The Final Four is HERE! Auburn vs Virginia and Michigan St vs Texas Tech Preview and Predictions

April is here, which means that the Final Four is here as well. 4 teams are left: 1 redemption wonder, 1 giant defeater, 1 defensive mastermind, and 1 hard-nosed sleeper. In order, those teams are Virginia, Michigan St, Texas Tech, Auburn. A-U-B-U-R-N? Yes, the team that is making its first Final Four appearance in school history (Texas Tech too). The team that Charles Barkley is from. Yes, THAT team. The team that has run over blue bloods in impressive fashion. Kansas in the Round of 32, North Carolina in the Sweet 16, and Kentucky in the Elite Eight. Its March Madness people. 3/4 #1 seeds are done. 3/4 #2 seeds are done 3/4 #3 seeds are done, 4/4 #4 seeds are done. 3/4 #5 seeds are done. Even the most casual basketball fan is interested in March Madness. Zero perfect brackets are left, but records were made this year. The last perfect bracket got through 49 games before being busted in the 50th. There weren't many Cinderellas, but Auburn is close enough. 4 teams. 1 Champion. It's time for the Final Four...

Final Four Game 1: #1 Virginia vs #5 Auburn 6:09pm ET

Last Game (Virginia): Wow, did Virginia get lucky or what vs Purdue. With mere seconds left in the game, Virginia chucked the ball the length of the court and was able to get the 2 to sink to tie the game at 70 to send the game into overtime. Then, Virginia prevailed in the end, winning 80-75 over Purdue. Edwards put up 42 for Purdue, but it still wasn't enough. Kyle Guy led the way for Virginia with 25 points while Ty Jerome had 24. 

Last Game (Auburn): This team just keeps finding ways to take down blue bloods. After trailing for much of the end of the 1st half and beginning of the 2nd, Auburn was able to take the lead late in the game vs Kentucky and hold on to their lead. This game also went into overtime tied at 60. Auburn was able to find a way to win after scoring 17 points in OT, 77-70. 

Prediction: Sorry Charles, but Auburn's tournament journey will most likely end here. Virginia is going to come out on fire in this game, and it will be up to them to match Virginia's speed. Virginia is still looking to forget about last year's embarrassing loss to UMBC in the Round of 64. Getting to the championship game will continue to ease the pain for Virginia. Auburn will need stellar games from Bryce Brown and Jared Harper to be able to pull off the victory. They have a great chance, but this game will be their hardest test yet. Final Score: Virginia 78, Auburn 73

Final Four Game 2: #2 Michigan State vs #3 Texas Tech 8:49pm ET

Last Game (Michigan St): I have to say, even with all the love Duke is getting because of Zion Williamson, Michigan St's win over Duke was the most refreshing game in the tournament thus far. I think Zion is a great player, but eventually one gets tired of the love he gets. Let him get into the NBA and realize how much different it is from college. Michigan State ended up winning this game, 68-67, off of a remarkable game from Cassius Winston. Winston had 20 points and 10 rebounds in the game.

Last Game (Texas Tech): Texas Tech's defense is insane. They held Gonzaga to under 70 points on the game and limited Tillie to only 3. Gonzaga's offense could not get going at all. Texas Tech had 7 different players score in the game, compared to Gonzaga's 5. They ended up winning the game, 75-69, in what was one of the best defensive performances in the whole tournament against arguably the best offensive team we've seen in the past couple years or so. 

Prediction: This game is going to be very tight. Michigan St and Texas Tech have both gone through some really outstanding teams to get to the Final Four. Both teams have fantastic coaches and a list of talented players. The outcome of this game will most likely be determined by who breaks first. Michigan St has Cassius Winston while Texas Tech has Jarrett Culver. I think that in the end, Michigan St will be able to generate that extra firepower that Texas Tech will not have. This will lead to a big Michigan St run that will help them put the game away in the end. Final Score: Michigan St 73, Texas Tech 66

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/final-four-2019-schedule-tipoff-times-betting-lines/

The Sweet 16 field is set in the 2019 NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament!! (Friday's Games)

After an otherwise boring Round of 32, only one team not seeded in the top five made it to the sweet 16. One perfect bracket remains 48 games in, crushing the previous record of 39 games. The most exciting game of the Round of 32 was definitely UCF vs Duke, with Duke prevailing by a point in the end. The breakdown of the conferences in the Sweet 16 goes as follows: AAC: 1, ACC: 4, Big 10: 3  Big 12: 1 SEC: 5 PAC-12: 1 WCC: 1 Here are the matchups and my prediction to win.

Friday's Games

East Region Game 1: #2 Michigan St vs #3 LSU 7:09pm ET

Last Game (Michigan St): After struggling in the opening round vs Bradley, Michigan State came out dominant against Minnesota, winning the game 70-50. Tillman and Winston lead the team with 14 and 13 points apiece, while Henry picked up 9 boards.

Last Game (LSU): In a last second buzzer beater, LSU won a thriller vs Maryland, 69-67. Tremont Waters made the winning layup off of the backboard as he blowed by Maryland defenders.

Prediction: Even without their head coach, LSU has made a solid run in the tourney thus far. That said, Michigan State just looks like the athletically better team. Even through all the injuries they have gone through, Michigan State still won the Big Ten Tournament. LSU will struggle to defend versatile guard Cassius Winston, who is always a threat. Final Score: Michigan St 82, LSU 74

South Region Game 1: #1 North Carolina vs #5 Auburn 7:29pm ET

Last Game (North Carolina): North Carolina absolutely dominated the Washington Huskies in the second round of the NCAA tournament. North Carolina won, 81-59. Luke Maye had yet another double double for the team. 

Last Game (Auburn): Auburn put on a show against Kansas for their fans (and Charles Barkley). Kansas was down double digits for pretty much the whole game, losing at halftime by 25. Kansas was never able to recover from this deficit as Auburn won the game, 89-75. Bryce Brown went 7-11 from the 3 point line.

Prediction: North Carolina continues to look like one of the best teams in the nation. After Oklahoma put up 95 points vs Ole Miss, they were held to only 59 points in round 2, truly an impressive defensive showing from North Carolina. Auburn is going to struggle against the tandem of Luke Maye and Coby White, but the 3s will still go down. Final Score: 84-76

East Region Game 2: #1 Duke vs #4 Virginia Tech 9:39pm ET

Last Game (Duke): Duke won a very tightly contested game against UCF. After a missed free throw, Duke grabbed the ball and layed it in to take the lead. Duke ended up winning the game 77-76 off of 32 points from Zion Williamson.

Last Game (Virginia Tech): Virginia Tech let Liberty hang for most of the first half and some of the second, but pulled away during the rest of the second half. Virginia Tech won 67-58 with 4 players in double figures in the game.

Prediction: These 2 teams met earlier in the season in Blacksburg, and Virginia Tech prevailed off of Zion's absence. This matchup should be different because Zion is back better then ever and this game is being played on a neutral court. Virginia Tech will need a big game from its key players to pull of the upset. Final Score: Duke 73, Virginia Tech 66

South Region Game 2: #2 Kentucky vs #3 Houston 9:59pm ET

Last Game (Kentucky): Kentucky struggled to get much offense going without their star PJ Washington. Wofford was only a couple of made 3s from Fletcher Magee away from winning the game. Kentucky hopes that Wahsington will be back for this game vs Houston, but things are not looking rosy for him. Kentucky won the game over Wofford 62-56.

Last Game (Houston): Houston completely dominated an Ohio State team who couldn't get Kaleb Wesson going down in the paint. The 3s did drop for Ohio State though, something that Houston needs to work on before its matchup vs Kentucky. Also, Houston was in foul trouble for most of the game. Houston ended up winning the game, 74-59.

Prediction: Houston is a very physical team that likes to make teams uncomfortable in the paint. Kentucky relies on its shooters to make plays and pull out the W. This game features 2 completely opposite teams, but should provide a very close end result. Final Score: Houston 69, Kentucky 65

https://thespun.com/college-hoops/how-to-watch-the-auburn-vs-new-mexico-state-ncaa-tournament-game-online

The Sweet 16 field is set in the 2019 NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament!! (Thrusday's Games)

After an otherwise boring Round of 32, only one team not seeded in the top five made it to the sweet 16. One perfect bracket remains 48 games in, crushing the previous record of 39 games. The most exciting game of the Round of 32 was definitely UCF vs Duke, with Duke prevailing by a point in the end. The breakdown of the conferences in the Sweet 16 goes as follows: AAC: 1, ACC: 4, Big 10: 3  Big 12: 1 SEC: 5 PAC-12: 1 WCC: 1 Here are the matchups and my prediction to win.

Thursday's Games

West Region Game 1: #1 Gonzaga vs #4 Florida State 7:09pm ET

Last Game (Gonzaga): Gonzaga beat Baylor 83-71. Brandon Clarke had 36 points and 8 rebounds on the game as he absolutely shredded Baylor in the paint.

Last Game (Florida St): Florida State beat Murray State 90-62. Florida St completely dominated Murray State on the offensive and defensive side on the ball. But, they weren't able to contain Ja Morant at all.

Prediction: I think Florida States defense overwhelms Gonzaga's offense a little too much in this game. Final Score: Florida St 73, Gonzaga 66


South Region Game 1: #2 Tennessee vs #3 Purdue 7:29pm ET

Last Game (Tennessee): Tennessee beat 83-77 in OT. Tennessee had a 21 point lead going into halftime, but turned the ball over a ton and let Iowa slowly crawl back in the game to force OT.

Last Game (Purdue): Purdue beat Villanova 87-61 in an absolute blowout. At one point in the game, Purdue had a 32 point lead. Carsen Edwards went off for 42 points on the game.

Prediction: Purdue is extremely inconsistent if Edwards doesn't play well, but Tennessee can go on a dry spell of its own for awhile. This game will be very close in the end. Final Score: Purdue 80, Tennessee 78

West Region Game 2: #2 Michigan vs #3 Texas Tech 9:39pm ET

Last Game (Michigan): Michigan was easily able to handle a stingy Florida squad. They won by a score of 64-49. Poole lead all scorers with 19 points on the day.

Last Game (Texas Tech): Texas Tech surprisingly shut down Buffalo's offense completely in the game, especially in the second half. Previously, Buffalo had only 3 losses on the year with a record of 31-3. Texas Tech won convincingly, 78-58.

Prediction: Honestly, Michigan just looks like the more complete team here. With blowout wins over defending champs Villanova and UNC, Michigan is definitely ready for this game. But, Texas Tech was the regular season champions in their conference and denied Kansas of yet another title. I expect a low scoring game with Michigan pulling it out in the end. Final Score: Michigan66, Texas Tech 60

South Region Game 2: #1 Virginia vs #12 Oregon 9:57pm ET

Last Game (Oregon): Oregon let UC Irvine get back in the game for a while, but pulled away midway through the second half. Oregon ended up winning the game, 73-54.

Last Game (Virginia): Virginia had no problem dismantling Oklahoma throughout the game. They were held to only 51 points, well below their season average. 63-51 was the final score.

Prediction: If there is a blowout in the Sweet 16, this game would be it. Oregon has made a nice run in the tourney and is on a current 10 game winning streak, one of the longest in the nation. That said, Virginia is just more of a battle-tested team and has better-skilled players then Oregon has. The best way for Oregon to win this game is to get out to an early lead and maintain their lead throughout the whole game. Virginia should have no problem taking care of Oregon in this game. Final Score: Virginia 78, Oregon 65

https://pac-12.com/mens-basketball/event/2019/03/24/uc-irvine-vs-oregon

2019 NCAA Tournament March Madness Bracket

It's time for MARCH MADNESS!! This is the bracket... :)


https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/ncaa-bracket-2019-printable-march-madness-bracket-tournament-seeds-set-on-selection-sunday-show/

2019 Conference Tournament Winners

Here are the winners of this year's conference championships!

America East: Vermont (23-6)

American Athletic: Cincinnati (28-6)

Atlantic 10: St. Louis (23-12)

Atlantic Coast: Duke (29-5)

Atlantic Sun: Liberty (28-6)

Big 12: Iowa St (23-11)

Big East: Villanova (25-9)

Big Sky: Montana (26-8)

Big South: Gardner-Webb (23-11)

Big Ten: Michigan St (23-6)

Big West: UC Irvine (30-5)

Colonial Athletic: Northeastern (23-10)

Conference USA: Old Dominion (26-8)

Horizon: Northern Kentucky (26-8)

Ivy League: Yale (22-7) 

Metro Athletic: Iona (17-15)

Mid-American: Buffalo (31-3)

Mid Eastern:  NC Central (18-15)

Missouri Valley: Bradley (20-14)

Mountain West: Utah State (28-6)

Northeast: Farliegh Dickinson (20-13)

Ohio Valley: Murray State (27-4)

Pac-12: Washington (26-8)

Patriot League: Colgate (24-10)

Southeastern: Auburn (26-9)

Southern: Wofford (29-4)

Southland: Albilene Christian (27-6)

Southwestern Athletic: Prairie View (22-12)

Summit League: North Dakota State (18-15)

Sun Belt: Georgia State (24-9)

West Coast: Saint Mary's (22-11)

Western Athletic: New Mexico State (30-4)

https://247sports.com/college/marquette/Article/Selection-Sunday-130229074/

2019 Conference Tournament Predictions (Alex Arabis)

Projections based on current records...

America East: Vermont (23-6)

American Athletic: Houston (27-2)

Atlantic 10: Davidson (21-8)

Atlantic Coast: Virginia (27-2)

Atlantic Sun: Lipscomb (24-6)

Big 12: Texas Tech (25-5)

Big East: Villanova (22-8)

Big Sky: Montana (22-7)

Big South: Radford (20-10)

Big Ten: Michigan (26-4)

Big West: UC Irvine (25-5)

Colonial Athletic: Northeastern (20-10)

Conference USA: Old Dominion (23-6)

Horizon: Northern Kentucky (23-8)

Ivy League: Yale (19-6) 

Metro Athletic: Quinnipiac (16-13)

Mid-American: Buffalo (26-3)

Mid Eastern: Norfolk State (19-11)

Missouri Valley: Loyola Chicago (19-12)

Mountain West: Utah State (24-6)

Northeast: St Francis PA (16-13)

Ohio Valley: Murray State (25-4)

Pac-12: Washington (23-6)

Patriot League: Colgate (21-10)

Southeastern: Kentucky (25-5)

Southern: Wofford (26-4)

Southland: Sam Houston (20-9)

Southwestern Athletic: Texas Southern (18-11)

Summit League: South Dakota State (24-7)

Sun Belt: Georgia State (21-9)

West Coast: Gonzaga (29-2)

Western Athletic: New Mexico State (26-4)

https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/2019-03-03/michigan-maryland-score-wolverines-escape-college-park-impressive

2019 Conference Tournament Predictions (Matthew Zimmerman)

Projections based on current records...

America East: Vermont (23-6)

American Athletic: UCF (22-6)

Atlantic 10: Davidson (21-8)

Atlantic Coast: North Carolina (24-5)

Atlantic Sun: Lipscomb (24-6)

Big 12: Texas Tech (25-5)

Big East: Villanova (22-8)

Big Sky: Montana (22-7)

Big South: Radford (20-10)

Big Ten: Michigan (26-4)

Big West: UC Irvine (25-5)

Colonial Athletic: Northeastern (20-10)

Conference USA: Old Dominion (23-6)

Horizon: Wright State (19-12)

Ivy League: Yale (19-6) 

Metro Athletic: Iona (14-15)

Mid-American: Buffalo (26-3)

Mid Eastern: Norfolk State (19-11)

Missouri Valley: Loyola Chicago (19-12)

Mountain West: Utah State (24-6)

Northeast: St Francis PA (16-13)

Ohio Valley: Murray State (25-4)

Pac-12: Washington (23-6)

Patriot League: Colgate (21-10)

Southeastern: LSU (24-5)

Southern: Wofford (26-4)

Southland: Sam Houston (20-9)

Southwestern Athletic: Texas Southern (18-11)

Summit League: South Dakota State (24-7)

Sun Belt: Georgia State (21-9)

West Coast: Gonzaga (29-2)

Western Athletic: New Mexico State (26-4)

https://www.midmajormadness.com/2018/3/6/17083336/ncaa-tournament-team-profile-lipscomb-bisons-garrison-mathews-rob-marberry-atlantic-sun-eli-pepper

Locks in the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

ACC

Duke, Florida State, Louisville, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech

Big 12

Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech

Big East

Marquette, Villanova

Big Ten

Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Wisconsin

Pac-12

Washington

SEC

Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Tennessee

American

Houston, Cincinnati

Others

Buffalo, Gonzaga, Nevada, Wofford

https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-mens-basketball/article222095560.html