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SOUTH BRACKET

My Pick: Despite playing an awful brand of basketball down the stretch and finishing at an even .500 in their last 12 games I am attatched to Jay Wright's Villanova Wildcats (24-7) team. Nova has huge wins this season over Maryland, Georgetown, and West Virginia, all teams who are 4 seeds or better in the tournament. With terrific guard play (with the exception down the stretch) I believe this team can get to Indianapolis. Guard Scottie Reynolds is the straw that stirs this drink and he was the main reason this team faltared down the stretch, because he did as well not scoring over 20 points in his final four game and only dishing out more than 4 assists once in the Cats final eight games. If Scottie Reynolds can get it going, and get help from anyone on this ball club, this team is very dangerous, and President Obama concurs. Reynolds and the Wildcats face off against 15 seed Robert Morris (23-11) from the NEC, who won't be intimidated by playing a national powerhouse like Villanova.

Team to Watch: The Louisville Cardinals (20-12). You may be surprised of me to chose a 9 seed to watch with them having to play the 1 seed in the second round. But assuming Rick Pittino's kids can get past the 8 seed Cal Bears (23-10) they could create fits for the Duke Blue Devils (29-5) who is not as athletic as Louisville is. Of course Duke will have to get by the 16 seed Arkansas-Pine Bluff (18-5) in the first round who started their season on an 11 game skid playing all tough opponents. But the more physical Cardinals team can give the Devils a run for their money in round 2 if they can get a bit lucky and get Duke to miss a few jumpers.

First Round Upsets:  In this bracket I have a couple of mild upsets of 9 seed Louisville knocking off 8 California as mentioned in my Team to Watch. I also like the 10 seed Saint Mary's Gaels (26-5) over a very tough 7 seeded Richmond Spiders (26-8) team that has defeated 6 tournament teams including Missouri and Xavier. I also have a couple of large first round upsets in this bracket and a 12/13 second round matchup believe it or not. I like 12 seeded Utah State (27-7) from the Western Athletic Conference. The Aggies have on of the best 3 point shooting teams in the nation going up against the worst 3 point shooting team in the Big 12 of 5 seed Texas A&M Aggies (23-9) who shoot 33 % from long range. 3's will be a factor in the battle of the Aggies. And one more upset that I have in the first round is the experienced 13 seed Siena Saints (27-6) who have won a first round game each of the last 2 seasons as they drew 4th seeded Purdue (27-5) who lost their starting forward Robbie Hummel last month to a torn ACL.

Players to Watch: F Kyle Singler (DUKE) 17.6 ppg 6.9 rpg  39.4 3PT FG %

                                         G E'Twaun Moore (PUR) 16.6 ppg 3.7 rpg

                                         F Luke Harangody (ND) 22.4 ppg 9.2 rpg

                                         G Scottie Reynolds (NOVA) 18.5 ppg 39.9  3PT FG%