1. Which Team Is Your Cinderella This Year?

Phillip Steinmetz (PS): My Cinderella team this year is Eastern Washington because they have the leading scorer in the country in Tyler Harvey.

Mitchell Evans (ME): I'm not sure if you consider them a Cinderella, but I like Michigan State a lot in this tournament. Buffalo also has me curious assuming they can get through Maryland. I like Michigan State a lot because I seem to always count them out and they always play some great basketball in the tournament. They're playing exceptional basketball right now and that's what the tournament is about, playing the best through March.

Elijah Ackerman (EA): Northern Iowa. Sure, they’re a 5-seed, but they’ve been consistent all year and they are one of the best defensive teams in the league. Seth Tuttle is a joy to watch down low, and most importantly, they keep games close, which is crucial for the Tournament. If they do that and don’t turn the ball over, the Panthers can go as far as anyone.

Noel Alberto (NA): My cinderella this year is Northern Iowa. I have the Panthers in the Final Four out of the East Region.  This region is the region that looks the weakest in my eyes.  Villanova is prone to an upset by either NC State or LSU.  Oklahoma and Louisville are overseeded and haven’t been convincing all season long.  Virginia is iffy with Justin Anderson still not healthy coming off of a broken wrist and an appendectomy, and Virginia just isn’t playing the same without him.  If you want me to define a Cinderella that is a double-digit seed, Stephen F. Austin is a team to watch out for.  Returning key figures Jacob Parker and Thomas Walkup with last year’s tournament experience should give them a boost to challenge the Utes and possibly even Georgetown or EWU.

Matthew Ryan Evans (MRE): The team that will surprise many in this year’s NCAA Tournament field is Eastern Washington. The Eagles from Cheney, Washington are coming off of a very big win over Montana in Missoula in the Big Sky Conference Championship Game, and they possess the nation’s leader scorer in Tyler Harvey. Eastern has proven that they can beat top quality opponents as the team defeated Indiana at Assembly Hall back in November. I predict that the Eagles will make the Sweet 16.

Josh Eastern (JE): My Cinderella team is Wyoming. They have a favorable draw and could make some noise with big man Larry Nance Jr.

Blake Hesser (BH):  I think SF Austin has what it takes to make a run to the Sweet Sixteen. They were a 12 seed last year and were able to get to the round of 32 before losing to a UCLA team that had multiple NBA caliber players. This year they’ll have to face a tough Utah team in the first round that has one of the nation’s best players in Delon Wright. If they can limit Wright, they should be able to get out of the opening round once again. In the second round, they’ll most likely get the Hoyas from Georgetown, who are probably the worst of the 4 seeds in this year’s bracket.

2. What Team Can Give The University of Kentucky The Best Run In The Tournament?

PS: Notre Dame is my pick to give Kentucky their best game in the Elite 8 because of Jerian Grant and their outside shooting.

ME: Three teams I see giving Kentucky a "run for their money" are Maryland, Arizona, or Wisconsin. Those teams, while I still don't predict would win, are the only realistic possibilities to beating Kentucky. I don't think any team gets within 5 points of Kentucky, but those are the teams 

EA: Arizona. They’re big, athletic, and maybe the best team Sean Miller has ever coached. If Brandon Ashley continues to stay healthy and play this well, he and Kaleb Tarczewski could maybe, just maybe, lock down Kentucky’s big men enough to keep the game close and allow T.J. McConnell, Stanley Johnson, and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to make plays down the stretch. If Kentucky and ‘Zona meet in the Final Four, it could be one of the best tournament games of all time.

NA: The teams that can give Kentucky the best run is Wisconsin and Duke.  Wisconsin can match Kentucky at each position.  Kaminsky and Dekker’s ability to hit the three will draw out Cauley-Stein and Towns.  Jackson can go toe-to-toe with either of Kentucky’s point guards.  Also, Wisconsin is one of the best defenses in the half-court where Kentucky has shown it struggles mightily their on offense.  There is  a little extra incentive for Wisconsin as well after last year’s heartbreak to the Wildcats in the Final 4.  For Duke, their ability to make and take the three efficiently is what is going to keep Kentucky on the edge of their seat.  Kentucky has been in close games with a solid amount of teams because of their ability to make the three and guard play will be massive as Duke’s guards are the best in the country and can easily go toe-to-toe with Kentucky’s. Finally, the last reason is Cauley-Stein and Towns have not seen an offensive force like Okafor.  Okafor is a player that can score at will and is going to be handful for both these men.

MRE: Wisconsin will give Kentucky the best run and even they will lose. The only team that can beat the Kentucky Wildcats is the Kentucky Wildcats. They are just too darn good.

JE: The team that will give Kentucky the biggest challenge from their region will be Notre Dame. Their shooting vs. Kentucky’s size would be a great matchup if we see it.

BH: I don’t know if there is a team that could actually beat Kentucky this year, but Arizona could absolutely give them a run for their money. It would have to be in the Final Four, which might be tough for Arizona to reach with Wisconsin, Baylor, and UNC in their region but I think they can get it done. In terms of beating Kentucky, they’ll have to play their very best. They have the size to compete with Kentucky, but lack the depth. So they’ll need a big time performance from all of their starters.

3. Who Are Your Final Four Teams?

PS: My Final Four is: Kentucky, Wisconsin, Virginia, and Iowa State.

ME: My Final Four (at least for now) is Kentucky, Arizona, Villanova, and Gonzaga. It's subject to change but I look at each region and the only teams I think who can beat Nova and Gonzaga, are actually in the other regions. 

EA:  Kentucky, Arizona, Michigan State, and Gonzaga. Kentucky is an almost-lock, Arizona could lose to Wisconsin in the Elite Eight, and Gonzaga has a tough road, but I believe this is the best team Mark Few has ever coached. My sleeper is Michigan State because, while they lost the Big Ten title game in overtime, it looked like they were finally clicking. Denzel Valentine can take over a game by himself, and Branden Dawson’s energy will be a necessity for them.The main reason for picking the Spartans to go all the way to the Final Four is this; no coach has more success in March than Tom Izzo. In 17 NCAA Tournament appearances with the Spartans, Izzo has reached 12 Sweet Sixteens, 8 Elite Eights, and 6 Final Fours. Sparty has grit, balance, playmakers, and an easy-ish regional bracket. Watch out.

NA: My Final Four: Midwest: Kentucky.  They are the best team in the country in a not-so-easy region, but their massive size on the inside is what sets them apart from the other teams.  Only a couple of teams should really scare Kentucky in their region so they should escape it with relative ease.  West: Wisconsin.  The Badgers are one of the hottest teams in the country right now and that should continue into the tournament.  Arizona and Carolina pose the biggest threats to Wisconsin because they also matchup with their size inside, but some areas for either of those teams let them down.  For Arizona it is their guards and for UNC it is too many turnovers.  East: Northern Iowa.  My Cinderella pick from earlier.  The region is the weakest in my opinion because I am not at all convinced with Nova, Virginia, Oklahoma, and Louisville in the region.  Oklahoma is probably the best of that group because of their ability to score from all five spots, but Northern Iowa can do that (albeit not as strongly), plus their defense is much more sound than the Sooners.  I will discuss more about Villanova later, and I already had my two cents about Virginia.  Louisville isn’t the same without Chris Jones and is just poor at shooting.  South: Duke.  This pick is made a little with both brain and heart (being a Duke fan).  If Duke were to meet Gonzaga in the Elite 8, this would be the scariest matchup for the Blue Devils.  The Bulldogs are fundamentally sound, disciplined team that is solid at all five positions, and they have a solid bench.  These are the types of teams that will give Duke a run for it’s money.  If they were to meet each other Duke would get by because of their three best players Cook, Okafor, and Jones.  Okafor should be able to wear down Gonzaga’s bigs while Cook and Jones both have the ability to take over a game by getting hot.  Cook’s improved defense could also be the difference in what stops the Zags.

MRE: My Final Four is Kentucky, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Duke.

JE: Kentucky, Wisconsin, Iowa State, and Virginia. 

BH: From the Midwest region it has to be the Kentucky Wildcats; it’s hard to bet against a team that has yet to lose at this point in the season. From the East region the Louisville Cardinals are my favorite; they have one of the nation’s top defenses as well as a superstar in Montrezl Harrel. I wouldn’t necessarily call them one of the nation’s top 4 or 5 teams, but they were fortunate to get a rather weak bracket in my opinion. Iowa State is coming into the tournament with a ton of momentum as they beat Kansas in the Big 12 championship after trailing by 14 at halftime. I think they can carry that momentum through the South region all the way to the Final Four. The West region was the toughest conference for me to decide on because I think it has three teams that turned it on big time at the end of the regular season in Wisconsin, Arizona, and UNC. However, I think Arizona will end up winning that region. They have one of the top-3 starting fives in the nation and I think that could be enough to carry them to the Final Four.

4. Which Conference Will Do The Best In The Tournament?

PS: The ACC will do the best in the tournament because of UVA, Duke, Louisville, ND, UNC, and NC State all being Sweet 16 to Final Four caliber teams. They have the most teams capable of making a Final Four.

ME: I think the ACC will do the best in the tournament as far as success of conferences. I think Kentucky wins the title, but I think the ACC is the best overall conference in the tournament. 

EA: The Missouri Valley Conference. Sure, they only have two teams in the tournament, but I think both Wichita State and Northern Iowa will reach the Sweet Sixteen and maybe farther. They’re both possible cinderellas, and honestly, no power conference in the tournament stands out to me as a whole.

NA: The conference I think that will do the best is the ACC.  I predict Duke to knock off Kentucky in the national title game which would obviously be a massive boost.  I also predict Notre Dame and Virginia to make runs to the Elite 8 while UNC makes it to the Sweet 16.  Louisville is the only team I have not winning a game, but an NC State win should nullify that.

MRE: If you are talking about overall record probably the Big Ten. If you are talking about who wins the championship, SEC.

JE: The ACC or Big 12. There are some sleeper teams in the Big 12 like Oklahoma and Baylor that could cause some madness. In the ACC, Duke, Virginia, and Notre Dame all have a solid shot at getting to Indy.

BH: The ACC will have the best tournament because of how good its top teams are. I currently have five ACC teams making the Elite Eight, all of which are 4 seeds or lower. The only ACC team I don’t have in the Elite Eight is NC State, who I think will lose their opening game. That means after the Sweet Sixteen is over the ACC will have an impressive record of 15-1.

5. UCLA Made The Tourney. Are You Happy Or Upset? Why Do You Think They Made It?

PS: I am not happy with UCLA making the tournament because Miami should’ve, but they made it because they played well in the PAC-12 tournament.

ME: UCLA being put in the tournament is a joke. Not much else needs to be said.

EA: I’m not upset, but I think they should have been in one of the First Four games. I don’t think UCLA did enough to really avoid a play-in game, but the committee apparently did. I think UCLA got in because of their strength of schedule. They played a lot of good teams this season, but my problem is that they didn’t really beat many. The Bruins beat Utah at home, but also lost to them by 32 on the road, and they also lost to Alabama, Colorado, Oregon State, and Arizona State, none of whom made the NCAA Tournament! You know what, forget what I said. UCLA shouldn’t be in this tournament at all.

NA: When I saw UCLA made it in rather comfortably, I was utterly speechless and very upset.  1-8 on the road - the top 200. 2-8 - the top 50.  Two road wins the whole year at USC and Stanford.  Losses to Oregon State, Cal, and Colorado are inexcusable for a tournament team.  The committee’s reasoning was laughable as well, they passed the eye test and were gaining steam.  6-4 in your last ten is not gaining steam.  These numbers do not pass the eye test whatsoever.  I would have rather seen Temple, ODU, Murray State, Colorado State, Iona or maybe even Texas A&M.  I think they made it because A. They're UCLA.  Getting the blue blood from the west coast would boost ratings, plus this would be the team this year that could stir up some controversy.  B. The fact they have a top coach in Steve Alford and had 20 wins, while having a winning conference record in a power conference may have something to do with it as well.

MRE: UCLA should not have made the NCAA Tournament this year. I do not know what the Selection Committee was thinking with that pick.

JE: I am not happy they made the tournament. I have watched them in a mediocre Pac 12 and they didn’t impress me overall. I would have rather seen Richmond or Temple get that spot. They made it because they finished the season strong and gave Arizona a run for their money in the Pac 12 tournament.

BH: I almost always agree with which bubble teams the committee chooses to let in the tournament, but this time is different. I think either Richmond or Texas A&M should have gotten that spot. I don’t really see any reason why the committee may have chosen UCLA over those teams, but maybe they’ll prove me wrong and win a game or two in the opening rounds.

6. Which No. 1 Seeded Team Is The Weakest?

PS: The weakest No. 1 seed is Villanova and I think they will lose to NC State in the Round of 32.

ME: Duke is the weakest number 1 team in my opinion. I think they're depth is a real issue and may contribute to their collapse against Gonzaga later in the tournament. Duke has one of the best starting 5's in the country, but that can only go so far.

EA: Duke! I know it might sound a bit crazy, but remember last year when Duke lost in the first round to Mercer, a 14 seed? What about two years ago, when they were a  two seed and lost to Lehigh, a 15 seed? The Dukies have had their struggles since winning the tourney back in 2010. This season, they might have the best player in the whole country in Jahlil Okafor, but their region consists of multiple teams like San Diego State, Utah, and Gonzaga. All three teams have long perimeter defenders that rebound the basketball, which you need to shut down the Blue Devils. I have San Diego State beating Duke in the Third Round.

NA: Villanova is the weakest one seed in my opinion.  I will compare them to Florida last year as they are an excellent college team with no NBA talent on it.  Jay Wright is an excellent coach, but coaching can only get you so far in the tournament.  Regarding my comparison to Florida, this Villanova team has much less talent than the Florida squad of last year. Which is why I do not see them making it to the Final 4.  When I compare Nova’s best eight to the other top two seeds in the bracket, they have the weakest squad of them.

MRE: That is a very tough question. I think that the #1 seeds that are not Kentucky are all pretty close in ability, but I will go with Villanova. Having watched all four of these teams play at least twice this year, Nova occasionally comes out of the gate slowly. I think that is something that could come back to bite them if it occurs in the NCAA Tournament.

JE: Duke is the weakest in my opinion just because they aren’t very deep. They only go 7-8 deep and I don’t think that bodes well when you have to play two games in three days.

BH: I’ve got to say that Villanova is the weakest amongst the one seeds. Yes, they won the Big East, and were rather dominant in doing so, only losing twice. However, the Big East isn’t what it used to be. They went 5-1 against ranked teams this year, but most of those came from teams in the Big East that weren’t highly ranked. I could see an early exit for the Wildcats this year, possibly as early as the round of 32.

7. Which Low Seed Impressed You In The Regular Season?

PS: The lowest seed that impresses me is Georgia State because they have a future pro in R.J. Hunter and have great guard play.

ME: Gerogia State and UAB are the seeds out of 13-16 that I enjoy. I don't "like" many of the lower seeds as far as upsets go, but in terms of making games close I like both of those teams.

EA: Valparaiso. They give up less than 60 points per game and are 10-2 in their last 12 games. They also beat Murray State, who many thought were snubbed from the tourney, by 35 points! The Crusaders can keep games close, and they are tough minded enough to beat Maryland in their first game. I think Valpo will make the Sweet Sixteen, and it’s bound to be fun to watch.

NA: The 13-16 seed that impresses me the most is Georgia State.  What really intrigues me about this squad is the amount of NCAA Tournament experience this squad has without even making it last year.  Ryan Harrow, ex-Kentucky player and Kevin Ware, ex-Louisville player, carry a burden of experience on their backs playing for those two powerhouse teams.  This time around, they are playing a massive underdog role as a 14 seed against Baylor.  As an underdog, that is going to turn down the pressure down nine-fold for these two players as their play is going to be vital in leading the charge for an upset of Baylor.

MRE: Eastern Washington. The Eagles from Cheney, Washington are coming off of a very big win over Montana in Missoula in the Big Sky Conference Championship Game and they possess the nation’s leader scorer in Tyler Harvey. Eastern has proven that they can beat top quality opponents as the team defeated Indiana at Assembly Hall back in November. I predict that the Eagles will make the Sweet 16.

JE: Eastern Washington will be an interesting team. They beat Indiana and gave Washington a scare when they were playing well. Georgetown has to travel cross-country and EWU is playing close to home. Watch out for the Eagles.

BH: There are some great stories coming into the tournament from teams seeded low, such as Kevin Ware’s return with Georgia State to the tournament for the first time since his devastating injury in the Final Four with Louisville two years ago. Another great story is Albany’s Peter Hooley, from Australia, who hit the game-winning three pointer to win the American East conference championship less than two months after the passing of his mother. However, the team that intrigues me the most is UC Irvine, in large part due to their large center, Mamadou Ndiaye. Ndiaye stands at seven feet and six inches, making him the tallest player in this year’s tournament.   

8. Which Player Are You Most Excited To Watch?

PS: I am the most excited to watch Notre Dame's Jerian Grant as he is the best guard in the country and can lead this team to a game with Kentucky.

ME: I'm very excited to see Stanley Johnson from Arizona, Tyus Jones from Duke, and Deangelo Russell from Ohio State. Those three are a few of my favorite players from this season and I'm excited to watch those guys play because they each bring a different skillset to basketball. In comparing Jones and Russell, two different types of point guards but two very fun point guards to watch. 

EA: Karl-Anthony Towns. To me, he’s the most intriguing player in the nation. Towns has continuously been pushed by John Calipari to be the best big man in the country, even better than Jahlil Okafor. I think he can be, and I can’t wait to see how Towns plays against opponents that aren’t small SEC teams. If Kentucky faces Wisconsin or Arizona in the Final Four, watching Towns battle Frank Kaminsky or Kaleb Tarczewski in the post would be an absolute treat.

NA: The player I am most excited to watch is Tyus Jones.  Jones may not be the best player on the team like other point guards that led their team to a deep run, like Stephen Curry, Kemab Walker, and Shabazz Napier; but this young man possesses the ability to take over the tournament like those three men.  I could tell from the get-go that this kid would be massive if Duke were going to go on a major run.  Jones’ best games were against the better teams in the country, and not only did he play well but he took over those games down the stretch.  He took over against Wisconsin, Virginia, and UNC twice to name a few.  A player not well-known I am excited to watch is Larry Nance Jr of Wyoming.  This young man is going to be exciting to watch because of his all-around game, and the fact he is Larry Nance’s son.  This young man from Wyoming averages 16 points and eight boards a game.  With that, he also averages three assists, a steal, and a block a game.  It’s pretty rare to see  a stat line like that, especially in the NCAA.  This young man is what stands out on an underwhelming Wyoming team.  If they were to upset Northern Iowa, this kid is going to have to go off.

MRE: I am very interested to watch the play of Gonzaga guard Kevin Pangos. He is a senior this year so if the Zags are in trouble late, does he start forcing shots to try and bring the team back in the game?

JE: I’m excited to see Buddy Hield on Oklahoma. The Sooners are in a good position to make some noise and he makes that team tick. It’ll be interesting to see how the Sooners fare.

BH: The player I am most excited to watch is Jarell Martin of LSU. He isn’t an elite NBA prospect, but the 6’9" sophomore is definitely exciting to watch. He has proven that at any point in the game he can show us something highlight reel-worthy. In his game against Florida, he decided to do a between the legs dunk on a fast break in the middle of a tied game. The dunk ultimately gave LSU the momentum that carried them the rest of the game to victory. I’m excited to see how Martin will entertain us during March Madness.

9. Who Will Play In The Championship Game? Which Team Will Be crowned Victors? 

PS: My finalist is Kentucky - Iowa State. The Cyclones are capable of playing through adversity and the Wildcats are heads and shoulders better than everyone else. I have Kentucky winning the championship because they are the best defensive team and are too deep for anyone else to contend.

ME:  My finalists are Villanova and Kentucky. I have Kentucky winning easily. I think the real championship for Kentucky will be in the Final Four when they play either Wisconsin or Arizona. 

EA:  I have Gonzaga beating Arizona in the championship game. If the Zags face Kentucky, it might be a different story, but get this; besides their three point loss to BYU, the Gonzaga Bulldogs have only fallen to Arizona this season. If they meet in the championship, Mark Few’s squad will be looking for revenge, but the Zags nearly beat ‘Zona in December. They lost 66-63 in overtime on the road, but the Bulldogs had plenty of chances to win that game. Gonzaga has what it takes, and I think Mark Few knows this may be his best shot to win a title in his career. Gary Bell Jr. can shut down T.J. McConnell or Stanley Johnson on the perimeter, and Kyle Wiltjer vs. Brandon Ashley could be an incredible one-on-one matchup. I think that if Gonzaga can out rebound Arizona, close out on threes, and take care of the basketball, then they will beat Arizona in the National Championship with their surgical shooting.

NA: My final is Kentucky and Duke.  Duke is my national champion.  Duke is my national champion mostly because of reasons I stated earlier.  Duke’s ability to make and take the three will frustrate the Wildcats.  Okafor - Towns/Cauley-Stein is going to be the matchup to watch out for, and Okafor’s offensive arsenal in the end will finally get the best of the two 7-footers of Kentucky. That will be a major factor in Duke winning it all.

MRE: My finalists are Kentucky and Michigan State with Kentucky winning the National Championship. Kentucky is just a top class team, they have 10 extremely talented athletes who embrace the team aspect of the game over the individual accolades.

JE: I see Iowa State and Kentucky in the final. Kentucky is just too big and too good. I don’t see how they can be stopped.

BH: My finalists are Kentucky and Louisville. There’s nothing better than a big time rivalry determining the National Championship. Kentucky will prevail as the champions and complete the perfect season. They have way too much size, way too much talent, and way too much depth to lose. The entire starting five could go down with the flu, and their backups would still form one of the best teams in the country! This team will go down as John Calipari’s best all-around team during his tenure in Kentucky.

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About the author
Evan Petzold
Evan Petzold is a Detroit-based journalist with expertise in covering the Tigers, Pistons, and Red Wings. A member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) and Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association (DBSA), he brings a unique skill set in reporting and broadcasting to the table.