Your favorite NCAA sleeper picks
What are your favorite Cinderellas, sleepers and dark horses this year? Could be a lower seed you expect to get through to the Sweet 16, a middle seed you’re picking to the Final Four, or just anyone not being talked about that you think will be the story in a couple weeks.
I’m taking Iowa State to the Final Four and I’m sure to regret it. I like Auburn to the Elite Eight. I like Cincinnati to the Elite Eight. Last I think Saint Louis could do some damage before running into the Duke buzzsaw.
New Mexico St is a team that can make a run. I agree Iowa St and Cincinnati could make runs to the final four as well. Murray St with Ja Morant. I think Oregon is hot right now as well. I basically have named almost everyone I feel like. I’ll stick with Oregon and Cincinnati.
I have the winner of Belmont/Temple and New Mexico State in the Sweet 16. And that has more to do with the teams in their 4 team pod than it does with the teams I picked. No other major upsets making it to the second weekend.
I had Auburn in the E8 too, and I have Houston in the FF. Houston isn't much of a sleeper in my opinion, but in that region of Blue Bloods I think they aren't being picked a whole lot
I think they're a reasonable pick to make it to the Elite 8 over Kentucky, but that's when I expect their run ends against UNC.
Whoever is playing Sparty, Ohio State and Wisconsin. Go those teams!
Just for shits and grins, I've got Northern Kentucky getting to the Sweet 16 before falling to us, and LSU taking down Duke (because Fuck Duke) and making it to the FF and also falling to us.
I have Villanova back in the Final Four. Certainly more of a "sleeper" than a Cinderella.
I almost went with Nova, but have Kansas State beating them to get to the Final Four instead.
KState isnt scary at all without Wade though
LOL Nova wont get out of round 1
Ok?
I don't know why that pick in particular made you "lol" but whatever.
Jay Wright has two national titles, and another final four to boot.
But he flames out of the tourney more often than about any other coach that fields a quality team. 6 out of the last 8 tourneys he didn't make it out of the first weekend, and four of those flameouts Nova was a 1 or 2 seed.
I'd stay away from Nova, especially one that isn't particularly that good for Nova standards
Louisville is a Top 20 KenPom team as a #7 seed. They get an injury-ridden Sparty and the #3 seed on their side of the bracket is a team w/o a coach.
MSU really isn't injury-ridden. They have Ward back, his conditioning is a little bit of an issue but really he is not playing because Tillman is just way better and Ward has never been good. He is available for depth now. They are really just without Ahrens, and he averages like 4 points per game.
josh langford.
He hasn't been on the team since like Christmas. He is simply irrelevant to the discussion.
Honestly man, I think you need to let that point go.
fat chance.
No, I am correct in that analysis. You are the one who was hanging on to it. I have treated State straight up this whole time, you have always viewed State as “down a guy.” And I think that mindset was kind of adopted by Michigan as well. Michigan State is not “down Langford,” they are just really good team. I think there is a fair chance they beat Duke.
Langford is just not relevant, unless it is for Izzo to use as an excuse if Coach K bombs his ass again. Don’t give them the credit of always being having to “overcome” something. It is a gimmick. Izzo wants people to view State as “short-handed.” It is how he motivates. Langford is a generic whatever guard that wouldn’t start on Michigan.
Stop. The guy was averaging 15 as game, shooting 40 from three, and is one of their better perimeter defenders. If it was the 10th guy on their bench, sure, you'd have an argument. But as it stands, you don't. They lost one someone that the entire universe knew was starting. He was a big part of their plans.
Again, you know us Michigan fans would have an excuse in our back pocket if any of our important starters went down in December.
Ok, I want to settle it with this question to you.
What possible relevance should Joshua Langford have in the discussion of how Michigan State will fair in the NCAA tournament? This thread is asking about sleeper picks, and the guy suggests Louisville over State because Langford is out? Michigan State just beat us three times without Langford. They won the BIG regular season and tourney championships without Langford. So, Louisville is going to upset State because...... no Langford? That does not make any sense.
It is foolish to include the non-presence of Joshua Langford as a reason why Michigan State will get upset in the tournament. When Langford went out for the season, Michigan State became Michigan State without Langford and that is who they have been for over two months. So, there is no point in discussing whether MSU will or will not do something with reference to Langford. He does not factor into the equation. Again, like McGary 2014. I think at this point you are kind of being purposefully obtuse to not concede the point.
Buffalo can play
They're my sleeper pick.
Seton Hall, Murray St, Northeastern
I like both Seton Hall & Murray State too.
SHU --- not a good KenPom team. But playing well lately, seemed well-coached (when I watch them), and they're more balanced than Wofford. They should beat them and they've already beaten Kentucky once this year. Could see them as a #10 to the Sweet 16.
Murray --- they'll have the best player on the floor in any 1st and 2nd round game.
Houston to Elite 8.
Houston is a 3 seed. I am not sure them getting to the Elite 8 qualifies as a sleeper.
That seems reasonable.
Duke to FF
U C Irvine is the best team you've never seen. They are a lock for the Sweet Sixteen.
Yale to the sweet 16.
I think LSU is way over-seeded and I don't think Maryland is a great team, especially when not highly motivated.
I also think St. John's could win a couple games if they get past the play-in game.
MSU got the toughest 1 seed, but their whole region otherwise is soft. Their 3 seed is in the midst of a wire tap scandal and it wouldn't surprise me at all if they flamed out vs Yale.
Yale and Murray St. LOCK IT IN JEROME
Syracuse over Gonzaga and Saint Mary's over Villanova are my two flyers. Neither goes any further than that, though.
West:
Syracuse playing Michigan. Syracuse knocks out Murray St in S16. Buffalo takes out Texas Tech.
Midwest: Auburn beats Iowa State in E8. Wofford takes out Kentucky. Northeastern beats Kansas.
East: Louisville takes out MSU. Liberty takes out Miss State. LSU goes to E8, which I consider to be a sleeper in a weird way as everyone has written them off.
South: UC Irvine takes out K-State. Wisconsin to S16. Villanova to E8.
Ditto Liberty
Bradley, baby!
But seriously, Florida as a 10 seems under-seeded and could make a run if Michigan messed up. But beyond that, Murray St. has a dominant, NBA-ready player on their roster. Come tourney time, those guys can take over games to a degree that can carry a squad. And OSU, warts and all, probably would have been seeded higher if Wesson hadn't been suspended those last couple of games. They are probably a bit better than your average 11 seed.
If we lose to MSU 4 fucking times in the same season that would be sub-optimal
Syracuse to the elite eight, loses to Michigan
Nova over Virginia
My sleeper pick? Michigan to FF. Seriously... they have a great path:
Michigan gets Nevada/FLA then likely Texas Tech/Buffalo in the Sweet 16.
The Elite 8 matchup is a winnable game against Gonzaga if chalk holds in the top half or FSU or Syracuse if upsets start happening.
Nobody likes Vermont? They've got a dude down low that just absolutely destroys. I think we see a Murray St. vs. Vermont 12 vs. 13 in the 2nd round.