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Image Courtesy: The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

2023 Fayetteville Regional Preview (Baum-Walker Stadium)
June 2-5
Teams:
3.Arkansas Razorbacks 41-16 (20-10) SEC
The Arkansas Razorbacks is back to hosting for the fifth time in the last six seasons. This is a strong regional but the diamond hogs have been very successful at home like always, going 30-4 at Baum-Walker Stadium this season. Despite losing expected Friday ace Jaxon Wiggins to Tommy John surgery, middle reliever Koty Frank, star second baseman Peyton Stovall, and outfielders Tavian Josenberger and Jared Wagner, and others at different points in the season has vastly hurt the team this season. But coach Dave Van Horn was able to win SEC coach of the year by doing one of his best coaching jobs of his career in Fayetteville. The hogs went 2-1 in Arlington at the College Baseball Showdown with wins over Texas and Oklahoma State and a loss to TCU, who happens to be heading to the Fayetteville Regional. The hogs won a share of the SEC regular season championship with Florida. The hogs have series wins over Tennessee (sweep), Auburn (sweep), Texas A&M (4-1 overall against the Aggies the season), South Carolina, and Alabama in addition to a single with against Army. All of those teams will be playing in the NCAA Tournament this weekend. The hogs did lose two out of three against LSU in Baton Rouge but took a game from the Tigers in the SEC Tournament. The only glaring spots of the Razorbacks’ schedule did get swept against Georgia in Athens and fell to Missouri State in Springfield and Lipscomb in Little Rock. Replacing Peyton Stovall at second base, Peyton Holt has been even better than anyone could have imagined in Fayetteville: 17 RBIs on 28 hits, a 5.92 slugging percentage, and a .469 on base percentage and he has been terrific on defense. Outfielder Jace Bohofren (14 and 51) leads the hogs in blasts and runs and Kendall Diggs (63) paced them in hits. Like I mentioned earlier, outfielders Jared Wegner and Tavian Josenberger will be important to the offensive success of the hogs’ as well.
(2) TCU Horned Frogs 37-22 (13-11) Big 12
A pre-season favorite to host in the tournament and make it to Omaha, TCU was up and down this season. It is important to note that TCU crushed Arkansas 18-6 at Globe Life Field in the 2023 College Baseball Showdown on the second day of the season in Arlington. The Horned Frogs also beat Vanderbilt and fell to former conference foe Missouri during open weekend in February. In other out of conference games, TCU took only one of three games against Florida State, defeated Dallas Baptist, a two seed in the tournament, shut out Michigan, and dropped a game to Louisville by a single run. In Big 12 play, TCU lost two out of three to Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech in addition to getting swept against West Virginia who are all in the tournament as either two or three seeds. They have beaten the only host in the conference Oklahoma State, three times out of four with a win on Sunday night in the Big 12 Tournament title game. The leaders for the Horned Frogs are infielder Brayden Taylor (21 home runs and 59 RBIs) and pitchers Cam Brown and Kole Klecker (55 strike outs each).
(3) Arizona Wildcats 33-24 (12-18) Pac-12
One of the last four at-large teams in the field, Arizona will have a chore with TCU on Friday in the opening round. Many were surprised the Wildcats got in with a (12-18) conference record in a weaker Pac-12 this season and being swept in four conference series (UCLA, Arizona State, Oregon, and Oregon State) while USC, who won seven of their conference series got in over them. But, with the fifth best RPI in the Pac-12, the Wildcats were able to get in. Important wins for the Wildcats included pre-season number two ranked Tennessee, a single win over West Virginia (lost the other two games), Grand Canyon on the road (1-1 versus the Antelopes this season), Washington (two out of three), USC (two out of three). Without great pitching depth, the Wildcats will have to out-slug their opponents in this regional. Outfielder Chase Davis (21 home runs and 74 RBIs), outfielder Mac Bingham (10 home runs and 51 RBIs), and first baseman Kiko Romero (19 home runs and 86 RBIs) led the Wildcats in hitting while pitcher Aiden May led them in strikeouts with 70.
(4) Santa Clara Broncos 35-18 (17-10) WCC
The Broncos finished second in the West Coast Conference before claiming the automatic bid for the conference over Portland, who eliminated regular season champion Loyola Marymount the day before. Santa Clara took two out of three from Washington and won at Stanford who is another top eight seed. However, they did lose all three games to West Coast regular season champion Loyola Marymount at the beginning of April. The Broncos’ (35-18) record suggests they will not be the easiest four seed to deal with for the other teams in Fayetteville this weekend. The Broncos hit 72 home runs, .491 slugging percentage, and .403 on base percentage.

June 2
Game 1: 1.Arkansas vs. 4.Santa Clara (2 PM CT, ESPN+)
Ace Hunter Hollan will take the hill for the hogs while it will be Cole Kitchen throwing for Santa Clara. The top of Arkansas’ lineup needs to bounce back from an okay week in Hoover while the Broncos have played great offense over the last month. The hogs’ pitching should help them move onto the 1-0 game.
Game 2: 2.TCU vs. 3.Arizona (8 PM CT, ESPNU)
TCU’s hot-hitting should help them get past Arizona. Arizona also has hot bats but their pitching is inferior to the Horned Frogs.

June 3
Game 3: 1.Arkansas vs. 2.TCU (2 PM CT, TBD)
Arkansas cannot make it to the regional final without their hitting, which should improve from next week and a pitching staff that has not looked as good since the Vanderbilt series to finish the regular season. Hogs move onto the regional final.
Game 4: 3.Arizona vs. 4.Santa Clara (8 PM CT, TBD)
The Broncos upset the Wildcats and eliminate them on their way to another elimination game against TCU.

June 4
Game 5: 2.TCU vs. 4.Santa Clara (2 PM CT, TBD)
TCU will eliminate Santa Clara led by infielder Brayden Taylor and will get one more shot against the Razorbacks.
Game 6: 1.Arkansas vs. 2.TCU (8 PM CT, TBD)
TCU will force a winner take all game against the Razorbacks on Monday.

June 5 (If Necessary)
Game 7: 1.Arkansas vs. 2.TCU (TBD, TBD)
Arkansas should advance out of their own regional for the fourth time in five seasons and head to host the Supers.

Winner: 1.Arkansas in 7

Image Courtesy: Draft Kings

Today, I will predict who I think will make it to the super regional round of the 2022 NCAA College Baseball Tournament.

If you are a little out of line on how the NCAA Baseball Tournament works here it goes:

1.The first round is called regional play. It includes 16 four team regionals (Top seeds are seeded 1-16). The top seed in each regional hosts. The two seed matches up with the three seed and the one seed in each region matches up with the four seed in each regional bracket. The winners of each of those games plays each other in the winners bracket and losers play each other in the losers bracket in a double-elimination style bracket. The winner of the winner’s bracket game moves on to the regional final while the loser plays a win or go home game versus the team that won in the loser’s bracket. Of course, the team that loses in the loser’s bracket goes home. The winner of the game between the winner in the loser’s bracket and the loser in the winner’s bracket determines who will face the team that has not lost in the regional final. The loser’s bracket team has to beat the winner’s bracket team to force a seventh and deciding game in the regional. But if the winner’s bracket team wins the sixth game, then they go to the Super Regionals, the second round of the tournament.

2.In the Supers (Super Regionals) it is much more simple. The higher seeded team hosts the super regional of the two competing. It is a best two out of three series to determine who goes to Omaha for the College World Series, comprised of the eight remaining teams.

3.The College World Series is made up of two four team brackets similar to the way regional play is played. The two winners face each other in the winner’s bracket and the two losers face each other in the loser’s bracket. When a team loses two games, they are out in the double-elimination setting. The two teams that make it through the winner’s bracket face off in the College World Series Finals.

4.The College World Series Finals is a best two out of three event.

Check out info for all of the regionals here including match-ups, first pitch times, etc.

Regionals (June 2-5):

Winston-Salem Regional (Winston-Salem, NC)
1.Wake Forest
(4) George Mason
(2) Maryland
(3) Northeastern

Carter’s Pick: 1.Wake Forest in 6
The Demon Deacons should win this regional pretty easily but watch out for Maryland, who hosted a season ago as well as a talented three-seed, Northeastern.

Tuscaloosa Regional (Tuscaloosa, AL)
16.Alabama
(4) Nicholls State
(2) Boston College
(3) Troy

Carter’s Pick: 16.Alabama in 7
Since promoting Jason Jackson to interim head coach, Alabama has been fantastic. Underseeded at 16, the Tide will have to deal with Boston College, a team that should have hosted. A good pitching weekend will get the Crimson Tide through the Supers.

Stanford Regional (Stanford, CA)
8.Stanford
(4) San José State
(2) Texas A&M
(3) Cal State Fullerton

Carter’s Pick: Texas A&M in 7
Stanford may have been underseeded at 8 as the only west coast host this season. Texas A&M is hot now, having made it to the SEC Tournament Final. It should be a battle between the Cardinal and the Aggies for the regional.

Coral Gables Regional (Coral Gables, FL)
9.Miami
(4) Maine
(2) Texas
(3) Louisiana

Carter’s Pick: Louisiana in 7
Miami has played great at home this season but normally a three seed or two advance out and make the Supers. Texas is also a quality team so this will be a great regional.

Clemson Regional (Clemson, SC)
4.Clemson
(4) Lipscomb
(2) Tennessee
(3) Charlotte

Carter’s Pick: 4.Clemson in 7
Tennessee is the toughest two seed red hot Clemson probably could have seen in their regional. Clemson has been the best team in college baseball during the second half the season. Their quality play should get them to the Supers.

Auburn Regional (Auburn, AL)
13.Auburn
(4) Penn
(2) Southern Miss
(3) Samford

Carter’s Pick: Southern Miss in 7
Southern Miss fans everywhere believe they should have hosted. But Auburn AD John Cohen, the head of the Selection Committee, pegged his team as the number thirteen seed. The Eagles will get through this regional.

Baton Rouge Regional (Baton Rouge, LA)
5.LSU
(4) Tulane
(2) Oregon State
(3) Sam Houston State

Carter’s Pick: 5.LSU in 7
LSU’s terrific lineup and ace Paul Skenes will be challenged this weekend by tournament mainstay Oregon State, Sam Houston State, and (19-40) Tulane. If LSU pitches well, they will win this regional.

Lexington Regional (Lexington, KY)
12.Kentucky
(4) Ball State
(2) West Virginia
(3) Indiana

Carter’s Pick: West Virginia in 6
West Virginia will upset Kentucky in the regional final and make the Super Regionals relatively easily.

Nashville Regional (Nashville, TN)
6.Vanderbilt
(4) Eastern Illinois
(2) Oregon
(3) Xavier

Carter’s Pick: 6.Vanderbilt in 6
The Commodores, the SEC Tournament champs, have gotten hot at the right time. They should be fine as they deal with Oregon, Xavier, and Eastern Illinois.

Stillwater Regional (Stillwater, OK)
11.Oklahoma State
(4) Oral Roberts
(2) Dallas Baptist
(3) Washington

Carter’s Pick: 11.Oklahoma State in 6
After how fun the Stillwater Regional was a year ago (even though the Cowboys lost to Arkansas), Oklahoma State should handle this regional a bit easier even with a tough two seed Dallas Baptist and three seed Washington.

Fayetteville Regional (Fayetteville, AR)
3.Arkansas
(4) Santa Clara
(2) TCU
(3) Arizona

Carter’s Pick: 3.Arkansas in 7
Arkansas has been strong this season despite many injuries. They will have to get through Big 12 tournament champ TCU, Arizona, and impressive four seed Arizona, and I think they will.

Terra Haute Regional (Terre Haute, IN)
14.Indiana State
(4) Wright State
(2) Iowa
(3) North Carolina

Carter’s Pick: Iowa in 7
Iowa’s pitching will help them beat host Indiana State and advance. North Carolina will be hampered by the injury to star outfielder Vance Honeycutt.

Charlottesville Regional (Charlottesville, VA)
7.Virginia
(4) Army
(2) East Carolina
(3) Oklahoma

Carter’s Pick: East Carolina in 7
East Carolina’s depth on their pitching staff will upset Virginia in a relatively easy regional compared to others. Army is a tough out as the four seed with five consecutive tournament appearances but Oklahoma, as the last at-large team in the field, is the opposite.

Conway Regional (Conway, SC)
10.Coastal Carolina
(4) Rider
(2) Duke
(3) UNC-Wilmington

Carter’s Pick: 10.Coastal Carolina in 7
Duke has had a good season and could upset the Chanticleers but I believe they will push through their regional in seven games.

Gainesville Regional (Gainesville, FL)
2.Florida
(4) Florida A&M
(2) Connecticut
(3) Texas Tech

Carter’s Pick: 2.Florida in 7
Florida, maybe the most balanced team in the country, has a chore with Connecticut as their two seed and with three seed Texas Tech, who is seemingly always in the tournament. But, the Gators should get through here.

Columbia Regional (Columbia, SC)
15.South Carolina
(4) Central Connecticut State
(2) Campbell
(3) NC State

Carter’s Pick: Campbell in 7
Campbell should have hosted. Their RPI of 15 was overlooked. It will not be easy with South Carolina and North Carolina State’s SEC and ACC arms but the Camels will advance to the Ssuupers.

Image Courtesy: NBA.com

2023 NBA Finals
1.Denver Nuggets
8.Miami Heat

Schedule
*If necessary*
Game 1: June 1, 8:30 PM ET, ABC (Denver; Ball Arena)
Game 2: June 4, 8 PM ET, ABC (Denver; Ball Arena)
Game 3: June 7, 8:30 PM ET, ABC (Miami; American Airlines Arena)
Game 4: June 9, 8:30 PM ET, ABC (Miami; American Airlines Arena)
*Game 5*: June 13, 8:30 PM ET, ABC (Denver; Ball Arena)
*Game 6*: June 15, 8:30 PM ET, ABC (Miami; American Airlines Arena)
*Game 7*: June 18, 8 PM ET, ABC (Denver; Ball Arena)

The one seeded Denver Nuggets ran through the Western Conference playoffs with relative ease. They beat the Timberwolves in five games in the first round, took care of the Suns in six games in the conference semis, and swept LeBron James and the Lakers in the conference finals. Big man Nikola Jokic should have won a third consecutive NBA MVP with his playoff numbers because he has averaged a triple double with almost 30 points, over 13 rebounds, and over 10 assists a game. In addition, star guard Jamal Murray has heated up from the field, averaging over 27 points a game as well. In addition to Jokic and Murray, wings Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon help lead a tremendous defensive squad. The Miami Heat almost blew a 3-0 lead to the Boston Celtics but will appear in their second NBA Finals in the last three seasons. Playoff superstar Jimmy Butler has been at the forefront for the Heat, averaging almost 29 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. Center Bam Adebayo has been up and down in the Boston series but he has been huge for Miami when he’s been lights out, averaging over 17 points, 9 rebounds, and a steal a game. Guards Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin (13 points per game each) have each shined in their roles in the playoffs. When it comes to the coaching match up this series, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has won two NBA championships in five Finals appearances while this will be the Nuggets’ Mike Malone first opportunity to win a championship. The coaching edge here has to go to Miami with their experience in the finals but the dynamic duo of Jokic and Murray will be hard for the Heat to handle. Spoelstra will have to decide who will match up with the talented pair defensively. That decision will determine the outcome of this series.

Prediction: Denver Nuggets in 6

I hope everyone enjoys the 2023 NBA Finals :).

Image Courtesy: The New York Times

The SEC will have to alter their college basketball schedule entering the 2023-2024 season. The annual January event, the Big 12/SEC Challenge ended after the Big 12 and SEC signed deals with different television networks in addition to the ACC/Big Ten Challenge ceasing for the same reason. With the ACC and SEC being signed with ESPN, the network created a new ACC/SEC Challenge, to be played the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday following Thanksgiving. If you want to check out the details of the new challenge they are here and the end of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge here. Without a break in the conference schedule for the SEC with their out of conference schedule being in November and not January, this prompts the SEC to make changes to the basketball schedule with the upcoming additions of Oklahoma and Texas to the league. The placement of the challenge in November vastly improves the strength of nonconference schedules for all SEC squads with the strength of both the ACC and the way the SEC has improved their basketball over the last decade but on the opposite side, the Big 12 has been the superior basketball conference of late compared to the ACC. But, in this post, I want to discuss Arkansas’ dream list of opponents for the first installment of the ACC/SEC Challenge:

1.Duke
Since winning their only national championship over Duke in Charlotte in 1994, Arkansas fell to the Blue Devils in San Francisco in the 2022 West Regional Final, in just their second opportunity to make it back to the Final Four since the 1990’s. With new head coach Jon Scheyer, Duke is poised to continue its run as one of college basketball’s great powers. While Kentucky may get Duke in the first season of the ACC-SEC Challenge, Arkansas can hope for an Elite 8 rematch with the Blue Devils in the next few seasons.

2.North Carolina
North Carolina has beaten the hogs two times in the NCAA Tournament in the last decade. In 2015, the fourth seeded Tar Heels eliminated the fifth seeded Razorbacks in the Round of 32. In 2017, eighth seeded Arkansas lost multiple leads to eventual national champion North Carolina. In a questionably officiated game, Arkansas could have made the Sweet 16 with former coach Mike Anderson. A potential grudge match for the Muss Bus in either Chapel Hill or Fayetteville would make for a great game on TV in late November between two great basketball brands.

After that, recent NCAA tournament mainstays Virginia, Miami, and Virginia Tech make sense as potential match-ups following Thanksgiving in the schedule.

Future permanent opponents: Football
In football, the expectation is that Texas, Ole Miss, and Missouri will be the three permanent opponents for the Razorbacks according to Sports Illustrated reporter Ross Dellenger. Historically, Texas has been a great rival. Ole Miss has been a terrific rivalry for Arkansas over the last decade with the “Hunter Heave” game in 2015, the Santos Ramirez hit in 2016, the 31-7 comeback in Oxford in 2017, and the KJ Jefferson-Matt Corral duals in 2020 and 2021 make the Rebels an obvious choice. When Texas A&M and Missouri entered the conference in 2012, Arkansas was assigned Missouri as their Thanksgiving rivalry, instead of LSU who now faces A&M every last Saturday of November. Readers of this blog already know my disdain about SEC moving rivalries around but because of Missouri’s confidence in the recent match ups, it is the obvious option as one of Arkansas’ permanent rivals. LSU, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M are other rivals I could see the SEC put as permanent foes for the hogs on the gridiron. It will be interesting to see how the program progresses without playing Alabama every season in football.

Future permanent opponents: Basketball
In basketball, Arkansas will play two permanent SEC opponents home and away when Texas and Oklahoma join the league. They will rotate another opponent home and away plus six home and six away games for the rest of the SEC opponents. Currently, Arkansas’ three permanent opponents in the league are Missouri, LSU, and Texas A&M. While the SEC does not love the Missouri-Arkansas basketball game as much as the football game, I believe Missouri will be a permanent rival. Texas will likely be the other permanent basketball opponent for the Razorbacks. LSU, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma have delivered great games on the basketball court as well but do not be surprised but Kentucky is the big brand that could match up with the hogs every season.

Future permanent opponents: Baseball
Moving forward, SEC baseball will feature two series against two permanent opponents and single series with the other twelve conference members. The conference will eliminate divisions in the sport as well. Texas and Ole Miss make the most sense as permanent opponents for the Razorbacks in baseball. With former Arkansas baseball assistant Tony Vitello leading a great Tennessee program now, the rivalry between the Razorbacks and the Vols could also be plausible. With the Razorback’s success on the diamond, Oklahoma, Mississippi State, LSU, and Texas A&M also make sense as the hogs permanent foes.

Image Courtesy: The San Diego Union-Tribune

1.Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
With many questions about Carolina who could pick, there is a draft filled with a bunch of good quarterbacks who could help the Panthers. They should take Bryce Young, the talented Alabama signal-caller, who reminds many of Drew Brees coming out of college.

2.Houston Texans
CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State
Many have said this week Stroud has fallen down many teams’ draft boards. However, CJ Stroud’s performance in the CFP Semifinal against Georgia tell me he will be picked by Houston.

3.Arizona Cardinals
Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama
Maybe the most talented player in the draft, Will Anderson will head to a tough situation in Phoenix with a new coaching staff. Anderson was near the top in the country in sacks over the past two seasons.

4.Indianapolis Colts
Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
Will Levis has struggled as a passer at Kentucky but his Josh Allen like size has NFL GMs drooling over him. The Colts could take him or Anthony Richardson but I lean Levis here.

5.Seattle Seahawks
Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
Similar to Levis, Anthony Richardson’s passing ability is questionable. But his measurables, speed, and presence in the pocket will excite the Seahawks enough to draft him as their future QB.

6.Detroit Lions
Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia
Behind Anderson, Jalen Carter has gotten in opposing teams backfield easily. The top interior defensive lineman in the draft will join a young but talented Lion defense.

7.Las Vegas Raiders
Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
There are many questions as to which defensive back could come off the board and none are bad options. The Raiders should go Christian Gonzalez to help support their pass coverage.

8.Atlanta Falcons
Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech
A rare talented pass rusher from the Big 12 is headed to Atlanta. Wilson will make an instant impact there.

9.Chicago Bears
Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
Offensive tackles are valuable in the new NFL and Skoronski can help protect Justin Fields.

10.Philadelphia Eagles
Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia
Nolan was a big contributor to Georgia’s last two champions. His pass rush will look to help the Eagles return to the Super Bowl in 2024.

Image Courtesy: ESPN

August 26
Studio Show
While I could see the crew go to Ireland for Notre Dame-Navy, most of the time week 0 is a studio show.

September 2
Colorado at. TCU
Deion Sanders’ D1 coaching debut will be in Fort Worth against the 2022-2023 national runners up TCU. ESPN’s College Gameday will likely go there but a trip to Charlotte for North Carolina-South Carolina makes sense as well with it likely being a game that will be televised.

September 9
Texas at. Alabama
The crew went to Austin for this match up last season and it did not disappoint. Barring a disappointing start from Texas, they will be in Tuscaloosa.

September 16
South Carolina at. Georgia
The back to back reigning champs versus an improving South Carolina program should be the choice this week.

September 23
Florida State at. Clemson
A return to the Ohio State-Notre Dame game like last season could be possible but if FSU and Clemson are both undefeated it’s hard to imagine GameDay not going to Death Valley with the game likely being in ABC.

September 30
USC at. Colorado
Pac-12 favorite USC will head to face a Deion Sanders-led Colorado team for the first time next fall. A trip to Boulder for the first time in awhile might be fun for the preview show.

October 7
Texas vs. Oklahoma (Dallas, TX)
I had a very hard time picking between the final Big 12 edition of the Red River Rivalry and Alabama-Texas A&M. Because it is likely the final edition on FOX and the aforementioned Big 12, GameDay should choose to go here with all of the southeast flair in their selections the first few weeks.

October 14
Oregon at. Washington
The crew will head back to Seattle for the first time in a few seasons when the Washington faces Oregon. In what will be a loaded Pac-12 this season, this game will have conference championship steaks on the line.

October 21
Penn State at. Ohio State
GameDay should pass on Alabama-Tennessee if they want to go to Alabama-LSU a few weeks later. Plus, with Penn State and Ohio State atop the Big Ten East with Michigan, this may be a scenario where three teams are 11-1 at the end of the season and all have cases to make the College Football Playoff. A game between the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions will have some determination in this playoff race.

October 28
Clemson at. NC State
The Clemson-NC State rivalry has heated up over the past few seasons and with the ACC making it a permanent rivalry in their new format, this game will have ramifications for the ACC title near the middle of the season, making it a possible choice for ESPN.

November 4
LSU at. Alabama
Like I said previously, GameDay will go to this game likely if they don’t go to Alabama-Tennessee two weeks earlier. I anticipate CBS making this game or the Alabama-Tennessee their nightcap SEC game so if this is the one, the crew should be headed back to Tuscaloosa.

November 11
Michigan at. Penn State
What seems like a three team race for the Big Ten East in the pre-season should be very competitive. Just weeks after going to Columbus for the Buckeyes versus the Nittany Lions, ESPN should make the decision to head to State College for Penn State versus Michigan.

November 18
Georgia at. Tennessee
The likely battle for the SEC East will be on everyone’s radar the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Even if this game will be on CBS, this should not impact GameDay’s decision.

November 25
Ohio State at. Michigan
GameDay goes to this annual rivalry game in Ann Arbor or Columbus for this game every season now: no reason for them to stop doing it.

December 2
SEC Championship Game (Atlanta)
If the SEC has two top ten teams playing in their conference championship, GameDay should be headed to Atlanta.

December 9
Army vs. Navy (Foxborough)
The only game in week 15 will host the crew in Foxborough this season.

Image Courtesy: Forbes

Conference Play-In Results

Eastern Conference
9.Toronto Raptors (41-41)
10.Chicago Bulls (40-42) Advanced
(Winner to play loser of 7./8. game for eight seed)

7.Miami Heat (44-38)
8.Atlanta Hawks (41-41) Advanced
(Winner to be seven seed)

7.Miami Heat (44-38) Advanced
10.Chicago Bulls (40-42)

Western Conference

9.New Orleans Pelicans (42-40)
10.Oklahoma City Thunder (40-42) Advanced
(Winner to play loser of 7./8. game for eight seed)

7.Los Angeles Lakers (43-39) Advanced
8.Minnesota Timberwolves (42-40)
(Winner to be seven seed)

8.Minnesota Timberwolves (42-40) Advanced
9.Oklahoma City Thunder (40-42)

Conference Quarterfinals

Eastern Conference

Quarterfinals
1.Milwaukee Bucks (58-24) 4
8.Miami Heat (44-38) 1
Led by another MVP-like season by Giannis Antentokounmpo, the Bucks should take care of business and make the second round yet again. Heat wing Jimmy Butler should lead Miami to at least a win in the series but this one should be all Bucks.

4.Cleveland Cavaliers (51-31) 4
5.New York Knicks (47-35) 2
In what should be a very close series, Donavan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and the Cavs core should continue their season after dispatching Julius Randle and the Knicks.

3.Philadelphia 76ers (54-28) 4
6.Brooklyn Nets (45-37) 2
Likely MVP Joel Embiid and guard James Harden have been terrific all season. Since getting rid of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Nets gained Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson from the Suns. Bridges, a Philadelphia native and former Villanova Wildcat, has been the main scorer for the Nets since the trade.

2.Boston Celtics (57-25) 4
7.Atlanta Hawks (41-41) 1
Boston should take care of Atlanta pretty easily as the Hawks do not play great defense. The Hawks’ best hope is to win games at home because it will be hard to go into TD Garden and win multiple games.

Western Conference
1.Denver Nuggets (53-29) 4
8.Minnesota Timberwolves (42-40) 2
Could Nikola Jokic win his third consecutive MVP in Denver? It is definitely a possibility. The way this Nuggets team has played so far has been great but they can be vulnerable against a Timberwolves team that plays great inside out ball with guard Anthony Edwards and big men Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert. The Nuggets should take the series in at least six games but it will be interesting to see how the Nuggets match up with the two Minnesota big men.

4.Phoenix Suns (45-37) 4
5.Los Angeles Clippers (44-38) 2
Phoenix has been absolutely tremendous since adding superstar forward Kevin Durant. The Clippers picked up his former teammate Russell Westbrook after the trade deadline and also locked up a playoff spot. While it is hard to see the Suns lose with an almost unbeatable record with KD, the Clippers have the pieces like Kawhi Leonard to make it a competitive series.

3.Sacramento Kings (48-34) 3
6.Golden State Warriors (44-38) 4
Sacramento has been terrific under new head coach Mike Brown who was previously on the Warrior’s staff. De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, and the Kings have had their best season in a very long time, reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2006. They match up with a Warriors team that has been very up and down this season even with their championship pedigree. I believe guard Stephen Curry, guard Klay Thompson, and forward Draymond Green will step up and eliminate the Kings in the first round.

2.Memphis Grizzlies (51-31) 3
7.Los Angeles Lakers (43-39) 4
The Grizzlies, led by guard Ja Morant and forward Jaren Jackson, are the second seed just like in the 2022 playoffs but are matched up with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and D’Angelo Russell and the Lakers. While Los Angeles has been up and down like Golden State this season, a fully healthy Lakers roster will be hard to beat.

Conference Semifinals

Eastern Conference
1.Milwaukee Bucks (58-24) 4
4.Cleveland Cavaliers (51-31) 2
Milwaukee has Giannis and Cleveland does not. It is pretty simple. The Cavs have a good team but not one that will be able to handle the Greek Freak, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday in a seven game series.

2.Boston Celtics (57-25) 4
3.Philadelphia 76ers (54-28) 3
Philadelphia fails to make a deep run in the playoffs again and Jayson Tatum will lead the Celtics into another conference finals after a fun seven games series with the Sixers. This series is up to the play of James Harden because if he turns the ball over it will hurt Philadelphia’s chances of a deep postseason run a lot.

Western Conference
1.Denver Nuggets (53-29) 3
4.Phoenix Suns (45-37) 4
The Suns will upset the Nuggets led by Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. It is uncommon to see two scorers like them both on the same team. Nikola Jokic will have to dominate inside for the Nuggets to win the series but it is hard to see that countering the Suns dynamic duo as well as veteran point guard Chris Paul.

6.Golden State Warriors (44-38) 4
7.Los Angeles Lakers (43-39) 2
The Golden State Warriors will win the series’ first two games at home in San Francisco and beat the Lakers in six games. The durability of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, and Dennis Schröder will be important like I mentioned earlier and I doubt they are fully healthy at this point.

Conference Finals

Eastern Conference
1.Milwaukee Bucks (58-24) 4
2.Boston Celtics (57-25) 3
The Bucks and Celtics will meet again in the Eastern Conference Finals. Without wing Khris Middleton in this series, the Bucks fell in seven games to Boston. With him, they will take care of the Jayson Tatum, Jaylin Brown and the Celtics.

Western Conference
4.Phoenix Suns (45-37) 4
6.Golden State Warriors (43-39) 2
In what many people think is the Warriors’ last chance at a title with their current roster, their chance to win back to back ends in the Western Conference Finals. In the end, this Sun’s roster is too talented for a Golden State roster that has not played to its full potential this season.

The 2023 NBA Finals Preview will be published on May 31 at 2 PM CT.

Image Courtesy: Eleven Warriors

Back in May of 2022, “The NCAA Division I Council announced Wednesday that it will relax restrictions on college football’s conference championship games, allowing conferences to determine the teams that would participate in their respective title game” per this ESPN article.

Many conferences have missed out on getting teams in the College Football Playoff because some divisions are so much better than others and so now conference championship and Playoff games can be better.

So, let’s go through each Power 5 conference and discuss:

ACC
With divisions:
Atlantic
Boston College
Clemson
Florida State
Louisville
NC State
Syracuse
Wake Forest

Coastal
Duke
Georgia Tech
Miami
North Carolina
Pittsburgh
Virginia
Virginia Tech

Here are each ACC team’s three yearly opponents (each team rotates every other opponent) (beginning in 2023; one division look):

Boston College – Miami, Pittsburgh, Syracuse
Clemson – Florida State, Georgia Tech, NC State
Duke – North Carolina, NC State,Wake Forest
Florida State – Clemson, Miami, Syracuse
Georgia Tech – Clemson, Louisville, Wake Forest
Louisville – Georgia Tech, Miami, Virginia
Miami – Boston College, Florida State, Louisville
North Carolina – Duke, NC State, Virginia
North Carolina State – Clemson, Duke, North Carolina
Pittsburgh – Boston College, Syracuse, Virginia Tech
Syracuse – Boston College, Florida State, Pittsburgh
Virginia – Louisville, North Carolina, Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech – Pittsburgh, Virginia, Wake Forest
Wake Forest – Duke, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech

With this new format, conference powers Clemson and Florida State not only play each other annually but could match up in the conference championship with the new format. The winner of that game would likely go to the College Football Playoff. Media Rights Deal: Disney, ABC, ESPN

Big 12

Since the Big 12 lost Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas A&M to other conferences, the league has been a one division, ten team league. They add BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati, and Houston to make the league fourteen ahead of Texas and Oklahoma’s departure to the SEC in a few years. Update: Since, Texas and Oklahoma have agreed to leave the conference in the summer of 2024 for the SEC.

2o23 look:
Baylor
BYU
Central Florida
Cincinnati
Houston
Iowa State
Kansas
Kansas State
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Texas
Texas Christian
Texas Tech
West Virginia

Future look (2024; annual opponents to be determined)
Baylor
BYU
Central Florida
Cincinnati
Houston
Iowa State
Kansas
Kansas State
Oklahoma State
Texas Christian
Texas Tech
West Virginia

This new Big 12; a true 12 team Big 12; is going to hope continue its basketball prowess. New Media Rights Deal: ESPN, FOX

Big Ten
The Big Ten will likely move to a one-division format when UCLA and USC join the conference in 2024 by leaving the Pac-12. Here is the former division look:

East
Indiana
Maryland
Michigan
Michigan State
Ohio State
Penn State
Rutgers

West
Illinois
Iowa
Minnesota
Nebraska
Northwestern
Purdue
Wisconsin

Future look (2024; annual opponents to be determined):
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Maryland
Michigan
Michigan State
Minnesota
Nebraska
Northwestern
Ohio State
Penn State
Purdue
Rutgers
UCLA
USC
Wisconsin

If I had to guess, the Big Ten will go with the 3-6-6 format like the SEC. Each school would get two teams in the top half of the conference on average and one permanent opponent in the bottom half conference on average. Here is a projection for those permanent opponents by CBS Sports. New Media Rights Deal: CBS, FOX, NBC

Pac-12
The Pac-12 was the first conference to move to a single division format following the NCAA’s new ruling in May. Here is what the 12-team Pac-12 looks like ahead of UCLA’s and USC’s departure to the Big Ten in 2024:
Arizona
Arizona State
California
Colorado
Oregon
Oregon State
Stanford
UCLA
USC
Utah
Washington
Washington State

Future Look:
Arizona
Arizona State
California
Colorado
Oregon
Oregon State
Stanford
Utah
Washington
Washington State

In a single conference format without the two LA schools, it has been incredibly difficult for the conference to secure a media rights deal. So far FOX, ESPN, or CBS have not agreed with the conference on a deal and not even mobile media companies like Apple are not interested. New Media Rights Deal: TBD

SEC
According to multiple sources, once Oklahoma and Texas join the league, the SEC will likely move to a one division format and a 3-6-6 format where each school plays three permanent rivals annually in football, play six other opponents one season and play the six other opponents the next season. In that format, the conference would move from an eight game conference schedule to a nine game conference schedule and in a four year period, every SEC team would play every opponent home and away. I have guessed what three teams every SEC team will play annually in a post last summer. Here’s what the SEC looks like with divisions:

East
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Missouri
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vanderbilt

West
Alabama
Arkansas
Auburn
LSU
Mississippi (Ole Miss)
Mississippi State
Texas A&M

With one division (With Oklahoma and Texas in 2024)
Alabama
Arkansas
Auburn
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
LSU
Mississippi (Ole Miss)
Mississippi State
Missouri
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Texas A&M
Vanderbilt

The SEC will look to continue dominating all sports, namely football and baseball, under their new media rights deal with ESPN. New Media Rights Deal: Disney, ABC, ESPN

Next Read – Take a look at my original thoughts when the ACC and Pac-12 announced they got rid of divisions.

Image Courtesy: USA Today

9.Florida Atlantic vs. 5.San Diego State
NRG Stadium (Houston, TX)
April 1, 6:09 PM ET, CBS
Nine seed Florida Atlantic should have been eliminated in the first round. Memphis had a lead in the final seconds and had called a timeout. But, the refs did not see it that way. Since, FAU has taken down those Memphis Tigers, sixteen seed Farleigh Dickinson, Tennessee, and finally Kansas State in the Elite 8. Those four NCAA Tournament wins have helped the Owls to 35 wins. The last time a team won at least 35 games in college basketball, Virginia won it all in 2019. Can FAU have the same success as they are set to make their first Final Four ever? Guard Johnell Davis has been tremendous for them in NCAA Tournament, scoring 29 points in their Round of 32 win over FDU. San Diego State dispatched College of Charleston and Furman relatively easily in the first two rounds but then answered every run by top overall seed Alabama in the Sweet 16 and Creighton in the Elite 8. Every Aztec has seemingly made an impact but guards Matt Bradley (17 points in Round of 64), Darrion Trammell (21 points in Sweet 16), and Lamont Butler (led team in assists twice in tournament) as well as big man Nathan Mensa (6 rebounds, 2 blocks per game), have been huge down the stretch. With both teams being tough teams with good defenses, this one will come down to the wire. Projected Score: San Diego State 65, Florida Atlantic 62

4.Connecticut vs. 5.Miami
NRG Stadium (Houston, TX)
April 1, 8:49 PM ET, CBS
Connecticut was crushing people in November and December. The Huskies had a tough time at the start of Big East play. Now they have won every one of their NCAA Tournament games by 15 or more. Sharp shooter Jordan Hawkins (24 points versus Arkansas in the Sweet 16 and 20 points versus Gonzaga in the Elite 8), big man Adama Sanogo (averaging a double double in the tournament), and point forward Andre Jackson (31 assists to just 6 turnovers in the entire tournament). They are the clear favorites to win it all entering the weekend. Miami almost lost to twelve seed Drake in the first round before playing tremendous offensive games against Houston and Texas. For Miami, forward Norchad Omier, guard Isaiah Wong, and guard Nijel Pack are dangerous enough offensively to at least make this a game in the second half and potentially win a game many do not think they can. Projected Score: Connecticut 87, Miami 72

Image Courtesy: Hammer and Nails

Round of 64

Columbus
1.Purdue
16.Texas Southern/Farleigh Dickinson
Purdue should roll against the winner of Texas Southern and Farleigh Dickinson.

8.Memphis
9.Florida Atlantic
Memphis and Florida Atlantic are two teams that can make runs in the tournament. Memphis just beat the Midwest top seed, Houston, and will continue to the Round of 32.

Orlando
5.Duke
12.Oral Roberts
Duke is the hottest team in the country and they face Oral Roberts, the famous Cinderella of the 2021 tournament. The Golden Eagles are a 12-seed this time, up from a 15 seed in 2021. If Duke was not the hottest team in America, I would pick Oral Roberts, but the Blue Devils are playing too well right now.

4.Tennessee
13.Louisiana
Louisiana will pull off the surprise upset over Tennessee.

Greensboro
6.Kentucky
11.Providence
Providence star Bryce Hopkins faces his former team in Kentucky. Both squads have been up and down all season, but the Wildcats have more talent and should move on

3.Kansas State
14.Montana State
Kansas State’s Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson should lead the Wildcats to a match up against the other Wildcats.

Columbus
7.Michigan State
10.USC
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo’s NCAA Tournament experience will help lead the Spartans to Round 2 of the NCAA Tournament.

2.Marquette
15.Vermont
Coach Shaka Smart and Marquette surprised the league this year by winning a regular season and tournament championship in the Big East. Vermont is an NCAA Tournament mainstay but Marquette’s NCAA Tournament stay will not only last one game last season.

Round of 32
Columbus
1.Purdue
8.Memphis
Memphis will knock out Purdue, led by star Kendric Davis.

Orlando
5.Duke
13.Louisiana
Louisiana’s run in Orlando will end at the hand’s of red hot Duke.

Greensboro
3.Kansas State
6.Kentucky
In what will be an entertaining game for both teams Kansas State’s toughness will help them defeat the other Wildcats.

Columbus
2.Marquette
7.Michigan State
Michigan State could pose problems for the second consecutive season as a seven seed for another two seed in Marquette like they did against Duke last March, but the Golden Eagles should eliminate the inconsistent Spartans.

Sweet 16
New York City
5.Duke
8.Memphis
Duke will take star Kendric Davis out of the game and end another smaller school’s run in New York City

New York City
2.Marquette
3.Kansas State
Marquette and Kansas State are two of the toughest teams in the Big Dance and for that reason it would be a great game. Marquette wins a close on in NYC.

Elite 8
New York City
2.Marquette
5.Duke
When Duke plays in the east regional in Madison Square Garden, one could call it “Cameron Indoor North” with the amount of fans that come to cheer on the Blue Devils. Similarly, Marquette plays in MSG every March in the Big East Tournament so there will definitely be Golden Eagles fans in the arena too. Duke will win a close game and head to the Final Four for the second consecutive year.

East Regional Champion: 5.Duke

2023 East Region Preview, Predictions Video

Image Courtesy: KU Sports

Round of 64

Des Moines
1.Kansas
16.Howard
Kansas, who would have likely been the top overall seed with a win over Texas in the Big 12 Tournament Championship, should handle Howard, who had a great regular season.

8.Arkansas
9.Illinois
In a game of up and down teams this season, either team can win this game. I lean Arkansas because of the coaching of Eric Musselman.

Albany
5.Saint Mary’s
12.VCU
VCU is a dangerous team to play for Saint Mary’s but the Gaels lock you up on defense so they will win against the Rams.

4.Connecticut
13.Iona
Led by coach Rick Pitino, Iona returned to the NCAA Tournament. Too bad the Gaels face a Connecticut team with talent to make the Final Four.

Denver
6.TCU
11.Arizona State/Nevada
TCU has been playing great basketball of late and they will face Arizona State after they beat Nevada, the final team in the tournament, in my opinion. TCU should advance but it will not be easy against hot shooting Arizona State.

3.Gonzaga
14.Grand Canyon
Bryce Drew’s Grand Canyon team has appeared in the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season. The Zags may not be a top seed this season but they are dangerous and again led by forward Drew Timme.

Sacramento
7.Northwestern
10.Boise State
Boo Buie, Northwestern’s star guard, will lead the Wildcats past Boise State.

2.UCLA
15.UNC-Asheville
UNC-Asheville has a talented roster but they will face a UCLA team that can not only play tremendous defense but they score with ease.

Round of 32

Des Moines
1.Kansas
8.Arkansas
Arkansas is good enough talent wise to beat Kansas but they have not shown me enough all season. Kansas moves on.

Albany
4.Connecticut
5.Saint Mary’s
Connecticut will dominate Saint Mary’s in the second half and move onto Las Vegas.

Denver
3.Gonzaga
6.TCU
The Zags should be troubled by TCU’s tough defensive play and the Horned Frogs will move on.

Sacramento
2.UCLA
7.Northwestern
UCLA will have to play well against a tremendous defense in Northwestern but if they can score on it, they will move on to Las Vegas and the Sweet 16.

Sweet 16
Las Vegas
1.Kansas
4.Connecticut
Kansas finally plays the defense that can stop stars Jalen Wilson and Grady Dick. Connecticut’s big man play moves them on to the regional final.

Las Vegas
2.UCLA
6.TCU
UCLA’s defense helps the Bruins move on to the Elite 8.

Elite 8

Las Vegas
2.UCLA
4.Connecticut
In what would be a terrific match up, Connecticut wins the west region over UCLA.

West Regional Champion: 4.Connecticut

2023 West Region Preview, Predictions Video

Image Courtesy: Sports Illustrated

Round of 64

Birmingham
1.Houston
16.Northern Kentucky
If Marcus Sasser comes back for the Cougars for this game, they should have no problem against the Norse.

8.Iowa
9.Auburn
Iowa is the better offensive team but Auburn wins this game with their defense and gritty play.

Albany
5.Miami
12.Drake
Drake is a popular upset pick but Miami’s offense will carry them to a win.

4.Indiana
13.Kent State
Indiana has been up and down this season. Facing a tough Kent State team will mean their demise and a Golden Flashes win.

Greensboro
6.Iowa State
11.Mississippi State/Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh will beat Mississippi State in Dayton and do the same to an overrated Iowa State team.

3.Xavier
14.Kennesaw State
Xavier may have been overseeded as a number three seed but they will handle Kennesaw State, who makes their first ever tournament appearance in 2023.

Des Moines
7.Texas A&M
10.Penn State
Texas A&M and Penn State are both gritty teams that use that to win games. Both lost in their conference tournament finals. Texas A&M wins a close one.

2.Texas
15.Colgate
Texas will defeat a high scoring Colgate team and set up a future SEC match up with old rival Texas A&M.

Round of 32

Birmingham
1.Houston
9.Auburn
Houston will take care of an Auburn team that struggles to score.

Albany
5.Miami
13.Kent States
Miami will end Kent State’s run in the NCAA Tournament.

Greensboro
3.Xavier
11.Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh will upset Xavier, led by Jamarius Burton.

Des Moines
2.Texas
7.Texas A&M
In a future SEC match up, Texas will win and head to Louisville.

Sweet 16
1.Houston
5.Miami
Miami will upset Houston using a teriffic offensive attack.

2.Texas
11.Pittsburgh
Texas will end Pittsburgh’s run to the south regional while coach Rodney Terry proves he is valuable enough to be the permanent head coach.

Elite 8
2.Texas
5.Miami
Texas will return to the Final Four in 2003 after beating Miami.

Midwest Regional Champion: 2.Texas

2023 Midwest Region Preview, Predictions Video

Image Courtesy: The San Diego Union-Tribune

Round of 64

Birmingham
1.Alabama
16.Texas A&M-CC/16.Missouri State
The Tide should roll over the winner of Corpus Christi and Missouri State.

8.Maryland
9.West Virginia
In what should be a highly competitive game, West Virginia will defeat Maryland.

Orlando
5.San Diego State
12.College of Charleston
College of Charleston will be a popular upset pick but San Diego State’s defense should eliminate them.

4.Virginia
13.Furman
Furman will be a popular upset pick but Virginia’s tournament experience should get them the one.

Denver
6.Creighton
11.NC State
Creighton was a pre-season top ten team but without star big man Ryan Kalkbrenner out for much of the season. With him back, the Blue Jays should handle a great NC State team, who has great guards like Terquavion Smith.

3.Baylor
14.UC Santa Barbara
UC Santa Barbara can win an NCAA Tournament game but facing a healthy Baylor team will be a chore.

Sacramento
7.Missouri
10.Utah State
In a game that could see both teams score 90, Missouri will take down Utah State with potential scoring droughts.

2.Arizona
15.Princeton
Arizona just won the Pac-12 title game and they are poised to make a run in March.

Round of 32

Birmingham
1.Alabama
9.West Virginia
Alabama got a bad draw in the south with either Maryland or West Virginia. Similarly to Alabama, West Virginia can score in bunches. Alabama should win it but it will be a different game.

Orlando
4.Virginia
5.San Diego State
In a game of NCAA Tournament mainstays and tremendous defensive teams, I lean San Diego State to win this game with a healthier roster.

Denver
3.Baylor
6.Creighton
Baylor is good and can make another run but Creighton’s balance on offense will help them to an upset of the bears.

Sacramento
2.Arizona
7.Missouri
Missouri will challenge Arizona but if the wildcats show up, they should get the job done.

Sweet 16

Louisville
1.Alabama
5.San Diego State
Alabama will have to survive periods without scoring as they face a tremendous defense in the Aztecs but star Brandon Miller should lead them to the Elite 8.

Louisville
2.Arizona
6.Creighton
Arizona and Creighton faced off in the Maui Invitational Championship earlier this season and Arizona won. I favor the team that did not win that match up, Creighton, to get the job done.

Elite 8

Louisville
1.Alabama
6.Creighton
In what would be a tremendous game, Alabama would handle Creighton and move onto the Final Four.

South Regional Champion: 1.Alabama

2023 South Region Preview, Predictions Video

Image Courtesy: State of the U

Note: No video previews this year, I am too busy.

ACC (Greensboro)
Bracket
Video Preview
The ACC was definitely down this season. North Carolina fell from the top team in the country in the pre-season to off of the NCAA Tournament bracket. Virginia and Miami shared the regular season conference title and they will be challenged in Greensboro by an up and down Clemson team, dangerous Duke, and Pittsburgh, who is having their best season in a long time. A surprise run by North Carolina will likely not happen but the talented Tar Heels could make it happen. Projected Winner: Pittsburgh

Big 12 (Kansas City)
Bracket
Video Preview
The Big 12 runs through Kansas again this season. The Jayhawks finished with the best record again in the conference and will look to be ready to win another conference title near home in Kansas City. Kansas led the best conference in the country that will likely also have Texas, Baylor, Kansas State, TCU, and Iowa State as locks for the tournament. Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech will look to have good weeks to lock up bids as well. To me, this is a tournament any team can win and there will be ripple effects on the top four seed lines with who wins the conference title. Projected Winner: Baylor

Big East (New York City)
Bracket
Video Preview
The winner between top seed Marquette and four seed Connecticut’s potential semifinal match-up will likely become the conference tournament’s winner but two seed Xavier, three seed Creighton, and five seed Providence will look to make some noise. First year Villanova coach Kyle Neptune has the Wildcats poised for a March run with just a few wins next week in Madison Square Garden as well. Projected Winner: Connecticut

Big Ten (Chicago)
Bracket
Video Preview
The Big Ten is the most average it has been as a basketball league in a long time. Purdue ran to a 22-1 record to start the season but then began losing games. Tied for second place, Indiana, Northwestern, and Michigan State all have nine conference losses while Illinois, Maryland, Iowa, and Michigan tied for third with nine losses. This conference tournament is wide open and I honestly have no idea who is going to win. Projected Winner: Indiana

Pac-12 (Las Vegas)
Bracket
Video Preview
Thoughts:
The Pac-12 has been run by UCLA this season as they have four less conference losses than second place Arizona (2 to 6). The Bruins are the easy favorite to win in Las Vegas because of their defense and veteran leadership including point guard Tyger Campbell and wing Jaime Jaquez. Projected Winner: UCLA

SEC (Nashville)
Bracket
Video Preview
Kentucky has surged into conference tournament week, winning five of their last six games. With top seed Alabama having to make second half comebacks in their last few games on their way to a regular season championship in the conference, they may not be the favorite in Nashville this week but the they are definitely dangerous. Last year’s finalists Texas A&M and Tennessee had success a lot of success in the event last season but they will be challenged by sleepers such as Auburn, who has played well of late, Mississippi State, and even South Carolina. Projected Winner: Kentucky