Predicting the 2014 NCAA Tournament Immediately After the Selection Sunday Process

Let the Madness begin!

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead

Let the Madness begin! A short while ago, Selection Sunday revealed that Virginia (East), Arizona (West), Wichita State (Midwest) and Florida (South) have scored the No. 1 seeds. Not a huge surprise considering how the conference tournaments played out. To check out the rest of the bracket, click here. And speaking of brackets, before you get your Nostradamus on for office glory or in an attempt to snag that $1 billion prize, hear what we have to say in Predicting the 2014 NCAA Tournament Immediately After the Selection Sunday Process.

RELATED: 10 Types of People Who Win March Madness Pools

East

Not Available Interstitial

Final Two: Virginia, Iowa State 

It's been said that defense wins championships. If that's the case, then Virginia going to be a tough team to beat in this tournament. They're just brutal on the defensive end. They should be able to breeze through their half of the bracket. As for the other half, there's a lot to like about Iowa State. These guys are strong offensively, averaging 82.9 points per game, and they have two big men in the paint who don't mind battling it out for a board. Plus, their resume which includes wins over ranked teams—Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor and Michigan—which suggests that this team is no pushover. The Cyclones could really get people's attention in March, but can they carry that momentum over to April against Virginia? Now that's a tough call. 

Midwest

Not Available Interstitial

Final Two: Kentucky, Duke

Wichita State had a great run in the regular season, but they aren't going to the Elite Eight. So, who's going to shock the Shockers? Sorry, we had to. Look no further than Kentucky. Where Wichita State thrives is in the paint, boxing out and battling for points and boards, the Wildcats are ruthless near the basket with Julius Randle and Willie Cauley-Stein. The 'Cats have their lapses here and there, but if they can put it together like they did in the SEC Tournament, expect the Shockers to be the first No. 1 seed knocked out of the competition. If Duke meets Michigan in the Sweet 16, that will be the Blue Devils first true test in the region. And that contest will probably look a lot like their game in early December. The Dukies will come out on top and one step closer to heading to Arlington.   

West

Not Available Interstitial

Final Two: San Diego State, Wisconsin

This region is where plenty of brackets will get busted. Arizona is a strong team. No doubt. But they can be beaten. A strong defense is capable of bouncing the Wildcats out of the tourney, which is why we're looking at an upset victory in the Sweet 16 when the 'Cats face San Diego State. The Aztecs aren't going to light up the scoreboard, but they are a physical team that can knock around with 'Zona. In the other half of the region, you can't help but notice Creighton and their star Doug McDermott. After an impressive Big East Tournament showing, McDermott could continue his sharpshooting. However, their first matchup against Louisiana-Lafayette is looking like an offensive showdown. If the Ragin' Cajuns can contain McDermott, we could witness a big upset. Other than that, this portion has Wisconsin written all over it. 

 

South

Not Available Interstitial

Final Two: Florida, Syracuse

Florida is on an absolute roll right now, winning 26 straight games. Usually, the Tournament is about teams getting hot at the right time and carrying that momentum into March Madness. The Gators could get bounced early by an offensively lethal UCLA squad who could very well upset a tough VCU—a school with a legacy of putting up a good fight around this time. However, Florida should be able to breeze through to the Elite Eight. As for the other half of the region, it's all about whether or not Joel Embiid plays. If Embiid is in, the Jayhawks are playing Florida for a shot at the Final Four. If not, look for Syracuse to right the ship, especially after playing their first two games in nearby Buffalo. A couple of wins could lead to a boost of confidence that they could ride into a match-up with the Gators. 

 

Conclusion

Not Available Interstitial

Latest in Sports