There are 10-12 teams that can win it all…

[RockChalk82]

The most wide open it’s been since at least 2019. When you had a similar layout.

2020 it was KU and then maybe the Zags, Baylor and 1-2 others. We were so far above the next guys tho.

2021 was Baylor And the zags only. They weee so far above the next guys.

if you think about it….

auburn - arguably best freshman with a great coach and intense team play.
Kentucky - loaded talent wise and this is not a bunch of freshman. Mostly SO and JR’s.
Baylor - defending champs and loaded with talent again and 3’s shooting ability.
KU - has all the pieces but inconsistent at times. With Braun and Ochai can go all the way.
Texas Tech - best defensive team in country imo.
Gonzaga - zags again an elite team. Holgmgren maybe finally gets them over the hump.
Purdue - great balanced team with a ton of veterans.
Arizona - athletic team with elite talent.
UCLA - lots return from last years team that for To final four. Juzang could go further now.
Nova - never bet against senior guards like Gillespie. Solid team.
Providence - very athletic and long.
Duke - the other arguably best freshman with a great supporting cast.

all have teams that can go all the way. For different reasons…..

 

[Fighter of the Nightman]

Duke is really ridin’ that name…

 

[Noahtogo24]

Would add the Vols if Providence is on this list ...

 

[winin11]

Bama says hello

 

[hawkit3113]

The most wide open it’s been since at least 2019. When you had a similar layout.

2020 it was KU and then maybe the Zags, Baylor and 1-2 others. We were so far above the next guys tho.

2021 was Baylor And the zags only. They weee so far above the next guys.

if you think about it….

auburn
Kentucky
Baylor
KU
Texas Tech
Gonzaga
Purdue
Arizona
UCLA
Nova
Providence
Duke

all have teams that can go all the way. For different reasons…..

Way to grab the top 10 ranked teams, lol

 

[ExitFlagger]

Bama says hello

Thread says goodbye.

 

[RockChalk82]

Way to grab the top 10 ranked teams, lol

bc there’s no major gaps between them all like 2020 and 2021. I can see any of them cutting it down for different reasons.

you can’t say that for the last two years for sure. I don’t remember 2018 and 2019 as well. But didn’t think there was a true alpha or two those two years.

 

[mtsuhog85]

Honestly, any team can win it all if they have the right path.

 

[RockChalk82]

Honestly, any team can win it all if they have the right path.

Kentucky is my pick as of now….

We’ve had a couple teams the last two years tho that have been so far above the rest of the pack. We didn’t have a tourney in 2020 but I’m sure either KU or Gonzaga would have won it, and Baylor played Gonzaga for it in 2021 as expected

we have at least 7-8 teams that can claim that this year and maybe more.

one minute I make my case for Kentucky for obvious reasons of talent, the next I can for a Nova even due to Gillespie a senior leader and guard. Then I see the zags or Baylor and see them getting back to the title game for several reasons.

 

[winin11]

Thread says goodbye.

Not your thread ExitFagger

 

[ExitFlagger]

Not your thread ExitFagger

Bet that qualifies as a sick burn in Alabama.😂

 

[winin11]

Thats called the truth....in any state

 

[Fighter of the Nightman]

Got to watch some Big East ball tonight, what a game! And … I’ll take the Illini over Providence every damn time.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

bc there’s no major gaps between them all like 2020 and 2021. I can see any of them cutting it down for different reasons.

you can’t say that for the last two years for sure. I don’t remember 2018 and 2019 as well. But didn’t think there was a true alpha or two those two years.

2020 Iowa > 2020 Dayton > 2020 Kansas

 

[dukedevilz]

Providence - very athletic and long.

I like the fight in this team. But, they don't have enough talent to win it all.

 

[Montana81]

give me kentucky baylor gonzaga or zona and you can have the field.

 

[Demarcus Kidd-Miller]

I think it'll be Zags, Zona, UK, Duke, Auburn, Purdue, Illinois or Kansas.

 

[winin11]

Auburn, KY, Zags and AZ will be toughest imo.

 

[Fighter of the Nightman]

Auburn, KY, Zags and AZ will be toughest imo.

When AZ is on, I think they’re the best team in the nation. I’m a bit biased, as we (Illinois) played one of our best games of the year vs. them in an AMAZING home court atmosphere, and we still came up 4 points short in the end. They are tough as hell.

 

[ExitFlagger]

When AZ is on, I think they’re the best team in the nation. I’m a bit biased, as we (Illinois) played one of our best games of the year vs. them in an AMAZING home court atmosphere, and we still came up 4 points short in the end. They are tough as hell.

 

[Original_Irish]

Any team who is top 20 in KenPom for offense and defense has a chance. That’s been the metric that has been consistent with predicting who can win it all.

 

[boilerzz]

Any team who is top 20 in KenPom for offense and defense has a chance. That’s been the metric that has been consistent with predicting who can win it all.

The problem with people quoting that metric is it is only true for teams following the NCAA tournament. not before.

 

[Montana81]

The problem with people quoting that metric is it is only true for teams following the NCAA tournament. not before.

Yep. Duke in 2015 was like 71 in defense before the tournament. 11th after. 6 games can make a big difference

 

[Original_Irish]

The problem with people quoting that metric is it is only true for teams following the NCAA tournament. not before.

Hm, I did not know that. Thank you for sharing.

 

[RR30]

Kentucky (if healthy)
Gonzaga
Purdue
Duke
Baylor

Those are the 5 I'd pick as of now

 

[Noahtogo24]

March Madness 2022: Ranking the top NCAA Tournament projected seeds and their status as title contenders

A look at the projected top seeds for the NCAA Tournament and how they they should be viewed as March approaches

www.cbssports.com

1. Zags
2. Purdue
3. Auburn
4. Zona
5. Kentucky
6. Kansas
7. Duke
8. Baylor
9. Illinois
10. Nova
11. Wisconsin
12. Texas Tech

 

[lurkeraspect84]

The most wide open it’s been since at least 2019. When you had a similar layout.

2020 it was KU and then maybe the Zags, Baylor and 1-2 others. We were so far above the next guys tho.

2021 was Baylor And the zags only. They weee so far above the next guys.

if you think about it….

auburn - arguably best freshman with a great coach and intense team play.
Kentucky - loaded talent wise and this is not a bunch of freshman. Mostly SO and JR’s.
Baylor - defending champs and loaded with talent again and 3’s shooting ability.
KU - has all the pieces but inconsistent at times. With Braun and Ochai can go all the way.
Texas Tech - best defensive team in country imo.
Gonzaga - zags again an elite team. Holgmgren maybe finally gets them over the hump.
Purdue - great balanced team with a ton of veterans.
Arizona - athletic team with elite talent.
UCLA - lots return from last years team that for To final four. Juzang could go further now.
Nova - never bet against senior guards like Gillespie. Solid team.
Providence - very athletic and long.
Duke - the other arguably best freshman with a great supporting cast.

all have teams that can go all the way. For different reasons…..

I feel like this is an up year with the transfers, freshman, super seniors, NIL.

There's a hand full of teams this year that could be favorites in years past.

This tournament is a loaded deck.

 

[fleckabelly]

Funny to me that people sleep on Arkansas. They started out in the top 10, won 9 in a row, and then went through a strange 6 game stretch where they allowed over 80 points a game to really bad teams. Losing 5 games to Oklahoma, Hofstra, Texas A&M, Vandy, and Mississippi State. Outside of that stretch, they’ve been the best defensive team in the SEC.

Not saying they are the best team, but outside of that 6 game stretch against bad teams, Arkansas is 22-1. They realistically would be #1 without that. Seems like a team flying under the radar.

 

[mtsuhog85]

Funny to me that people sleep on Arkansas. They started out in the top 10, won 9 in a row, and then went through a strange 6 game stretch where they allowed over 80 points a game to really bad teams. Losing 5 games to Oklahoma, Hofstra, Texas A&M, Vandy, and Mississippi State. Outside of that stretch, they’ve been the best defensive team in the SEC.

Not saying they are the best team, but outside of that 6 game stretch against bad teams, Arkansas is 22-1. They realistically would be #1 without that. Seems like a team flying under the radar.

2-1 pt losses. And JD missing the MSST game when our rotation was bad.


Losses nonetheless, but playing much better as a team right now.

 

[ExitFlagger]

Funny to me that people sleep on Arkansas. They started out in the top 10, won 9 in a row, and then went through a strange 6 game stretch where they allowed over 80 points a game to really bad teams. Losing 5 games to Oklahoma, Hofstra, Texas A&M, Vandy, and Mississippi State. Outside of that stretch, they’ve been the best defensive team in the SEC.

Not saying they are the best team, but outside of that 6 game stretch against bad teams, Arkansas is 22-1. They realistically would be #1 without that. Seems like a team flying under the radar.

So you had a really bad stretch and lost to several bad teams, and you wonder why people “sleep” on Arkansas?

 

[fleckabelly]

So you had a really bad stretch and lost to several bad teams, and you wonder why people “sleep” on Arkansas?

I never said anything about wonder. There’s no doubt Arkansas is a much better team than those teams, but for some reason the new guys weren’t clicking and they were playing terrible defense at the time.

If you believe they will somehow revert back to that team, that’s fine. I’m pointing out they’ve won 13 of their last 14 since then against much better teams.

 

[PIGBOOGER]

Funny to me that people sleep on Arkansas. They started out in the top 10, won 9 in a row, and then went through a strange 6 game stretch where they allowed over 80 points a game to really bad teams. Losing 5 games to Oklahoma, Hofstra, Texas A&M, Vandy, and Mississippi State. Outside of that stretch, they’ve been the best defensive team in the SEC.

Not saying they are the best team, but outside of that 6 game stretch against bad teams, Arkansas is 22-1. They realistically would be #1 without that. Seems like a team flying under the radar.

This. Arkansas has beaten both the teams on the initial list. There is no team in America that Arkansas can’t beat.

 

[mikeinknoxville]

Funny to me that people sleep on Arkansas. They started out in the top 10, won 9 in a row, and then went through a strange 6 game stretch where they allowed over 80 points a game to really bad teams. Losing 5 games to Oklahoma, Hofstra, Texas A&M, Vandy, and Mississippi State. Outside of that stretch, they’ve been the best defensive team in the SEC.

Not saying they are the best team, but outside of that 6 game stretch against bad teams, Arkansas is 22-1. They realistically would be #1 without that. Seems like a team flying under the radar.

Looking forward to the last game of the season.

 

[fleckabelly]

Looking forward to the last game of the season.

Yep, hope y’all hold on here and somehow it can be for the title.

 

[GE Nole]

Kentucky (if healthy)
Gonzaga
Purdue
Duke
Baylor

Those are the 5 I'd pick as of now

Duke is in your 5?

 

[RR30]

Duke is in your 5?

Yeah. Elite frontcourt. Very talented wings. K's last tournament, etc etc. Lot of questions but there really isn't an elite team this year.

Also just picking the top 5 teams is boring.

 

[GE Nole]

Yeah. Elite frontcourt. Very talented wings. K's last tournament, etc etc. Lot of questions but there really isn't an elite team this year.

Also just picking the top 5 teams is boring.

I agree with you about not just picking the 5 best teams. But man, Duke has looked pretty bad against a bunch of average or below average teams in the ACC.

 

[Noahtogo24]

I agree with you about not just picking the 5 best teams. But man, Duke has looked pretty bad against a bunch of average or below average teams in the ACC.

True, ACC being down did Duke no favors in preparation of the tourney- however, of course with wins over UK and Zags nonconference play, and that was without AJ Griffin..

 

[mikeinknoxville]

Yep, hope y’all hold on here and somehow it can be for the title.

Its getting interesting. I might have to watch the Auburn-Mississippi State game.

 

[Random UK Fan]

Kentucky is my pick as of now….

I see too much inconsistency to put my money on UK. If we meet a team with a 7 footer, or a team that runs a really good press, it’ll be a long night. We had one guy scoring today, nobody else with much consistency. 2 starting guards back, probably a bit rusty, but they’ve had a few moments of just not providing much. Grady, our only real 3 point specialist gets locked down 3/5 games and doesn’t know how to find his own shot. UK always allows someone a career night. We used to be able to lean on the “we’re young”, but we have two 24 year olds on the floor much of the time. Our coach won’t play a zone to save his life. He saves timeouts like they’re Vegas chips he can turn in for cash at the end of the game. All of that combined frustrates me to no end!

I’m not rooting against UK, but there’s a lot of fundamental things we ignore. For every reason someone can produce as to why we have a chance, I see 2 why it’ll be hard. Cal all but dares other teams to beat us, and several now know how.

Fun Fact;

Kentucky’s Davion Mintz was a freshman at Creighton when his teammate TyTy Washington was in the 8th grade.