Summer Breeze Field of 68, Sweet 16 Sleepers, Final 4 & National Champ

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SelectionSunday

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Last one until just prior to Opening Night (Nov. 10). Newsflash. The Gophers should make the tournament. I'm pegging the Sweet 16 as a reasonable goal.

FIELD OF 68
America East (1): Albany

American (4): Cincinnati, SMU, Temple, Wichita State

ACC (7): Duke, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Virginia, Virginia Tech

Atlantic Sun (1): Florida Gulf Coast

Atlantic 10 (2): Rhode Island, Saint Bonaventure

Big East (5): Butler, Providence, Seton Hall, Villanova, Xavier

Big Sky (1): Eastern Washington

Big South (1): Campbell

B1G (8): Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Penn State, Purdue

Big XII (5): Baylor, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, West Virginia

Big West (1): UC Irvine

Colonial (1): College of Charleston

Conference USA (1): Middle Tennessee

Horizon (1): Oakland

Ivy (1): Penn

MAAC (1): Iona

MAC (1): Ohio

MEAC (1): Morgan State

Missouri Valley (1): Missouri State

Mountain West (2): Colorado State, Nevada

Northeast (1): LIU

OVC (1): Murray State

Pac 12 (5): Arizona, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, USC

Patriot (1): Bucknell

SEC (6): Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee

SoCon (1): Furman

Southland (1): Sam Houston State

SWAC (1): Texas Southern

Summit (1): South Dakota State

Sun Belt (1): UT Arlington

WCC (2): Gonzaga, Saint Mary's

WAC (1): New Mexico State
_________________________________

Last 4 In: Colorado State, Missouri, Penn State, Saint Bonaventure

First 4 Out: Houston, Marquette, VCU, Wisconsin

Keep An Eye On: Arizona State, BYU, Kansas State, La Salle, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Saint Joseph's, TCU, UAB, UCF

Non-Power 6 At-Larges (6): Colorado State, Saint Bonaventure, Saint Mary's, SMU, Temple, Wichita State

Sweet 16 Sleepers: Alabama, Nevada, Oakland, Rhode Island, Stanford

Final 4: Arizona, Duke, Michigan State, USC

National Champions: Michigan State (Big Ten title drought of 17 years finally ends)
 

Who are your four one seeds in this scenario?
 

I don't really seed these, per se, but I'd probably have Kansas or Kentucky getting a 1 seed over USC and/or Duke.

Sparty and Arizona definitely 1s.
 

Looking forward to some of the battles in one bid leagues. I am sure Vermont will push Albany. South Dakota, South Dakota State and NDSU will all push each other. Seems like Harvard, PENN and Princeton should all be right there in the IVY. UND and Eastern Washington in the Big Sky.
 

Just jumps out at me as I read your BIG list...Michigan St and the Gophers sure seem on paper a step above the rest. Well aware games are not won and lost on paper but we are in a nice spot looking at it today.
 


Wisconsin left out? I love it. Let's hope SS is right.
 

I don't know USC. SS what makes them special ??
 





BarnBurner said:
I don't know USC. SS what makes them special ??
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I saw USC-UCLA live last year when USC beat UCLA. They're returning a lot of guys, just like the Gophers. USC has great bigs, Metu who is an athletic freak and can stretch the floor and Boatright who can do just about everything on the offensive end. McLaughlin runs the point and averages 14 and 5. They also have some shooters. Finally, they have a good recruiting class with a 4.5 star recruit. They were very close to making it the sweet 16 last year, they should go farther this year.
 

diegopher said:
I saw USC-UCLA live last year when USC beat UCLA. They're returning a lot of guys, just like the Gophers. USC has great bigs, Metu who is an athletic freak and can stretch the floor and Boatright who can do just about everything on the offensive end. McLaughlin runs the point and averages 14 and 5. They also have some shooters. Finally, they have a good recruiting class with a 4.5 star recruit. They were very close to making it the sweet 16 last year, they should go farther this year.
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Duke transfer Derryck Thornton becomes eligible this year too, and it seems like they have an outside shot at landing Marvin Bagley, the #1 recruit in 2018, who may reclassify to 2017.

I'm just don't see how they avoid a collapse after the departure of Charles Buggs though :cool:
 


bemidjigopher said:
They still have Happ and they're recruiting well. This maybe a retooling year but they won't be down for long unfortunately
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It would be fun to see them fall but I am not going to believe it until it happens. O didn't think they were all that good last year and still made the sweet 16. I don't remember the last time they finished worse than a tie for 4th. Now Iowa and Penn State are going to be better than them?
 



BarnBurner said:
I don't know USC. SS what makes them special ??
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Like what I saw of them last season, and Trojans have a lot of talent returning. And most seasons I try to pick one team that isn't among the usual list of suspects. Should be a banner year for Andy Enfield.
 

SelectionSunday said:
First 4 Out: Houston, Marquette, VCU, wisconsin
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Go Gophers!!
 

I've seen so many predictions from other sites about who will make the NCAA tournament and the preseason rankings of the Big Ten, but this is the first that I've seen that has Iowa as a tournament team. As much as I dislike the Hawkeyes, I agree. Sure they lost do-everything Peter Jok, who almost singlehandedly beat the Gophers last winter, but they return much of that same lineup. I'm actually surprised that most other sites aren't picking Iowa and Maryland to make the dance. I agree with all of your Big Ten NCAA picks, and I also believe this is finally the year that Wisconsin falls dramatically down the Big Ten ranks, which would be awesome to see... :)
 

8 Big Ten teams and no Indiana, Wisconsin or Ohio State? Times are a changing- although I suspect Wisconsin will figure a way to make it in.
 

Certainly not ruling out Indiana or Wisconsin. Only B1G teams I'd give zero chance of making NCAA are Nebraska, Ohio State, and Rutgers. Illinois kind of a wildcard with its new coach.
 


I wouldn't rule out Wisconsin either but I will be surprised if they make the NCAA tournament. I'm not as high on their recruiting as some, nor their returning players. It's not always easy to step up and be the man. Happ may lead them but will he get any help? Scoring has to be a problem imo
 

gopherguy15 said:
I've seen so many predictions from other sites about who will make the NCAA tournament and the preseason rankings of the Big Ten, but this is the first that I've seen that has Iowa as a tournament team. As much as I dislike the Hawkeyes, I agree. Sure they lost do-everything Peter Jok, who almost singlehandedly beat the Gophers last winter, but they return much of that same lineup. I'm actually surprised that most other sites aren't picking Iowa and Maryland to make the dance. I agree with all of your Big Ten NCAA picks, and I also believe this is finally the year that Wisconsin falls dramatically down the Big Ten ranks, which would be awesome to see... :)
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Another issue with Iowa is Fran kid is redshirting to focus on baseball. Believe he was a four star recruit
 

bemidjigopher said:
Another issue with Iowa is Fran kid is redshirting to focus on baseball. Believe he was a four star recruit
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Connor is redshirting because minutes are going to be tough to be had.

Iowa will be back in the tourney this year. Tallest team in school history.

Return
2 all big ten freshmen
BIG sixth man of the year

Word has that many young players from last year have made significant improvement

Bench is deep at all positions besides the 1

Jok was a great offensive player but was very lazy at times on the defensive end. When he didn't play well, he was a detriment

Keys will be team defense. I think you'll see much improvement there. Iowa lacked a true big they could play at the 5. Iowa has a freshmen in Luka Garza that is awesome. Led both games in scoring so far in Iowa Europe trip. They also bring in 6'11 Jack Nunge that has looked very good.

Ryan Kriener has really made a leap forward and Iowa will be deep at the 5 which will allow Tyler Cook to play his natural 4.

Iowa was one of the first four teams out for the tourney last year starting 4 freshmen. They lacked consistency but they showed the ceiling the team had. They beat ISU, Purdue, Wisconsin, Maryland, and Michigan last year and took it to Double OT with your gophers last ear at the Barn.

It was a loss but I look at it as a good sign because the Gophers have a good squad.

Iowa is not getting love for the pundits because Jok was 1st team all big ten and they just see that loss

Iowa fans see a lot of young talent and only so many minutes to go around.
 

UW will make the NCAA tourney . Gard will stress a top 3 defense and a low error offense. Happ is a force, all-american. They will get scoring from Pritzl and Trice. That freshman class is really good. They are more vulnerable than they have been in at least 10 years but they will stay make teams beat themselves.
 

builtbadgers said:
UW will make the NCAA tourney . Gard will stress a top 3 defense and a low error offense. Happ is a force, all-american. They will get scoring from Pritzl and Trice. That freshman class is really good. They are more vulnerable than they have been in at least 10 years but they will stay make teams beat themselves.
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I dunno built. I'm with you that WI will make the tourney but I unless trice and pretzel get substantially better, games are gonna be a struggle. Plus, besides Iverson and happ, they got no one else experienced. If the true frosh step up and king is legit all conference right away, maybe. But guys like illikanen just suck.
 

No doubt there are concerns but i think the way they go about their business wins so many games.
 

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