I don't think the Iowa-Richmond game will be close. Richmond's offense isn't anything special and their defense is ranked behind Iowa's. I'm guessing Iowa jumps on them early offensively and cruises to 15+ point win. I compare Iowa to our 2014 team, so efficient offensively due to a great player creating mismatches.
Teams that burn you in the NCAA Tournament
- Thread starter coolerifyoudid
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I don't think the Iowa-Richmond game will be close. Richmond's offense isn't anything special and their defense is ranked behind Iowa's. I'm guessing Iowa jumps on them early offensively and cruises to 15+ point win. I compare Iowa to our 2014 team, so efficient offensively due to a great player creating mismatches.
I used to pick B12 to go far and B10 to not. And it burned me. So I switched. And that started burning me in recent years.
Not sure what to go this year! I feel the B12 is strong, but how strong?
Not sure what to go this year! I feel the B12 is strong, but how strong?
In college football bowl games...if you bet the spread on all the teams in the "bad" P5 conference and bet against all the "good" P5 conference teams it's a guaranteed winner. I mean you can set your watch to it. They may not all win, but the gap between the good and bad leagues is always smaller than perception.
This basketball tournament seems a lot more unpredictable. Last year that was definitely the case where the "good" major conferences weren't really that dominant and the one "really bad" league was actually very good. Other years I feel like the hyped/loaded conference really does dominate and you'd get killed picking upsets agains them.
I don't think I had Arizona going as far that year, but probably at least Elite 8.
The year before, Arizona lost as a 3 seed in first round - so after that and the Santa Clara upset, in '94 I decided "not trusting it," I selected early exit and of course UA gets to the Final Four. Even more frustrating, after getting burned by Missouri a few times, I predicted an early loss that year, too ... of course, they played each other in regional final. Figures!
Arizona is going to burn alot of people this year. They are good but I don't think they are quite ready for a National title run yet.
So far, things are looking pretty good for me. Haven't been burned at all yet.
Seriously, in the 90's, I would often pick Indiana to go far, but they never seemed to deliver for me.
Seriously, in the 90's, I would often pick Indiana to go far, but they never seemed to deliver for me.
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I think they are a good upset bid team again this year. Impressive athletically and they play for each other.
I think they are a good upset bid team again this year. Impressive athletically and they play for each other.
I'm tempted to use that as the 12-5 upset (gotta have at least one!) but it's a struggle to actually willingly choose it. (I'm mostly over it, but can't help thinking of it).
I usually have to get into at least 2 bracket pools so I can offset the teams that usually screw me 1 way or another if I pick them to go far or get upset. Kansas is usually that team for me that I have to either pick to make the Final 4 or get upset early as if I do just 1 bracket they usually do the opposite of what I pick.
I try to temper my expectations with Iowa State most years because history has proven when we think we are going to make a run we usually get kicked in the nuts. I doubt I even pick us to win our 1st game this year as based on how we have played the past 2 months I don't trust us to win any more than 1 at best right now. Hope the team surprises me and makes the Sweet 16 and partially wrecks some of my bracket but I've already set my expectations so low at this point just winning the 1st game is going to be a big success and a loss will not disappoint me either.
I try to temper my expectations with Iowa State most years because history has proven when we think we are going to make a run we usually get kicked in the nuts. I doubt I even pick us to win our 1st game this year as based on how we have played the past 2 months I don't trust us to win any more than 1 at best right now. Hope the team surprises me and makes the Sweet 16 and partially wrecks some of my bracket but I've already set my expectations so low at this point just winning the 1st game is going to be a big success and a loss will not disappoint me either.
Kansas: I pick with my heart every year and don't regret these burns one bit
Syracuse: (I hate Jim Boeheim and pick him to lose earlier than he does, except for when I pick him to win and then he doesn't)
Michigan State: As stated above, Izzo can flame out with good teams and advance with low seeds. He kills a lot of brackets.
Duke: Replace "Jim Boeheim" with "Coach K" and the rest holds true
Arizona: I still hate them for beating the best Kansas team of my lifetime in '97 so I always pick them to lose too early.
Syracuse: (I hate Jim Boeheim and pick him to lose earlier than he does, except for when I pick him to win and then he doesn't)
Michigan State: As stated above, Izzo can flame out with good teams and advance with low seeds. He kills a lot of brackets.
Duke: Replace "Jim Boeheim" with "Coach K" and the rest holds true
Arizona: I still hate them for beating the best Kansas team of my lifetime in '97 so I always pick them to lose too early.
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Iowa's potential match up with Providence and potentially Creighton/SDSU or Kansas doesn't really frighten anyone.
