2011 NCAA Tournament Picks:
Sweet 16 Redo | East | West | Southwest | Southeast | Final Four | Winning Tips | 2011 NCAA Tournament Home
2011 NCAA Tournament Bracket Breakdowns:
West | East | Southwest | Southeast | Final Four | Schedule
2011 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Breakdowns:
West | Southeast |
2011 NCAA Tournament Preview:
ACC | Atlantic 10 | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Mid-Majors | Mountain West | Pac 10 | SEC
These are notes I took while studying each NCAA Tournament team. Most of this is unedited. I’ll have a more coherent breakdown in my NCAA Tournament picks.
Illinois (19-13)
EXPERIENCE: Top six scorers: Sr, Sr, Sr, So, So, Fr
WHY TO LOVE: Great defense (22nd).
Good offense (33rd).
WHY TO HATE: I don’t think Bruce Weber is that good of a coach. He took Bill Self’s team to the NCAA Championship, but since then, he has made it past the first round only once.
Road record: 4-7; no quality road wins (best vs. Gonzaga – wasn’t playing well at the time).
Lost opening conference tournament game. No team that lost its opening conference-tournament game has won the national championship since 1985.
Michigan (20-13)
EXPERIENCE: Top six scorers: So, Fr, Fr, Jr, Jr, Fr
WHY TO LOVE: Above-average offense (45th).
Above-average defense (47th).
5-5 road record. Quality road wins: Michigan State.
Head coach John Beilein has made four NCAA Tournament appearances since 1996. He has won at least one game in each run.
WHY TO HATE: Michigan’s top three scorers are underclassmen. Two are freshmen.
The Wolverines have a sluggish offense that averages only 66.4 ppg.
Michigan State (19-14)
EXPERIENCE: Top six scorers: Sr, Jr, Sr, Jr, Fr, So
WHY TO LOVE: Good defense (34th).
Tom Izzo is the man. He’s always worth at least one more win than his team deserves.
WHY TO HATE: Average offense (58th).
3-8 road record. Quality road wins: None.
Team started slowly and was expected to snap out of its funk multiple times. It never happened.
Ohio State (31-2)
EXPERIENCE: Top six scorers: Fr, Jr, Sr, Sr, Fr, Fr
WHY TO LOVE: Elite offense (1st).
Elite defense (10th).
Four scorers of 11 ppg or more, including Jared Sullinger, one of the top players in the country.
9-2 road record. Quality wins: Illinois, Florida, Florida State
Seven conference wins of 15+ points.
Fulfills all five requisites in the Portrait of a Champion (returning head coach, scored 76 ppg, 10+ margin of victory, in the tournament last year, seeded 1-5).
WHY TO HATE: Sullinger’s a great player, but he’s only a freshman. You can’t completely trust him. However, Ohio State has so many other scorers that you don’t really have to.
Speaking of freshmen, three of Ohio State’s top six scorers are first-year players.
Penn State (19-14)
EXPERIENCE: Top six scorers: Sr, Sr, Sr, Sr, So, Fr
WHY TO LOVE: Good offense (35th).
Experience: The top four scorers are all seniors.
Guard Talor Battle (20.0 ppg) has been carrying this team. He’s one of the better players in the NCAA Tournament.
WHY TO HATE: Below-average defense (58th).
Sluggish offense (63.1 ppg).
3-8 road record. No quality road wins.
Purdue (25-7)
EXPERIENCE: Top six scorers: Sr, Sr, Jr, Jr, So, So
WHY TO LOVE: Elite defense (8th).
Great offense (18th).
Two of the top players in the country: JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore.
Head coach Matt Painter has never lost in the first round with the Boilermakers despite never having a premier team.
8-4 or 7-5 road record. Quality wins: Michigan State, Illinois, Virginia Tech.
WHY TO HATE: Only three conference wins by 15+ points.
NCAA Champions average 76 ppg. Purdue averages 73.2 ppg.
Lost opening conference tournament game. No team that lost its opening conference-tournament game has won the national championship since 1985.
Wisconsin (23-8)
EXPERIENCE: Top six scorers: Sr, Jr, Sr, Fr, So, Sr
WHY TO LOVE: Elite offense (2nd).
Bo Ryan is one of the top coaches in the nation. His record in the NCAA Tournament is 12-9, and he has lost in the first round only once.
Jordan Taylor and Jon Leuer are two fantastic players. Taylor is extremely clutch.
WHY TO HATE: Bad defense (62nd).
5-6 road record. Quality wins: Marquette.
Lost opening conference tournament game. No team that lost its opening conference-tournament game has won the national championship since 1985.
2011 NCAA Tournament Picks:
Sweet 16 Redo | East | West | Southwest | Southeast | Final Four | Winning Tips | 2011 NCAA Tournament Home
2011 NCAA Tournament Bracket Breakdowns:
West | East | Southwest | Southeast | Final Four | Schedule
2011 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Breakdowns:
West | Southeast |
2011 NCAA Tournament Preview:
ACC | Atlantic 10 | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Mid-Majors | Mountain West | Pac 10 | SEC
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