NCAA Tournament Picks: South | West | Midwest | East | Final Four
2014 NCAA Tournament Bracket Breakdowns:
South | West | Midwest | East
2014 NCAA Tournament: Bracket Breakdown – West Bracket
By David Kay – @David_Kmiecik
Overview
Arizona is on the top line, and it is both surprising and impressive as to how well the Wildcats have played with Brandon Ashley. A potential second-round game versus Oklahoma State is a brutal draw though. Wisconsin and Creighton are two fundamentally sound offensive teams that typically have five guys on the floor capable of scoring from all over. Outside of those three teams, this is pretty weak bracket since I don’t think the No. 4-6 seeds; San Diego State, Oklahoma, or Baylor have what it takes to put together a run.
Best Opening-Round Game
No. 7 Oregon vs. No. 10 BYU
This game features the third-highest scoring (BYU) and 11th highest-scoring teams in Division-I basketball. Neither puts forth a formidable defensive effort. First to 100 wins?
Opening-Round Upset
No. 12 North Dakota State vs. No. 5 Oklahoma
Lon Kruger deserves a ton of credit for leading the Sooners to a No. 5 seed, but I’m still just not sold on them. The Bison are an extremely efficient offensive team having led the nation by shooting 51% from the field. I like North Dakota State to not only pull off the No. 5/No. 12 upset but also knock off San Diego State in the second round.
Sleeper
No. 9 Oklahoma State
Talk about a dangerous No. 8 seed. Oklahoma State underachieved this season, but still has Marcus Smart and a very talented surrounding cast. Smart is capable of putting his team on his back and willing his team to victory, but a first-weekend path of Gonzaga and Arizona is rough. I’m not picking Oklahoma State to get past Arizona but if the Cowboys do, they could be a Cinderella squad.
Five Impact Players to Watch
Doug McDermott, No. 3 Creighton Dougie McBuckets will go down as one of the best players in college basketball history. He is such an offensive threat, and when the Bluejays are bombing from deep, they can beat anyone. I like Creighton to make a Final Four run for which McDermott will be the catalyst.
Nick Johnson and Aaron Gordon, No. 1 Arizona Arizona is such a ferocious defensive team with Johnson and Gordon playing a huge part in that effort. Both guys can lock down opposing players and guard multiple positions. Their athleticism at the rim offensively results in spectacular plays at the rim, but the Wildcats will need both guys to knock down some outside shots if the team is going to make it to the Final Four.
Terran Petteway, No. 11 Nebraska The Texas Tech transfer has been a vital piece to the Cornhuskers’ surprise trip to the NCAA Tournament. He can score in multiple ways and must be the driving force for Nebraska if the program is going to advance past Baylor.
Elfrid Payton, No. 14 Lousiana-Lafayette One of the more under-the-radar players from a national standpoint, Payton could be a first-round pick in the 2014 NBA Draft if he declares after this season. The Ragin’ Cajuns point guard defines versatility as he averaged 19.1 points, 5.9 boards, and six assists per game this year.
Opening-Round Picks
No. 1 Arizona over No. 16 Weber State
No. 9 Oklahoma State over No. 8 Gonzaga
No. 12 North Dakota State over No. 5 Oklahoma
No. 4 San Diego State over No. 13 New Mexico State
No. 6 Baylor over No. 11 Nebraska
No. 3 Creighton over No. 14 LA-Lafayette
No. 7 Oregon over No. 10 BYU
No. 2 Wisconsin over No. 15 American
Second-Round Picks
No. 1 Arizona over No. 9 Oklahoma State
No. 12 North Dakota State over No. 4 San Diego State
No. 3 Creighton over No. 6 Baylor
No. 2 Wisconsin over No. 7 Oregon
Sweet 16 Picks
No. 1 Arizona over No. 12 North Dakota State
No. 3 Creighton over No. 2 Duke
Elite 8 Pick
No. 3 Creighton over No. 1 Arizona
NCAA Tournament Picks: South | West | Midwest | East | Final Four
2014 NCAA Tournament Bracket Breakdowns:
South | West | Midwest | East
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