# NCAA Tournament Predictions/Picks **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 15, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571 "2010-03-15T18:58:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/121 "2010-03-22T04:43:27Z")
> [@Jman](#): > > Still glad to see my Alma Mater kicking ass and taking names. Of course, this is the only year they’ve EVER done it, but still. Go Cornell! I think they have a much tougher task ahead of them in Kentucky, but if anyone is playing good enough to pull the upset, it’s them. Nice to play the Sweet Sixteen round in Syracuse, too. Go Big Red! ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/122 "2010-03-22T05:51:06Z")
If any team is going to extinguish George Mason-esque hopes in _this_ tournament, its going to be Kentucky, youngest and tallest team in the tournament. Sorry Cornell… ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/123 "2010-03-22T18:28:24Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > …Kentucky… **tallest team in the tournament**. I think **not**! ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/124 "2010-03-22T18:41:43Z")
Duke’s starters: Nolan Smith 6’2" John Scheyer 6’5" Kyle Singler 6’8" Lance Thomas 6’8" Brian Zoubek 7’1" First two guys off the bench are the Plumlee brothers, each 6’10" As for being the youngest team in the tournament, well, Kentucky will _always_ be the youngest team in the tournament if it keeps stocking its team with one-and-done players. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/125 "2010-03-22T18:45:16Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > As for being the youngest team in the tournament, well, Kentucky will _always_ be the youngest team in the tournament if it keeps stocking its team with one-and-done players. 😉 Oh c’mon. What’s the over/under for Calipari hightailing it out of town a step ahead of the NCAA infractions committee? ---
**Author:** ![diku](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@diku](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diku)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/126 "2010-03-22T19:20:01Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > Oh c’mon. What’s the over/under for Calipari hightailing it out of town a step ahead of the NCAA infractions committee? Ho ho. You must’ve read a lot of columnists this weekend to come up with something this witty. Bravo. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/127 "2010-03-22T19:25:13Z")
> [@diku](#): > > Ho ho. You must’ve read a lot of columnists this weekend to come up with something this witty. Bravo. No, just looked at his track record. I mean, the only guy to have Final Fours invalidated at two different schools! Not to mention the rest of the same season at Memphis. That’s saying something. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/128 "2010-03-22T20:20:29Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > I think **not**! > [@spoke-](#): > > Duke’s starters: > > Nolan Smith 6’2" > John Scheyer 6’5" > Kyle Singler 6’8" > Lance Thomas 6’8" > Brian Zoubek 7’1" > > First two guys off the bench are the Plumlee brothers, each 6’10" > > As for being the youngest team in the tournament, well, Kentucky will _always_ be the youngest team in the tournament if it keeps stocking its team with one-and-done players. 😉 UK has the tallest average height of all teams in the field of 64. In fact, Baylor is second, not Duke. > **[A look at the NCAA tournament's South Region | Chattanooga Times Free Press](https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2010/mar/15/look-ncaa-tournaments-south-region/)** > > No. 1 DUKE "\*No. 3 BAYLOR Record: 25-7 Coach: Scott Drew Bid: At-large Star power: Guard LaceDarius Dunn (19.4 ppg, 86 percent from the foul line, 43 percent from the 3-point line) just might be the best-kept offensive secret in the tournament. Last 10: 8-2 Reasonable expectation: With the second tallest team in the country behind Kentucky (Bears average height is 6-6), Baylor is long, strong and the wrong matchup for most of the field. Can easily reach Elite Eight and might make Final Four\*." > [@Contrapuntal](#): > > No, just looked at his track record. I mean, the only guy to have Final Fours invalidated at two different schools! Not to mention the rest of the same season at Memphis. That’s saying something. The Marcus Camby thing was a joke. Camby met with an agent. How in the hell is a DIV I coach supposed to babysit his players 24/7? I find it unlikely that Calipari knew about it. The Memphis charges surrounded that Rose guy and questions regarding whether he took his own SAT’s…before he ever even _played_ for Memphis. Again, I could see it as quite plausible that Calipari had no knowledge of that. The NCAA is often draconian and backwards. The coaches sometimes have to bear responsibility for sanctions handed down by them that they may not have much any real control over. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/129 "2010-03-22T20:32:53Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > The Memphis charges surrounded that Rose guy and questions regarding whether he took his own SAT’s…before he ever even _played_ for Memphis. Again, I could see it as quite plausible that Calipari had no knowledge of that. Well, he certainly knew that his score improved suspiciously well. And that Rose’s brother got a free ride on a chartered plane. And most telling, he knew enough to negotiate an unprecedented deal with the AD that allowed players to be released from their letters of intent if the coach were to leave. Oddly enough, he negotiated this in January, soon after the school received a notification from the NCAA that they were being investigated, but long before the results were released. And son of a bitch if Calipari doesn’t end up at UK, with prize recruit Cousins. How do you suppose he saw that coming? > [@](#): > > The NCAA is often draconian and backwards. The coaches sometimes have to bear responsibility for sanctions handed down by them that they may not have much any real control over. You really have got to be kidding me. Coaches get away Scott free. It’s the players they recruit and the schools they leave behind that suffer. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/130 "2010-03-22T20:38:28Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > The Marcus Camby thing was a joke. Camby met with an agent. How in the hell is a DIV I coach supposed to babysit his players 24/7? I find it unlikely that Calipari knew about it. > > The Memphis charges surrounded that Rose guy and questions regarding whether he took his own SAT’s…before he ever even _played_ for Memphis. Again, I could see it as quite plausible that Calipari had no knowledge of that. Spoken like someone who bleeds blue. Re: Camby and “that Rose guy”: Do you really think something like this would have happened under Dean Smith? or Bobby Knight? or Mike Krzyzewski? or any reputable head Basketball Coach? or even any coach that has control over his program? ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/131 "2010-03-22T20:52:14Z")
Ah yes, reputable ones like Bobby Knight. And in fact, [Corey Maggette](http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/12096928) was paid money to play basketball in AAU. So yes, “something like this” would. And did. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/132 "2010-03-22T21:02:22Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > Ah yes, reputable ones like Bobby Knight. And in fact, [Corey Maggette](http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/12096928) was paid money to play basketball in AAU. > > So yes, “something like this” would. And did. Yeah. I wasn’t going to make the “well everyone else does it” argument, but…yeah. I was just trying to point out that there’s enough uncertainty surrounding what Calipari really knew and what he didn’t that I wasn’t all that upset with UK for hiring him. Especially after Billy Gillispie. Now THAT guy was a sleazeball. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/133 "2010-03-22T21:40:45Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > UK has the tallest average height of all teams in the field of 64. I’m talking about the guys who actually **play** , not all the lanky doofuses riding the pines. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/134 "2010-03-23T00:19:28Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > I’m talking about the guys who actually **play** , not all the lanky doofuses riding the pines. 😛 Me too. UK’s frontcourt alone consists of DeMarcus Cousins (6’11", starter), Patrick Patterson (6’9", starter), Daniel Orton (6’10", key bench player) and Perry Stevenson (6’9"). That’s not even considering Josh Harrelson, another decent bench player that’s 6’10". That’s just centers and power forwards. The key for UK is depth. These guys aside from maybe Harrelson actually play, so we have big man fouls to give. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/135 "2010-03-23T03:16:05Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > …so we have big man fouls to give. You play Duke, you’re gonna need 'em. Starters: Brian Zoubek 7’1" Kyle Singler 6’8" Lance Thomas 6’8" Significant contributors: Miles Plumlee 6’10" Mason Plumlee 6’10" Ryan Kelley 6’10" ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/136 "2010-03-23T06:39:47Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > You play Duke, you’re gonna need 'em. > > Starters: > > Brian Zoubek 7’1" > Kyle Singler 6’8" > Lance Thomas 6’8" > > Significant contributors: > > Miles Plumlee 6’10" > Mason Plumlee 6’10" > Ryan Kelley 6’10" Are you sure this is the angle you want to take? One of the above plays like a guard (and shoots under 42%), and the remainder can’t actually play basketball, which makes the entire exercise a little silly, don’t you think? Kentucky gets more production out of a single six-ten guy than Duke gets out of all of theirs. It’s all well and good to pump up your team and all that, but why on earth would Kentucky be worried about Duke’s interior game when nobody else on the planet has ever had to? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/137 "2010-03-23T15:21:35Z")
Duke wins with interior _DEFENSE._ ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/138 "2010-03-23T16:33:49Z")
Oh, OK, well yeah, that’s true. I was responding to the assertion that if you play Duke you’re going to need a bunch of fouls from your big men. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/139 "2010-03-23T16:34:48Z")
In my one and only bracket competition there are 14 people, 9 of who picked Kansas. I picked Syracuse, but for the moment I am on the very bottom of the standings. However, despite the scoring system, my inability to select the somewhat randomness of the first two rounds is at least tempered by the fact that I did not bank on a team that couldn’t makeit out of the second round. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571/140 "2010-03-23T16:38:58Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > It’s all well and good to pump up your team and all that, but why on earth would Kentucky be worried about Duke’s interior game when nobody else on the planet has ever had to? For starters, ask UC Berkeley. Don’t bother, it’s an absolutely ridiculous question, and displays a remarkable ignorance of what actually constitutes a good interior game. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncaa-tournament-predictions-picks/532571.md?page=8)