Las year, I got the NT winner from the start. This year, I am hoping to get at least 5 out of the 8 last teams.

MIDWEST

The toughest part of the bracket.

CSU Dominguez Hills FINAL FOUR

I was a big fan of CSU Dominguez Hills, last year finalist, all season. RPI #4, SOS #17, was in the top conference, the top team. The offense is scary. What could hold that team back, ballhandling. Watch for press team to disrupt that crazy shooting offense.

Second BEST : Seattle. Xatomsmasher could do it. If there is a struggle, it will be from the outside where that team can definitly struggle. The defense is stellar.

THE LONG SHOT : North Dakota State. It's not really a 10 seed, is it? I am saying that team is a long shot because the bracket won't be easy for NDS. I am betting Mount Olive plays only a game this year. Colonels will be back, it's not his best team.


EAST

Pick! I mean, a lot of teams could claim the EAST. It's easily the weakest of the régions.

GRAND CANYON FINAL FOUR
I like the philosophy of that coach. The team improve throughout, started slow and kept getting better. It's the fastest team of the country, top passing, top ballhandling... Maybe it's not athletic enough to get by my second best team.

SECOND BEST : LIU CW Post.
I can't go against Trophaeum. He lost one game all year. His team is supposedly at its peak. The defense is really top notch. The offense is good. The passing could be better.

There are a lot of SIM teams in that part of the bracket. So I will go with U of Indianapolis as the long shot. It's the best team with a ranking of #10 or more.

SOUTH

New Jersey Tech won't do it, IMO. I think it stops just before the final four for that team.

MERCYHURST FINAL FOUR No real weaknesses. Great coaching. A bracket that team can handle. It's a tough team to play against...

SECOND BEST : New Jersey Tech. It will lose against Mercyhurst, if my prédictions are right.

LONG SHOT : U of DC, with EMY. I believe he could surprise some teams with his SENIORS-FRESHMEN COMBO. It's a zone so nobody is in better shape than him to hide freshmen and make them contribute when it's time. You could make a case for LIMESTONE... But Trenton needs to balance scoring.

WEST

UNC PEMBROKE FINAL FOUR. Favorite to win it all. If he loses, it won't be because of the IQ of his players. If UNC PEMBROKE loses, it could because of the Inside offense or at the freethrow line. With all the close games, freethrows will be key.

SECOND BEST : Pick, Green Mountain, Quincy, Pace, all top teams. Not a realistic draw for these teams. I am going to go with GREEN MOUNTAIN, but really like Quincy. It's just Quincy will face UNC PEMBROKE...

LONG SHOT : Really none. There is no way the final four team is not ranked in the top four spots.

Well, the bracket is going great.

I feel for JWINNER. Not a way to crash after and incredible season. The WEST went exactly as planned. Mercyhurst and CSUDH are cruising so far. Grand Canyon and LIU CW POST will face probably.

I am starting to get a better feel of the forces in PHELAN.

There are two teams I did not talk about. Abilene Christian and E. New Mexico. Both are impressive because they go Under the radar... It's speed teams with fastbreak-press combo. Every NT, they surprise and get deep. They both are in the sweet sixteen.

Well, CSUDH was upset. It's an upset tough to swallow. SW Minnesota State is the Cinderella team of this NT.

Other than that :

The CLASH : Grand Canyon against LIU CW POST... (predicted)

THE CLASH : UNC Pembroke against Green Mountain (predicted)

Mercyhurst still alive, PREDICTED.

I got 5 out of the 8 teams in these spots.

You also predicted that free throws could be a factor in games for UNC Pembroke and you were correct. Not to mention a turnover with 14 seconds left.

Yeah I saw your strat to get to the line worked... But you did not shoot it very well. It cost you the game.

I had also predicted Grand Canyon, but LIU CW POST seemed untouchable today.

Here is my ranking and strenghts and weaknesses on all teams.

1) Mercyhurst (gotta go with your gut feeling) SPEED, DEFENSE, BALLHANDLING, PASSING. WEAKNESS : Outside shooting. If it was FLEX OFFENSE, it could be a problem.

2) LIU CW Post : COACHING, DEFENSE. It's good all-around. It's a tough team. But I feel Merycyhurst is better.

3) Green Mountain : BEST PLAYER IN THE FINAL FOUR. All-around team too. Weaknesses : STAM. Youth.

4) Philadelphia : Sorry DTM, you did an awesome job. ARGUABLY THE BEST STARTING FIVE. It's why I think it's a tough prediction.

So, to sum it up. Best team all-around Mercyhurst, Coaching LIU CW Post, Best player of the tournament Green Mountain, best starting five, Philadelphia.

In the NCAA it's often the best player who comes up a winner, so if that logic holds, it will be Green Mountain. But I still going with Mercyhurst.

It's Mercyhurst against Philadelphia. Great job guys. It's a tough pick, but I will go with Mercyhurst since it's the only team I predicted to go to the final four.

Congrats guys. Great job.

Funny thing is I still think that last season's team that lost in the first round as a 1 seed, is better than this season's team!

Congrats to DTM, on a win streak that lead him to the NT championship! He cut his bench, won with his starters. The irony of it all is that JWinner beat you twice before you went on that huge win streak. You also lost to UNC Pembroke. You got your revenge winning the CT championship against New Jersey Tech.

But I think you figured out your team and got almost invincible. Your toughest match in the tournament was against LIU CW Post.

See you next year!