ESPN has Michigan in the PERFECT Bracket
I know there will be a lot of moving around and ESPN is not always 100% right but right now Joe Lunardi has Michigan as a #2 seed with Gonzaga as the #1 and New Mexico as the #3
I would LOVE to be in this scenario and I believe Michigan would make a deep run with a bracket like this...slow day wondered what the Board thought about this?
if this holds. If UNC beats Duke or makes a run in the ACC tournament, they'll be higher than a 7 seed. I want no part of them.
I don't know if this has been brought up, so I didn't want to start a thread about it and get killed. But has anyone considered Sparty fans, classy as they always are, jumping on the bandwagon of whomever we're playing to make it a neutral at best crowd? I don't know how it's worked with UNC and Duke in the same building, but most conference fans cheer for each other in these tournaments.
I'm sure we'd cheer against Sparty, but I can see them resorting to lowest common denominator status and cheering harder against us than for its own team in its game.
UNC fans in Greensboro/Charlotte/Atlanta ALWAYS cheer against Duke. I'd expect Sparty fans at the palace to be cheering for the underdog as well, just like we'd do against them.
I noticed this a lot early in the B1G season, when all the bracket projections had Minnesota ahead of MSU and getting the second protected spot in Auburn Hills. I thought they would be much less likely to jump on the opppenent's bandwagon and less likely to eat up tickets Michigan fans would otherwise buy. But then Minny went into their swoon while MSU figured things out, and the we've pretty much been resigned to the split crowd.
As a UNC hoops fan, (ya I like UNC hoops and Michigan football, deal with it) I think this would be a fun match up. They are very similar in terms of their offensive play, (both rely heavily on the 3), and do not play great D. I think UNCs tempo could give Michigan a bit of trouble, but on the other hand, Trey would abuse Paige or Strickland. Neither have a great inside game. McAdoo is not your typical low post player, but he has been playing better as of late. Both teams are fairly young, but very athletic. UNC is a decent rebounding team even though they are playing small. It would really be an interesting game. Both teams would get open looks from 3, I guess it is just a matter of who is on that day.
appears to overlook one small detail - Gonzaga is actually really good.
Gonzaga is 5-2 against teams in the rpi Top 50 and 11-2 against teams in the rpi Top 100.
Michigan is 8-4 against teams in the rpit Top 50 and 10-4 against teams in the rpi Top 100.
to Illinois was eons ago. They play in a weak conference for sure, but I've watched them play. They're talented and well coached, with a very good big man. People on this blog that think we have a regional won if Gonzaga is the #1 in that regional better calm the fuck down.
Zaga is incredibly over-rated (not their fault, but still true)!!! Michigan could make a big run!!!
up just at the right time certainly scares ME. Talk all anyone cares to about their weakness, but there's got to be plenty talent on that squad. Then on to OSU>? Hokay!
Granted, I'd much rather take Gonzaga and New Mexico in our bracket than Duke, Kansas, Indiana, or Miami.
I definitely DO NOT want to play UNC, especially in the second round.
A lot of you guys are overlooking them.
Trust me, we want no parts of that defense. We haven't been good vs. pressure since Darius Morris ate up Tennessee in the tournament.
With MSU also being put in Auburn Hills for their first two games, is there any concern about them backing UNC? I know Michigan will be well represented (especially vs UNC) but we've all seen UNC fans turn out and rout against Duke when both play in Greensboro.
Also could be interesting to see if B1G fans band together in San Jose.
Just to show everyone what another site has, the algorithm at TeamRankings Bracketogpahy has us being the #3 in the Midwest, facing off against Stony Brook and then the winner of Colorado and La Salle.
As for the Big Ten, in the West, they go with Indiana at #1 and Minnesota at #7. In the South bracket, #3 goes to Michigan State and Wisconsin is the high team in the dreaded 5-12 against Wichita State.
So the Final Four of Michigan, Indiana, MSU, and OSU can come true. (Sorry, I can't say the Badgers there with even a semi-straight face).
Not that any of this is the least bit reality, but if we're having fun with it...
This would be even more dominant than SEC football.
I wasn't lying last week when I said the B1G Championship Final Four could be more compelling than the NCAA Final Four.
I'm not going to say this is the best year for a conference ever. The Big East was just DISGUSTING a few years back (I believe UConn won the NCAA Tournament). Those 2-3 years of the Big East were just as good as this year of the B1G. I do take this B1G over the ACC because typically that was just Duke and Carolina...and maybe Maryland or FSU or NC St. in some years.
It would not shock me to see 5-6 teams in the Sweet 16, 4-5 in the Elite 8 and 2 in the Final Four.
Don't forget about Minnesota. They're more than capable of making a run deep in the tournament. I actually had them in my Elite 8 along with Michigan, Indiana and MSU.
I didn't think Wisky has enough firepower on offense and I think Ohio is too much of a 1-man show in Thomas. Not saying that either won't make it, it's about matchups...but without seeing a bracket, those were my thoughts.
Ohio - OUT in Round of 32
Wisc - OUT in Round of 32
Minnesota - OUT in Sweet 16
MSU - OUT in Sweet 16
Indiana - OUT in Championship
Michigan - 2013 NCAA Champions
Minnesota is a 10 seed that would have to get through Louisville and Indiana to make the Final Four.
If this was the bracket, they'd be done.
Not a fan of MSU's or Michigan's bracket. From a quick look, it seems like OSU has the easiest path out of Big Ten teams.
Be significantly easier than Michigan's?
Two words describe this bracket: BONER INDUCING.
I think if we get by UNC, we'll be playing VCU instead of New Mexico.
"perfect" bracket has us set to be upset in the round of 32 by UNC... They are playing really well as of lately.
GTFO. Same record as Kansas, superior record to Georgetown with far superior SOS and RPI yet Duke are a 2? Fuck Lunardi.
Michigan wins: 3) KSU(N), MSU(H) 4) OSU(H) 6) Pitt(N) 8) NCSt(H) 9) Ill(H & A) 10) Minn(A)
After reading all of yall posts, I can come to the conclusion that Michigan can't beat anyone that they face in the tournament and that they will be out in the third round. It's funny, just a couple of years ago, we were looking at joe lunardi every week seeing if we were the last four in or last four out now we are either a 1 seed or 2 seed, must be nice not to worry about the bubble. If we play like we played when we played NCstate, pitt or kansas state we can beat anybody. The big ten prepared us for any type of team that we will face. So michigan will be final four or bust in my opinion no matter what bracket we are in.