Tier 1: Is this graded on a curve?
Suzi, 44 points, 156 points possible
Daytrader, 46 points, 174 points possible
Tier 2: Eyes on your own paper, please!
Jesse, 47 points, 167 possible
Randy, 47 points, 171 possible
Darrell, 47 points, 175 possible
Dr. Greg, PhD, 47 points, 175 possible
Tier 3: Teacher's Pets
Jim, 49 points, 177 possible
Rose, 50 points, 174 possible
Nobody has been eliminated yet (Suzi needs Pittsburgh and UConn to meet in the final AND for Louisville to not make the Final Four, which is... conceivable). Everybody else has multiple routes to victory.
Rose, you were freaking me out for awhile there. At one point during the opening day of the tournment, you had picked 13 out of 13 correctly. And let me also just say that I am tired of you dominating sports picking groups while also hating sports. IT'S ONE OR THE OTHER ROSE STOP BLOWING MY MIND.
ObscureCraft prediction updates:"Therefore, Louisville should be inked in as your champion to start any bracket."
Status: Still kicking, although UConn and North Carolina both looked more dominant in their opening weekend blowouts.
"Pitt and UConn both had the top ranking during the
regular season, only to choke it away almost immediately against
inferior competition. Look for both to lose early (I like them for the
second weekend but no further)."
Pitt did indeed look shaky, at times trailing in both of their opening weekend matchups (including against #16 Eastern Tennessee State). UConn, on the other hand, won their two games by a combined 82 points. Maybe they'll be... overconfident?
"Duke is also, predictably, overrated - expect an early exit."
Pending...
"Villanova basically has home games for the first two rounds in Philadelphia, and should win handily."
Villanova and Duke square off in the Sweet 16 after 'Nova's pair of double-digit victories. Nova over Duke is key to me maintaining any semblance of dignity in this bracket.
"Expect Western Kentucky, Siena, and VCU to win their opening round games, and at least one of them to make it to the second weekend."
Two out of three ain't bad, although none of them made the Sweet 16, thanks to Western Kentucky losing on a completely absurd coast-to-coast play by Gonzaga, where the Western Kentucky players completely neglected to stop the guy with the ball with just a few seconds left in a game that otherwise would have gone to OT.
Completely inexcusable miss by me on #12 Arizona, however, who IS going to the second weekend. Thought by many to be the last team picked for the tournament, many bracketologists were questioning the quality of their credentials, also known as "Nobody Believed In Us!" potential, which has proved time and again to be a potent force in deciding playoff games.
