Category / Basketball

by admin

Time To Go Dancing

It’s that time of year again, as the nation’s attention turns to the college hoops scene for the next few weeks. I’m in three different pools again this year, one at work, one at my mom’s work, and one run by a friend.  For the first time since 2012, the Purdue Boilermakers return to the tournament, though they will not have an easy go of it.

2015midwestrd1The Midwest bracket has the overall #1 seed, the undefeated Kentucky, who I envision will make it to the Final Four.  Purdue, should they make it past their first round opponent, will run into Kentucky in the second round, so it is extremely unlikely they make it past this weekend.

2015westrd1After winning the Big Ten Tournament, Wisconsin earned the #1 seed in the West bracket.  The only big upset I am picking here is Ohio State over VCU.

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by admin

Back To The Dance

purduebasketballFor the first time since 2012, the Purdue mens basketball team is heading to the NCAA tournament, earning a 9 seed in the Midwest region and an opening round game against Cincinnati.  Of course, should they advance to the second round, they will face the overall #1 seed, the undefeated Kentucky.

After a shaky start to this season, including an embarrassing home loss to Gardner-Webb in December, the Boilers turned things around during conference play, finishing in a 3-way tie for third place and earning a double-bye in the Big 10 Tournament.

by jim

And Then There Were 4

My hopes of winning anything in a basketball pool this year took at fatal hit when my pick for champion, Louisville, was bounced out during the Sweet 16 round against Kentucky.  With the Final Four happening this weekend, let’s take a look at how things stand.

2014FF-ffI am down to one team, but still have some hope of finishing second in the work pool.  If Florida advances to the championship game, but loses the national title, I will nail that second place finish.  Every other scenario has me finishing in either fourth or fifth place.

by jim

The Sweet Sixteen

Despite a weekend of upsets, things are looking pretty bright for my brackets, at least in the work pool, where I’m currently in second place.  I’m tied for 44th in the big pool I’m in, which isn’t too bad.  And, my entire final four is still alive.  Let’s take a look at how things stand:

2014South-s16Things look pretty good here in the South region, where my final four pick is still alive.

2014East-s16Things were even better here in the East regional, where I was perfect through the first round and only lost Villanova going into this weekend.  Unfortunately, I did have them winning another game. Continue reading →

by jim

It’s Tournament Time

It’s that time of the year again, as the nation’s attention turns to the college hoops scene for the next couple of weeks.  I’m in three different pools again this year, one at work, one at my mom’s work, and one run by a friend.  Once again, Purdue is sitting out the tournament, but I can take some solace that IU is as well.

2014SouthNot much in the way of upsets here in the South region, as I have overall #1 seed Florida making it to the Final Four.

2014EastI see Michigan State making it out of the East region. Continue reading →

by jim

Down To Four

2013_FinalFour2Another wacky weekend leaves me with only one of my Final Four teams still standing, despite a devastating injury to one of their players in during their victory over Duke.  Florida’s loss against Michigan destroyed the last, faint hope I had of winning any of my pools, but my disappointment is tempered somewhat by having a Big 10 team make the Final Four.  My only shot at getting at least some money back is if Louisville wins the whole thing.

by jim

Sheets Of Integrity

Holy crap, what a weekend of upsets.  I probably shouldn’t even bother checking my ranking anymore, given the sorry state of my brackets.  Let’s take a look.

2013_Midwest_Rd3The Midwest Region isn’t too bad as I have 3 out of 4 alive for the Sweet Sixteen, as well as everything going forward.  If only the rest were this good.

2013_West_Rd3Jesus H. Christ!  Only one team still remains, and I have them losing in the Sweet Sixteen, so this region is pretty much dead to me.  Gonzaga once again couldn’t get out of the opening weekend and New Mexico, my Final Four pick out of the region, completely crapped the bed by losing to Harvard.

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by jim

It’s Dancing Time

It’s that time of year again, as the nation’s attention turns to the college hoops scene for the next couple of weeks. I’m in three different pools again this year, one at work, one at my mom’s work, and one run by a friend. No Purdue in the tournament this year, so my picks were made mostly with my head and not my heart, though it pained me to have IU going as far as I did.
2013_Midwest_Rd1
I have Louisville coming out of the Midwest region.

2013_West_Rd1
New Mexico is my pick to come out of the West region. Continue reading →

by admin

Final Four

As we head in to this weekend’s Final Four matchups and Monday’s national championship, my brackets look like toast, but there is still a way I can sneak in and win something, at least in one pool.  In the work pool, I am ranked #11 and #14, and that’s probably the good one.  I do have both of my champions still in the running, which is more than some people can say, and I can still win something if Kentucky or Kansas pulls it out and wins the whole thing.  Anyway, here’s a final look at my two brackets heading in to the Final Four.

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by jim

Sheets Of Integrity

Well, the opening weekend certainly played havoc on most everyone’s brackets.  Two #2 seeds fall in the first round to #15 seeds?  It had only happened 4 times ever prior to this year’s tournament and then twice in one day last Friday.   Another #2 should have fallen on Sunday to an upstart Purdue team that lead the entire way, before deciding they didn’t need to have an offensive plan for the final minute.  All things considered, a Sweet Sixteen that doesn’t include Duke can’t be all bad.  Let’s take a look at my 2 brackets heading into today’s action.


There’s a lot of black Xs on the sheet, although only one in the Final Four and both of my championship teams are still alive. Continue reading →