My pick is Florida, I know it is not going out on a limb, but I think they are the best team in the country. Here are a list of teams I am looking at
Top Tier teams (3)
1. Florida- best team in the country
2. Kansas- Probably the most talented starting 5 in the country....playing great defense right now and have a number of guys that can score..........and they are passing and playing very unselfish
3. Georgetown.........don't sleep on the Hoyas, this team is the 3rd best team in the country in my estimation.......they have inside and outside.........can knock 3s down, can penetrate, can score consistently inside, take good shots, and play great defense
Next Tier
4. Ohio State.....have a lot of components to do it, still young, and not sure they will handle pressure
5. North Carolina....this team has the talent to do it, inside/outside game, when they play defense they can do it
6. Wisconsin......I really liked this team to have a chance at the Final 4, but it hurt them really bad when Butch went out of the lineup.
7. Texas A&M..........This is a solid squad, good rebounding and defense.....
Next Tier
8. Pitt.......Not been playing well recently.....have inside/outside and can play defense when they want to
9. UCLA........I like this team, but don't think they have enough scoring down low.......best perimeter defense in the country
Next Tier
10. Virginia.......If this team only had an inside scoring presence......best starting backcourt in the country in Singletary and Reynolds....complimentary players, just no consistent post scoring........that will hurt them in the Sweet 16 and further if they make it further
11. USC.........USC plays defense the Tim Floyd way.....rebounding.......scoring inside and out....this team has a chance to surprise
12. Texas.......this team is solid, a bit young, and a bit like Virginia in that they do not have enough low post scoring........have a feeling we get a treat in the tourney from Durant.......no one, I mean no one can stop him........when you have that you have a chance to go far
There are a few others I meet be forgetting, but those come to mind off the top of my head...
Darkhorses
Stanford........If Stanford makes the tourney, and they should, and if Anthony Goods returns to health.......I think this is a team that could make some noise....as they are solid defensively, have scoring inside and outside....
Indiana.....Sampson is the coach, they play hard, rebound, and defend, plus they can drive and knock down the clutch outside jumper
Georgia Tech.........Playing well right now.........very athletic and seems they are putting it together
I know a lot of people will say Maryland, but personally I don't trust the Terps and somehow I see them getting upset in the 1st round
Under the Radar
Watch out for Davidson........this team can flat out shoot the ball and have what it takes to pull off an upset or two in the tourney....
Well that is it for now, but wanted to put some thoughts down off the top of my head |