Predictions for victory
March Madness
Timothy Smith
Issue date: 3/15/10 Section: Sports
The NCAA basketball championship tournament is unpredictable - to a point.
Every year, there are new contenders and surprising upsets, but there are also a few things you can set your watch to. "Oh, it's March? It's Madness? It's the traditional powerhouses marching through the tournament!"
This year, the Chicago Flame expects three perennial contenders to be at or near the top by the end of the season and predicts that one team will break through and have a great run.
Kentucky
This powerhouse is ranked second in the country and has won more national titles than every team but UCLA. Kentucky has won 7 national championships while UCLA has won 11. But we're not talking about the 1970. We're talking about today, and Kentucky has got to be the favorites. Ranked a #2, the Kentucky Wildcats have the best point guard in the country in John Wall and that will be a great help. One question, though, is if his youth (Wall is a freshman) will hurt the team.
Kansas
Ranked first in the country, the Kansas Jawhawks might be the best, most well-rounded team. And they're coached well, too. Head coach Bill Self is a master motivator and a great technician who will have his kids ready to compete. This team has experience, too: in 2008, they won the National Championship and they might well do it again. At the very least, they're going to be in the picture!
Duke
We list fourth-ranked Duke third here, but it's not because the other teams are clearly better than they are. It's in honor of their front three: Jon Scheyer, the best three point shooter in the entire country; Kyle Singler, one of the finest rebounders in the college game who can also hold his own as a shooter; and Nolan Smith, a good guard who rounds out their front. It's been nine years since Duke won a little title and they must be getting antsy. They have the team to win!
Wildcard: Buckeyes
The Ohio State University Buckeyes have never won a national title. This might be the year that changes. The team has experience from their being the runner-up at the 2007 tournament and this year, they might be able to push deep into the tournament with their explosive guards.
Every year, there are new contenders and surprising upsets, but there are also a few things you can set your watch to. "Oh, it's March? It's Madness? It's the traditional powerhouses marching through the tournament!"
This year, the Chicago Flame expects three perennial contenders to be at or near the top by the end of the season and predicts that one team will break through and have a great run.
Kentucky
This powerhouse is ranked second in the country and has won more national titles than every team but UCLA. Kentucky has won 7 national championships while UCLA has won 11. But we're not talking about the 1970. We're talking about today, and Kentucky has got to be the favorites. Ranked a #2, the Kentucky Wildcats have the best point guard in the country in John Wall and that will be a great help. One question, though, is if his youth (Wall is a freshman) will hurt the team.
Kansas
Ranked first in the country, the Kansas Jawhawks might be the best, most well-rounded team. And they're coached well, too. Head coach Bill Self is a master motivator and a great technician who will have his kids ready to compete. This team has experience, too: in 2008, they won the National Championship and they might well do it again. At the very least, they're going to be in the picture!
Duke
We list fourth-ranked Duke third here, but it's not because the other teams are clearly better than they are. It's in honor of their front three: Jon Scheyer, the best three point shooter in the entire country; Kyle Singler, one of the finest rebounders in the college game who can also hold his own as a shooter; and Nolan Smith, a good guard who rounds out their front. It's been nine years since Duke won a little title and they must be getting antsy. They have the team to win!
Wildcard: Buckeyes
The Ohio State University Buckeyes have never won a national title. This might be the year that changes. The team has experience from their being the runner-up at the 2007 tournament and this year, they might be able to push deep into the tournament with their explosive guards.
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Ian
posted 3/15/10 @ 2:26 PM CST
Look in the record books, Ohio State won a national championship in 1960 led by three basketball hall of famers: Bob Knight, Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek. (Continued…)
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