As of Today, Rank Your Top 5 Teams Most Likely to Win the Tourney
- Thread starter DezyVol
- Start date
1. Duke
2. Michigan
3. Michigan State
4. Virginia
5. UNC
Waiting on deck: Gonzaga and Purdue
2. Michigan
3. Michigan State
4. Virginia
5. UNC
Waiting on deck: Gonzaga and Purdue
UNC and Purdue??? WTF?
UNC has supreme talent all over the court and guys like Luke Maye who have major tourney experience. Purdue has an elite PG and March is ruled by guards.
Also, they are currently 7th and 8th on KenPom. Let’s not act like I picked two random teams out of a hat.
So I’m curious, assuming you’re attempting to be sincerely objective...what are the flaws you see in Tennessee and Kentucky? Just curious
I think Purdue is rally coming together. BUT....My issue with them is they rely a lot on the 3 pointer. Like a whole lot. Now.....If Williams can continue to improve, along with Harrms----then they ceratinly could be dangerous. I'm just leary of them because of their reliability on the three.
Not just them...but Gonzaga as well. They have a lot of pieces. A lot of really good pieces.
No order...
Michigan
UT
Duke
Gonzaga
MSU
Very close-----UK, Villanova and UVA.
I was high on Nova in the preseason. Took some lumps. But Wright can coach, and he's built not only a culture there, but a championship culture. They are getting better and better.
Michigan
UT
Duke
Gonzaga
MSU
Very close-----UK, Villanova and UVA.
I was high on Nova in the preseason. Took some lumps. But Wright can coach, and he's built not only a culture there, but a championship culture. They are getting better and better.
Lol none of you fools are picking UVA in your brackets
Kentucky is like a poor mans Duke to me. Tons of youth and the youth isn’t as talented as Duke’s. I could see them make a Final Four with the right draw, but not cutting down the nets.
As for Tennessee, when’s the last time a program made their first Final Four and went on to cut down the nets? That’s a different kind of stage. Tennessee has barely survived home games against bubble teams with the big target on their back. How are they gonna handle a Final Four or Championship game against a team like Duke or Michigan State with coaches who have been there time and time again?
On top of that—and this one isn’t your fault—Tennessee isn’t really facing elite teams in the SEC. Vols have played one elite squad all year, Gonzaga, and the Zags don’t exactly have a track record of excelling in March against long, physical teams. Add in the fact that Tennessee gives up a ton of offensive rebounds...
Is Tennessee a great team? Sure. Can they make a Final Four? Possibly. I’m just not seeing a true title contender.
Fair enough. I disagree with you, but at least you can articulate your point.
No knock on MSU, but I just don’t get all the love. Who have they beaten?
A Vol fan disagrees with me when I don’t pick the Vols as one my 5 most likely teams to cut down the nets. I’m shocked I tell you, shocked!
Seriously, when is the last time a first time Final Four participant won the title?
After them I think you have to go all the way back to 1963 when Loyola-Chicago won it.
Okay, but there are a lot of teams that have those combinations. Gonzaga, Virginia, Tennessee, Villanova etc.. I mean Purdue waswas even ranked until this week and UNC, while talented, has been handled by several teams, one of those teams was unranked, just lost to Pitt and smoked UNC in Chapel Hill.
It's just an odd list. I didn't expect Purdue to make anyones list.
And for UNC to make the list, but UT and UK to he left off is odd.
Pretty sure MSU is tied for the most Quad 1 wins with 8 at this point. And have played KenPom #4 most difficult schedule.
LOL, what? So, because a program has never been to a final four, their chances of winning a title are poor?
But you have Purdue on your list? I think Purdue has made a FF in their past, but was Matt Painter even born yet?
Then you say UT has barely SURVIVED home games against bubble teams, but you have UNC on your list, they were blown out on their home court by an unranked Louisville team that just got beat badly at Pitt and wasn't playing as well as they are now.
Then you said Gonzaga has a history of losing in the NCAAT against Long athletic teams. Ha ha. Well for 1, everyone struggles against Long athletic teams and for two, they were in the damn title game two years ago and beat some damn good teams to get there.
You're all over the map man.
What's the difference between a team that hasn't been to a final four in 5 years and one that has never been to a final four?
None of the players in either scenario has ever been to a FF, so why does that matter?
Remember, you have Purdue on your list.
Also, Virginia is on your list, when is the last time they made a FF?
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Well, I listed Virginia and Gonzaga was my 1st team out. So...I’m not really seeing your point on those.
Just because the writers have slept on Purdue doesn’t mean they aren’t legit. I watched them court side. Very good team. Like I said, 7th on KenPom right now. Any team with a PG like Edwards is gonna be in the mix.
What are your five teams? I notice you haven’t answered the actual question yet. Just spending your time ripping the guy who selected the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 8th best teams on KenPom, as if that’s a bunch of scrubs. Lemme guess, I didn’t pick your precious Kentucky squad and you got your jimmies rustled?
And fwiw, Louisville is 13th in the country on KenPom. What they were in some dumb writers poll 3 weeks ago doesn’t really mean anything.
For general purposes, the team that made the Final Four 5 years ago doesn’t spend an entire week answering media questions about what’s it like to make it to the first final four in school history. It also likely means they play for a program where deep NCAAT runs are expected and they won’t just be happy and in awe that they made it to the Final Four.
In this specific example, Purdue has Carsen Edwards and Tennessee doesn’t. Of course, I didn’t even include Purdue in my top 5 most likely (or even top 6), so wtf are you whining about? They aren’t “on my list.”
Virginia is on a mission after last year’s embarrassment. They are also just way better than Tennessee.
1. Duke - Overwhelming favorite and not close imo when they are playing their best basketball.
2. Gonzaga - With the addition of Tillie and lottery pick Rui, my goodness they are good, but like to flame out in the tourney. They have the talent and pieces to win though.
3. Tennessee - The most consistent team in CBB. However, consistency seems to fade in the NCAAT for some reason.
4. Michigan State - When fully healthy, they are deadly deadly.
5. Villanova - They are getting better and better, Jay Wright is one of the hottest coaches in CBB at this point and I won't count him out now that he has it rolling.
Honorable mentions: UVA, Kentucky, Michigan, and Kansas (with DeSousa)
2. Gonzaga - With the addition of Tillie and lottery pick Rui, my goodness they are good, but like to flame out in the tourney. They have the talent and pieces to win though.
3. Tennessee - The most consistent team in CBB. However, consistency seems to fade in the NCAAT for some reason.
4. Michigan State - When fully healthy, they are deadly deadly.
5. Villanova - They are getting better and better, Jay Wright is one of the hottest coaches in CBB at this point and I won't count him out now that he has it rolling.
Honorable mentions: UVA, Kentucky, Michigan, and Kansas (with DeSousa)
^^^this^^^
Tennessee is probably my fifth option though, if one of their two stars gets into early foul trouble, they’re done.
March is a different animal folks. We have seen number 1 seeds lose their sh*t in the first round.
I think Tennessee does have the talent to make the final four. But we are finding ways to win games that we probably should be dominating. You can only do that for so long. South Carolina worries me so I wont be bragging just yet.
I think Tennessee does have the talent to make the final four. But we are finding ways to win games that we probably should be dominating. You can only do that for so long. South Carolina worries me so I wont be bragging just yet.
GE, it is posts like these that make me want them to bring back water boarding. Be glad that I am in the minority on this.
So you skated around the most important part. Why does a team have to have been to a FF previously before they can win a title? That might be the dumbest thing I've read on here by a mile.
My 5 teams:
Duke
UVA
Michigan
UK
MSU
I think UT and Gonzaga are just outside of that.
I guess it has to be Michigan that wins the title huh? They're the only ones that have players that have been to a FF. Darn.
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