It makes sense why NCAA player of the year Tyler Hansbrough did not leave school early for the NBA.  Hansbrough is enjoying college life too much.  Have fun getting drunk and picking up chicks at the fraternity parties at UNC.  Becoming a crappy player in the NBA can wait another year.  Toga!  Toga!

Memphis lost the NCAA Championship game for one reason and that is bad coaching.  How does your team blow a 9 point lead with 2 minutes to go in a championship game?    The stupidest coaching move of all came at the very end of regulation.  Up by 3 points after a made free throw by Memphis with 10 seconds left, Kansas drove down the court and Mario Chammers swished a 3-pointer to tie the game with 2 seconds left and send it to overtime.

What went wrong……..  Why did John Calipari not call a time out after the made free throw to setup Memphis’ defense and discuss strategy?    I clearly expected Bill Self, not John Calipari to do something as stupid as this!!!  I am just appalled by this.  Maybe Calipari should replace Self in my top 3 most overrated college basketball coaches.  STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!

Memphis was completely confused on defense.  There were Memphis players guarding their men inside the 3-point line and right under the basket.  Why???  Who cares if they score 2 points.  All the players should have been around the 3-point area.  Instead, Chammers had a really good look at the basket and made the clutch 3-pointer.

Why did Memphis not foul Kansas and send them to the free throw line?  They would have to make one free throw, then get the rebound on a missed free throw (which rarely happens), then still make a basket to tie.  This should have been discussed in a Memphis timeout. 

 Instead, Kansas Jayhawks bring down the nets.  Memphis goes home losers….  What might have been?  Maybe next year, but I doubt it.  No Derrick Rose, no Joey Dorsey…  good luck!

After the embarrassment of Kelvin Sampson, what does Indiana University do to fix it?  They go and hire one of the most overrated coaches in America in Marquette’s Tom Crean.  

The Asiansportsfanatic’s take is this….  What a horrible decision by IU.  There plenty of better coaches available and they chose Crean.  Tom Crean is a horrible coach.   Crean had one lucky NCAA Tourney run to the Final Four with Dwayne Wade and all of a sudden everyone (except me)  thinks Crean is one of the best coaches in America.    Crean has not proven that he can recruit or coach at the highest level.   Crean is not the type of coach a McDonald’s All-American high school player is going to want to play for.    IU will NEVER make it to the Final Four with Tom Crean as head coach.

Crean has had minimal success at Marquette and look for him to be just as unsuccessful at IU.  Indiana University would be better of re-hiring Bob Knight.  Let the mediocrity continue!

Go Hoosiers!

East Region

#1 UNC vs. #4 Washington State - Despite #1 UNC’s lack of defense, they simply make it up with their offensive firepower.  Eventually that will catch up to them, but not in this game.  UNC rolls easily.  WINNER = UNC

#2 Tennessee vs.  #3 Louisville - Tennessee can only go so far with their lack of talent and overrated coach in Bruce Pearl.  Their luck ends against #3 Louisville.  WINNER = LOUISVILLE

 West Region

#3 Xavier vs.  #7 West Virginia - Coming off a great upset victory against #3 Duke, #7 West Virginia will have their hands full against a very talented #3 Xavier team.  I see the game close, but #3 Xavier pulling away in the 2nd half for the victory.  WINNER = XAVIER

#1 UCLA vs.  #12 Western Kentucky - Western Kentucky has had a great run, but it will end against #1 UCLA.  UCLA looked awful offensively against Texas A&M and they had better get their act together if they want to make a run at the championship.  This is their game to get their offense back in sync.  WINNER = UCLA

Midwest Region

#3 Wisconsin vs. #10 Davidson - Stephen Curry has been red-hot in the first two tourneament games.  They will need other players to step up as Wisconsin will do everything to shut Curry down.  #3 Wisconsin is solid and look for them to take advantage of their size inside.  WINNER = WISCONSIN

#1 Kansas vs.  #12 Villanova - Kansas has looked strong ans I do not see Villanova having any chance to beat this super-talented Kansas team.  WINNER = KANSAS

South Region

#2 Texas vs.  #3 Stanford - The Lopez twins are the real deal.  Brook Lopez carried the Cardinal to victory with 28 2nd-half points against Marquette.  Do not look for #2 Texas to allow Lopez to get the ball in the low post so easily in this game.   The Texas guards must step up offensively.  This will be the best game of this round and look for it to be close.  I am calling this upset if you call it that base on the seeding.  WINNER = STANFORD

#1 Memphis vs.  #5 Michigan State - Tom Izzo simply knows how to win in the NCAA Tourney and this year is no different.  #1 Memphis like UNC, are not good defensively because both teams are so explosive on offensive.   This game will be close as look for Michigan State to slow the game down and force Memphis to execute in the half-court offensive.   Memphis will simply be too strong in the end and there will be no upset in this game.  WINNER = MEMPHIS

March Madness has arrived!  

Here are my predictions: 

East:   #1 North Carolina is the team to beat with no other team in this region that they will have to worry about.  #2 Tennessee is the most overrated team in the country and Bruce Pearl is one of the most overrated coaches in America.     Look for them to get upset against #3 Louisville if not sooner.

Final 8 - #1 North Carolina vs. #3 Louisville

Winner - #1 North Carolina

Midwest:  #1 Kansas is good, but not that good.  They get lucky with the 3-point shot.   Bill Self is also overrated as a coach.    #6 USC have been hot and cold all season and may be a sleeper in this region.  #2 Georgetown will be tough to beat.

Final 8 - #1 Kansas vs. #2 Georgetown

Winner - #2 Georgetown

South:  #1 Memphis has the talent to win it all, but how will their fast-break and no defense game fare against a stong opponent?  I think they have what it takes to win this region, but do not forget about #3 Stanford whom I think will beat #2 Texas in the Sweet 16.

Final 8 - #1 Memphis vs. #3 Stanford

Winner - #1 Memphis

West:  Contrary to what many analysts are saying, I think the West if the toughest bracket with 4 solid teams in #4 UConn,  #3 Xavier,  #2 Duke, and top-seeded UCLA.   #2 Duke is underrated and #4 UConn could give #1 UCLA problems.    I think #1 UCLA should make it out of the West.

Final 8 - #1 UCLA vs. #2 Duke

Winner - #1 UCLA

Final Four -  North Carolina will be tough to beat wtih all their talent and UCLA can win it all this year without Florida standing in their way.  

Finals - North Carolina vs UCLA

WINNER - UCLA