The college basketball season is winding down and that means one thing, March Madness is starting. From the most diehard college basketball fan to the casual viewer, everyone’s attention is turned to filling out a bracket.
I’ll share my thoughts on what underdog team I could see making it farther than expected, a seemingly strong team who could end up being a disappointment and of course which team I think will ultimately win it all.
The team who I think could surprise a few is Ohio State. A disappointing loss to Oral Roberts in the first round last year could serve as motivation for the more experienced Buckeyes to make it farther this time.
Their key player to watch out for is EJ Liddell. This junior has been one of the best players in college basketball this season. Because of his play along with freshman guard Malaki Branham and an abundance of experienced role players, Ohio State could prove to be a tough outing for any team in the tourney and might just be able to win it all.
For my disappointing team I have to look at Purdue. Their offensive game is absolutely fantastic and Jaden Ivey is a joy to watch but defensively they still haven’t put it together this season which will be their ultimate downfall. While unlikely they will lose in the first rounds, Purdue’s glaring holes on the defensive end will prevent them from making it too far and will certainly prevent them from winning it all.
Last year’s runner up is my favorite to win it all, Gonzaga. This was a tough choice. The field seems to be so even this year, with no team being head and shoulders above the rest. However, this year’s Bulldogs seem to be better than last. The addition of freshman center Chet Holmgren has made their defense much better this season and adding that defense to an already very good offense makes this team, in my eyes, the most well rounded team in the country. Adding a dominant interior defender to this team will be the thing that pushes Gonzaga over the edge to finally winning it all.
Categories: Editorials, Opinion, Sports
