Point Blank – The 2015 NCAA Bracket
OK, time to get to work, putting together a bracket with the blend of winning as many games as possible, while also doing what it takes to win a pool. That means being aware of the matchup considerations that can trip up a high seed, which is a most valuable tool. This time around the tool is not as multi-purpose as n the past – I keep coming up with a Final Four that will be extremely common, and a championship matchup that will end up being the most common of all. But hope stems from the fact that there are enough other upsets pegged along the way to make it viable. There will be a lot of brackets calling for that Kentucky/Duke final; it is how the path shapes those two up into the final game that will hopefully be our edge.
The key is going to be in the Sweet 16/Elite 8 cycle. Showing up at the Sweet 16 with a #5 and a #6 in the East, A #5 and a #7 in the Midwest, a #5 in the South is where this bracket will need to bring its edges into play. There was a major temptation to look to Michigan State over Virginia, in the belief that Justin Anderson still may not have his shooting stroke ready by that time, but then the serious 'capper inside takes over and bemoans the ability of the Spartans to make things happen against this class of defense in a half-court late-game setting (Tom Izzo did not solve that this season, and it reared its ugly head against Wisconsin in Chicago on Sunday). There were similar thoughts to North Carolina over Wisconsin in the Sweet 16, a team that can cause the favorite some real matchup headaches, but in tourney basketball, the Tar Heel offense having to play slow in the end-game can not push that through. So that is what we have - a little chalkier than usual, but you need to play to your own particular handicapping integrity, and if that is what it calls for, those are shots you fire.
Winners will be the team listed, hopefully the format is easy enough
Play in:
Manhattan
BYU
North Florida
Dayton
MIDWEST
Advance to Round of 32
Kentucky
Cincinnati
West Virginia
Maryland
Butler
Notre Dame
Wichita State
Kansas
Advance to Sweet 16
Kentucky
West Virginia
Notre Dame
Wichita State
Advance to Elite 8
Kentucky
Notre Dame
Advance to Final 4
Kentucky
WEST
Advance to Rd of 32
Wisconsin
Oregon
Arkansas
North Carolina
Xavier
Baylor
Ohio State
Arizona
Advance to Sweet 16
Wisconsin
North Carolina
Baylor
Arizona
Advance to Elite 8
Wisconsin
Arizona
Advance to Final 4
Wisconsin
EAST
Advance to Rd of 32
Villanova
NC State
Northern Iowa
Louisville
Providence
Oklahoma
Michigan State
Virginia
Advance to Sweet 16
Villanova
Northern Iowa
Providence
Virginia
Advance to Elite 8
Northern Iowa
Virginia
Advance to Final 4
Virginia
SOUTH
Advance to Rd of 32
Duke
San Diego State
Utah
Georgetown
SMU
Iowa State
Iowa
Gonzaga
Advance to Sweet 16
Duke
Utah
Iowa State
Gonzaga
Advance to Elite 8
Duke
Iowa State
Advance to Final 4
Duke
Semi-Finals:
Kentucky over Wisconsin
Duke over Virginia
Championship:
Kentucky over Duke
This Week at Point Blank
Monday – What a “Bettor Better Know” – The Dance to come; The Weekend in Review
Tuesday – Time for some NIT-pickin’ (while watching BYU and Ole Miss struggle to guard each other)…If LeBron can’t chase down a rebound, why was he out there?...When “You can’t get there from here” matters…
Wednesday – The Tourney Journey, #1 (The Meek shall inherit Kentucky)…The Oddsmakers were “Totally” wrong in the NIT…Taking advantage of Silly Seeding Suppositions…