Northwestern is in! For the first time in school history, the Wildcats are in the NCAA tournament after winning 23 games this season. Can they win their first game ever when they take on Vanderbilt in Round One?
Before we get to that, there are more important things to consider – which of the 68 teams will win their bracket and move on to the Final Four?
WEST
Gonzaga (32-1) was given the top seed in this bracket. There are many who believe that, despite their 29 straight wins before a loss to BYU, top seed was only possible because they played a weak schedule. With that said, they have beaten the #2 team in this section – Arizona. Gonzaga has never made it to the Final Four. And… they will not make it again. They will lose to Arizona in the Regional final.
And, by the way, Northwestern will lose to Vanderbilt in the first round.
MIDWEST
Kansas (28-4) is #1 in this region and the committee selected them #2 overall in the tournament. They were the Big 12 champions. I like the way Michigan played in the Big 10 tournament and they have local favorite Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman. I like Michigan to beat Oklahoma State in their first-round game, but then they run into Louisville and their season will end. Louisville will play Kansas in the Regional final. Kansas is a potential national champion and will win this region.
SOUTH
After winning the ACC tournament championship, many expected Duke to garner this top spot. Instead it went to North Carolina (27-7), a team that Duke beat two out of three times. Time will tell if this was a wise decision by the committee. It is probably their most questionable top seed. It appears that UCLA or Kentucky would be their biggest challenge and that can only happen in the Regional final. UCLA’s Lonzo Ball is certainly one of, if not the best, freshman in the country. So I like UCLA vs North Carolina in the final. North Carolina wins.
EAST
I saved the East for last. Can Villanova (31-3) do it again? They are good enough to do it and they are certainly battle-tested having played one of the toughest schedules in the nation. If, as many believed, Duke should have been a #1, then Villanova may have the toughest road to the Final Four because Duke is #2 in this region. And it should come down to these two outstanding teams. I would rather see Villanova win, but I think Duke wins this game.
FINAL FOUR
Kansas vs North Carolina
Duke vs Arizona
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Duke vs Kansas
NATIONAL CHAMPION
Kansas
ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
- It was certainly not the weekend that local basketball fans expected when our 15 boys’ and girls’ teams played in the first round of the PIAA basketball playoffs. Only four of our teams advanced into the second round of playoffs. Northampton, Bethlehem Catholic, and Southern Lehigh girls moved on, but only the Emmaus boys won their game against Cheltenham by a 68-67 score. It was shocking that the Allen boys, Bethlehem Catholic boys, and the Easton girls lost. What is the adage – “That’s why you play the game.”
- If the local basketball players disappointed over the weekend, the District XI wrestlers did not – Lehigh Valley AAA wrestlers claimed four state titles, two runner-ups, and 18 total medals. Nazareth won the team title, had two state champions, and Coach Dave Crowell was named Coach of the Year for a record sixth time. In AA, eight local wrestlers won medals.
- Parkland boys’ basketball lost to Archbishop Ryan on Saturday, indicating, once again, just how powerful the Philadelphia Catholic League teams are. Ryan was the #3 team out of District 12 and they were every bit as good as any team here in the Lehigh Valley. They beat Parkland by 24 – enough said.
- The Bucknell men will face West Virginia in their opening round NCAA matchup in the West Region. Bucknell was seeded #13 and that’s impressive for the Patriot League. West Virginia is the best team in the nation at forcing turnovers, so this will not be a pleasant experience for the Bison. But I will cheer them on and hope for the upset.
- One final note about the Allen Canaries – this team under Doug Snyder made basketball in Allentown meaningful and exciting again. No team had a more supportive fan base and their energy migrated out to other communities once basketball fans got to see them. It was a great year ending in disappointment, but thanks for so many memorable individual plays and games.
