ROBBINS NEST
By Lenn Robbins
No need for a lot of analysis. This is too good to get bogged down in Quad 1 wins or defensive deficiency or past NCAA Tournament experience.
The 2020-2021 season was terrific, in large part because we had, one and because there were two college basketball teams that ruled with season. Baylor beat Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament championship game.
This year there are some eight teams that can win it all. And whichever team prevails, it will do so in arena bursting with fans.
Without any further delay, here are our fearless picks for the NCAA Tournament.
WEST REGION
#1. Gonzaga over #16. Georgia State – Home game for Zags.
#8. Boise State over #9. Memphis – Stop asking me stupid bleepin questions.
#5. UConn over #12. New Mexico State – Buffalo becomes UConn Country.
#13. Vermont over #4. Arkansas – America East titans introduce the league to the country.
#6. Alabama over #11. Rutgers – Free throw shooting costly for Scarlet Knights.
#3. Texas Tech over #14. Montana State – Red Raiders play dead-to-rights defense.
#10. Davidson over #7. Michigan State – Wildcats home in Greensville
#2. Duke over #15. CS Fullerton – Now if this was baseball…
Sweet 16
#1. Gonzaga over #8. Boise State – Home game for Zags
#5. UConn over #13. Vermont – Danny Hurley first coach to get Teed up.
#3. Texas Tech over #6. Alabama – As long as it’s not football.
#2. Duke over #10. Davidson – The Coach K tour heads to the Sweet 16.
Elite 8
#1. Gonzaga over #5. UConn – Home game for Zags (see a theme here).
#2. Duke over #3. Texas Tech – Red Raiders run out of offense.
Regional Final
#1. Gonzaga over #2. Duke – Thanks Coach K, there will never be another.
EAST REGION
#1. Baylor over #16. Norfolk State – Home game for Bears.
#9. Marquette over #8. North Carolina – Smart money on Shaka.
#3. St. Mary’s over #12. Indiana – West Coast Conference bridesmaids have their day.
#4. UCLA over #13. Akron – Mick Cronin, bad suits, great coach.
#11. Virginia Tech over #6. Texas – Wofford!
#3. Purdue over #14. Yale – Yale scouting report: Purdue is an excellent academic school – with really good hoops.
#7. Murray State over #10. San Francisco – Ja’s Boys!
#2. Kentucky over #15. St. Peter’s – MAAC slapped.
Sweet 16
#1. Baylor over #9. Marquette – Home game for Bears.
#4. UCLA over #3. St. Mary’s – The WCC is down to the Zags
#3. Purdue over #11. Virginia Tech – Mike Young’s Wofford success was not a fluke.
#2. Kentucky over #7. Murray State – Behold the greatness that is POY Oscar Tshiebwe.
Elite 8
#1. Baylor over #4 UCLA – Bears over Bruins in a rugged Ursidee battle.
#3. Purdue over #2. Kentucky – The Boilermakers state their case.
Regional Final
#3. Purdue over #1. Baylor – Matt Painter joins the elite coach fraternity.
SOUTH REGION
#1. Arizona over #16. Wright State – Does a Zags assistant cut down the nets before Zags?
#9. Seton Hall over #8. TCU – Jamie Dixon reminded of how tough Big East teams play.
#5. Houston over #12. UAB – Best coaching job West of the Mississippi
#4. Illinois over #13. Chattanooga – Brad Underwood vs Dixon for exploding head competition.
#6. Colorado State over #11. Michigan – Why does the selection committee love the Big Ten?
#3. Tennessee over #14. Longwood – Best coaching job East of the Mississippi.
#10. Loyola Chicago over #7. Ohio State – Lord I was born a Ramblers man.
#2. Villanova over #15. Delaware – The Collin Gillespie Redemption Tour begins
Sweet 16
#1. Arizona over #9. Seton Hall – Wildcats overcome Pirate punishment.
#5. Houston over #4. Illinois – Built Kelvin Sampson tough.
#3. Tennessee over #6. Colorado State – An SEC school with a Big East flavor.
#2. Villanova over #10. Loyola Chicago – Program geared for Big Dance play.
Elite 8
#5. Houston over #1. Arizona – #1 seed plays a road game in San Antonio.
#3. Tennessee over #2. Villanova – Kennedy Chandler holds his own against Collin Gillespie.
#3. Tennessee over #5 Houston – Providence doesn’t make the Final Four but a former coach does.
MIDWEST REGION
#1. Kansas over #16. Texas Southern – Tigers a March Madness fixture. True.
#8. Creighton over #9. San Diego State – Bluejay nation makes Fort Worth home.
#5. Iowa over #12. Richmond – Great job by uber classy Chris Mooney.
#13. South Dakota State over #4. Providence – Friars are fried from wonderful season.
#11. Iowa State over #6. LSU – Tigers can begin coaching search in earnest.
#3. Wisconsin over #14. Colgate – Home game.
#7. USC over #10. Miami – Best beach subregional.
#2. Auburn over #15. Jacksonville St. – The dirtiest Pearl in the sea.
Sweet 16
#1. Kansas over #8 Creighton – Bluejays are a year away from a possible Final Four run.
#5. Iowa over #13. South Dakota State – Knicks fans alert! Keegan Murray.
#3. Wisconsin over #11. Iowa State – Knicks fans higher alert! Johnny Davis.
#7. USC over #2. Auburn – Are Trojans in danger of becoming of hoops school?
Elite 8
#1. Kansas over #5. Iowa – Since beating Memphis in 2008, Jayhawks have just two Final Four appearances. Hmmm.
#3. Wisconsin over #7. USC – Greg Gard’s Badgers take on all comers, handshake line included.
Regional Final
#3. Wisconsin over #1. Kansas – Chicago becomes a Wisconsin town.
NATIONAL SEMIFINALS
#3 Purdue over #1. Gonzaga – Mark Few remains thisclose.
#3 Tennessee over #Wisconsin – HS coaches all over the country, pull up a chair.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
#3. Purdue over #3. Tennessee – Wake the John Wooden echoes: Boilermakers prevail.
