Bracketology by Shuskey

College basketball. As soon as you think you've got it all figured out, it smacks you right in the face. March is quickly approaching and so is the "madness" it brings with it. So I'm here to talk #1 seeds in the NCAA tournament, and why they may not mean much. Here goes: #1- Kentucky. Unbelievable young talent. This team could be the best young team John Callipari has ever assembled. And unlike some of his teams before, this team is truly interested in defending the basketball. It may not show in the final boxscore every night, but ask any opposing player who has tried to drive through the paint against them. As good as this team is though, the question is will the youth that makes them so much fun to watch be the downfall? We've seen this story play out for Coach Cal a few times before... #2- Syracuse. I honestly can't find many holes in this team. Yeah, they've let a couple of sub-par teams hang around in games this year, but speaking of defense, this team can be lights out. Quite possibly the most tested team of my #1 predictions, weathering a schedule in the BigEast that will probably include 8-9 tournament teams. Probably my favorite #1 seed this year. #3- Duke. Say what you want about this pick, but as of right now it's for them to lose. Head to head wins against UNC, MSU and Kansas have them in this spot for now. Still one meeting in Cameron Indoor with arch-rival UNC, and the ACC tournament (FSU, UVA), but for now this spot belongs to Duke. Unfortunatly for my Blue Devils, they will probably be the weakest #1 seed, and possibly the weakest #2 seed as well, if they end up there. This is one of the worst defending teams Duke has ever fielded. And they aren't exactly playing an elite schedule in the ACC this year. Other than UNC, FSU, and Virginia, the conference is pretty weak. The major factor for the Dukies will be freshman Austin Rivers, and the play of the big men. If the Plumlees don't start playing up to their size, it could be a short month for the Blue Devils. #4- Michigan State. Arguably the best conference in the country. The BigEast may get 8-9 teams in, but the B1G won't be far behind. And this Sparty team has been blistering in conference play. Losses to UNC and Duke early in the season don't mean much for a Tom Izzo coached team. After finding their identity, this team has been hot. And was I the only one that caught the Ohio State game? Possibly the best defensive performance I've seen all season long. And remember this, this Sparty offense finds a way to win against some of the best defenses in the country. A balanced attack, and one of the best late season coaches of all time, Michigan State is my 2nd favorite #1 seed this year. Longshot NCAA Tournament winners: UNC- If they learn how to defend the perimeter, and find a little offense from out there, this team will be unbeatable. Kansas- They have the Player of the Year (in my opinion). Don't underestimate how far one guy can take a team... And the rest of his team is pretty doggone good. Murray State- Ever tournament has it's Cinderella. I like these guys. Wisconsin- Holy defense Batman. And defense wins... You know the rest. Enjoy the rest of the season. I'll be back with more after Conference Tournaments conclude. -Shuskey