By Paul M. Banks, Peter Christian, David K.
PETER CHRISTIAN
Elite Eight: Wisconsin, Villanova, UNLV, USC
Final Four: Marquette, UNC
Runner-up: Louisville
National Champion: UCLA
Sleepers: Wisconsin, UNLV, Baylor
Overrated: UCONN, Davidson, Gonzaga
All-American First Team:
Tyler Hansbrough F UNC, Luke Harangody F Notre Dame, Stephen Curry G Davidson, Darren Collison, G UCLA, Ty Lawson G UNC
All-American Second Team:
Chase Budinger F Arizona, Patrick Patterson F Kentucky, Hasheem Thabeet C UConn, AJ Price G UConn, Scottie Reynolds G Villanova
Player of the Year:
Tyler Hansbrough F UNC
All-Freshman Team:
Jrue Holiday G UCLA, Kemba Walker G UConn, Samardo Salmons F Louisville, Delvon Roe F Michigan St., B.J. Mullens C Ohio St.
Freshman of the Year:
Jrue Holliday G UCLA
Toughest Conference:
Big East
For David K.’s picks (which are quite a bit more in-depth) click here
PAUL M. BANKS
Elite Eight: UCLA- Randy Newman may “Love L.A.†but they seem to have trouble lately on the last weekend of the tourney, Purdue- because one Big Ten team has to make it, right?, Syracuse- don’t sleep on them, UConn- a very balanced team
Final Four: Notre Dame (ugh! unfortunately), NORTHWESTERN they will win 40 games this year and run the table in March Madness. Ok, seriously Texas (because everything’s bigger in Texas, including expectations when you have solid post-perimeter balance like the Longhorns do.
Runner-up: Louisville…“slugging†their way to the title game,.
National Champion: North Carolina…â€raise up! Take your shirt off, spin it round your head like a helicopterâ€
Sleepers: Any newly recruited big white oaf on Wisconsin, Georgetown, a middle-of-the-road Big East team that none of us have mentioned yet.
Overrated: Brian Butch, I know he’s gone now, but I hated him so much that I had to take one last shot at him. Wisco’s tournament chances will be overrated again come Selection Sunday. I’m not sold on Marquette either. Call me a F.I.B. if you want to cheeseheads!
All-American First Team: Juice Thompson, Craig Moore, Kevin Coble, Northwestern, Demetri McCamey and Trent Meacham, Illinois. Ok, you know I’m not serious about that. I don’t know why I’m so punchy with my picks tonight!
My real picks are Carolina’s Hansbrough, Curry the Davidson kid, Thabeet the big oaf on UConn, Budinger from Arizona who will dominate the NIT in March, and Texas’ A.J. Abrams, not to be confused with J.J. Abrams co-creator of ABC’s “Lostâ€
All-American Second Team: I’m skipping this category this year, because I can’t, in good conscience, put any Illinois or Michigan St. players on it this year.
Player of the Year: Tyler Hansbrough F UNC. Just please come up with a new celebratory “gesture†that attempt at dancing or imitating a baby T. Rex or whatever that was in the ACC Tourney last year has got to go.
All-Freshman Team: See Dave’s list. Or Pete’s. they know a lot more about this category than I do. But of course I agree with the choice of Sparty’s Delvon Roe.
Freshman of the Year: B.J. Mullens, Ohio St. Lately, they haven’t been rebuilding at the post position, just re-loading!
Toughest Conference: The Big East by far! It certainly isn’t the Big Ten who will regale us for the fourth year in a row this March with a conference tournament composed of many 55-50 final scores. These telecasts will be ambien in college basketball form
Arizona will be just fine this year!!!!!
Diddy
I cant wait for this seaosn to begin! pretty excited!
I think we should pick a SportsBank Game of the week, post a preview and then post a running text message re-cap of the game…?
love it Pete…
Nova? USC? really? we need to talk, podcast style
What about my prediction of Northwestern, who has yet to make the big dance in their school’s history, to go 38-2 and cut down the nets in April?
Ummm, I’m going to choose not to comment on Mr. Banks’ pick of NU.
David, I love Nova this year. Scottie Reynolds is a stud and he will lead Nova Jameer Nelson style.
ARIZONA!!!! CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP
Diddy Out
JJ Abrams for all-america!