🏀Men’s March Madness Bracket Preview Extravaganza: Picks, predictions for ALL 67 games ✍️

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Hey there, I am Gary Parrish. Welcome back, CVS Sports Ion College.

Ask about podcast where we sometimes discuss camel fighting.

Yo, no birds, leaky blacks. Matt Norlander is here with me. He's hiding behind a bracket.

If you're watching on YouTube, honor Brandon Davies. Smash that like button. And if you haven't yet

subscribed to the Ion College basketball podcast, please also do that wherever you subscribe to

podcast like Apple and Spotify. Let's get into it. This is our annual bracket preview show,

which is not to be confused with our annual bracket breakdown show. Two very different things.

Sunday night equals bracket breakdown. Is it Monday? Monday afternoon equals bracket preview.

And I want to start by. I think Tuesday we're going to have a bracket. Look ahead. First round

look ahead. There's another one coming. Don't even know yet. I'll figure that one out when we're

done with this one, but it's going to be different. We're giving you as much content as possible.

Yeah, I think we've got to the point in the season where we're going to figure out the next thing

when it's time to do the next thing right now. We just trying to get through this thing. So this is

so let's take it one at a time bracket break down late Sunday done bracket preview right now

in progress. Whatever happens tomorrow happens tomorrow. I want to start by circling back to this

Florida Houston situation down in the cell. Yeah, I will say I heard from a few folks

and it's it's split. I heard from I say few. I say four to agree with me to agree with you.

So there we go. I didn't look at the chat with any sort of detail, but I glanced at it at some point

and I saw I saw both of these things. I said, man, parachute is an idiot. And then I saw man

norlander is an idiot. And so they were, you know, and then I saw like I agree that I saw

parachute's right. And then I saw norlander is right. So like, you know, a good conversation,

I guess on that note, by the way, we can get rolling here. I don't I don't I really don't use

IG a ton like I post here and there, but I know like now that we're in game pick and season bracket

season, like they're they're doing the collabs and they're pulling videos of you and me and all

of our our CBS crew here. And so they had me do all this stuff for social, pick your bracket,

give me your Cinderella all this. And as always, just don't read the comments because my wife,

my wife gets a kick out of it. Like my brother has shared a few things I think on on Instagram and

all this. And she goes, how much of the call on you and did he that was like, I don't even look,

I already know it's there. But I was like, you know what? Just for you, I'll bring it up. And

instantly I bring up, I think it was, oh, it was my team ranking. So that I ranked the one to 68

field. They put in graphic form. It looks beautiful. It looks wonderful. And like the first three are

all gifts and memes of this guy's an idiot. Here's a guy who doesn't know ball. Like it's just one

after another after another drag me as long as you need to. I don't even care. I'm about to pick

67 games on this podcast. And it's going to be a disaster. That is part of the fun. You lean

into the bit. This is where I have a real like blind spot for the way the world works today.

Because I cannot imagine myself jumping on Instagram and calling anybody you need to hit for any

reason. I just don't care enough. But whatever you're saying or doing on Instagram, I don't

care enough to weigh in. The best you're going to get out of me is a heart. If it's a cute picture

of your kids, I'll get you a heart. All right. I might type congrats if you had a baby. But outside

of that, I got nothing to say. And yet every day I wake up and just strangers just call you the

worst thing. I can't. I don't understand. I'm healthy for the planet, for sure. Yeah. It's

evidence. It's evidence that the planet's definitely heading in the right direction. All right.

Let me tell you what we're going to do today. Here's what we're going to do today. We're going to

pick every game, real or hypothetical that we have in our brackets that have been published at

cbsports.com. Yeah. One of us will stick to the bracket that you might have seen on cbsports.com.

One of us will definitely not be doing that. And one of us will just, you know, say opposite

things that way he can, you know, always say he was not playing little sides. He had it right

somewhere. You know, I'm going to make some slight tweaks today. And you know what? I'm going

to probably make some more tomorrow. So you're going to get what I'm getting right here.

As always, the cbsports app, cbsports.com, expert bracket picks, where I land, call it midday

Wednesday. Then we're good to go. But I, and all seriousness, I think the majority of what you

will hear me say on the show today is going to be what my final bracket is. I reserved the right

to maybe tweak one or two more after this. Okay. So if there's one thing I know about how this

works, you pick UMBC on the podcast. You pick Howard on the website. You can say, yeah, I had

Howard. I had UMBC, whatever you want, whatever you need to say, you could say it. I know you,

hey, you ain't, you ain't so slick. All right. We're on to you. We're on to what, what you're up to.

Hey, let's start the east because it's the one in the top left. And that's the way my brain worked.

So here's what we're going to do. Start the east top left. Then we'll go counterclockwise.

Eventually, we'll make a complete circle. And by then, we, we will have each pick 67 games.

Some of them real, some of them hypothetical. And by the end, yes, you're going to know who we

think's going to the final four, who we think's one of the national championship. My intention is to

go 67 and oh, well, that won't be happening. You don't, you don't know. I do know.

Don't put a ceiling on me. We'll actually bet my life on it. People have been putting a ceiling

on me my whole life. People have been doubting my whole life. Now look at me. Look at me now.

I mean, look at me now. I mean, if you can pull off 60 wins, it's going to be all time or stuff.

I'm going 67 and oh, don't put a ceiling on me. I've been doubted before.

It's the guy who once said you come and never lose again.

I didn't think they were the way the Yukon fans were talking.

I mean, the coach was saying he's the best coach in the sport and the fans were like,

yes, he is. I was like, I guess they'll never lose again.

I was wrong. What do you want? I was wrong. What do you want to do? Anyway, I put on going 67

and now, but you can go first in the east if you want to. Let's bring up that bracket. Josh,

if you're watching on YouTube, you can produce interactive stuff as we go along here.

Right into the east, we go. That is our interface, by the way. That's the UX for the bracket stuff

at cbsports.com on the cbsports app. We will have, I'm glad I thought of it now.

We are going to have, as always, a Ion College basketball bracket games group on CBS Sports.

We will send links out to that on every social channel. Josh, if we actually have the capability

in this podcast description after the fact, if need be, go ahead and send folks a link.

If there's even possible in the chat, I don't know if it is. Let them know we want to compete against

you, see how you can do. We've had some really, really crowded entries to pass few seasons. Let's

do it again. Let's get rolling. I will compete against anybody in a bracket challenge except Miami,

Ohio. I'm not going to play them. I'm not going to play. I refuse to let them. It is against

NCAA rules for people that play for Miami and coach at Miami to participate in our bracket

games. I think we're good to go there. All right. Let's go to the east. Duke versus Sienna.

You know, where I'm going here, we don't need to talk too much about it. Duke, it's done. It moves

on along. Ohio State TCU. You got the Hornfrogs, a team that has had some really nice wins the season,

some interesting losses. Hornfrogs are 43 at Kenpom, Ohio State going into this game. But guys,

26. There's a market difference there. TCU's got some good defense to it. I love David Punch. He's

a sophomore, 67, super smart forward. He's really the guy that if TCU is going to win this game,

I think can have a huge, huge impact. He has much watch. I'm going to go Ohio State. It's got

a better offense. It's not just Thornton who's really good. John Mobley is a 42% three point shooter

from deep between those two. There's excellent, excellent range overall. In Christophe Telly,

he's been getting better as the season has been going along as a seven footer inside. So I'll

take Ohio State to move along going on down. I'm going to take Johnny's here over Northern Iowa.

I thought Northern Iowa is going to land as a 13. They get there as a 12. Ben Jacobson is a really

nice coach. But boy, I mean, with the way that Johnny's have been playing in their physicality,

I don't see the 12 over five there. Kansas versus Cal Baptist. I'm going to go J-Hawks. Now, Cal

Baptist has a player who was the February USBWA mid major player of the month in Dominic Daniels,

Jr. He was a stud and can really fill it up. He's top five in the country in scoring nationally.

So I wonder if you can actually get going and really heat up here. I wonder if this one might

be a little close down the stretch. This game is in San Diego. Cal Baptist doesn't have to travel

that far. GP, you good with that? Kansas got to go out to San Diego and Cal Baptist taking a

quiz bus ride there. You good with that? I don't love it. I mean, you really put and build

self at an incredible disadvantage against Rick, against Rick Croy. That's correct. Rick Croy.

So I'll coach, by the way, might be in the mix of pepper nine. We'll see how that works out.

I will go, okay, let's talk through this here. I, so we make our picks on the show on Sunday night.

And I was feeling so good about South Florida. And I still am. But GP, I get home late last night.

I'm sifting through the reactions, reading a bunch of different stuff, checking what some people

have posted. Is there a single person in the media picking Louisville to win this game? This is so,

this to me has scone so far in one direction. It's making me hesitate significantly. Bulls are

good. They, they have been playing extremely well over the past two months. Hodgons, a very good

coach. I am truly torn what to do here. I just don't want to go. I hate going all chock. All right,

I'm going to stick with USF. But if Louisville wins this game by 14, I'm going to be furious.

Pat Kelsey. Do I even have the glasses? Yeah, I do. I got to listen. Don't think, I don't think I

can't go Pat Kelsey at a moment's notice here. But I'm going against them. Look up GP. Look at us.

Look at us. You and me. Who thought? We're twins. We're basically twins now. There we go. I'll go

South Florida. I'm doing it reluctantly. I swear, I will not change this pick. But it bothers me how many

people are picking the bulls in that game. I will go Michigan state to beat NDSU. I feel like I might

be seeing a little bit of some North Dakota state action. We'll see on that. I don't see it

personally, but never know. UCLA over UCF. This is a no hesitation one for me. UCLA has been playing

a lot better. It's two best players should be available for this game. UCF gets in,

gets in and doesn't even go to date and where I thought it was going to go. UCF is the lowest rated

at large team that is not Miami University. It's 21 and 11. This program has dropped four of its

final five. It's not good defensively at all. I don't hesitate here, which means I'm probably

going to be wrong. Nothing will ask me UCF. And then I will take Yukon over Furman. Furman.

So hot right now, but not hot enough. Bob Rich's team can't get it done in Philly on Friday.

Huskies move along. Let's go back up to the top here and talk second round. I'll try and move

a little bit more quickly. Duke over Ohio State. How can you not? Ohio State's, you know, that'll be

a successful season for sure for year two for Jake Debler. But even with the inter-situations,

I'm going Duke there. I'm going St. John's over Kansas. Feels like more people than not are also

going Johnny's here. I think that's an impact of the Big East devil sweep. Zubie edge of four and how

well he's played this season and played himself into an all-american status. So I'll go Johnny's

there. That is a cross-country trip. You know, get through the first game. Hopefully it doesn't

have any wear on you. But those are in San Diego as a reminder. And then South Florida Michigan

states last that I had South Florida. Do I want to stick with this? This is a Michigan State team

that was almost a two. South Florida doesn't have a top 60 offense in the country. It is good on

the offensive glass. West Enis is a very solid guard. I like the match up there just in general

with Jeremy Fears. This game's in Buffalo. There'll be Michigan State fans to show up plenty.

Boy, GP. What do I do? MSU's drop two in a row. But it was at Michigan understandable by 40 UCLA.

This is Nizo on a two-day turnaround. He's using his loop against Tom iso here. Get on with it.

And I hate this though. Am I really going to do this just chalk nonsense? No. Give me the

bulls. I'm going to be wrong, but whatever. Put them through. Put them through.

Bulls on parade. Let's go.

We're doing it. Give me the bulls on the sweet 16. How many people out there going that Zesty?

Come on now. And then I will go Yukon over UCLA. Nick Cronin goes one in one in the eastern

time zone in the entirety of the 2526 season. Here we go. I'm going to stick with this one.

A battle between the two best bigs in college basketball. Camp Booser. Zubie edge of four.

It's Rick Patino. It's John Shire. Game would be in DC in the East Regional. I'll take

St. John to get to the elite eight and upset Duke in the sweet 16. And then in the bottom half,

I will go Huskies over bulls. And this is now I'm not doing this for the clicks or the reactions.

I did this in real time. And I'm going to stick with it. We are getting a fourth

fourth game between Huskies and Johnny's. And I'm going to take the Yukon Huskies to go to

Indianapolis, which I feel like is kind of a counterculture pick right now. And understandably so,

I'm not overly confident in this. This feels like a good, it feels like a good,

good value play here in your office pool. They got, they got a coach who knows a thing or two

about winning a march. And a lot of people are going to take Duke. I think you could see some Michigan

state love. You might even see some some St. John's love here. So I will go Yukon. It's all you.

All right. Yukon in the final four out of the East region for Norlander. I'll keep us moving a little

a little. Yeah. And you know, you know, I'm going to be long. I'm fine with it. I'm sitting,

you know, I could just sit here and, you know, text people and stuff. I'm fine with it. Don't worry about

Duke, Sienna, fun coaching matchup. John Shire, Jerry McNamara, two guys who are famous college

basketball players, both one national champion chips, both scored more than 2,000 points.

Quick question. Quick question. Whose career would you rather have had at the college level?

McNamara is wasn't as good of a player as Shire, but they're both one national titles,

but it's Syracuse. There's not as many legends as there is at Duke. Which one would you rather be?

I think, and I'd be happy to be corrected by Syracuse fans or Duke fans, but it feels like

Jerry, the coaching thing might change it because like John Shire is about to be, but not a

hundred. John Shire's coach. Yeah. I think Jerry McNamara as a player resonates more at Syracuse

than John Shire as a player resonates at Duke. I think that's true, and yet Shire was the better

player, but it's just something I thought about earlier today. I wanted to throw a tee on the show.

Obviously, but one of these guys coaches Duke and the other one coaches Sienna, so like,

although they could be coaching against each other next season, we'll wait and see how that goes.

You think it's going to go that way? I think there's a chance. How about this? I'll say 50 percent

during McNamara is the next Syracuse coach right now. Yeah, I've been peppering my Syracuse colleagues

up here. They're, they're eager to find out. Ohio State TCU. I'm going to take the book, guys.

Bruce Thornton in the NCAA tournament, so we never have to do that thing where can you believe he

led the school and scoring, but never played in the tournament? He's going to play in the tournament.

I think he's going to win, but TCU is six of one in the past seven. Sort that data. Top 30 in the

country in that stretch. St. John's over Northern Iowa. Johnny's are 19 and one in the past 20,

two wins over UConn in that stretch, two wins over Villanova in that stretch. Kansas over Cal Baptist.

I don't love the idea that Rick Koi's so, Rick Koi's so close to home. I don't, you know,

I feel about that kind of stuff, but Bill Self, Darren Peterson, one way or another, they'll get

through that. I, in the bracket, I feel that I do have Louisville over South Florida. So I am,

maybe I'm the one person picking Louisville or South Florida, but I did circle back. I might be.

I did circle back and I found the Brian Hodgson press conference from yesterday after it was announced,

they're going back to playing Buffalo. And that was really sweet, man, like that. That makes me,

you ready for this? I picked Louisville, but I would be happy to be wrong if Brian could share that

moment with his father in a, in person. If you haven't seen the press conference, I thought that

was a sweet moment. Go find it. I'll take Louisville over USF Michigan State over North Dakota State,

North Dakota State 27 wins 17 and two in their past 19, but I'll take the Spartans to advance UCLA,

USF. Where's this game, Phil and Elfia? This game. It's of course. He's gonna, he's

microne and complain about the statue of liberty. Now he's going to complain about the statue of Rocky.

Imagine, imagine you, you go to Philly and you decide you want to do the, like you climb the steps,

you get it all on video, you know, you should do that, by the way. Like, Mick lean into it, like,

go do that. That would be a huge, a huge win. Now I was going to say, you're just a random rocky

fan doing it. And then you look back at your video a few days later and you notice in the background,

it's just Mick Kronin standing over there by the statue, just pissed off, just mad as hell at the whole

thing. And then down there, cussing out the Liberty Bell. He goes and looks at the Liberty Bell and says,

uh, over under 0.5 Liberty, 0.5 Liberty Bell mentions by Mic Kronin for the entirety of the trip.

Are you raising your, are you raising your Bell at me? Are you, are you raising your Bell at me?

Are you raising your Bell at me? I think it gets one Liberty Bell reference, be it day before

a media availability. It's, we're getting it something to know. Are you raising your Bell at me?

What, what if he takes, what if he takes issue with the Liberty Bell? Are you raising your Bell at me?

And be amazing. We're all rooting for something like this. Let's be honest. There is no way you

feel like a win-a-game in the Eastern times on that's crazy. This is a setup. All right. This is a

setup. Johnny Dawkins to the round of 32. You confirm it. You confirm it. You know how, you know how I

feel about Bob Richie. But, uh, I actually don't, but we can keep it moving. Let me tell you how I

feel about Bob Richie. You kind of advances. All right. So now we back up. This is where we've

got to get interesting, buddy. Sounds like Bob Richie is GP's Nico Madvette if you follow me.

I would, I wouldn't mind seeing Bob Richie get out of that, but it's just a tough ask, you know,

to get past the Huskies. Okay, I got Duke Ohio State, round of 32. I'll take Duke there, Bruce

Thornton. Man, you had a hell of a career. St. John's and Kansas taking the red storm. 19 and

one in the past 20. I don't trust Kansas. You put him in Allen Fieldhouse. Anything can happen.

You take him out of there. I just, I don't think they played enough together. Darren Peterson

and the rest of those guys. I'll take the red storm to get out of there. I've got Michigan State

overluable Yukon over Central Florida. Now we're in the sweet 16.

Oh, buddy. I don't know if you heard. This is one dude. He had St. John's number one in a

precinct. He got up to a rough start. Yeah. That's close to five. By the way, just so we're all

clear. That coach started hating his team. Then I started hating his team. And and that was it.

We just sort of left it there. But now here we are matched up for the sweet 16 me in my red storm

against the number one overall. The number one overall seed in the NCAA tournament. Come on, Duke.

But they're hurting, but they're hurting. Caleb Foster is surgically repaired, but not ready.

Patrick Gangba ain't played in a minute. They hurting. They hurting.

Give me the red storm. Straight up. They're advancing to the elite.

I don't agree. Oh, no, this is terrible. Did I maybe spend four months looking like an idiot

predicting St. John's to be the best team in the country? Yeah, maybe I did. Maybe I did.

But they're 19 and one in their past 20. And I've got them getting past shorthanded, Duke.

It's unfortunate that John Shire can't catch a break. Michigan State and Yukon,

sweet 16. We're going to advance the Huskies to the elite eight. We've got the fourth matchup

between St. John's and Yukon. I think that's a squirrel.

And I'm well aware of what I'm doing to myself. Squirrels, squirrels, squirrels,

person squirrels, squirrels, squirrels. I think that's a squirrel. What do we got?

I know how this is going to go. I've walked this path before.

But Rick Patino and St. John's will get past Yukon in the elite eight.

And the Red Storm will fulfill their prophecy. The Red Storm will make it where they always

were supposed to make it dating back to the off season, top 25 and one. Rick Patino,

with a team he used to hate, but it now loves because that's what 19 and one can do to our

relationship. The Red Storm go to the final four out of the East region as a five seed. Rick Patino

continued to make his case. It's not only one of, but arguably the greatest college basketball

coach of all time and would perhaps have the accomplishments to back that up if he had never been

learned away to that evil NBA. The world is a vampire. All right. Wow. You actually did it.

Five seed St. John's to Indianapolis. Isn't it just more fun this way? Isn't it just more fun?

One of the biggest takeaways from this show, particularly, we are going to lean into the fun of

the picks. He claims he's trying to go 67 to know. We just learned that's not going to happen.

He's already over. It's over for you. But if you don't have a little fun, what's the fun of

it all? We know that a lot of these are going to blow up in our face. Who cares?

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All right, Norlander. We're settling this right now. We're doing a pizza topping draft.

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Let's keep it moving. We're going to the south. I think we go to the south. Check out that south

region. Let's bring it up on the screen. I'll take a tour through it, try and move a little bit

more quickly if that's OK by you. We can't say we're going to move a little more quickly and then

go slow. All right. It also might happen. Honestly, that's part of the show. You know, we sound

like a recently hired basketball coach. We're going to play fast. We're going to get up

now. Yeah. And then they come out and they're like 289th in tempo for their entire career.

And Jake comes in and Tony Bennett on the show right now. I think he's like Tony Bennett.

Tony Bennett getting a new job and being like, we're going to play fast like we always get

up and down the court. It's like, hold up. You're not the fact. You're not the play fast guy.

You're great. You're not the play fast guy. I'm going to try to be the play fast guy.

I'm going to get in my native oats a little bit going forward, but you didn't handle however you want.

And again, I think the plan is for our Tuesday show to have a little more of an in-depth look at

at some of the first round stuff. So we can keep it moving. I'm not trying to get in depth.

I don't I don't like getting in. I will be ready. I'll have notes and nuggets. Okay. I don't

really want to get in notes and nuggets. I got you. I got you tomorrow. Okay. Florida is going to

move along in the first round over Prairie View or Lehigh. I'm going to take I'm going to take

Clemson to beat Iowa. Who the heck knows, man? Iowa runs everything through Sturts. Is that

going to be enough? Clemson's got more physicality. I go Tigers there. Those games are going to be

in Tampa, by the way. Vanderbilt will play McNeese in Oklahoma City. These games will be on Thursday.

Vandy as a reminder, got the, got the short end of the stick as a five and with the difficult 12s

there. Comma doors, I just think with the way they've been playing, the offense that they have.

McNeese is a McNeese legit team. Like they've got some they've got some dudes. They've got some

physicality. They've got an endless array of wings, but I will I will take Vanderbilt in this spot

to get it done and what could be a pretty damn entertaining game. Doors move along. And then

it's Nebraska. We already know GP's taken Nebraska. I'll take Nebraska as well.

We need to see this program finally experience an instant double tournament win. I think it will.

I have to note though, the playing Troy, this team did make the tournament a year ago.

It wasn't that competitive. It lost a Kentucky. If you've forgotten, it's got cross still there.

And you know, maybe maybe they've got enough experience to make it interesting, but

I don't really hesitate too much on that one. So Nebraska moves along.

UNC VCU. We've seen an 11 see the VCU matched up against a blue blood from the ACC on the

six line before. That was 07 shafts to Eric Mainer. VCU was a very trendy pick.

And they won. I remember I because I picked them that year too. I'll do it. I'll do it here as well.

A film artillery junior's team has won loss since January 10. It was that St. Louis.

It's not an elite group really in any facet, but they play so well together. And they've got real depth.

They're hard to beat. And I just wonder where North Carolina is after losing two in a row.

Understandable losses, but no Caleb Wilson. You're recalibrating with that.

Give me. I guess that's me back to back 11 over six. Why not? Let's have some fun here.

Illinois to beat Penn. I don't think it'll be close. St. Mary's A&M is, I mean, that is so interesting

because these teams do not like each other at all. St. Mary's is a defensive grinding team that is

more than OK beat and you 62 to 57. It's the best free throw shooting team in the country.

By the way, St. Mary's is in between Mikey Lewis and Paulus Morowskas. Those are two guys that

I just like the way they play. Like I've probably seen, I don't know, I've probably seen St. Mary's

play five or six times this year. I love the way they work on the floor as a unit. Meanwhile, A&M

up and down the floor full court press. You know, will launch without abandon loves to take the three.

You're really diving into the resume. They don't have a lot of really good wins against

NCAA tournament level teams. I will go, I will go gales on that one and then I'll take Houston

to beat Idaho. I think that will be the biggest two over 15 blow out of the first round. Go on up

back to the top. Give me the gators over Clemson for sure. And then Vandina Braska is a tough one for

me. I will, I don't know, man, this, I'll go Vandy. I'll go Vandy here either way. See, to me,

either one, you're getting like no matter what team gets out of there. Doesn't matter. Vandy,

McNeese and Braska Troy, what there's only going to be one of those four teams that's going to

get out of Oklahoma City into the regional semis in Houston. It's an awesome story. So I love that.

No matter what, we're going to feel good about it. I will go Tyler Tanner, Duke Miles, Tyler,

Nickel and Co, to get it done. Mark Bienton gets to the sweet 16 bottom half. I'll take Illinois

over VCU. And then I will take Houston to get past St. Mary's. Maybe in a game where we're dialed

in late and and it's a close one, but the Cougars ultimately get it done. And then okay, so here we go.

Then we get the rematch in the sweet 16 between Florida and Vanderbilt. They just faced each other.

Vanderbilt was able to up and up in Florida in the SEC semis. They won 91 74.

And Florida won earlier in the season. They got it done when that game was in Gainesville,

but it was a four point margin. So if we do get this matchup, you plenty of intrigue with it.

They played different styles. Vanderbilt is kind of successful because of what it can do with

its guards led by by Tanner more than anyone else. And meanwhile, we know what Florida can do with

its front court. I will go gators in this spot. But I kind of think that Florida Vanderbilt has a

chance. There's a lot of potential sweet 16 games that could be incredible, incredible. That one

feels like it could be a top four or five matchup in a regional semi bottom half. I've got Illinois

versus Houston. Oh, boy, that is a grown man varsity game Houston with its defensive capabilities.

And then you've got the Kingston Fleming's factor against Keaton Wogler. Please give me this

game. Please. That would be awesome. I will go Houston with this spot. Illinois seems to be a

team to me that not just when you look at its region, but you look at what it's done over the past

month. It's a team that's gone four and five down the stretch defensively. Now it's 28th overall

in Ken Palm offensively. We don't have that many questions about it. It gets it done. It's not

just Wogler. Merkovich is a really good player. Thomas Loffa V-Sitch is, you know, among the better

bigs in the country, 7-1, like a real present to their kind of Boswell. He can do a lot defensively

Boswell and Fleming's could be must see TV. I'll go Houston there. Florida Houston in the

regional semi or excuse me, the regional finals. And then I will take Houston to beat Florida.

Home court advantage. Home court advantage. Last season's national title game on an elite eight

stage cougars with the benefit of the arena and their backyard. Get it done and make it all

the way to Indianapolis. Home court advantage. Home court, looking forward to seeing home court

advantage come into play for the two seed over the one seed. All right. I'm told that I'm sorry

about that. Yeah, some of the chats corrected me. Florida won the game at Vandy, not in Gainesville.

Might be sorry about that. Back check. Appreciate it. All right. All right. Florida advances.

No matter the opponent that goes without saying. Clemson Iowa two teams like

Iowa's three and seven. They're past 10. Clemson's four and six in their past 10.

But somebody's got to win. Yeah. Well, here's the deal. Someone's going to have a sour taste in their

mouth and they're going to be like, man, we had something going and it and it kind of went the

wrong way. And then the other teams would be like, you know what? At least we're able to salvage it

and get a win in the tournament before getting wrong by Florida. Okay. Let's say Clemson with the

sour taste and and Iowa with the salvage. Yeah. Iowa advances. Shout out to Bennett Sturts. Vanderbilt

McNeese Bill Armstrong 28 and five. First year at McNeese. Okay. Question. Yep. Does this count

as a Scott Drew coaching tree? He was at Baylor for one year. That's a good question. I'm going to

say no. We give Josh Paster to John Calipari. Was that one year? Yes.

I'm going to say yes. But he's Scott. He's got a gruel. Let's still.

Are you sure? Text Scott. Ask out what he thinks.

No, let's ask Bryce. This is Bryce. I don't care. I assume Bryce would not care whether Bill Armstrong

is considered part of the Scott Drew tree or how much does not. He couldn't care less. Okay.

Could not care less. Vandy five and two in their past seven. I'll take the common orders to get past

McNeese. Nebraska Troy Scott Cross. Great story. Fired at UT Arlington. Doing great things at

Troy. But I mean, not very, very, very surprised if he's not the coach at Georgia Tech, by the way.

And how much do you fill up your UT Arlington? You fired an alum who's going to go on to be the

coach at Georgia Tech. Yeah. Maybe I don't know who I don't remember who made that decision, but

looks like a poor one. I think with the benefit of hindsight, we can call it a poor one. Although I

are remember correctly in real time, it was seem confusing. Yeah. Anyway, my heart will not allow

me to pick against Nebraska. The Cornhuskers have to get their first win in NCAA tournament history.

I think it comes at the expense of Troy. UNC VCU. I'm with you. VCU 16 and one of their past 17.

I'll take VCU straight up. I just think it's, I know I don't Carolina kept its head above water

for the most part in the absence of Caleb Wilson, but at some point that matters. And

maybe it's not around to 64, but in my quest to go 67 and 0, I will take the Rams over to Carolina.

I got Illinois over pin, but she has to frame McCaffrey for even being in this position. By the way,

he's already interrupt. Yeah. If Fran McCaffrey wins this game, he's one in eight in his last night

against Brad Underwood. It was already decided today on Twitter. If Fran beats Illinois, Tom

Fornelli has to sit on the eye on college basketball podcast for a full hour. So that is his

punishment. Just sit there and just sit there silently. He will, he will, he will speak when

called upon. Okay. He'd always speak when spoken to. Yes. I like that. That's kind of the way I like

to do shows. Yeah. Fornelli, we fully expect your team to win and to uncomfortably. But we got

to see it first. That is a TNT tip Thursday night, approximately 925 out of Greenville. By the way,

I got Saint Mary's over Texas A&M spoiler. I'm going to have three WCC teams advancing. I want,

I want three of the final 32 to be from the West Coast Conference. I've got Houston over Idaho.

I like a good Vandal. I can appreciate a good Vandal. I know. That's a top five. I might be a top

five moniker in the bracket, by the way. The Fandals is great. Love it. Love the Vandals. But

I don't think they can deal with Houston, while Houston's on its way to Houston. Florida, Iowa,

I've got Florida over there. Like Bennett Sturch is just one dude. And Florida's got a lot more

bit. Florida's got a lot more players. The caliber of Bennett Sturch than Iowa does. I always

got like one Bennett Sturch caliber player. Florida's got more than one. The game is advanced. Vandy,

Nebraska. Come on, Fred Hoyberg. Get you a second win. Go and get you two. Go ahead and get you

two. Nebraska not only gets its first win in the end of my turn. It goes to its sweet 16 first

sweet 16 in school history. Illinois, VCU. This is where I do have it ending for the Rams.

Brad Underwood to the sweet 16. I've got Houston over St. Mary's. Florida over Nebraska.

Fred Hoyberg magical season ends in the sweet 16. Todd Golden back to the elite eight.

I've got Houston over Illinois. Yes, I've got it set up. One versus two in the South

region final. Florida playing at an incredible disadvantage that I fundamentally think is unfair.

loses to the Houston Cougars. Calvin Samson back in the final four. Calvin Samson two wins

away from a national championship. Florida fans complaining all night about why they had to play

a road game as the one C and don't ever forget. I was I was arguing on your behalf on March 15

and Matt Norlander tried to shame me with bracketing principles.

That's the left side of the bracket. We we agree on the the team out of the South. We both

got the coups and part of fans. If you if you don't like the way this is going and you would like

your voices heard, you could get in there in these little chats in these little comments sections

where all the Houston fans are yelling at me even though Houston's like my favorite team.

Now I got Houston fans yelling at GP. Don't you know Houston had to play Purdue and Indian. Yes,

I know. We said it in the stupid clip. Okay, but there's 18 people who type it in the comments

without recognizing. No, ignore the comments without wreck it. Hey, this guy covers college basketball.

He probably is aware that Houston played Purdue last season. Let him get ahead.

All right, let's go. I'm not fighting on your behalf. I'm fighting on the behalf of what I

think should be new and improved bracketing principles. But if you want to call Houston fan,

if you want to get in there and call Houston fan names on my behalf, I wouldn't I wouldn't.

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West region top right of your bracket these games are going to have San Diego portland and

St. Louis feed into the regional all right love to see that Josh just as we're absolutely cooking

with gas on this live episode on a Monday afternoon love to see it everyone watching right now smash

that like button like your Brandon Davies there's more of us that should be reflected in the number

of likes as we go along here I will go Arizona obviously moving along but I do love that we have

Rod Strickland coach in the L.I.U. in the sharks they got to take the circuitous route by the way

sharks that's a long you got to take what canal we going through that the Suez you go if you go

from Long Island you got a swim there is a shark we go into the Suez Canal the only one I know

about now is that straight we're all the war come close yeah yeah yeah I know man by the way wow

I am I am atrocious Suez Canal is between Africa and Asia that is awful by me man that's straight

boy that seems like in him that's a wild scene up in that straight it is the Panama Canal you have

no doubt Suez the Suez Canal I guess theoretically you can get there some way if you're a shark and you

got to go from a long Island to San Diego which is by the way where the games are going to be played

you got to take the Panama Canal oh my gosh let me ask a question I've got Arizona winning the game

for the record has anybody thought about trying to like can we just move the oil through the Suez

Canal would that work maybe we should have to give up on this board all options the straight

seems a little dangerous these days maybe we should try the Suez Canal all right second our first

round second game in the bracket here who's calling me I'm sorry I can't pick up right now all right

um Villanova versus Utah State in the eight nine seems to me Utah State the overwhelming pick here

do I just go counter here do I I don't know should I do it should I flip a coin do I even have a coin

GP who do you have in this one spoiler for me Utah State or Villanova but you you think I'm

going to stay up to two o'clock every Tuesday watching the mountain west and then pick against MJ

Collins what are you talking about you know me night I stay up I stay up with MJ Collins more

than I stay up with my family what are you talking about I'm flipping it give me Nova I've had

Utah State there's way too many people on Utah State I'm I'm I'm running counter so when this

is Utah State this happened I think the past two times the past two years on the show there were

some eight nine some seven ten where I had it I was like nope I'm switching it and I was going to

be wrong this is gonna happen to me again I'm stupid all right um Wisconsin high point I picked high

point last night Wisconsin's playing so well high point is 90 to a Ken POM 30 and four on the

season longest win streak in the country 14 in a row it's top five in the country and not turning

the ball over and turning teams over um it's deep it has not played a tough schedule

it's not a big team it's got some shooting ability one loss since December 14

gotta live a little gotta have some fun I think Wisconsin's gonna probably win the game but whatever

I'm sticking with it 12 over 5 high point gets it done this game will be in Portland by the way so

I'll stick there and then I will go Arkansas to beat Hawaii uh just for fun over under deris a cuff

29.5 points in this game GP over everything I always say about deris a cup is gonna be over

yeah oh I was something I don't know that I'd be here except except here's the thing they could be up

23 and you pulling with seven minutes to go that's true that could be on the table uh Hawaii

is your automatic bid champion out of the big west and they won that late Saturday this game is

Thursday uh there's no way in hell that team went back to Hawaii so I'm curious what they what

the packing situation was there because they would have made no sense for them to hop on a plane

and fly home Sunday and return so uh they must have been they had to legitimately pack for a week

and a half a long trip or on gano coach of the bows we'll see if they can do something they get the

benefit stay in the west coast Portland for for the uh Hawaii uh rainbow warriors there um also in

Portland BYU will play the winner of NC State Texas NC State Texas I will go Texas in that game uh

Sean Miller coasted into the year ago interesting note Sean Miller had never coached a team that was

truly on the bubble until last season he's now had to do it two years in a row and has a has had the

good fortune of breaking through two consecutive seasons uh NC State um it's kind of a variety of

guys who I had a note on NC State those going to toss you you know what I'm saving it for save

it for tomorrow um I'll go Texas to win that and then I'll take BYU in age of debons uh to beat Texas

I think we mentioned this on the Sunday show uh that would be debons are going against his idols

Alma Mater I'll have BYU into the second round uh Gonzaga over Kenna saw state big question

Gonzaga is is Braden Huff um when is he going to be available and when he is how effective is he

going to be so Gonzaga is a three and deservingly so but I don't necessarily believe that it is a

threat to get to the final four if it's not going to have Huff available kind of a tough deal there

they've done they've been able to manage mostly without him but he's been missing for a for a bit

here Miami versus Missouri is going to be in St. Louis again that's Missouri a 10 in St. Louis

I'll still take the canes um I I like them in that matchup I think they have more overall talent

Jay Lucas done a really good job in year one I'll take Miami to move along and then obviously

Purdue over Queens in the first round back up to the top Arizona get past Villanova

it's a fun little battle to write into the bracket by the way you write out Zona you write out

Nova it's very very fulfilling uh real one's known I'm talking about Wisconsin I have losing so

I'll have high point Arkansas how can I not take Arkansas you know and sometimes the tournament

has a way of doing this to us where we've got either a player or a team and going into it

in the leading two or three weeks they've just the vibes are tremendous they're looking good you're

like how could I not possibly pick this team to win at least two or three games right Arkansas is

an exact and exact example of this uh and if it didn't make the sweet 16 I would be fairly shocked

but sometimes the tournament that's what nature of the beast man so uh held on a swivel I don't think

it's an automatic the hogs get there but I'm I'm writing them through regardless to get to

uh to get to the West Regional where I will be in a week and a half or a little less than that

I will take the cougars of BYU to beat Gonzaga with the idea that Huff isn't playing and the defense

that I saw show up in the big 12 tournament on BYU's behalf uh still gets it done and that means

back to back sweet 16 runs for Kevin Young and then I'll have Purdue over Miami uh getting it done

there Braden spit by the way Braden spits gonna break the all-time assist record uh Bobby

holey's record in the Queens game he needs two to set that record that's an inevitability sweet 16

I will go Arizona over Arkansas a cuff buries Bradley Pete Malik Thomas Billy Richmond

the amount of talent on the floor in that game please give it to me uh I I really really

want to see that game uh in the sweet 16 that could be as good and as entertaining as maybe any

on the on the board here GP and then yeah this here we go this is this is this is this is how I

just torched my bracket I'm gonna go BYU over Purdue I'm gonna stick with this I'm gonna say

debats uh doesn't score under 30 in any tournament game I'm gonna say the the defense shows up

in a significant way Rob Wright pulls it together I know there's no Richie Saunders that's a problem

but you're gonna see Kebuketa hit a new level Cunard Davis steps up even shoots beyond his

current averages from three point range um and the role players uh improve all the more so

I'm very aware that I could be picking a team that will lose to its first round opponent coming

out of the first four but it's got a little the little take a big swing and I will have the cougars

versus the wildcats in the elite eight I just so happen to see these two teams play each other

in Provo uh back G's GP that's been six seven weeks Arizona won that game it was close 8683

I love Arizona winning that one again and the wildcats my first one seed into the final four

all right I'll be quick or at least quicker Arizona over L.I.U fins up wonderful story

but it ends right here um Villanova oh and four against Yukon St. Johns

uh only two quadrant one wins zero in the year 2026 what did I do

they ain't be nobody in forever and they barely beat anybody all year

I did have I made it have I made a great I made a grave mistake

I mean who's picking Villanova there are dozens of us okay

me me an MJ Collins me an MJ Collins I can't tell you how many nights he's up all our man

I may change this pickback before we get to Thursday I'm letting you know right now

I spent too many nights up late with MJ Collins to pick against him now

Utah State over Villanova these these down

Wisconsin high point I'll take Wisconsin to get out of that but high point is 90 second at Kenpon

30 and four like it's uh I don't that that would be if I were like a middle of the pack power

commerce team like the I'd rather play another middle of the pack power conference team

then then somebody that won 30 times I just I don't like I mean Wisconsin will be physically

even all that stuff but 30 and four top 100 teams like that's a that's a real game I'll take

Wisconsin to get by him Arkansas Hawaii a cup is on a roll right now I don't have Arkansas

spoiler alert going to the final four but he is the type of guard who could go on one of those

Kimba runs she passed Napier runs and get a team somewhere in the bracket uh further than

the number next to its name suggests was the likely scenario um uh certainly got him getting

out of the first round a cuff could he could take them anywhere uh BYU Texas I I've got Texas

getting past in C state then BYU over Texas I'd like to get that game just because I like

here in Shaw Miller talking about NBA players he was a great on a cuff um I'd like to hear what he

says uh um about the Bonsa here Gonzaga Kennesaw state the Brayden Huff thing remember the initial

timeline was four to eight weeks were past that were past the eight and so this has not gone well

I think we talked about it either when I was in Spokane or right afterwards and I sort of noted I

wasn't hearing good things about it hopefully he's back in uniform sometimes soon but I don't like

the idea I mean you will if he's healthy you're gonna play him he's super talented but just

dropping somebody into a rotation after they've been gone for eight nine weeks in a single elimination

tournament uh it's unfortunate that it's played out this way but it's not going to cost him

in the round of 64 I've got Miami over Missouri Jay Lucas gets his first win in the NCAA tournament

Purdue over Queens don't mess this up Purdue Brayden Smith College career could not end with one

of with one of those now we're in the round of 32 I've got Arizona over Arkansas um that just

that Arizona team uh well you the sweets the sweet 16 oh I'm sorry okay I've got Arizona over Utah

state okay Arkansas over Wisconsin then I'll get Arizona over Arkansas we'll get back to there

in a minute I've got Gonzaga past BYU DeBonza's great I just don't and I know they want a game here

or there in Richie Saunders absence but broadly speaking that has not been a very good basketball team

since he went down I will take Gonzaga to get past BYU I've got Purdue over Miami back up Arizona

over Arkansas so Arizona into the elite eight I've got Purdue still winning after securing the

big ten tournament title over the weekend advancing to the elite eight and then I've got Arizona

over Purdue Arizona my first one seed also in the final four and if you were to ask me and I know

you didn't but if you were to ask me of any of your final four picks or one seed picks which one

do you feel best about getting to Indianapolis it is Arizona I think that's the safest pick in

this bracket to get to the final four based on caliber of team and caliber of possible obstacles

along the way you've got Purdue in the elite eight and if it was five days ago I don't think you

would necessarily have Purdue in the sweet 16 so I think I would always have the sweet 16 out of

respect for the program but but but I'm not somebody who can get all the way to the point where

I just watched him win the big ten tournament now they're what they were supposed to be that team

was really bad defensively for an extended stretch and they they have been better and can be

better but they're not going to turn into elite defensively all of a sudden and that Duke Michigan

Arizona trio if we're talking about national championship contenders and and that's what Purdue

was described as heading into this thing like those teams are are one two and three in

all the metrics but also specifically adjust to defensive efficiency you've got to be able to

guard to win this tournament I think and I don't know that they guard well enough to win this tournament

but I do think they can play well enough to to go to the elite eight and you know maybe even the final

four but that national championship goal I'm not ruling anything out but it's hard to see I guess

I put it that way yeah as the couple folks in the chat pointed out as worth mentioning for our

audio listeners there are some there are a couple teams here that can play some defense for

a lot of teams in this region are way more offensively focused like there are some teams that have

some real lack of defensive prowess and you almost wonder if it's a race in that regard to see who

gets out and gets to Indianapolis out of the region but Arizona will definitely be by by nature of

being Purdue at the two being Gonzaga at the three that's not a full strength and even like Arkansas

good team but but not you know it's it's a team with eight losses Arizona is going to be the

overwhelmingly popular pick to get to the final four out of this region in your office pool

and it will be in my opinion the most popular one seed picked into the final four let's go to the

Midwest region bottom right of your bracket these games are going to be played in Buffalo Tampa Philly

and St. Louis as they feed into Chicago for the regional the regionals I should say Michigan will

obviously beat UMBC or Howard we can have a little bit of fun with UMBC if it beats Howard in the first

four given that's another 16 one situation there but and I'll be actually curious is if UMBC wins

the line going to be bigger wider than it was when UMBC defeated Virginia back in 2018

Georgia St. Louis does feel like talking about no defense this feels like a race to 100

St. Louis actually has good effective field goal percentage defense and St. Louis has been slipping

28 and five record but they they know how to score like they're a very good second half team

they run good stuff they can get they can get to the tin they've got guys who can shoot from deep

they rank second and three point percentage in the country St. Louis does meanwhile Georgia

I pull this up right now real quick here GP I think Georgia is second end points per game

let me bring this up Georgia right now oh no they have dropped 89.8 they're down to seventh there

was a there was a good chunk of the season where Georgia was scoring more per game than anyone in the

country and if it wasn't Georgia was actually Miami U UM I will go slew here but I don't love it

a Georgia's got some got a couple of dudes uh Ken of catchings at to me he's just he's already a good

player but like he's going to hit another level um and then Wilkinson's good as well I will go

slew there tech versus Akron I'm going to go tech this is the kind of game I feel like I usually

fall into a trap with uh techs of deserving five I think that's that's that's fine for them three

and three since top and went down in the midst of that Arizona state loss on the road um

still a really good three point shooting team and it's not just Anderson Donovan Atwell is even

better from beyond the arc Jalen Petty can hit from deep uh if you get some good uh contributions

out of law on Watts there I just Macassan's a really good coach Grocer as well like for sure 29

to five team top 70 at Ken Palm like Akron can win the game they have won loss since January 3rd but

I will I will go with tech it's it's got I don't know man it's got it's got so much more to me

physicality and it's not like immensely bigger but it's got Akron's a smaller team uh that that

being said that team they've got they've got a lot of experience that's a fun one there um I'm

going to go Alabama to beat Hofstra reserve the right to change my mind on this um since we've

gone live Tuscaloosa police say Holloway is going in Holloway who was arrested you know early on

Monday I suppose um we'll be charged with first degree possession of marijuana not for personal

use he was caught with essentially a pound maybe a little more than a pound which um that's a

that's a felony it's a classy felony um there's this this thing with the tax stamp I'm out of my

element Donnie I don't even know but he is out he had $5,000 bond the question is will he be

available will he even travel with the team Alabama's got to get on a plane to fly to Tampa I don't

know I'll take him to beat Hofstra for now but I genuinely want to see how this story of all

so over the next 24 to 48 hours um it's a wild one man I mean you've got a player busted for having

a hole it's in Alabama like having a whole bunch of whole bunch of marijuana just a just a huge stash

I mean go go like basketball it never ceases to a maze bearish like this was the thing we're like

a lot just a busy Monday right not as busy as it has been but we're just we're getting stuff together

we're prepping we're doing hits all this and you see this hit the timeline you're like hold on

what am I reading this correctly is this actually happening of all the programs is Alabama

what is happening what is this charge and it's a felony I don't know I would assume if a felony

charge is against you for allegedly like if as if I'm reading this correctly this is this it was

for it was not for personal use so by nature of that definition you're looking to distribute

what are you about to have a party one of the two you either you are either distributing

slash selling or I'm assuming that wasn't from medical use I'm guessing we don't have a glaucoma

situation with Alabama starting point card listen I hang on I ain't gonna speak on that but

I mean that's either a party or you're distributing one of the two in all seriousness and I'm not

trying to bring up old stuff I'm just trying to provide context for the conversation we're having

keep in mind Brandon Miller never missed any time for the incident he was involved in a few

years ago you can google that if you want and you know Nate Oats is like on the record different

different topic but is on the record making it clear this year when he was justifying enrolling

Charles Betiaca he more or less said my job is to win basketball games that's what I'm here to do

that and and that's why I get paid and if you apply that same logic to this what do you do

hey let me just so there's no wiggle if this were my alma mater I would not want this young man

representing us on a national stage in the same week where he got a felony charge and I want to be

clear it's also 2026 I got no problem it's 2026 I got no problem with weed anymore I got no

problem with a young person smoking anymore than I got a problem with a young person drinking like I

don't care but like if my adult son got busted with a pound of weed in his apartment I would be like

oh man I ain't mad that you had weed really but like a pound what are you doing like what are you

doing and like you put yourself at real risk by just making a poor decision it's one thing to have

a bag you know a bag of edibles it's another thing to have a fell something that could be leading to

a felony charge so listen I'm not gonna preach I was young too and made tons of poor decisions

but you are a basketball player getting ready for the NCAA tournament and you have created

with a poor decision at best a poor decision you have created a negative headline for your university

and put your coaching athletic director in a really bad spot they can do whatever they want I promise

I won't care one way or another too much but I think if I were running the program I don't I don't

think you would play at least not in I don't know I'd have to talk it through but this is this is not

ideal let's just put it that way I initially thought this was for like some minor possession and some

my answer reaction was like he's going to play and why wouldn't he it's 2026 what are we doing

and then you learn what's actually happening here it's like okay that does change the the

perspective on a little bit just one hell of a headline man um of all the schools okay um

Tennessee gonna play the winner of SMU and Miami I'm not when I got home late GP after we

podcasted I flipped on bracket breakdown on CBS Sports Network watched a good 3045

minutes as I tour through and I did hear you talk about this game we are in lockstep

sure pick SMU and I'm not talking you I'm talking everyone listening like there are seven and

a half points favor I get it I'm gonna lean into the story like if we're if we're wrong who cares

like I'd love to see it happen I'm so I'm gonna pick Miami to beat SMU and yeah what the hell why

not I don't care I'm taking Miami to win a game Josh click him over yep Miami beats Tennessee

that is a long shot I am very aware Miami is going to need to shoot better than 40 percent from

three and Tennessee will destroy that team on the offensive glass it will be carnage but

stranger things have happened we once saw the smallest team in the country beat a team that was

the number one seed with Zach Edie so it wouldn't be the biggest shocker nevertheless we'll lean

into it and and have a little fun I will take Virginia to get past Wright State with Ryan Odom

man would have start for that team in that program in year one 29 wins and almost certainly

gonna get the 30 that's good stuff for for the Wahoo's Kentucky Santa Clara I'm still here I'm

still here as I was 24 hours ago I got no idea on this game I got no idea whatsoever I think I've

got Santa Clara in my CBS bracket yeah let's go Gales Gales let's see let's go Broncos let's go

Clara get it done all right Santa Clara into the second round and then Iowa State back up to the

top I'll go Michigan over slew I will go whoo man I've got tech versus Bama in this spot right now

I'm going Texas tech right now I guess subject to change but for the purposes of the show right now

yes I will go I will go Texas tech to the sweet 16 and then I'll have Virginia moving along to the

regional semis beating Miami and then I will have Iowa State moving along as well getting past

her Sunday's team and then man I did not want what do I have here it's too much chalk whatever all

right give me Michigan Michigan and then I give me Iowa State to get past Virginia and then I will

go Iowa State which I've had from the get go my final four teams I won't change I think I'm

going to stick with this I'll go down with the ship I'll go Iowa State to Indianapolis all right

Michigan obviously advances out of the round of 64 I've got to play in St. Louis in the

round of 32 I've got St. Louis over Georgia but St. Louis is like kind of like went from this

incredible story now and like four and four in their past eight I know there's a total

flop last year in the tournament I think they played Gonzaga they were in no show now it's a little

bit of a different team but I kind of can't get that out of my head I'll take Texas take over

Akron and Alabama over Hofstra then yeah I've got Tennessee knocking out whoever it plays Miami

Ohio SMU like you said I don't know that outside of like the national championship contenders

anybody has more pressure on them to in this tournament than Miami Ohio just in terms of

perspective there's going to be a whole army of folks you can't wait to tell them they were

never any good that they never belonged if they if they don't win a game and so I'd like for them

to not have to hear that for the rest of their lives so I'll take Miami Ohio Ohio for the sake of

the story over SMU but then I've got them eliminated in the round of 64 by Tennessee I've got

Virginia over Wright State Santa Clara over Kentucky that's going to be one of those that's going

to sound like a big upset it's not like those teams cost different amounts of money but they're

not really different caliber of teams based on the way they've played through 19 weeks of the season

I told you earlier I'm going to have three WCC teams in at least the round of 32

that's that means I had to get Santa Clara past the wildcats in the round of 64 I've got Iowa State

over Tennessee State circling back Michigan over slew I've got Alabama over Texas Tech in the bracket

that I filled out but given that Holloway news I'll flip that to Texas Tech Texas Tech over Alabama

I've got Virginia over Tennessee Iowa State over Santa Clara then Michigan over Texas Tech Michigan

to the elite eight Iowa State Virginia should be terrific but I got Iowa State getting past the

Cavaliers then I've got Michigan over Iowa State another one seed so my final four is St. John's

Houston Arizona Michigan two one seeds a two seed and a five seed and I like that you got the five

seed there something about the Midwest to me that region I'm smelling chaos and I didn't have it

in my picks but I'm smelling a little bit of something there okay let's get to our final four actually

before we get to our final four one one quick thing a whole bracket take a look at take a look at it

which even though it's not likely and I want to dive into this a little bit more in tomorrow's

podcast which team how about which team that is 12 or worse do you give the best chance to get to

the sweet 16 12 or worse I'll go first because I've got South Florida right now so that doesn't count

there in 11 I think of all of them on the board because we get we typically we get this in a

given tournament we didn't get it last year Arkansas was a 10 and was the only double digit seed

I think among you got to be a 12 or worse I'm taking into their their potential

matchups with this as well parish I feel like the answer is McNeese if they can get past Vandy I

could see them matching up well with Nebraska there are 12 in the south and the bottom after

your bracket this is a bit at least in dart throwing but I just off the top of your head which one

do you think might be might be the team to do it okay so there's two let me be clear I don't think

any I don't think anybody seeded 12 or worse will be in the sweet 16 but best chance to do it

look at the team like Akron because in the round of 64 you get a Texas tech team without JT

top and I know they've still been good in moments without JT top and but they're still without their

best player and then in the round of 32 if you win that one you could play short-handed Alabama

or at least Alabama dealing with some distractions so perhaps that's set up for them the other one

again not predicting it but could I see it a high point getting past Wisconsin and then you know

every once in a while the John Calapari has gotten caught early in an NCAA tournament again I'm

not predicting it but if you're looking for 12 seeds or worse high point Akron might make some

sense so here's what we're going to do nor liner you're going to give me your teams that are

going to advance to the title game you're going to give me your national champion and then we're

going we have to I'm sorry then we're going to take one more break and then come back then I'm

going to give you my my teams that will play for the title and my national champion and then

and then we'll we'll shut out Devin Downey and then I'm going to take a nap probably if we're

being honest how's that sound and for everyone watching on YouTube they're going to see chat GP

as you got dead last night in the chat we're going to get to hear chat GP oh I hope so yeah

and I hope so I'm really looking forward to that you realize every time we do that I go let's hear

a word from our partners and then I go rip my ear out go down here but I'll have to deal with it

I don't want to deal with it's too good all right let's bring up that bracket again Josh if we

could my final four this will not change I guess I promise I hope I think I've got Yukon and Houston

on the left side of the bracket playing in Indy there's a couple of two seeds I'll take the

cougars to get it down against the Huskies and win and get back to the national title game

if we get if we get Dan Hurley and Calvin Samson and and matching which in that game that would be

outstanding now yeah and by virtue of this I have I have Huskies three times and four years

making the final four and I and I do admit like that's with the way that Yukon has looked coming down

stretch it's a little bit harder for sell again I just think it happens to be a good value play

to get him to the final four as always we'll see and I'm very very willing able and ready to be

wrong on the right side I've got Arizona against Iowa State and what do we have here folks what do we

have in this incredible unforgettable epic season that we've got and been gifted with so far

I have not by intention it's just I filled out the bracket and then I realized on the desk last night

look what I've got I've got a rematch of probably the best game of the entire season which just

went down last Friday in Kansas City Arizona 82 Iowa State 80 Jane Bradley with the buzzer beater

incredible play up and down the floor both sides Milan Momchilovich had eight three pointers in that

game we saw Jane Bradley be an absolute stud Anthony Delorso had his career high I've got these

teams squaring off again in the final four Cyclone fans I know you're thrilled I got you the final

four at least I would think but I got you losing here I got Arizona getting it done so I have

yet another big 12 match up and yes I have another battle between Houston and Arizona this is a

rematch of the big 12 championship game it would be the third match up between these two teams not

just this season but when it happens it would be the third time and I think seven weeks span Arizona

won at Houston back in February it won against Houston by five in the title game but I don't have

him going three and no give me the cougars to win the national championship and beat Arizona in a

classic Calvin Samson gets his title and gets I guess Avengers fulfills after a year ago being one

shot away they get it done here I find Houston to be one of the best value plays as a 2C to pick to

win your office pool you're going to see a lot of people going with Duke casuals that don't know

about the foster situation you'll see a lot of people pick Florida because they won the title a

year ago they're going to see Florida with a one next to its name again and that's going to obviously

make plenty of sense why they're going to do that you're going to see Arizona because Arizona is

going to be the most popular title pick of any team in this bracket and you'll see Michigan because

Michigan's a huge brand from big 10 that's on TV a lot and has won a lot of games in high profile

fashion by destroying other teams they're all viable they can all win the national title in my opinion

Houston is just as capable has the experience has the talent has the coaching so why not take a shot

give me the cougars to cut down the nets nor lander with Calvin Samson at the age of seven beginning

a national championship so my final four is of course St. John's Houston Arizona and Michigan yes

we only agree on one team two teams sorry Houston and Arizona you know how I feel about my red storm

but you also know I do you say you claim to hate them no that's old no we're back together now

we're back together we got back together and this usually works out well volatile relationship

you didn't you didn't hear we got back together we went through counseling we went we we got some

help yeah we needed to get some help okay but we we're on good terms now all right it was bumpy

everybody knows it was bumpy but we're on good terms now we're back together me in the red storm

you know how I feel about my red storm but you also know how I feel about my kelvin's hamson

I'm taking Houston over St. John's the red storms magical run it is right there

on the other side I've got Arizona and Michigan 2-1 seeds these are two of the three teams that

have been at the tip top of the sport basically the entire season I could see either one winning

I've got Michigan advancing I've got Michigan and Houston playing for a national championship

and if I could write it I think the best story you could write in this NCAA tournament

outside of Bob Richey we do not have the same title winner doing

I think the best story would probably be Bob Richey get it done for Furman all right but short of that

give me shot clock off down to we're in Indy Houston's got the ball

a manual sharp comes off a Kingston Fleming finds him and he pulls true buzzer beater

bang J. Wright style after not being able to get a shot off in the final seconds of the title

game a year ago a manual sharp berries it Houston national champion kelvin samson national champion

a manual sharp most outstanding player in the final four Kingston Fleming's future Memphis grizzly

okay didn't need that part but okay do we dare dream yes we did I would be

as storybook as it possibly gets in a tournament and in a sport that empowers such incredible

stories to happen we'll see if we're see if we're right you and me same title winner feel like

three or four of the past six tournaments we have actually been on the same page with some

of these title picks I could be entirely wrong and we're ready for both I'm pretty sure I know

which one either way I'm pretty sure I know which one uh we're gonna be back tomorrow with

another one so with that in mind that's a show yes hey nobody else get to hear my voice the rest

of the night I will not talk even if I go to dinner I'm just gonna text my orders no talking for

me gotta rest my voice rest my voice for March you know real TV people actually do like

rest of voicing stuff yeah I don't I don't rest I don't rest my voice at all I'm gonna try

tonight Shasta Devon Downey Shasta Chester South Carolina Shasta Territigo he's a legend hook and

lar now thank you guys once again for watching and listening to the Ion College basketball podcast

you're not subscribed please go subscribe anywhere you subscribe to podcast Apple and Spotify more

of us than there are them that should be reflected in the comments so do that and we're gonna talk

to you again on Tuesday Tuesday thanks I'll figure it out Tuesday or Wednesday I don't know it's

coming one way or another I don't know when it's coming that's what she said we'll see at some

point real soon

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