{"id":79365,"date":"2017-03-13T15:55:21","date_gmt":"2017-03-13T15:55:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sandbox.web.rcn.net\/rcntv\/?p=79365"},"modified":"2023-04-25T14:22:24","modified_gmt":"2023-04-25T14:22:24","slug":"behind-mic-bracketology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/behind-mic-bracketology\/","title":{"rendered":"Behind the Mic: Bracketology"},"content":{"rendered":"

Northwestern <\/a>is in!\u00a0 For the first time in school history, the Wildcats are in the NCAA <\/a>tournament after winning 23 games this season.\u00a0 Can they win their first game ever when they take on Vanderbilt <\/a>in Round One?<\/p>\n

Before we get to that, there are more important things to consider \u2013 which of the 68 teams will win their bracket and move on to the Final Four?<\/p>\n

WEST<\/strong>
\nGonzaga <\/a>(32-1) was given the top seed in this bracket.\u00a0 There are many who believe that, despite their 29 straight wins before a loss to BYU<\/a>, top seed was only possible because they played a weak schedule.\u00a0 With that said, they have beaten the #2 team in this section \u2013 Arizona<\/a>.\u00a0 Gonzaga has never made it to the Final Four.\u00a0 And\u2026 they will not make it again.\u00a0 They will lose to Arizona in the Regional final.<\/p>\n

And, by the way, Northwestern will lose to Vanderbilt in the first round.<\/p>\n

MIDWEST<\/strong>
\nKansas <\/a>(28-4) is #1 in this region and the committee selected them #2 overall in the tournament.\u00a0 They were the Big 12 champions.\u00a0 I like the way Michigan <\/a>played in the Big 10 tournament and they have local favorite Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman<\/a>.\u00a0 I like Michigan to beat Oklahoma State<\/a> in their first-round game, but then they run into Louisville <\/a>and their season will end.\u00a0 Louisville will play Kansas in the Regional final.\u00a0 Kansas is a potential national champion and will win this region.<\/p>\n

SOUTH<\/strong>
\nAfter winning the ACC tournament championship, many expected Duke <\/a>to garner this top spot.\u00a0 Instead it went to North Carolina<\/a> (27-7), a team that Duke beat two out of three times.\u00a0 Time will tell if this was a wise decision by the committee.\u00a0 It is probably their most questionable top seed.\u00a0 It appears that UCLA <\/a>or Kentucky <\/a>would be their biggest challenge and that can only happen in the Regional final.\u00a0 UCLA\u2019s Lonzo Ball is certainly one of, if not the best, freshman in the country.\u00a0 So I like UCLA vs North Carolina in the final.\u00a0 North Carolina wins.<\/p>\n

EAST<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>
\nI saved the East for last.\u00a0 Can Villanova <\/a>(31-3) do it again?\u00a0 They are good enough to do it and they are certainly battle-tested having played one of the toughest schedules in the nation.\u00a0 If, as many believed, Duke should have been a #1, then Villanova may have the toughest road to the Final Four because Duke is #2 in this region.\u00a0 And it should come down to these two outstanding teams.\u00a0 I would rather see Villanova win, but I think Duke wins this game.<\/p>\n

FINAL FOUR<\/strong>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Kansas vs North Carolina<\/strong>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Duke vs Arizona<\/strong><\/p>\n

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP<\/strong>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Duke vs Kansas<\/strong>
\n\u00a0<\/strong>
\nNATIONAL CHAMPION<\/strong>
\nKansas<\/strong><\/p>\n

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. It was certainly not the weekend that local basketball fans expected when our 15 boys\u2019 and girls\u2019 teams played in the first round of the PIAA basketball playoffs. Only four of our teams advanced into the second round of playoffs.\u00a0 Northampton, Bethlehem Catholic, and Southern Lehigh girls moved on, but only the Emmaus boys won their game against Cheltenham by a 68-67 score.\u00a0 It was shocking that the Allen boys, Bethlehem Catholic boys, and the Easton girls lost.\u00a0 What is the adage \u2013 \u201cThat\u2019s why you play the game.\u201d<\/li>\n
  2. If the local basketball players disappointed over the weekend, the District XI wrestlers did not \u2013 Lehigh Valley AAA wrestlers claimed four state titles, two runner-ups, and 18 total medals. Nazareth won the team title, had two state champions, and Coach Dave Crowell was named Coach of the Year for a record sixth time.\u00a0 In AA, eight local wrestlers won medals.<\/li>\n
  3. Parkland boys\u2019 basketball lost to Archbishop Ryan on Saturday, indicating, once again, just how powerful the Philadelphia Catholic League teams are. Ryan was the #3 team out of District 12 and they were every bit as good as any team here in the Lehigh Valley.\u00a0 They beat Parkland by 24 \u2013 enough said.<\/li>\n
  4. The Bucknell <\/a>men will face West Virginia<\/a> in their opening round NCAA matchup in the West Region. Bucknell was seeded #13 and that\u2019s impressive for the Patriot League. West Virginia is the best team in the nation at forcing turnovers, so this will not be a pleasant experience for the Bison.\u00a0 But I will cheer them on and hope for the upset.<\/li>\n
  5. One final note about the Allen Canaries \u2013 this team under Doug Snyder made basketball in Allentown meaningful and exciting again. No team had a more supportive fan base and their energy migrated out to other communities once basketball fans got to see them.\u00a0 It was a great year ending in disappointment, but thanks for so many memorable individual plays and games.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Northwestern is in!\u00a0 For the first time in school history, the Wildcats are in the NCAA tournament after winning 23 games this season.\u00a0 Can they win their first game ever when they take on Vanderbilt in Round One? 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