Verb's Sweet Sixteen - 2/9

I know you all missed me Friday morning but the GM and I put our heads together and decided that Monday would be a better day for the Sweet Sixteen. College basketball is the top sport now and will be for awhile so we decided that we should make it a top priority and you can't make it any more important then having it up here for all of you happy 9-5ers on Monday morning.

The other reason is that it gives me more of an opportunity to look back on some games from the weekend and look ahead at a couple of big games coming up this week.

I think the game that meant the most in my mind this weekend in regards to my sweet sixteen was the game between Memphis and Gonzaga. Memphis showed up and Gonzaga really didn't. Well, it didn't seem like they did but if they did they are in big trouble. I think this is a good year to reconsider Gonzaga a mid-major and a good one at that. I don't think they are good enough this year to keep them in that top tier. They played one good game against a good opponent and that was Connecticut (in Seattle) and lost. They may do some damage in the tournament but if they do it will be a surprise for me. On the other hand Memphis looked great. They can really play defense and they can score with anyone. I like this Memphis team a lot more now that I got to see them play somebody. Calipari has got his guys playing some good ball right now and as long as he doesn't have a big let down later in February or in the conference tourney this team should be rolling come the big dance.

The other game that I want to talk about was Syracuse and Villanova. Syracuse at one point this season was in the top 10. They aren't anymore and I know the game was on the road in Philly but they got whooped. Villanova dropped 102 on that zone and the game was never really close. Villanova only has 4 losses right now and three of them are to Connecticut, Marquette and Louisville, the three best teams in their league. The other is to Texas, who at the time was playing some pretty good basketball. Jay Wright has his team looking really good and this is a solid team. Syracuse didn't look good and it better get going real soon. They are 2-5 in their last seven and have Connecticut next. They are 18-6 and still very safely in the tournament but they better get some confidence back or it may be one and done for the Orange this year.

OK, obviously the big game of the week is Wednesday night at 9 between North Carolina and Duke. The game is at Cameron Indoor Stadium, which helps Duke a little but what doesn't help Duke at all is the Tyler Hansbrough still plays for Carolina. He is going to be a huge equalizer in this game because as Duke showed against Wake and Clemson, they still don't have an inside game. I think the best way for Duke to neutralize Hansbrough is to go right at him and try getting him in foul trouble. I honestly think the other 4 matchups are pretty even but Zoubek has no chance in that matchup. It's going to be a great game because it always is but my gut is telling me Carolina goes in and beats Duke by about 10 or so. (I am a huge Duke fan and this does not make me happy!).

Lets get to the seeds:

East (Boston)

1. Connecticut - I thought they were over-hyped all season but right now I am willing to say they are the best team in the nation. They struggled a little with Michigan but still won the game. They have a struggling Syracuse team coming in this week but I consider this a danger game for the Huskies.

2. Memphis - I was a little down on this team because of their SOS but they showed me a lot this weekend against Gonzaga. This is a dangerous team that can score and play defense. If they can avoid the let down watch out for this team in March.

3. Clemson - Totally dominated Duke. Lost to Florida State. After the Duke game they were a solid number 2 seed and on the rise. Now they are a solid 3 seed with a lot of question marks. Will the same thing happen to Clemson that happened to Wake after the Duke win. We will see!

4. Butler - This team is the best mid-major we have this year. I know its a year for the big schools but let's give these guys some love. They are a solid team with a lot of good players. I would love to see them play a bubble team from the Big East on Bracketbuster Saturday but that will never happen. I like these guys and a 4 seed is good.

South (Memphis)

1. North Carolina - This team is probably the most talented team in the country and it was only a matter of time before they became a number 1 seed again. Hansbrough is great and once they shore up the defense they will be the favorite to win it all again, if they aren't that already! This week's game against Duke will be for a number 1 seed in the tournament.

2. Louisville - This team was playing great until they ran into Connecticut. That game might have proven how good UConn is, not that Louisville isn't any good. They only really have one tough game left on their schedule and that's a game against Marquette so this team should stay right around here unless a few of the big boys lose. This team is still very dangerous.

3. Michigan State - What a strange team. They have now lost to Northwestern and Penn State this year. Penn State is better then normal but Northwestern isn't very good. I think its a matter of focus. This team loses its focus here and there and that's not good. What is good is that its an easy thing for Izzo to fix. This team will be fine come tournament time.

4. Villanova - This is the most dangerous team in the nation right now. They have only lost to good teams and no one remembers that. They are battle tested coming from the Big East and Scottie Reynolds is an experienced point guard that can definitely score the ball. Look out!

Midwest (Indianapolis)

1. Pittsburgh - Nothing flashy lately but this team is still solid. Oh and outside of Norman and Chapel Hill, Pitt has the best big man in the game right now. Dajuan Blair can carry this team but what's nice is that if he has an off night Sam Young and Lavance Fields have his back.

2. Duke - Losing to Wake was ok. Getting blown out by Clemson was not. This team has been exposed and has some serious weaknesses. They had to make a 16 point second half comeback against Miami to save face. Wednesday is huge. If they can keep it close or win they will take a huge step back and become serious contenders again. If they get blown out like a lot of people are thinking now, the flood gates may open.

3. Xavier - They lost to Duquesne their last time out. That will be the last time you ever hear the name Duquesne on this website but for now they are hurting Xavier big time. I had questioned this team all season because of their weak schedule and now I question it even more. I will give them the benefit of the doubt here but one more loss and they fall hard.

4. Kansas - This is the first time they make the list this year. They are 8-0 in the Big 12 right now. Did you know that? 19-4 overall. Did you know that? I didn't but now I do and you should too. Sharon Collins is good and this team is solid. They are young and will be better in a month then they are now. I would keep an eye on Kansas if I were you.

West (Arizona but not necessarily Phoenix)

1. Oklahoma - Blake Griffin is the best player in college basketball. I think I have said that before but its worth repeating. That guy is great and all the NBA scouts out there need to pay attention. I don't really see anyone on their schedule that can beat them before the tournament. If that's the case they will go into the tournament with one loss. That's awesome!

2. Marquette - They are the second best team in the Big East record wise so that in my mind makes them worthy of a number 2 seed. They are 20-3 but there is one big question right now. How do you lose to South Florida? I know it was on the road but they aren't any good. I think its just a bump in the road and this team is still really good.

3. Wake Forest - Beat Duke and then had a 21st birthday kind of hangover. They lost to Georgia Tech by 2 which was bad and then lost to Miami. That's not bad until you say it was by 27. Whoa! What happened to the team that beat Duke? I still think this team is good but I think its somewhere between the Duke win and the two following losses.

4. UCLA - Ok, the Pac-10 is obviously down this year but I figured I had to put the best team on here somewhere. So why not the number 4 seed in the West? UCLA has won 4 in a row and totally dominated Notre Dame on Saturday. Oh wait, that doesn't count for much anymore. I think that if this team gets on the right track and wins a couple more in a row they could be dangerous.

Ok, there ya have it fans, this week's sweet sixteen.

It just gets better every week!

Let's Go Duke! Beat the Heels! (Sorry, I am a bit of a Homer when it comes to Duke.)