of your pool whether these will actually work or not. All we know is that one region will be completely destroyed, at least one 12 seed will win, a team from the play-ins will advance past the first round, and a one seed will lose in the first weekend. That’s just the beginning!
Let’s take a look at my picks for the entire tournament!
2019 NCAA basketball tournament: East Region
First round: Duke, VCU, Liberty, Virginia Tech, Belmont, LSU, Louisville, Michigan State
Second round: Duke, Virginia Tech, Belmont, Michigan State
Regional semis: Duke, Michigan State
Regional champion: Duke
I really want to pick against Duke considering the lack of recent tournament success. However, this is a very different team with Zion Williamson in the fold. He’s going to play. He’s going to dominate. For that reason, I don’t really see team in this region that can take them down. I don’t want to be like everyone else, but I would rather have Duke lose and be wrong with everyone else than pick Duke to lose and have them make the Final Four anyway. You lose too many points that way. However, for the round by round, all bets are off!
Belmont is a very dangerous 11 seed. After losing in the OVC final, I thought it was all over for them. Belmont proved on Tuesday that the committee made the right move letting them in. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the bubble was pretty weak this year.
If you want to pick someone to beat Duke, it should be Michigan State. So why didn’t I? Louisville scares the bejesus out of me. They are a handful as a seven seed, and are one team that could run roughshod through this region. If I didn’t think Louisville were likely to wreck the whole bottom of this bracket, Michigan State would be my upset special.
Other than that, no one in this region matches up well with Duke. This team lost more games without Zion Williamson in six games than they did in the previous 25 games. That said, the four seed in this region is one of the teams that beat them.
The upset special here was Belmont, but I also had Liberty taking down Mississippi State. The tough part is that the Flames have never won a tournament game.
2019 NCAA Tournament: West Region
First round: Gonzaga, Syracuse, Murray State, Florida State, Buffalo, Texas Tech, Nevada, Michigan
Second round: Gonzaga, Murray State, Texas Tech, Nevada
Regional semis: Gonzaga, Texas Tech
Regional champion: Texas Tech
Gonzaga was the weakest one seed, and it showed. Texas Tech is the toughest 3. Syracuse beat Duke with Zion Williamson. Murray State, Vermont, Buffalo, and Nevada are all dangerous picks and most of them were trendy upset picks before the bracket was released. About the only thing I know for sure is that Gonzaga wont win this region. In fact, I wouldn’t be shocked if they lost to Syracuse in the second round.
Ja Morant may be the single most exciting player in this tournament, but there are others in this region that could be just as good. There’s a good chance that CJ Massinburg, Caleb Martin, and Morant all make it to Anaheim. Can you imagine how many pro scouts would show up for that?
Syracuse is easily the best eight seed in the tournament. Florida State’s size is going to be an issue for just about everyone but their first round opponent. If you want to get crazy with upset picks, this could be the bracket to do it. Murray State, Vermont, and Nevada are all dangerous seeds along with the Orange.
Hidden in all of this is Big 12(10) regular season co champion Texas Tech is tucked away in this bracket as well, and they are going to be a tough out. Jarrett Culver is a beast. The Red Raiders are good enough to win this region. They may be the most well rounded team here besides Gonzaga.
2019 NCAA Tournament: South Region
First round: Virginia, Mississippi, Oregon, Kansas State, Villanova, Old Dominion, Cincinnati, Tennessee
Second round: Virginia, Kansas State, Villanova, Tennessee
Regional semis: Virginia, Villanova
Regional champion: Virginia
Virginia destroyed everyone last year becoming the first one seed to ever fall to a 16 seed. My bracket had never been busted on the first day before, but I lost my champion on day one last year. That’s why I always do a round by round as well.
So why do I believe in Virginia this year? This team isn’t just all defense. They can score too. Two of Virginia’s three losses were by a combined 12 points to Duke. The other loss was to a dangerous Florida State team.
Oregon is as hot as anyone right now. Can you imagine if Oregon had Bol Bol like they were supposed to? Oregon also draws another break because Kansas State is going to make their tournament run again without Dean Wade due to a foot injury. However, the Wildcats made a run to the Elite Eight last year without Wade, and have practically the same team. I would have picked them to beat Virginia if they had Wade. The Wildcats could make it interesting anyway.
All of you know I’m an Oklahoma fan, but I’m also a realist. There is a good chance that Oklahoma doesn’t even deserve to be in the tournament. They got a decent draw in Ole Miss, but they lost to Big 12 doormat West Virginia twice, once in the first round of the conference tournament. I’m not delusional enough to think they can make a run here.
Villanova is a very dangerous six seed, but they also may have got the toughest 11 seed in St. Mary’s. I’m very hesitant to take Nova very far because of the Gaels, but if Nova survives that, they are good enough to win the entire region.
Purdue shouldn’t be a three seed. I know know that Old Dominion is that great of a team, but they don’t need to be. All they need to do is hit some outside shots, which they can.
Tennessee is one of the weaker two seeds because they are struggling lately. I do understand that this is a reward for the season as a whole, but it also means that the Vols are ripe to be picked off. A tough Cincinnati team could do just that in the second round.
2019 NCAA Tournament: Midwest Region
First round: North Carolina, Utah State, Auburn, Northeastern, Iowa State, Houston, Seton Hall, Kentucky
Second round: North Carolina, Auburn, Iowa State, Kentucky
Regional semis: North Carolina, Iowa State
Regional champion: North Carolina
This region is going to be a good one. The Tarheels are the best team, and I don’t really think it’s close. Furthermore, there is only maybe one or two teams in this region that can give them a fight, and I’m not convinced those teams will make it out of the first weekend.
Northeastern is easily the most dangerous 13 seed, and they get the weakest four seed in Kansas. The Jayhawks are still good, but they have been destroyed by injuries. They are essentially without three starters and they don’t defend the perimeter well. Northeastern is the most dangerous three point shooting team in the entire tournament.
Iowa State-Houston could be the most entertaining game of this region. If Iowa State gets by Houston, they have a good chance at making a run to the regional final here. The Cyclones probably aren’t good enough to beat North Carolina, but they could beat Kentucky. This team took down the Big 12 tournament, regarded by many to be the best overall conference.
I don’t really know how Wofford got a seven seed, but they are going to be a tough out. Seton Hall isn’t a great matchup for them, but if the Terriers get out of this, they could give Kentucky all they want.
Since we have to have all of our picks in by Thursday, this is what our Final Four looks like. So far we have Duke, North Carolina, Texas Tech, and Virginia. I have Texas Tech and Virginia in the final with the Red Raiders winning.