Two years ago, I felt like the Buckeyes basketball team got a raw deal from the NCAA Selection Committee. They were the best team in the country, yet they were seeded #1 in the same bracket with UNC, Syracuse, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Xavier. As we all too painfully know, the Buckeyes went cold against Kentucky in the regional semifinal and were ousted way too early from the tournament by perhaps the only team capable of beating them that year.
With Ohio State probably looking at a 2 or 3 seed today, what #1 seed would you like to avoid this year? For me, it is Louisville.
Other worrisome high seeds? I'd also like to see the Buckeyes avoid Kansas, which seems to have their number.
Any dangerous lower seeds? UNC has been getting better of late and might cause trouble.
What do you think?
I'm steering clear of Kansas. They just seem to be a bad matchup for us.
Wayne Woodrow Hayes
Teams I want to avoid in the tournament
Ohio State's band SLAUGHTERED Michigan's band. If this were a football game, it would have been Florida State vs. Savannah State. - SB Nation following OSU vs. UM 2012
And, no, this was not a sneaky, back-door way for me to pick people's brains to help me fill out my NCAA pool bracket sheets. But, BME, thanks for the insights - I will take a closer look at the teams you mentioned.
Haha that's ok. Glad I could help. I'm sure as soon as you create your brackets you'll tear them up due to all the upsets. There are few other teams I can see as a 7* seed giving us problems so I'm hoping for a upset by the 9 seed. Colorado NC State, Baylor are others (sorry if I repeated teams).
Dear Buckeyes just get to the sweet 16.
*Assuming we get the 2 seed.
Ohio State's band SLAUGHTERED Michigan's band. If this were a football game, it would have been Florida State vs. Savannah State. - SB Nation following OSU vs. UM 2012
I have no worries; this season I came in thinking OSU was sweet 16 good. now it seems they can beat anyone and that fires me up haha
Florida
"You win with people." - Woody Hayes
Everybody we play ! Who ever it is.
We have had some clunkers this year, so we better take every game like it is our last. D Fense is the key to our run, doesn't matter who we play. Obviously we can beat anybody, BUT....
Kentucky. Oh wait...
Facing Michigan State in the B1G tourney is one thing; but they are a whole different animal in the NCAAs. Would not want to meet them. I agree with someone above who said Florida. Very athletic per usual; will be a tough out starting next week. Watch out for St. Louis as well, they have flown under the radar all season. I would not be surprised to see them ruin title hopes for one of the bluebloods this year.
This year has the feel of two years ago, where no #1 seeds made the Final Four. I don't think there are a lot of "great" teams like UK last season; this bodes well for teams like OSU and Wisky who are playing well at the right time.
"Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you."
I'm as excited and impressed at this run as everyone else. I still think the only way the Buckeyes reach Elite Eight or Final Four is with a favorable draw. Guard play rules the tourney so I'd not be eager to play anyone who shoots the 3 like Creighton, IU, Duke, NC State, or Boise St.
One hot night from any of those teams coupled with a cold Tank / Craft and it's game over, Buckeyes. Luckily Craft, Scott, and Thompson defend so well the Bucks will be favored in pretty much any game.
Kansas is obviously the #1 seed I'd most want to avoid, given that they've beaten us at home, in Columbus, and on a neutral floor all within the last 15 months. Seen enough of 'em, thanks.
It's interesting that of the 5 teams most likely to be top seeds, we've played 4 within the last calendar year (Gonzaga one year ago today, Indiana, Kansas, and Duke--all but Louisville).
You always worry about lower-seeded teams getting hot from long distance in the tournament, but I'd also worry about us facing a team with a player who can do damage close to the basket. Fortunately, Zeller types are few and far between.
Do we absolutely NEED to have good luck with the draw in order to win the tournament (like, um, Connecticut got two seasons ago)? I would have said yes even a couple of weeks ago, but if we can beat Indiana in Bloomington, I'd say we're capable of beating anyone on a neutral site. Except maybe Kansas.
The most "loud mouth, disrespect" poster on 11W.
New Mexico is a good team
"You win with people." - Woody Hayes
St Louis
frankly anyone out of the A-10 is scary but St louis has been playing like champs all year.
I agree New Mexico is a scary team. I think Wichita State could be a sleeper too. Others that might scare me would be Butler, VCU, and Memphis. Another team I wouldn't want to see early on is South Dakota State. I know it may sound crazy but they have a shooter that put up 53 in a game this year, and they returned there whole team from last years squad that took 3 seed Baylor down to the wire in the NCAA tourney. SDSU has knocked off New Mexico on the road this year and only lost at Alabama by 3. I think they're a team to watch.
Even thought they lost today, UNC is putting it together.
Right now Joe Lunardi has us as a 2 seed with the 7 seed in our bracket being Butler. That would mean a 2nd round match up between us and Butler, and if we have to play them, I will shit bricks. Scariest NCAA tournament team of all time.
October 20th: National Kenneth Guiton Day
Nobody scares me. Bring it on!
Class of 2010.
UNC, Kansas, UNLV, Butler, St. Louis, VCU (A10 in general)