March Madness RealGM Bracket Challenge- make your picks!

[jkvonny]

Will they pin this thread to the top?
Or do we keep bumping it up during the conference tournaments completes and selection day for the brackets?

[magee]

Tennessee or Houston are my picks. At the end of the day, it's all about the game that's in front of you and you have to take that at face value with so many variables factoring in. But those are my two teams I'm gunning for this season.

[shi-woo]

Covid hangover continues. Last year teams with big physical players surrounded by mature guards with size who play tough defense made it to Final 4 and Ucon won it all. This trend is going to continue this year. I like Tennessee and Arizona the most. Tennessee team isn't a bunch of college boys. They are all grown MEN who play tough D. Az has that humongous paint blotter Ballo and a bunch of mature guards around him. Ucon without Sonogo isn't the same physical team. Marquette is too tiny and will get bodied out of the tourny. Houston plays physical, and have mature bodies, but aren't big enough to make it to the final. Purdue has Edy surrounded by a bunch of fairies and won't survive the tourny. Kansas is the same.

UNLESS. The biggest wildcard is the whistle. Last year's tourny zebras let them play. It was one of the most physical tournaments in memory. If they switch and call everything this year, then one of the soft teams will win it all. Like Purdue, or Kansas, or a team that gets hot shooting in the tournament.

This has been the formula in the Tourney since I started watching back in the Ben Gordon/Okafor days. Every team to make it to the promised land needs a center who can influence the game on both floors, and a bunch of guards that can get to where they want on the court. The only other stat that seems to work also is to have 3 guys on the perimeter that can be the #1 on any given night.

I think UConn or Houston have the best shot given their roster, coaching, and level of experience. I'm def. going to be biased given uconn is my team, but I see Clingan in the post, shooters in Karaban and Spencer, and we have huge guards that can impact both sides of the ball. I really like UConns size at every position, and think it's going to make a huge difference this year, especially once they start going up against teams that out muscle and are more athletic.

All of UConn's guards are big bodied, with Castle and Newton being the it factors. I like that the team is experienced, and that their most important players are all upperclassmen or were part of the team last year. I think that experience makes a huge difference, as it determines how teams react in the clutch a lot of times.

I've also really grown a lot of respect for the HOU program and what Kelvin has been able to do down there. HOU always gave UConn a good fight, and I always walked out of the arena thinking the team was well coached. They have the 3 guards I was talking about that are solid, and they are an older team as well. If this team gets hot shooting, it's going to be hard to beat them without finding a way to obuse any size mismatch.

Those are my two favs. Don't see one of the Big Name schools outside of UConn winning it all this year, and I love it. This tourney is going to have so many awesome moments and games, can't wait

[Lunartic]

I got Indiana state, they have the next Jokic

Watch on YouTube

[___Rand___]

Covid hangover continues. Last year teams with big physical players surrounded by mature guards with size who play tough defense made it to Final 4 and Ucon won it all. This trend is going to continue this year. I like Tennessee and Arizona the most. Tennessee team isn't a bunch of college boys. They are all grown MEN who play tough D. Az has that humongous paint blotter Ballo and a bunch of mature guards around him. Ucon without Sonogo isn't the same physical team. Marquette is too tiny and will get bodied out of the tourny. Houston plays physical, and have mature bodies, but aren't big enough to make it to the final. Purdue has Edy surrounded by a bunch of fairies and won't survive the tourny. Kansas is the same.

UNLESS. The biggest wildcard is the whistle. Last year's tourny zebras let them play. It was one of the most physical tournaments in memory. If they switch and call everything this year, then one of the soft teams will win it all. Like Purdue, or Kansas, or a team that gets hot shooting in the tournament.

This has been the formula in the Tourney since I started watching back in the Ben Gordon/Okafor days. Every team to make it to the promised land needs a center who can influence the game on both floors, and a bunch of guards that can get to where they want on the court. The only other stat that seems to work also is to have 3 guys on the perimeter that can be the #1 on any given night.

I think UConn or Houston have the best shot given their roster, coaching, and level of experience. I'm def. going to be biased given uconn is my team, but I see Clingan in the post, shooters in Karaban and Spencer, and we have huge guards that can impact both sides of the ball. I really like UConns size at every position, and think it's going to make a huge difference this year, especially once they start going up against teams that out muscle and are more athletic.

All of UConn's guards are big bodied, with Castle and Newton being the it factors. I like that the team is experienced, and that their most important players are all upperclassmen or were part of the team last year. I think that experience makes a huge difference, as it determines how teams react in the clutch a lot of times.

I've also really grown a lot of respect for the HOU program and what Kelvin has been able to do down there. HOU always gave UConn a good fight, and I always walked out of the arena thinking the team was well coached. They have the 3 guards I was talking about that are solid, and they are an older team as well. If this team gets hot shooting, it's going to be hard to beat them without finding a way to obuse any size mismatch.

Those are my two favs. Don't see one of the Big Name schools outside of UConn winning it all this year, and I love it. This tourney is going to have so many awesome moments and games, can't wait

I agree with most of your points bout UConn, except I don't think your bigs are as tough as last year. UConn would be a fan fav pick because they won it all last year. Because of that I just don't see them repeating. The hunger isn't the same even if the talent is there. Yes I can see them get to Elite 8 maybe even Final 4. UConn was also a bit under the radar last year. Not anymore.

[EmpireFalls]

As much as I’d like Arizona to win it all - I don’t think we will. I think Caleb love will shoot us out of a game. I don’t like guards like him that are very streaky.

He might get hot though as he did in 2022…

[Harry Garris]

As much as I’d like Arizona to win it all - I don’t think we will. I think Caleb love will shoot us out of a game. I don’t like guards like him that are very streaky.

I think Washington St is a dark horse. Not to win it all, but maybe get to elite eight or possibly the final 4 if they get really hot.

Man I hope you’re right. For the first time in my living memory WSU has a team with awesome size and defensive versatility. We basically have 1 competent ball handler on the entire team though and when he’s not involved in the play it gets pretty mucky.

[bwgood77]

As much as I’d like Arizona to win it all - I don’t think we will. I think Caleb love will shoot us out of a game. I don’t like guards like him that are very streaky.

I think Washington St is a dark horse. Not to win it all, but maybe get to elite eight or possibly the final 4 if they get really hot.

Man I hope you’re right. For the first time in my living memory WSU has a team with awesome size and defensive versatility. We basically have 1 competent ball handler on the entire team though and when he’s not involved in the play it gets pretty mucky.

Will be interesting to see how AZ and WSU do in the conference tourney. They both lost their last games...AZ to USC and I'm sure you know Wash St to UW.

Though as far as I'm concerned, for AZ, that might be a good thing. I am not sure I want them to win the Pac 12 tourney because that would mean they'd have to win 9 straight. But I would like them to get to the championship game at least, and wouldn't be upset with a win obviously.

[jkvonny]

Thanks, mods! For sticky this thread to the top.

March is here! Crucial part of the mens college hoops seeason.

[Chuck Everett]

Teams that I wouldn't want to play come tournament time.

Florida, Florida Atlantic, Gonzaga, Kentucky, UConn and Houston.

For the sleepers: James Madison and Drake. Oakland has a future pro (not necessarily NBA) in Trey Townsend, they are 100% match-up dependent, however, they won at Xavier and dropped close ones at Illinois and Ohio State to start the season. The Horizon League has proven to be a tough out in the tournament historically.

[UcanUwill]

Did I hear this right, Marčiulionis' kid eliminated GONZAGA? Lets go Saint Mary's or whatever lol!

[Chuck Everett]

Did I hear this right, Marčiulionis' kid eliminated GONZAGA? Lets go Saint Mary's or whatever lol!

Yup. He won Player of the Year in the conference as well.

[UcanUwill]

Did I hear this right, Marčiulionis' kid eliminated GONZAGA? Lets go Saint Mary's or whatever lol!

Yup. He won Player of the Year in the conference as well.

Prior summer, when most top Lithuanian dogs refused to take part in world cup, we had 2 camps, main camp and a secondary camp coached by Spurs' Darius Songaila. Secondary camp's goal was to test more of the youngish potential guys with intend to then select very best and transfer them to main camp. Marčiulionis was in that Songaila camp, and while he was not selected at the end, he honestly came pretty close. When some of our best guards were not on the team entirely, Augustas Marčiulionis seemed like a viable and decent option, he didn't look like this random guy from random NCAA college. So, his jump and great season this year was foreshadowed, not surprised he finally took a step forward, looked really good there in the summer. Lithuania ultimately went with Vaidas Kariniauskas, who i hated, I thought he was terrible, but then he made Austin Reaves his bi** so bad I was forever silenced
Good for Augustas tho, we in dire need for competent guards, all we seem to develop is just bigmen.

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

As much as I’d like Arizona to win it all - I don’t think we will. I think Caleb love will shoot us out of a game. I don’t like guards like him that are very streaky.

If he catches fire at the right time, he can shoot you all the way to the Championship game like he did UNC haha.

That said, he is not an efficient player at all, and all those great games he has balances out with even more poor shooting games, so yea, think it’s more likely he shoots y’all out of a game.

Same concerns for UNC with RJ Davis, but Davis is a bit more efficient I believe.

[Clav]

My OU Sooners are such trash. 9 TOs by starting 3 guards and the 1st Half isn't even over. No chance to advance if they play anything like that. [Big XII Tourney]

That being said lots of big games on tonight and the Zaga/St Mary's game last night was a fun watch! I think St. Mary's has a good chance to make it Sweet 16 for sure. Gonzaga, if they evade St. Mary's they probably play a lot better, it seems that team matches up well with them

[azcatz11]

As much as I’d like Arizona to win it all - I don’t think we will. I think Caleb love will shoot us out of a game. I don’t like guards like him that are very streaky.

If he catches fire at the right time, he can shoot you all the way to the Championship game like he did UNC haha.

That said, he is not an efficient player at all, and all those great games he has balances out with even more poor shooting games, so yea, think it’s more likely he shoots y’all out of a game.

Same concerns for UNC with RJ Davis, but Davis is a bit more efficient I believe.

Very true...but I still don't like our chances. I actually wouldn't be surprised if a physical, Big East team takes us out early.

Anyways, not trying to make this an Arizona thread.

A slightly under the radar team I like is BYU...although I don't know how they will do without their home court advantage. A team full of shooters and the big guy Khalifa is really good also. I'm looking forward to the Texas A&M game tomorrow morning

[bwgood77]

As much as I’d like Arizona to win it all - I don’t think we will. I think Caleb love will shoot us out of a game. I don’t like guards like him that are very streaky.

If he catches fire at the right time, he can shoot you all the way to the Championship game like he did UNC haha.

That said, he is not an efficient player at all, and all those great games he has balances out with even more poor shooting games, so yea, think it’s more likely he shoots y’all out of a game.

Same concerns for UNC with RJ Davis, but Davis is a bit more efficient I believe.

Very true...but I still don't like our chances. I actually wouldn't be surprised if a physical, Big East team takes us out early.

Anyways, not trying to make this an Arizona thread.

A slightly under the radar team I like is BYU...although I don't know how they will do without their home court advantage. A team full of shooters and the big guy Khalifa is really good also. I'm looking forward to the Texas A&M game tomorrow morning

In ESPN's latest bracketology, AZ would get St Mary's in the 2nd round, then if things went according to seed, Baylor, Tennessee, Purdue and then Houston or UConn. Sounds pretty tough for a 2 seed.

[azcatz11]

If he catches fire at the right time, he can shoot you all the way to the Championship game like he did UNC haha.

That said, he is not an efficient player at all, and all those great games he has balances out with even more poor shooting games, so yea, think it’s more likely he shoots y’all out of a game.

Same concerns for UNC with RJ Davis, but Davis is a bit more efficient I believe.

Very true...but I still don't like our chances. I actually wouldn't be surprised if a physical, Big East team takes us out early.

Anyways, not trying to make this an Arizona thread.

A slightly under the radar team I like is BYU...although I don't know how they will do without their home court advantage. A team full of shooters and the big guy Khalifa is really good also. I'm looking forward to the Texas A&M game tomorrow morning

In ESPN's latest bracketology, AZ would get St Mary's in the 2nd round, then if things went according to seed, Baylor, Tennessee, Purdue and then Houston or UConn. Sounds pretty tough for a 2 seed.

Indeed. Let’s hope for the best and expect the worst. One thing we all know is we will go as far as Boswell takes us….

[___Rand___]

Conference tournaments are going to tell us who's hot. I'm looking forward to the weekend games.

[___Rand___]

Very true...but I still don't like our chances. I actually wouldn't be surprised if a physical, Big East team takes us out early.

Anyways, not trying to make this an Arizona thread.

A slightly under the radar team I like is BYU...although I don't know how they will do without their home court advantage. A team full of shooters and the big guy Khalifa is really good also. I'm looking forward to the Texas A&M game tomorrow morning

In ESPN's latest bracketology, AZ would get St Mary's in the 2nd round, then if things went according to seed, Baylor, Tennessee, Purdue and then Houston or UConn. Sounds pretty tough for a 2 seed.

Indeed. Let’s hope for the best and expect the worst. One thing we all know is we will go as far as Boswell takes us….

Boswell's now a bench guy due to poor form. Haven't been able to watch the games lately. I'd wait to see the brackets. Why would you say AZ's fate depends on a bench guy? There are plenty of other guards.