Who Fighters best songs. Possibly it's in the it's in the mix, it's in the conversation. I think it might be. I think it's it might be my favorite food sid Foods food Fighter song. Excuse me, but Ken Palmeroy is sitting across from me, Foo Fighters fan. I believe. Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, best food Fighters song in the mix, in the conversation. Yes, that's in the conversation certainly. Okay, fair enough. How are you? Ken?
I'm doing well, Spence. It is your time of year, Ken Pomeroy live in studio for an entire hour, so buckle up. If you've not filled out your brackets, it's time to get some some tips, some knowledge here and I'll take this opportunity to encourage you to go to ESPN seven hundred sports dot com and join our Brocket Challenge. You can play against us the talent on air. That's where the call us. That's not my term, that would
be pretentious. Uh. You don't fill out brackets very often, if I remember correctly, Yes, yeah, I try to avoid it. I try to avoid it. I mean I filled out one.
I do have one here, Spence that I filled out nice against my will. But just to appease folks like you. I have a bracket folks like me.
Yeah, I don't exactly know what that means.
That just means Like when I do media appearances, people are always like, oh, you got in your sweet sixteen in the South region or whatever, and like, okay, I have I have an answer. Okay, that's good for that purpose. I'm not entering a pool of any type. I just want to make that clear.
Okay, no pool. Ken Palm is not entering a pool. But coming up in our second segment, we are going to talk about your bracket and I'm going to take notes because I have a family bracket, I have a friend bracket, and then I've got to try to win this thing again at work, which I've done five straight years. It's not a big deal. Wow, humble brack So North Carolina.
Nobody thought that they should be in, right at least, that's I felt like most people thought that they, you know, kind of got lucky to get in West Virginia whatever. San Diego State's a good team. That was not a fair fight. Are you okay with Carolina getting in? I'm assuming that you know that's kind of your your feeling.
Yeah, the Yeah, the narrative kind of got out of control respect to Carolina. I mean, part of it is because their AD is on the is the head of the basketball selection committee, So that was one issue. The second issues that the AD got a bonus if their team made the field, So that probably shouldn't be allowed if you're on the committee. I don't think it should be in your contract that if your team gets in you get a bonus. It's a bad look. It's a
very bad look. Even though the AD, Bubba Cunningham, was required to not be in the room for any discussions about Carolina, nonetheless bad look. But the reality was Carolina actually did deserve to be in the tournament. If you look at some of the more useful resume based metrics, it was really Xavier was the team that got in
that shouldn't have got in. But because Xavier did not have representation on the committee, nobody cared about Xavier and everybody focused on Carolina, And as we saw last night, I mean that's not proof that they should have been in. But obviously, at their best, Carolina is a very very good team.
I mean I've watched I've watched them here there this year and they've they've got some good wins, but like San Diego State, it's a good defensive basketball team. They could not do a thing against Carolina last night.
This is like a long running issue with Mountain West too, where it's like, yeah, you think, you know, you look at their profiles and you think some of these teams should be more competitive than they are in these first round games, and yeah, ultimately that was, I mean, just a brutal look for the Aztecs. This was not a you know, a great San Diego State team, not on the level of the team you know two years ago they got to the title game.
But it's still a team that Yeah, it was a pretty good defensive team. They got Magoon gwathe back, who is a.
Sneaky, fringy NBA prospect Rin protector type of guy, but they were no match for the tar Heels.
So Ken Pomeroy, who is one of the most wildly respected, widely and wildly but widely respected college basketball mines in the country, has his bracket sitting on the counter in front of me. I feel like it's like the Holy Grail. There's this like magical kind of feel around it. But before we get to the bracket, which we'll do a little bit later. Let's start with general tips and pieces
of advice as people. I know you don't love this stuff, but hey, it's you know, people are going to fill out brackets, and a lot of people filling out brackets now that haven't watched basketball year. I told you this is the time of year where I'll get text from my aunts or you know, family members I haven't talked to in a while, like hey, will you fill up my bracket? I'm like, just so you know, it's an
exercising futility. But you hear things like great coaching, You hear things like great guard play, you hear things like matchups whatever, just for our listeners that are about to sit down and fill out a bracket, just generals, generally speaking, thirty thousand foot view pieces of advice.
Ken, Yeah, I wouldn't latch onto any one, you know, hyper specific aspect and pretend like that's going to be the key to your success. I mean, coaching, of course is important, but it's not an overwhelming quality if the talent isn't there. Like Bill Sell, for instance, outstanding coach, maybe the best coach the last twenty five years in college basketball. His team is not very good this year.
There's nothing, no sort of magic potion he's going to come up with to get that team to the final four. The general idea is you want to be just kind of loosely informed on how good these teams are. Like the NCAA tournament this year really top heavy in terms of the quality. You know, one, twos and three seeds are all probably a better quality than they normally are, so you know, picking against them, picking some sort of wild upset.
You know, I'm not.
Against having fun with the upsets, but if your goal is to you know, stay in contention for your pool, you probably want to avoid picking crazy upsets in the first round or two.
Well, and also, and you correct me if I'm wrong. It feels like the I went to the final four in Indianapolis back when Florida had Noah and Horford and it was UCLA with are on a falaalow. I think George Mason was the team that made it in that year as a wild card Cinderella, and they got smoked more often than not. Elite eight final four, the cream typically rises to the top. Is that fair? That's correct, That's correct, But obviously you do you do get upside.
You know, you have the NC State situation from last year where they were like just amazingly lucky to win their conference tournament and then they got in in won four games in a row and.
Got to the final four.
This year, it seems like it's less likely for something like that to happen, just because there is such heft at the top of the bracket that there just won't be It's gonna be very hard for these teams to get knocked off early. It's not to say you're gonna
have four one seeds in the final four. The chances of that happening are even this year are only like five percent, so so not great, but you're gonna see I would really be surprised if you have any teams in the final four outside of the top three seeds.
Let's say, all right, of the four to one seeds. Okay, here's your cliche media guy question of the day. You've got Auburn, who's the number one overall seed. You have Duke Cooper flag expected to play on Friday. Duke will learn their opponent tonight as the final play in games are taking place. Then you've got Houston out of the Big twelve of course, and then I told you this a few weeks ago for whatever reason. And this is a problem I run into when I fill out my brackets.
I'll watch a team randomly four or five times throughout the year, and they'll blow me away. That was Florida this year. Every time I watched a Florida game, I'm like, nobody's talking about them, and they're awesome. Well, they just won the tournament, the best conference in America. So Florida is the other one seed of the four to one seeds. Which team would you say either is most prone to be upset early or is the weakest of the four And why I would go with Auburn.
I mean, first of all, they are the lowest rated team in my ratings, so they're the number four team in the country, which is still awesome obviously, but the
weakest of the four seeds. The second issue is that potentially in their second round game that we matched up with the Louisville team that has kind of themselves been under the radar all year, was kind of badly underseeded in this tournament, probably should have been a five seed, maybe a six at worse, end up with an eight But the good for Louisville is that they are playing in Lexington, Kentucky, which is like an hour drive from Louisville. And so, as you may know, Kentucky is a a
basketball crazed state. Sure should be a pretty good turnout there. I mean, Auburn will have some fans, they'll travel too, but I have a feeling that Louisville will have the lion's share of the fans if they do. If they are able to get by Creighton in their first round game and matchup with Auburn, and so that's easily the toughest second round game and need these one seeds will have, so that that could be a potential issue for the Auburn Tigers.
While we're in the South. Does the Committee just take a vacation during conference tournaments? I mean, Michigan wins the Big Ten tournament, they beat two four seeds, they beat a three seed, and they're on the five line, Like, does the committee just fundamentally ignore what you do in conference tournaments?
I think they ignore what you do on the weekend in conference tournaments. So yeah, I thought I found it interesting that you know, there was some complain about you know, missed like the committee not paying attention to the Big Championship. I mean, the Big Ten Championship game ends like fifteen minutes before the selection show starts, so it's really not feasible for the committee to go in and tweak a
bracket based on that result. I mean, the graphics are surely already made for the for the show, and so yeah, that game doesn't count. If you want that game to count, you know, play your championship game on Saturday like most other conferences. So there's that issue. I don't think Saturday
counts very much either. I think the committee has admitted much in the past, like it's just so complicated to put these brackets together with all the rules that they have to deal with that for the most part, they're going to lock things in on Saturday unless you get some sort of you know, non traditional team winning a conference tournament that you have to slip into the tournament and then give another team in that large bid and
maybe another team gets knocked out because of that. But barring a situation like that, they're mostly gonna say, hey, Saturday morning, our bracket is pretty much locked.
You reference Xavier grabbing a bid when you didn't think they should give me just kick the tires on some overseeded teams, underseeded teams, some teams the committee got wrong.
Well, it's not even so much that the committee got wrong. They got Louisville wrong based on resume. Some of the other cases are just cases where teams are fundamentally either better in the metrics or worse in the metrics than their resume would indicate. So a seemed like in Zaga is the prime example of that, and it's not an unusual situation for them. But you know, they get an eight seed, they're ranked ninth in my ratings. You know, they struggled early in the year against some of the
quality opponents they played. Some of the teams they beat early in the year ended up not being as good as we might have thought. And then they got into conference play struggled a little bit. I mean, the only truly like high end quality wins you can get in that leaguer agains Saint Mary's. They lost both of their games in the regular season against Saint Mary's and then ultimately they did beat Saint Mary's in the conference tournament.
But it's a team that the fundamental metrics are way higher on them than the resume, so they're more of a quality of a two or three seed, but playing as an eight seed, they'll get matched up with Houston in the second round if they're able to get by Georgia, and you know, Houston will be favored in that game, but it's a pretty tough test for Houston in that
second game. And then the flip side of that would be Memphis, who got a five seed, won a ton of close games, plays in a weaker conference, ranked outside the top fifty in my ratings, So what are the weaker five seeds you'll ever see?
And then they get.
Matched up against Colorado State in the first round, who's one of the hottest teams in the country. So a chance here for you know, if the Mountain West is ever going to sourage some dignity, certainly a chance here for Colorado State to play a Memphis team who is weak and also possibly probably I would say, missing their normal starting point guard in Tyree's Hunter.
So BYU fans and members of the BYU media, and it's just the deal where we have to be upset about everything, whether it's the CFP Committee and football getting it wrong, whether SWIG closes too earlier, they run out of sugar or their basketball team doesn't have the proper seed. I don't know that six is egregious. I think you could make an argument for a five seed. But to me, the games in Denver, You'd rather be a six seed in Denver than a five seed in like Newark or whatever.
So BYU fans can drive down there before we get to the matchup. What do you make of the seed BYU is a six?
Yeah, I mean, if you're quippling over a five or six, you need to reevaluate what's important to you in life. In the end, it doesn't it doesn't make a whole lot of difference. I mean last year BYU is a six, and they were a bigger favorite in their first round game than you know, some four seeds were. So a lot of it depends on the opponent. And the issue here is that their opponent is, you know, pretty formidable. I mean VCU is you know couch by Ryan Odam.
Obviously we're familiar with him. It's just a really sound defensive team, really good interior defense. Tries to take away the three point shot to some extent, so you know, they have the ability to make BYU uncomfortable offensively, which is obviously an issue because BYU really depends on his offense to win games or defense lags behind a little bit. So so the issue here is more the opponent. But I would agree, like you're playing at altitude, I think
that is of some benefit. You're playing somewhat close to home, so you're gonna have, you know, undoubtedly gonna be more BYU fans at ball arena than there there will be VCU fans. So I think some of those things will help the Cougars in their first round game.
Are you a fan of a flavored soda from time to time?
I'm I'm not really no, I just you know, I'm at that age where you know you just can't cram a bunch of sugar down your throat.
Sure, I'm not judging. I'm sure swig is a porter. Have you ever? Did you frequent swig? Have you ever tried one of the I've got their menu pulled up. For instance, a Raspberry Dream is doctor pepper raspberry pure quote coconut cream. That's a lot of sugar. Did you frequent swig?
Definitely not a frequent I don't really do the soda thing in general. So the soda with more soda or sugar is not my lane. But I have tried what I believe is called a dirty doctor pepper.
Ah, it's pretty good, all right, Okay, let's get wild on a Wednesday with a dirty doctor pepper. But over to the matchup, Ken, Yes, so as you reference, and I'm not saying VCUS Houston at all, but like when you kind of dig into what they like to do defensively, they've got three six ten dudes, they've got the A ten Player of the year. Former Utah State kid Ryan Otum obviously was here coaching Utah State. The line moved about an hour ago by use a two point five
point favorite. Now it opened up at three point five. The Vegas action has gone the way towards VCU. Is this upset alert? How does by you get this win round one? Yeah, it's not gonna be easy.
I mean it's it's it's gonna be uh, it's gonna be a grind.
You know.
That's the other thing with VCUS that their defensive possession length is tenth slowest in the country. So that will uh, you know, it gives you an idea like they just forced teams to take some time to define good shots. And it also leads to the fact that vcus thirtieth in the country in turnover eight, so they're going to force some turnovers in those long possessions. They're number one in the country's shooting defense once you factor in the value of threes and two's number one in the treen
shooting defense against a weaker schedule. So take it with a slight grain of salt. But they are they are not Houston. We don't want to go crazy there, but they are the the A ten kind of version of Houston. And yeah, I mean by he's gonna have to make some shots. It's gonna make some tough shots to earn a win here.
Well, the reason I brought up the Houston parallel is and it wasn't just Houston. Iowa State b Yu beat Iowa State. But as much as there is to like about jegor demon as a pro prospect, every time they face pressure, he just he can't deal with it yet he's young. And then Kevin goes to Dollon down Hall and look, Dollen has gone through Big twelve battles. He's a vet. There's a reason Mark wantahum in Kentucky. But what happens if BYU is not knocking down their threes
and the VCU pressure gets to them. Because against teams that don't have elite length like VCU, as we've talked about, bring in foos, let him go to work. But Treori's six' five, maybe and these three six ten kids are gonna give them trouble with. Length if THE yu isn't knocking down shots and the pressures getting to, them what's what's the?
Answer, uh they have To they've got to figure that. OUT i don't know if there is an. Answer, YEAH i, mean but you bring up a good. POINT i MEAN vcu does have size and length of more of A Power conference. TEAM i mean they actually have this, Kid bamboye who is starts at center and he's not. Much he's very limited, offensively but he the Brit is he the kid for Ye but he's the second best in terms of like. Rate he's the second best shot blocker
in the. Country blocks a higher percentage of opponent shots than anybody in the country except for one. Person and, uh and so that's you, know that's what they're. Facing but, yeah They're, yeah you worry About yegor against the.
Defense it's, aggressive enforces.
Turnovers kevin's shown that he's not you, know late in the season, Here he's not just gonna Leave yeager out there for starters. Minutes he's gonna make a switch when when they need. It but but it.
It will be a.
Struggle BUT i, mean hopefully they're gonna have to figure out how to make shots because there's no other other way around.
This mainly, threes, yeah mainly. Threes mainly. Threes.
YEAH i would say they're going to figure out to make some threes and they're going to get fewer of those shots than they normally. Do SO i mean that's, why you, know that's why you're just talking about. IT i mean you can kind of figure out why the margin heres is so thin that they don't have, to you, know go eighteen to thirty six from. Three but if they go you, know at the dude nine of twenty four or something like, that that would be really.
Helpful so if they advance PAST, vcu they're most likely going to run Into wisconsin round. Two they get to the sweet. Sixteen what are your thoughts on that?
Matchup, Well, wisconsin this is not kind of your Typical wisconsin team of the last twenty five.
Years you, Know Greg guard is really modernized their.
Offense they play at a much faster, pace actually faster than average pace across college. Basketball so you know that this is not a Bow ryan team that's going to grind a game down to fifty five sixty. Perz they're gonna played normal. Basketball they two love to shoot the, three top twenty in terms of three point. Rate they're not necessarily a great team in terms of percent, percentage but they're gonna have five guys out there that shoot the.
Three they're gonna you, know they're they're. Big stephen Kraw is a. Guy they can shoot plenty of threes and try to you, know invert the offense and Enforce Kba cato Or fos or whoever it, is to you, know play some defense on the. Perimeter so that's the challenge
that that by you would face in the second. Round it's you, Know wisconsin went thirteen and seven In Big ten, play which doesn't necessarily sound, great but The Big ten was really good this, year And wisconsin did make The Big ten, finals so it's a it's a very, solid solid team and certainly a step up FROM bcu before.
We catch a. Break we're gonna get Into ken's bracket coming up, next which is sitting across from. Me are you going to take that with? You do you want to just leave it?
Behind and we're gonna actually after this because this is really my last media appearance of this, Week i'm going to crumple it up and throw in the.
Trash will you let me crupple it up and throw it in the? Trash if you want, to you want the, honor you can have. It, okay fair, Enough so let's. Move we Referenced Ryan otum used to Coach Utah. State Jared calhoun is their coach now and they're back in THE Ncaa tournament again and they're going to get A ucla team that on the. Season you, know they had to win At, oregon they Beat, Gonzaga they lost four or five during conference play when they got. Rolling but
they do have a win Against Michigan. State they've got to win Over. Wisconsin and it's weird to SAY ucla out of The Big Ten, ken but here we Are Utah. State it's a five point five point. Dog tell us about this?
Matchup, well IT'S ucla is actually quite similar TO. VCU i, mean you, know typical kind Of mick Cron an outfit. Here dependent somewhat on. Defense they forced a lot of, turnovers actually number one in kind of an obscure stat but it's a non steel turnover, percentage which essentially means they like to take a lot of. Charges so so that's something to watch for in this. Game they do force opponents to take more threes than, usual which could
work In Utah states. Favor but, overall it's been kind of an up and down year for The. Bruins never really got a whole lot of. Consistency did win seven in a row in the middle Of Big ten, play but struggled a little more down the, stretch got bounced pretty emphatically By wisconsin in The Big ten, tournament and
so that's kind of the. Story so it's you, know you're facing a team that's not necessarily doesn't have the firepower necessarily to run away from you, offensively but that defense is going to Give Utah states in.
Trouble lazaar's S tafanovich former you A Ucla bruin for a little bit of a local. Tie we'll catch quick break coming up next The Ken Pomeroy. Bracket, okay so if you don't know what you're, doing you're about to fill out a. Bracket ken's gonna help you. Out ken
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for over three. Decades Burt brothers doing it better since day. One more information can be found online At Burt brothers dot. Com Ken palm himself live in studio for another big segment coming up next right here ON espn seven, Hundred we've Got Ken pomeroy live in studio for one more big, segments and it is. Time it is time for The Ken pomeroy brackets. Reveal, KEN i will not go game by game by. GAME i will not do that to. You, okay we can do. WHATEVER i, mean it's that's one
of my favorite radio. Bits. Wait, wait are you willing to go game by? GAME i, mean if you want to hear a bunch of radios turn, Off, yeah we can do. That, no, no, No first of, all The Frank, layton WHEN i got into this, business he gave me some great. Advice he, said just remember nobody's. Listening. Okay So i'm, like, thanks. Coach so the radio is probably have turned. Off but, look it's that time of. Year THE ncaa tournament starts, tomorrow so let's let's let's dig into.
It let's start in The south. Region let's start in The south and we'll kind of jump around a little bit where you reference To auburn as the most potentially vulnerable number one, seed but they are technically the number one overall. Seed SO i would imagine you Have auburn And louisville, advancing right those? Two that's? Correct? Yep, okay so let's jump to the next. Round who do you have winning out Of auburn And.
Louisville i'm going With. Louisville's, hey, yeah we're gonna take A we're gonna take a chance. Here nothing more boring than the chalk, bracket, RIGHT i? Agree, so uh SO i like to have a, little you, know little spice to, it and uh, yeah get spot For. LOUISVILLE i really, think you, know the conference narrative gets overplayed as we get into the tournament and my bracket is fading THE sec and step one here is Knocking auburn out in the second.
Round, Okay so there you, go upset number one on The Ken palm. Bracket auburn advances Past Alabama, State louisville advances Past, creighton and Then louisville Beats. Auburn let's move down five. Twelve there's always weird five twelve Upsets, MICHIGAN Uc San, diego then below, Them TEXAS a AND M. Yale how do you have those matchups playing? Out we're going with the favorites in those.
Games you See San diego a popular upset pick, Here michigan not a huge favorite in this game will be a tough win for The, wolverines.
BUT i think they get it.
Done and then we'll go WITH a AND m over THE ivy leaguers From yale who obviously pulled off a huge upset last year and Beating, auburn BUT i don't think they can do it two years in a.
ROW i was going to ask you who The nerds beat last? Year it Was. Auburn that's, Right yoe beat So, TEXAS a AND M michigan. Advance who do you have advancing out of that? GAME i am going to go With.
Michigan, YEAH a And m's point Guard Wade taylor shoots like thirty nine percent on two pointers.
Or something like.
That it's a not an ideal situation.
For key buckets down the. Stretch so, yeah we're going With michigan in that.
One dusty may obviously past experience getting to a final fourth Forward, Atlantic.
Okay, okay moving down, Now Old miss will welcome In carolina After carolina curb STOMPED sdsu last. Night what do you think of this Matchup Old Miss. Carolina, yeah we're Going.
Carolina they're, upset they're mad at the, Worlds they're properly. Motivated i'm not Sure Old miss carries that same motivation, here although they are a fine team out of the. Sec But, carolina, really i, mean down the, stretch you, know last three weeks of the, season was playing quite. Well they WERE i mean the acc is, week, sure but they were beating their opponents fair really. Easily and then of course The duke loss extremely close and an
unfortunate ending. There, SO i, Mean carolina really is playing much better than an eleven seed at this?
Point AM i remembering The Iowa state? Upset? Drake Was drake a fourteen seed that Upset Iowa state When Iowa state was a three seed back in the. Day is that ringing a bell to?
You it's not ringing a bell to, Me, okay but, anyway definitely could have happened.
Once upon a. Time Iowa state is a three seed this, year b why you beat them? Twice of? Course Iowa state out of the big, twelve. LIPSCUM i know nothing about who wins this. GAME i just want to report On Iowa state upsets. First, okay in two thousand and, one they lost as a two.
Seed is that prior to the to the Infamous drake loss that we're talking.
About i'm not. Sure maybe who?
Did they lost To Hampton Hampton Craig bowlerjack called that, game, okay, okay, yeah the coach like ran off the court and like that one of their players like raise them. Over it seems to be the most famous first round. Loss and Then Fred hoiberg lost as a three seed TO.
Uab so.
Some some pretty ugly first round losses, there And iowa stayed as the team has really banged, up got some. Injuries team And lipsey there starting point guard and defensive, pest did not play in The big twelve, tournament but allegedly we'll be back for this.
One Keishawan gilbert did not play as. Well he is not back for this.
ONE i do think they have enough to get By, lipscomb AND i do think they have enough to get BY.
Unc so you'll Take Iowash state Beating carolina. Run, well we'll say the run For carolina comes to an. End, okay there you, Go marquette seven seed taking On New mexico out of The Mountain. West and you've you're on the record about The Mountain west failures in THE ncaa. Tournament Does New mexican have a shot at the upset? HERE i mean they have a, shot But marquette here the clear.
Favorite and, yeah it's just you, know when you see A Mountain west team at this, point you really better have a good reason to take. Them marquette a disappointing, YEAR a lot of people thought they might something like a top ten, team never really quite. Materialized but Cam jones has been outstanding number seven in.
The kenpom dot Com player of The year. Ratings he's their go to guy and a senior and a.
Leader And i'm gonna throw all the cliches here as the Y marquett wins this.
Game who was the player Was Cooper flag the Ken Pom player of The. Year he.
Is here's the thing about the Ken Pom player of The year on like all the Other player of The year, awards we also include THE ncaa, tournament so we really haven't crowned the player of the year. Yet If Cooper flagg is able to play he'll get. It but if he for some reason doesn't, Play Janni broom obviously second And auburn has a deep, run it's still possible For Janny broom to overtake.
Him Michigan State bryant right as they, say what do they? Say death taxes and Izzohen? March is that the? Deal so what's kind of the? Deal two? Fifteen what do you MAKE i mean not he's.
Not a bulletproof in In, march and he lost a game TO ucla in twenty, one been knocked out of the second round and the second round to the last three. Years but this is certainly one of his better teams PROBABLY i don't, know going since going back at least to the THE covid year or maybe the year. Before, yeah this is a Legit final four. Threat they have
been getting better as the year. Goes on finished the season pretty strong by winning seven in a row at the end of the regular, season And Jace richardson the name to watch. Here some Of Jason richardson FORMER nba, player but he's a freshman who's played really, well much better down the stretch.
Than he did in the first half of the.
Season so, yeah team to watch Playing, bryant who is coached By Phil Martelli.
Junior good. Knowledge there you. Go Jason richardson has a college age. Kid like WHEN i heard The boozer twins, like it just makes you feel, really really. Old yeah.
EXACTLY i mean we've been we've been through that a few times here the last few, years so it's kind of kind of immune to that at this.
Point it's. True all, Right so let's finish off this. Bracket in the sweet, sixteen you Have louisville And. Michigan who wins that. Game i'm going With michigan in that.
Game just a little, bit a little bit stronger team at this, point And louisville will not have home court vibes when they get out to the second.
Weekend Iowa, State, Michigan Michigan. State excuse? Me three to two there in the sweet, sixteen who advances?
Here, yeah we'll go With Michigan. State it's a little, bit a little bit better. Team Iowa state banged up a bit AND i think that'll be the difference.
There so we Have Michigan Michigan state in The elite. Eight yeah about. That that's pretty fun little rival.
Reaction we're gonna go with Tom izzo that. Occurs by the, Way, Spence if that, Occurs Michigan state will become the first, Team get, this the first team to be seated first or second that was not ranked in the preseason eight p pole to make a final four.
Of all, time of all. Time that's. Wild yeah, Wow, okay let's move over now The, east Where duke is the number one seed and they await the winner of tonight's playing. Game oh, MAN i just had this coward up, Anyway Tonight's. American Mount Saint Mary's american once coached by former NEXT gm Ed. Tapscott there you. Go, okay do we even need to discuss? This duke moves on.
Easily Mount Saint mary's coached By Donnie, lynn first year head. COACH i once had breakfast with him at A panera In, Blacksburg.
Virginia why did you go To panero of all the?
Options well it was it was on very short, notice and uh, yeah it didn't have a lot of time to make it. Happen but that was in like twenty. Nineteen, oka and look where he is, Now. Spat i'm gonna take a little bit of credit for.
That, okay go to breakfast With Ken, pom you get a college coaching, Job So i'm sure the breakfast was.
Great does he have a chance in the Scamp not Against. Duke, no he has a chance Against. AMERICAN i think he's gonna pull it. Off but, Yeah duke will beat them by forty two.
Points For jazz fans out, there If baylor advances Past Mississippi, state you will SEE. Vj edgecomb take On Cooper flag two very good. Prospects But Mississippi State, Baylor, ken who'd you? Like we're gonna close.
Our eyes and go With baylor on that. One it's a pretty even. MATCHUP i think my maybe my bias against THE sec at this point.
Is coming into.
Play baylor maybe was slightly, better like higher end, talent not JUST.
Vj, edgecomb but Nord Chado mere who.
Previously played some meaningful tournament games At. Miami he's one of their better players as.
Well so we'll go With. Baylor five twelve out of The East region is The Oregon ducks out of The big, ten which sounds so. Weird they're taking On. Liberty liberty make this? Interesting you think they?
Could They've they've been playing well down the stretch coming out of conference THE usa another you, know kind of mid major team that has generally had success at their level and made a bunch of tournaments in recent. Years and, yeah it could be an interesting, game But oregon's just kind of the more talented.
Team So i'm gonna go with, Them Arizona, akron and If arizona, wins we'll have some Old tac twelve buddies getting, together of, course or getting out of The Big. Ten arizona of The big twelve is. Wild akron thirteen, Seed arizona four. Seed how do you see this one going? Down we'll go With arizona in this. One do you Like?
Akron John gross running a pretty up tempo system? There that first round game should be high. SCORING i have the score. Forecast it is eighty nine to seventy, six so it might be the most high scoring game in the first. Round but kind of want to See arizona advance here a round or. Two they're always just never know what you're going to get with. Them in a team that's run By Caleb love on the, court a
whole lot of things could. Happen so but, yeah two teams that really love to get up and down the court.
There Did arizona lose in the first round last? Year they lost in the second round last?
YEAR i want to, say did they lose in the first round the year? Before lost in the sweet sixteen last year To, Clemson so it must have been the year BEFORE i picked them to win the whole. Thing they lost like the first or they lost To. Princeton, yeah that's that's what it.
Was, yeah all. Right that brings us to the six Seeded Brigham Young cougars hailing From, Provo utah taking On, VCOs the eleventh. Seed we've already broken this game. Down Can Kevin young get it? Done, yeah you can get it. Done we'll advance them on to the second. Round and you, Know i'm not just saying that because there might BE byu fans out. There actually kind of enjoy picking against the local teams IF i.
Can but but NOW i truly think B yu will will take care of this.
One.
Though it is the highest rated game in terms of like watchability on my site in the first. Round, okay, yeah just two like good teams should be a close. Game so it's to, me just as someone who doesn't have a stake in This i'm really looking forward to seeing how this turns.
Out Wisconsin montana three, Fourteen, ken who we got the Grez really, no we're not Going oh, man that would have been. Awesome it would have been. Awesome but we'll go With wisconsin in this. One. Okay Saint mary's of, course the old old conference follow bringing me on seventh, seed taken On vanderbilt as a ten. Seed who do you like? Here?
Yeah once AGAIN i Will i'll pick against the Sec Saint mary's with the eighth best defense in the country led By augustus. Marshallonas, yes shout out To, sirunas right out out To.
Sirunas. Yeah remember the Tai die The lithuania tidye jerseys back in the. Day all, right, absolutely, yeah all, Right So Saint mary's advance is past vandy absolutely. Yep alabama two, Seed Robert morris fifteen, Seed, ken you should know that you are talking to A Robert morris recruit circle nineteen ninety. Six, Really i've got like three letters From Robert. Morrise that's. Amazing that wasn't. AMAZING i, mean they're they're decent. Now
it was just like a throwaway. THING i wouldn't throw that. Away, well that was kind of the LEVEL i should have tried to play out instead of BELIEVING i could play it to you because that didn't work. Out But alabama, Too Robert morris.
Fifteen who you? Got, yeah it's going to Be. Alabama but shout out To Robert. Morris they back in your. DAY i believe we're in The Northeast. Conference, indeed now they're in the, leagues you, know advanced up a level and they have been up to the task and won the league this. Year so shout out to. Them but, Yeah bama's the far superior outfit.
Here round two in The East, Seas duke And Cooper flag taking On baylor AND Vj.
Edgetroum who you got, Here, KEN i Got duke winning. This we're Assuming cooper's gonna be. Healthy but even if, Not baylor has really struggled against top flight competition this, year So duke is still gonna be able To they're still gonna be able to get to the second weekend if even if they don't Have cooper flag this.
Weekend since you brought that, up do you think they should even Play cooper On friday against Whatever the winner of this playing game.
Is, Right it's, yeah it's a little. SUSPECT i, mean if he does, play you have to think that he's like fully, healthy, Right like it's a great sign if he does. Play but, yeah there's really no reason to risk it Against Mount Saint Mary's.
Oregon five, Seed arizona four, seed round to two Former pac twelve. Buddies Here kenyo gets it. Done we're gonna go with The. Wildcats still still on board With.
Arizona just a really consistent season this year in The big, twelve so we think they'll they'll get.
It DONE byu advances according to our. Model here to round two to take On. Wisconsin so who you got round? Two B Yu. Wisconsin i'm going with The. Badgers, yeah just the advantage.
There you, Know wisconsin has a top flight defense and bou does.
Not Saint mary's seventh Seed, alabama two, Seed Ken who you? Got round?
TWO a fascinating, matchup you, know two just polar. Opposite Saint mary's loves to slow it, down prevent three point, shots defense, Heavy bama's speeding it up offense, heavy loves to take. Threes it's gonna be a fascinating. Matchup BUT i do Think bama will?
Prevail alabama advances. On all, right back up To Duke arizona in the that's The sweet sixteen Matchup Duke Arizona sweet. Sixteen who we Got Duke arizona and we're gonna.
Again just assume Assume Cooper flag is, back and if he, Is duke should have no problem.
Here Wisconsin Alabama sweet. Sixteen where are we? Going? Alabama back to The elite? Eight elite? Eight and now for the final four team out of The, east the winner Of Duke alabama is that's going to be The Duke Blue. Devils all, right we'll Go. Duke so we Have duke out of The. East we Have Michigan state out of The.
South we'll move over now to The west. Region and AS i referenced in our previous, segment sometimes there's a year where every TIME i watch a, Team i'm like they might be the best team in basketball in college, basketball that team for me Is. Florida this, year we'll start With. Florida Norfolk, State, yeah of course that will Be. Florida, okay let's just move right over to the back to back national champs and a very grumpy coach on the
sidelines and One Dan. Hurley But yukon Gets. Oklahoma where we're going? Here? Yeah, no, no whate's talking About yukon this? Year what's the?
Deal they won back of back back back. Titles can we give him a little little? RESPECT i, mean, LOOK i mean. Here you, KNOW i grew up forty miles away from. Campus i'm A hurley. GUY i Want yukon to. Win can they get Past? Oklahoma they can get Past. Oklahoma, yeah it has been a down year for The. Huskies Or Danny hurley missed on some transfers and the Freshman leam McNeely is kind of the leader of the team and he's been pretty.
Inefficient but they do have enough to get By Oklab memphis five, Seed Colorado state twelve. Seed will The Mountain West conference hate ken manifest itself in this? Matchup or you Think Colorado state can get it?
Done we will go With Colorado. State they're ACTUALLY i think a slight favorite even In. Vegas it's not even like necessarily going on a limb, here but they have been playing so well down the.
Stretch Nee clifford player to, remember.
Has not appeared on any All american teams have been released the last couple of, days presumably because people make up their mind about like two months before the. Deadline, yeah but he has been awesome down the stretch and certainly one of the ten best players in the.
Country So Dan marley once upon a time was the head coach At Grand, Canyon, right that's. Correct, now for some, REASON i didn't follow the news cycle AND i just thought he was the head coach until like a few months. Ago he very much is. Not But Grand canyon thirteen, Seed maryland as a four. Seed who we got?
Here we Have Bryce drew as the head, Coach Ran cannon don't Forget valpo ninety eight tournament.
Hero but it will Be.
Maryland maryland one of those underseeded teams as a four. Seed really tempting to pick them to come out of this. REGION i don't want to spoil, it but they do win this. Game Is Kendrick lamar the?
Tournament? No But drake is see WHAT i did their kids pop culture. Reference i'll let's move over To Missouri drake six to eleven. Seed ray plays at the slowest base in the.
Country so this is not a game THAT i would recommend tuning in for unless you have money on it or, something BUT i will Squeak missouri By. Drake but this is going to be a real grind and a close.
One another big twelve, Team Texas TECH Unc wilmington is the fourteen. Seed three to Fourteen, Ken what's what happens? Here?
Yeah Texas tech has been outstanding all, year number seven in my ratings and never seems to get the. Respect they do have some injury, issues a little banged up at a couple of starting, positions but they will get by you and see on.
LinkedIn number Seven, kansas number, Ten, Arkansas Little bill, Self John calipari action round. One, wow what have we got?
Here? Well this is not A, yeah this is not like when was it two thousand and eight two eight title?
Game Memphis? Kansas? Right so, yeah not quite on that.
Level we will, Again we'll go With, kansas but these this is a game that looks like it'd be looks like it'd be a great one to, watch but it's just really much weaker versions than these coaches are used to.
Coaching Rick patino has taken The johnnies back to. PROMINENCE i was once upon a time A Saint john's fan back in the Old Big East days With Chris mollen and. Such omaha the fifteen seed didn't do, it didn't mean to do A Peyton manning impersonation. There But Saint john's Two omaha. Fifteen what happens?
Here Saint john's has the best defense in the. Country they've lost their four games by a combined seven. Points nobody in college basketball has lost their games by fewer. Points, Now Saint john's didn't play a super difficult non conference, schedule but, nonetheless this team's legit and they.
Will they will Beat omaha round of thirty two out of The. West according to the model that we have in front of, Us Florida yukon round.
Two what happens? Here florida will put an end to the dream For Dan.
Hurley Can Colorado state keep The cinderella run going against the number four Seed Maryland. TURPINS i think in a different circumstance they.
Could But maryland is just a really solid team and definitely plays better than that four, seed so they'll get by.
Him missouri sixth, Seed Texas tech three seed who we got? Here we will go with The Red, Raiders, Kansas Saint John's bill, Self Rick, patino another heavyweight. Matchup it'll Be Saint john's, here, Okay Florida maryland for the right to go to The elite. Eight we'll Put florida.
In The ELITE. A but do not if you want to Pig. Maryland there not a bad.
Idea Texas Tech Saint john's at the bottom of the.
Practice we'll go With Texas tech to upset the offensive chie Red storm.
Okay and going to the final four out of The west, Region Florida Texas. Tech have we got it will Be Texas. Tech, wow upset. Special there we. GO i was waiting for. One there we. Go so so far we Have Michigan state out of The, south we Have duke out of The, east and we Have Texas tech now out of The. West our final bracket portion of the racket will be The. Midwest any intrigue with The Houston cougars round one or no Intrigue Gonzaga georgia round. One gonzaga will pull that,
out all? Right all? Right we do not have a five to twelve upset so? Far do we have?
One With clemson and. McNeice we actually do Spence Colorado state Over. MEMPHIS i bet. Yeah we did not have it With clemson over. McNeese Will wade is already thinking about his next, job which appears to BE Nc, State So clemson will capitalize in that distraction and win that.
Game perdue four seed High. Points, yeah as your thirteen see do we? Got we will go with High. Point they are the out.
Number they are the top team in terms of their dependance on offense in this. Tournament And i'm a sucker for. Offense they have the twenty fifth best offense in the. Country don't ask me what their defense is. Ranked it's very, bad but their offense is really.
Good. Okay illinois sixth seed will await the winner of Tonight's Texas xavier.
Matchup does it? MATTER i don't think. SO i, mean, YEAH i don't think. So i'll go To.
Illinois kentucky shout Out Mark, pope FORMER byu. Coach they take On troy as a fourteen. Seed what goes down? Here?
YEAH i Think Mark pope has gotten more out Of kentucky than you could have. Expected they, are Like Texas, tech a little banged up heading into the tournament, here but they'll obviously they'll get By.
TROY Ucla Utah state local. GAME ucla a five point five point. Favorite do The bruins get.
By THE AGGI i, Mean i'd love to see The aggies do, it but it's hard for me to envision them getting by THIS ucla.
Team two Fifteen Tennessee, Wafford tennessee get this done pretty? Easily, Yes, okay all, right let's head back up Now round. Two Houston. Gonzaga who you got?
Here should be a great one in the second. Round houston is just it's been so good this. Year they've lost four Games spence and only one of those was in, regulation so they've only been hot scored in regulation one time all.
Year they've just been so. Good so, YEAH i think we'll get back In zaiga five thirteen high point gets By. Purdue do they get By? Clemson they do? Not Brad.
Brown now back to The sweet. Sixteen fair Enough Illinois. Kentucky Does Mark pope keep it? GOING i think so close call, here but, YEAH i do believe In Mark.
POPE ucla seventh seed after Beating Utah, state they'll take On tennessee as a. Two what happens, Here, Well we're gonna Go.
Tennessee despite the long term struggles Of Rick, barnes in THE Ncaa. Tournament tennessee one of the best defensive teams out, there and they'll have enough to get BY.
Ucla Houston clemson won. Five who advances to The elite?
Eight we are a believer In Covien samson And Houston Kentucky tennessee three to. Two that should be a good. One who you got should be a good one if it. Occurs kentucky has Beating tennessee twice this. Year but we Think tennessee gets revenged in this situation and gets to the elite.
Date, okay now for the right to go to the final, four it'll Be Houston. Tennessee what goes down, HERE i will go with The Houston. Cougars, Okay so final four matchup number, one let's start on THE i Guess i'll just say the left side of the, Bracket Michigan State Texas tech for the right to play for The National championship In San. Antonio what do we?
Got we are going to go WITH. J. T toppin and The Texas Tech red Ra ooh, yeah.
OKAY A Ken palm Surprise Texas tech in The National championship game and they will play the winner Of duke And. Houston who you?
Got that's kind of that would end up being the de facto national title.
GAME i think for. SURE i just Think duke is a team of. Destiny Year duke advances to take On Texas tech your national championship. Game who Is ken your national?
Champ duke will win seventy eight sixty Eight cooper, flag twenty two, points nine, boards eight, assists and two.
Steals, wow did you say seventy eight to sixty? Eight? Yes all, Right i'm writing this down right. Now seventy eight to sixty Eight duke is your national champs beating The Texas Tech Red. Raiders, correct that's. Correct there you go it down there? Go all? Right hopefully you were taking Notes Porter you didn't Copy ken's bracket pick by, pick did? You every one of? THEM i knew. IT i knew. IT i knew. It here the sound, here? Sound there you, go it's going. Away SO i hope
you guys were paying. Attention there really is nobody better that we could have in the studio to walk you through this, exercise which more often than not ends in extreme. Frustrates all, Right, ken where can people go get your?
Work kenpom dot Com it's twenty five dollars for twelve, months so even if you sign up, tonight you'll get twelve months of, access so you'll basically have it for all next.
Season very, nice my. Friend, well great to see you enjoy the. Action it's such a great, tournament and even though you don't have any clue what's gonna, happen it's still fun because you never know.
Exactly that's the whole, point all, right my, Friend good to see it all, Right Thanks.
Bence