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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN NCAA TOURNAMENT SPECIAL SECTION THURSDAY, MARCH 15,2007
>> CINDERELLA HOPEFULS
Underdogs ready for upset
BY TAYLOR BERN
1. Creighton
The Bluejays have a scoring threat in senior shooting guard and MVC Tournament MVP Nate Funk.
senior Anthony
Tolliver averages
13.4 points and
6.7 rebounds.
Creighton
rattled off four
wants to and the
season, including a third victory against NIT-bound Missouri State and a MVC Tournament championship victory against Southern Illinois. If Tolliver can control WAC player of the year Nick Fazekas on the defensive end, Creighton can hang with and out-shoot Nevada and possible second round opponent Memphis.
2. George Washington
Senior guard Carl Elliott presents match up problems with his 13.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists while junior Maureece Rice leads the Colonials with 16.2 points. Elliott is also tied for 10th in the nation with 2.6 steals. First round opponent Vanderbil has quality wins against Florida, Tennessee and two wins against Kentucky, but
Tim Larsen/ASSOCIATED PRESS
the Commodores limp into the tourney with five losses in their last 10 games, and George Washington could face Oral Roberts in the second round.
George Washington, led by senior guard Carl Elliott, could be one of the Cinderella teams in this year's NCAA tournament. Other teams that could fall into this category are Creighton, Old Dominion, Wintosh and Wright State.
3. Old Dominion
The Monarchs were a good team early in the season with a four-point loss to then red-hot Clemson and a 13-point point at Georgetown. They became a great mid-major in January when they rattled off 12 conference wins, including their second victory over NIT-bound Drexel. 6-foot-7 senior forward Valdas Vasylius, who averages 15.8
points and 6.2 rebounds, should own the paint against a Butler team that lacks an interior pres
ence, and could lead Old Dominion into a dogfight with Maryland.
The Eagles have had a lot of mid-major supporters since their 2-point loss to No. 2 seed Tennessee in last year's tournament. Junior Michael Jenkins, who averages 15.3 points a game, leads a trio of
balanced scorers, which also includes Torrell Martin and Craig Bradshaw, who average 14.2 and 13.3 points respectively. Winthrop lost
to North Carolina and Wisconsin early in the season by a combined 10 points, and has won 18 straight games heading into Friday's game with an overachieving Notre Dame team.
5. Wright State
Horizon
Player of the Year DaShaun Wood scored a league-leading 19.8 points per game, and averaged 26
points over the Raiders last two games. If coach Brad Brownell and his team can limit Pittsburgh star Aaron Gray, his guard is good enough to lead them into a match-up with either Virginia Commonwealth or a weak Duke team.
— Edited by Erin Wiley
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>> 'HORN BORN, 'HAWK BRED
Who's who in west region from top to bottom
BY TRAVIS RORINETT
KANSAN.SPORTS COLUMNIST
TROBINETT@KANSAN.COM
No.1 seed Kansas — If you're
reading this news-
paper, you already
know what you need
to know. Kansas is
playing the best bask-
tball in the country
right now.
No.2 seed UCLA — The Bruins
into the tournament, but UCLA staying in California makes it the sexier pick for many.
No.3 seed Pittsburgh All
season, the Panthers struggled to defeat high caliber competition, but then beat Marquette and Louisville on a neutral floor in the Big East Tournament. Then they lost to Georgetown by 23 points. PITT
No.4 seed Southern Illinois
— Jamaal Tatum is the real deal, a senior with talent and experience. The Salukis haven't
scored 80 or more points in a game this season but the most points they've given up in a game is 70.
No. 5 seed Virginia Tech — The Hokies played a non-conference schedule packed with incredible mid-majors and lost to four of them. They swept No. 1 Seed North Carolina, but lost three times to NC-State. They can beat or lose to anyone. They're a typical No. 5 seed.
No. 6 seed Duke — The Blue
streaky.It's a bit risky,but don't sleep on Duke
No. 7 seed Indiana
— Nothing sticks out for the Hoosiers. D.J. White is a quality big man, but the only one they have.
If they hit threes they'll be dangerous
stucky — the Wildcats were 8-8 in their last 16 games. They have decent shooters, decent defense and a few
No. 8 seed Kentucky — The
decent wins. Overall, they're pretty mediocre.
No. 9 seed Villanova — Curtis Sumpter, Scottie Reynolds and
Mike Nardi are a good offensive trio. Not one starter for 'Nova is taller than 6-foot-8, but they are all athletic and good she
No. 10 seed Gonzaga
Bulldogs tend to do better when they are seeder this low, and actually made the Elite Eight in 1999 when they were a No. 10 seed. They shoot nearly 40 percent from three-point range and enter on a five-game winning streak.
No.11 seed Virginia Commonwealth — The Rams have terrific shooters, but no one taller than 6-foot-7. If they aren't hitting shots they won't get many offensive rebounds.
No.12 seed Illinois
No. 12 seed Illinois — The Fighting Illini's best win is Indiana on a neutral court. They belong in the NIT.
No.13 seed Holy
Cross — One upset
up! The Crusaders have two solid
seniors who play
more than 35 minutes a game. They will eventually be killed on the glass, Jr.
Southern Illinois.
- a ers t play each men
killed on the glass, but not against Southern Illinois.
way has of th
K nigh Niap first sons a se traw
F
>>
The Raiders defeated No. 5 seed Butter twice down the stretch. They have almost no inside presence though.
champion has no chance against UCLA. Any mid-major who shoots worse than 70 percent from the foul line has no credibility in my book. The Wildcats should have played instead of M
which will be tough to make up f against Pittsburgh's Aaron Gray. No 15 seed Wheeler State
No.14 seed Wright State
No.15 seed Weber State
meal Swee
It cell leng
They play
fast-pace
basketball
Charron
Fisher
averages
cats should have played last night instead of Niagara.
more than 20 points per game and all five starters average more than 10.
all v
No.16 seed Niagara — The Purple Eagles started 1-6 after a bizarre suspension of six players. Since their return they are 23-5 and on a 12-game winning streak.
Robinett is an Austin, Texas, senior in journalism.
T Stat Kan in A Fou char
Rob that
Edited by Mark Vierthaler
GUEST COMMENTARY
Midwest underdogs may upset higher-seed schools
BY ADAM HOGE
Editor's Note: The Daily Cardinal is the student newspaper at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The Daily Cardinal sports editor Adam Hoge examines the Midwest region. The Badgers are the No. 2 seed in the region.
There's always that one bracket that is completely messed up by the end of the first round. It happens every year. Three of your four Sweet Sixteen teams in that bracket are out and your Final Four team was ousted in the first round.
.
This year, the Midwest is set up to be that bracket. I'm not picking Florida to be playing Davidson and Winthrop to be playing University of Nevada-Las Vegas, in the Sweet Sixteen, but it's possible.
What makes the Midwest so hard to pick is that five of the eight first-
round games feature underdogs that could easily win. Old Dominion could top a Butler team that might be seeded too high at No. 5. Davidson is on a 13-game winning streak and Maryland has been up and down all year. Winthrop is everyone's Cinderella, but after seeing what Torrell Martin and the Eagles did in Madison when they forced Wisconsin overtitude, I think they could easily beat Notre Dame and Georgia Tech in the Chicago pod and there seems to be a consensus that either of these teams could top the Badgers to get into the Sweet Sixteen.
If you are wondering what will actually happen though, it might be a good idea to stay on the safe side. Florida has the experience and a relatively easy path to the Elite Eight. Wisconsin, while struggling, is still too well coached to fall this weekend in Chicago. There might be a lot of red on your Midwest bracket this weekend, but don't forget that the defending champs have the easiest route to Atlanta. Pick Florida.
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