4 Bold March Madness Predictions

IV: Gonzaga doesn’t make the sweet sixteen. The Zags will make quick work of #16 seed South Dakota State, but the winner of 8/9 matchup in the west region will be a formidable foe for the Bulldogs. Both Northwestern and Vanderbilt boast strong conference records, and are riding ample momentum into the Big Dance. Put some pressure on the Gonzaga role players (i.e. anyone but Nigel Williams-Goss and Przemek Karnowski), and then let’s see how Gonzaga reacts to the pressure of playing a tough power 5 conference team in a “season-on-the-line” situation.

III: Wichita State in the Sweet 16. The Shockers were ranked #19 in the end of season AP Top 25, yet they received a #10 seed in the tourney. Their matchup with #7 Dayton is not cake walk by any means, but should they get the win in this game, they can certainly ride this momentum into the Sweet 16 with a win over Kentucky.

II: Florida Gulf Coast over Florida State. Dunk city is back in the dance, and ready to wreak havoc on the field. FSU is a team many people are calling “soft” and “overrated”, yet even if they do deserve to be a #3 seed, the matchup of playing FGCU in Orlando is a nightmare matchup for the Seminoles. This one will be close, and the upset is quite likely.

I: 75% Pac-12 Final Four. Arizona, UCLA, and Oregon all have legitimate chances of making the Final Four. However, all three teams need to come together at the right time for the Pac-12 to run through the tourney. It’s quite possible, as all three teams have made cases in head-to-head situations as to why they are top dogs in the nation, yet beating down on each other during the regular season and conference tournament didn’t help their #1 seed chances. Then again, don’t count out USC. Maybe they get hot, and make some noise of their own.