SIAP: ESPN Expert Predictions for The Game

Nice

Michigan has bested Kenpom multiple times this year against top 10 teams. They can do the same tonight. Go Blue!

Time to shock the world. O LET DO IT. O LET DO IT.

That's why the game is played on the court. No one gave Loyola Chicago a chance to get this far, or gave UMCB a snowball's chance in hell to beat UVa. Both of those things happened. This tournament has been batshit crazy. 

I don't at all blame the experts for picking Villanova. If I was a completely unbiased observer, I'd probably pick them, too. But once those kids all step on the court tonight, anything can happen. Beilein and Co. are playing with house money, and all the pressure is on Villanova to go out and "do what it's supposed to do." Play like there's no tomorrow, because there really isn't one.

If Michigan can find it's A&M offense tonight, this is anyone's game. 

Michigan doesn't have to beat them in a best of seven series, they just have to win tonight and anything can happen in a single game. Can't wait for those kids to get the opportunity. Go Blue!

Pretty sure these are the same people who picked Staee to win it all a few weeks ago

that won it's last 3 in the BTT and lit up TAMU has a great chance to win tonight.

Be the only undefeated team in March!!!

we are carrying the spirit of the underdogs and pull this one off

Can anybody summarize the Texas Tech game who watched it?  Nova scored 71 on 19 made FGs (and only 4 made threes).  Yea, the FTA margin was big but it didn't get out of hand until late.  Nova had 7 assists against 12 turnovers.  Tech's defense is just behind us on torvik.  On the good side: all powerful Nova is capable of playing like garbage against a good defense.  On the bad side: yea, they still won.

 

I would pick Nova as well, but like all ESPN "experts" these chase the shiny toy and assume that because Nova wasn't guarded in any meaningful way by Kansas, Michigan and Beilein will be as dumb as Self and let the Wildcats rain hot fire down. Michigan is an underdog. But you'd have assumed by this point in the tourney that predicting a 10+ point win by the #1 team over the #7 team is a bit of a stretch.

Yeah, well, one of those "experts" picking Nova is Myron Medcalf... you know, the guy called out on the board yesterday for having Ray King and Jimmy Jackson as 40% of Fab Five.

I hope coach Yaklich shows the ESPN predictions to Zavier and Z rips a phonebook in half.

... fuck the experts. Go Blue!

The guys on First Take and Jay Williams pretty much just ripped Michigan saying we have absolutely no chance. They also said that Brunson will eat Simpson easily, I guess ignoring the fact that besides that first half against Loyola, every pg he's faced as been limited. Jay said he expects a blow out and easy win for Nova.

LOL, John Thompson III predicts Villanova will put 94 on us and win by 16.  That could happen, but that's a bold claim. They put 95 on Kansas' #47 defense while torching the nets and setting all-time records. But our #3 defense will only hold them to 1 fewer point?  C'mon, man...this guy is paid for this opinion?

Nova lost to St Johns this year. They are good. They are not a team of Walton led UCLA cyborgs sent into the future to destroy college basketball, they can be beaten. Let the "experts" have their say. Many of them picked Loyola (one of them went as far as to predict Loyola would drop 85 points).

I ain’t scurred! 1. Play our transition and 3 point D. 2, Get some of our own transition points. 3. Drive to the basket. They will block some shots. Keep driving and kick as needed. 4. Win the game!

Recency bias in full swing. If we can control a lead in the first ten minutes we are in good shape

should be banned forever as an "expert".  Villanova over Michigan 94-78?  That is asinine.  Its as if he hasn't watched any of the games.

We are not going to lose - but even if we did, it sure as hell isnt going to due to giving up 94 points.  Not this year - not this team.

Idiot...

After the performance Villanova put in on a fellow one seed, and our offense going mostly AWOL for 4 of 5 games, I'm not surprised those who get paid to prognosticate would go with them. That's okay because the end result doesn't rely on what they think. 

Villanova is due for an off game triggered by a suffocating defense that hasn't let Michigan down all tournament. Go Blue!

In an was kicking contest...

This isn't terribly surprising. Nova is the best team in the country, and people generally overreact to blowouts. I was far more puzzled by the number of sports pundits who picked Loyola to beat us. It gave the impression that it was a pick em type game when one team was clearer better.

But you being scared doesn't matter. Our players know they're a good team. We don't need to dick ride Nova for them

Nova played their best game Saturday.  They won't play that well again.

 

Will we be able to slow them down?  Will we shoot well enough to win?  Dunno.  But I know we've got way more of a shot than anyone is giving us.  Good grief, we're the AP and KenPom #7 team in the country.  We can beat ANYONE.    I'd say KenPom is about right--we have about a 1 in 3 shot.  That's HUGE.  I mean, who would ever turn down those kinds of odds at a National Title?  Even the most dominant 1 seed doesn't have those kids of odds at the beginning of the Tournament. 

The Sagarin computer rankings have a rating that more heavily weights recent games.  Based exclusively on that rating, we are actually a 2 point FAVORITE.  Take that for what it is worth.  I know a lot of people hate Sagarin, but............

That's practically a Villanova coronation.

In sports, I don't do coronations.

 

Didn’t all these “experts”pick Virginia-msu in the final and msu winning it all lol