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2015 NCAA Tournament Picks – Midwest Bracket
By Walter Cherepinsky – @walterfootball
NCAA Tournament Picks: Midwest Bracket First Round
No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 16 Hampton
Remember that one Seinfeld episode when George lied to the Rosses about having a place in the Hamptons? Maybe I’ll watch that episode instead of this Kentucky-Hampton game.
2015 NCAA Tournament Pick: No. 1 Kentucky
No. 8 Cincinnati vs. No. 9 Purdue
Eight-nine matchups are usually toss-ups, so I feel like the edge belongs to Purdue because of the coaching situation. Matt Painter is a great coach, while Cincinnati has a replacement, as its head coach had to take a leave of absence for health reasons.
2015 NCAA Tournament Pick: No. 9 Purdue
No. 5 West Virginia vs. No. 12 Buffalo
I’m picking one 12-5 upset. This is not it. Bob Huggins wins first-round NCAA Tournament games, while the MAC has won nothing recently.
2015 NCAA Tournament Pick: No. 5 West Virginia
No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 13 Valparaiso
ESPN has hyped up Maryland all year, but the Terps aren’t that good. They should be a No. 7 seed; perhaps even a No. 8. They have a freshman point guard, and they were the luckiest team all year. Valparaiso, meanwhile, is the best No. 13 seed in the field, and it isn’t even close. I think there’s a very good chance Valpo pulls the big upset.
2015 NCAA Tournament Pick: No. 13 Valparaiso
No. 6 Butler vs. No. 11 Texas
This is a popular upset in the media, but pigs will fly and Rosie O’Donnell will lose 500 pounds before Rick Barnes does anything positive in the NCAA Tournament.
2015 NCAA Tournament Pick: No. 6 Butler
No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 14 Northeastern
Props to Northeastern for actually being in the northeastern part of this country. Unlike Northwestern, which is in the north-middle part. And Northwestern calls itself a good school. Derp!
2015 NCAA Tournament Pick: No. 3 Notre Dame
No. 7 Wichita State vs. No. 10 Indiana
Indiana is the worst team in the field, while Wichita State should be a No. 3 seed (No. 4 seed at the very worst). Blowout. Good job, NCAA Selection Committee. Way to nail this one.
2015 NCAA Tournament Pick: No. 7 Wichita State
No. 2 Kansas vs. No. 15 New Mexico State
The incompetent Bill Self probably would’ve lost to some of the other No. 15 seeds this year, but his buddies on the committee gave him a gift and paired him against the worst No. 15 in the field. As the saying goes, it’s not how overrated of a coach you are; it’s who you know.
2015 NCAA Tournament Pick: No. 2 Kansas
NCAA Tournament Picks: Midwest Bracket Second Round
No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 9 Purdue
Matt Painter is a good coach, but he’ll need to kidnap some of the Wildcat players to give his team a chance in the second round. Goodbye, Sacrificial Lamb No. 2.
2015 NCAA Tournament Pick: No. 1 Kentucky
No. 5 West Virginia vs. No. 13 Valparaiso
I want to pick one 12 or 13 seed to advance, and it might as well be Valparaiso. Valpo is a good team, while West Virginia isn’t as good as its No. 5 seed indicates.
2015 NCAA Tournament Pick: No. 13 Valparaiso
No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 6 Butler
Notre Dame is another overrated team, manufactured by ESPN, but the Selection Committee did a usually overmatched Mike Brey a big favor by putting him in the easiest pod ever. The NCAA just wants Notre Dame TV ratings for one of the games in the Sweet 16, and I don’t see Butler putting up much of a challenge.
2015 NCAA Tournament Pick: No. 3 Notre Dame
No. 2 Kansas vs. No. 7 Wichita State
These teams are about even, so the edge goes to the Wheat Shockers in the coaching matchup. Bill Self sucks, and I have to believe his players will be under lots of pressure to beat a Wichita State squad they’ve been so desperate to avoid in the regular season.
2015 NCAA Tournament Pick: No. 7 Wichita State
NCAA Tournament Picks: Midwest Bracket Sweet 16
No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 13 Valparaiso
Enjoy the cool stories you’ll see and hear about all of the Valparaiso kids leading up to the second weekend, because it’s going to end quickly and painfully for them once Kentucky rips them to shreds in a 30-point blowout.
2015 NCAA Tournament Pick: No. 1 Kentucky
No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 7 Wichita State
Everyone always tries to figure out which No. 1 seed has the easiest march to the regional final. Wichita State might have the easiest road of any team, save for Kentucky. The Shockers get awful Indiana and then two horribly overrated coaches who always disappoint in the NCAA Tournament. The Shockers are the best team in this region after the Wildcats.
2015 NCAA Tournament Pick: No. 7 Wichita State
NCAA Tournament Picks: Midwest Bracket Elite Eight
No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 7 Wichita State
This is going to be Kentucky’s first real challenge. Wichita State is no joke, as the team would be a No. 3 seed if the NCAA weren’t so corrupt. I have to believe the Wheat Shockers will keep this margin to single digits throughout the contest, but in the end, Kentucky’s talent will be the difference.
2015 NCAA Tournament Pick: No. 1 Kentucky
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