March Madness - Day 1

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CBS is talking a lot about the large number of upsets (lower seeded teams winning), however I think it is more of a story about the POOR seeding by the committee than it is about upsets.

Many of these 6 vs 11 seed and 7 vs 10 seed games looked more like 8 vs 9 seed games that either team could win. That is a function of overseeding and underseeding.

Case in points:

Notre Dame as a 6 seed --- Really?! Just a week before the Big East tourney most bracketologists did not even have ND in the tourney but they end up with a 6 seed. That is ridiculous. I did not pick ODU in my bracket but I viewed this game as a pickem game that either team could win.

Richmond was a 7 seed but could easily have been an 8 seed. St. Mary's has been on a run and plays very well with a big-time player in Omar Samhan. I also viewed this a pickem game and I DID pick St. Mary's in my bracket.

Vanderbilt as a 4 seed -- Cmon!! Yes they had a decent record, 24-9, but they play in the SEC which is garbage beyond UK and TN. They lost to ILL (#74 RPI), West. KY #133 RPI), Georgia (#107) and South Carolina (#94). That does not look like a 4 Seed to me. Murray State was a real team and only had 4 losses that were actually better losses than the 4 I listed above for Vandy. They have very good guards and yes, I DID pick Murray St to win. In fact, I have them going to the Sweet 16.

And I never count an 8 vs 9 seed team as an upset either way. That is always a pickem game.

The Georgetown and Marquette losses were legitimate upsets that both surprised me and while I picked it I think the Murray State win was an upset. In my mind there were only those three upsets on Day 1. Overall though a very fun day of basketball!!


For Friday, I like the following upsets:

Minnesota over Xavier -- This is another 6 vs 11 seed game that I believe is actually more like an 8 vs 9 pickem game. Xavier is a good team that I think was only slightly overseeded as a 6. However, Minnesota is very underseeded as an 11 seed. They have been playing incredibly well over their last 10-15 games. The have some young big men that are coming into their own and their very balanced with good guard play also.

Cornell over Temple -- Cornell is a very good team that has a 7' center. Their only bad loss was to UPenn in the Ivy. They played Kansas very close and their other losses are to Syracuse and Seton Hall. I think Temple is a bit overseeded because of a weak schedule. They have bad losses to Charlotte and St Johns, and they also lost to Richmond which proved to be a paper tiger yesterday.

I also think Sienna will play Purdue close because they have just not been the same without Hummel. However, I think Purdue will find a way to win this one in a close game.