Wednesday, March 18, 2015

2015 MARCH MADNESS PREVIEW - WEST REGION

#1 WISCONSIN
A Final 4 team from last year that is led by Frank “The Tank” Kaminsky who had a target on his back all year to repeat last years performance and he did so and then some! The Badgers are chalk full of veteran talent led by the witch doctor himself, Head Coach Bo Ryan

#16 COASTAL CAROLINA
A strength of schedule ranked 305th in the NCAA of 355 teams!?!?! Wisconsin will jump around all over the Chanticleers.

#8 OKLAHOMA STATE
They have a great veteran backcourt in the highest-ranking 2011-12 recruit left in the NCAA, LeBryan Nash and solid junior guard, Phil Forte. The Cowboys were sexy favorites last year with this line-up and other seniors, led by NBA’er Marcus Smart but they fizzled all season, eventually losing in the first round. This year, pretty much the same. So the question is, does this talented group turn it around or get rolled in the first round…again?

#9 OREGON
This is pretty much a brand new team for the Ducks this year compared to their 2nd round Madness run last year. Joe Young can flat out score, so in these always tough #8 v. #9 match ups, the question is do you go with the veteran line up in the Okie State Cowboys or the streaky new lineup in the Ducks? Flip that coin!

#5 ARKANSAS
Don’t sleep on 6-11 Sophomore forward Bobby Portis! He’s athletic in the half-court and full court at close to 7-feet tall, but could use a bit more physical moxy. Jr. Guard Michael Qualls offers some size at 6-6 and can score. The Razorbacks had some close games this year in a slightly under-rated SEC conference and by playing Kentucky twice this year, they have no better measuring stick of what is expected of them to get a long run in the Madness

#12 WOFFORD
Enter in Mike Myers spoken word song from “So I Married An Axe Murderer”: Wooooooo-FORD!!!! Wooooo-ho-ho-FORD!!!! They like to slow play, but like Virginia they are no way!!! They’d like to be Betty’s Barnie!?!?! Wofford tries to play a possession game by slowing the game down, but it works for Virginia and not for Wofford. Arkansas’ size and athleticism should put Wofford in their Whoa-place

#4 NORTH CAROLINA
Rant time! Listen here folks, UNC has 6, count ‘em 6 McDonald All-Americans on their squad, and with 3 other Top 100 recruits! They get the talent that Kentucky gets in every year, and this warrants a Top 15-20 ranking all year!?!?! Head Coach, Roy Williams has done zero to develop this exceptional talent for about 5 recruiting classes now. They are soft and very undisciplined on defense. They will get great runs, but this is based purely on their talent alone! Join the Insanity Report Staff in on the #FireRoy campaign! Thank you Roy for 2 NCAA titles, and you served Dean Smith amicably, but you’re time is up! It’s time to head to pasture. Shaka Smart, yeah you, you know of any good real estate agents in Chapel Hill?? Bring VCU’s Pep Band with you please

#13 HARVARD
Head Coach Tommy Amaker has done a great job in attracting Top 100 talent to Harvard for no scholarship dough! He’s a former Duke assistant who knows as much about UNC as Roy Williams DOESN’T know about the Tar Heel class schedule! Harvard somewhat disappointed some in the Ivy League this year taking the league championship to a one game playoff vs. Yale, but Harvard’s veteran guard play can kill! Senior, Wesley Saunders leads a group of disciplined players vs. an undisciplined Tar Heel squad. Just sayin…

#6 XAVIER
Don’t know much about this personnel but scoreboard watching all year in the hellish Big East have shown Xavier in many tight games coming out on top in some and not so well in others. They grind!

#11 OLE MISS
Holy BYU implosion last night! Ole Miss put it all on the line last night down by 17 points at halftime to rack up 62 friggin’ points vs. BYU to win in a shootout. Don’t expect Xavier to run and jack shots like BYU did, but don’t expect Ole Miss to roll over either as they come in battle tested and running on pure octane-ated adrenalin!

#3 BAYLOR
These guys have been battled tested with 17 games vs. tourney teams this year! They have Canadian talent in speedy guard Kenny Chery!

#14 GEORGIA STATE
Do not sleep on Georgia State! They are chalk full of big name transfers from big name programs, particularly in Louisville transfer, Kevin Ware who most remember as the one who suffered the atrocious lower leg fracture in the tourney 2 years ago. He’s back and he’s contributing! G-State have 2 big scorers in junior RJ Hunter and Kentucky senior transfer, Ryan Harrow who both score 19 ppg and 20 ppg respectively.  Not to mention USC transfer, Curtis Washington, the Panthers could surprise many. However, there were rumors of dissent between Harrow and Hunter this year, so they could also go E! reality show drama before our very eyes! Ahh the Madness!

#7 VCU
VCU had a great non-conference schedule this year with wins vs. Northern Iowa , Oregon and Cincinnati and then somewhat fizzled in their Atlantic-10 conference schedule only to rebound and win the conference tourney! They have the best Pep Band in the world that Insanity Report Staffers, The Smacks, Schmitty’s and yours truly, The Commish will have the pleasure of seeing live and in straight-jackets in the Portland regional! Shaka, please reconsider and go to North Carolina! Your loyalty to VCU is admirable but you have a Tar Heel program to rejuvenate!

#10 OHIO STATE
This match up vs. VCU will be one of the best 1st round games of the tourney. Ohio State is led by heralded freshmen, D’Angelo Russell who is very very good and entertaining, but if he’s thought of as the one to lead this team vs. a deep veteran laden VCU, then OSU seniors, Shannon Scott, Sam Thompson, Trey McDonald and Amire Williams better show up to the dance!

#2 ARIZONA
10-0 record vs. other tourney teams and they get a #2 seed with an overall record of 31-3!?!?!? Ouch, that shows what the tourney committee thinks of the Pac-12 conference! This team is chalk full of McD All-American recruits and a record to boot. Dare I say under-rated fave?

#15 TEXAS SOUTHERN
Any small conference team that beats the Izzo and Michigan State this year in non-conference play is doing something right







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