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Home > ajcsportstalk > Archives > 2007 > March > 24 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBradley’s Sunday predictions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
MIDWEST REGIONAL
Florida over Oregon: Last year the Gators won every NCAA game except one by at least 13 points. This year they’ve managed only one blowout, and even that — in Round 1 against 16th-seeded Jackson State — was a six-point game at halftime.
And here’s the thing: Florida isn’t playing badly at all. It’s defending well and making free throws and doing all the intangible stuff that champs are supposed to do, but opponents are simply better prepared for the Gators this time. All these coaches watched Florida win it all in 2006 and spent the summer formulating mock game plans, and now they’re getting the chance to deploy them.
Does that mean Florida is destined to lose? Maybe in the Final Four — then again, maybe not — but the Gators won’t lose today. This will be a repeat of last season’s regional final, in which Florida’s big men simply wore down tiny Villanova.
Villanova started four guards. Oregon starts four guards. Florida, alone among Division I teams, has tall guys capable of guarding small guys. Oregon has no one to blunt Al Horford and Joakim Noah.
EAST REGIONAL
Georgetown over North Carolina: The temptation is great to pick the Heels after their stirring rally from 16 points behind to overhaul Southern Cal. Then again, how exactly did a team as gifted as Carolina get 16 points behind?
The same way the Heels lost twice to Virginia Tech and once apiece to N.C. State and Georgia Tech, the same way they let 16th-seeded Eastern Kentucky get close in Round 1 and let ninth-seeded Michigan State linger in Round 2. Carolina only plays hard — meaning plays defense — when it feels like it.
Georgetown plays hard every minute of every game. Georgetown grinds opponents down with its head-cracking D and its precise Princeton O, and I can’t see the Heels concentrating hard enough to handle all the backdoors they’ll see.
The Hoyas were lucky to survive Vandy — Jeff Green is the new king of the bunny hop — but there’ll be nothing lucky when they win today. They’ll win because they care enough to do the dirty work.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment | Categories: Final Four
Comments
By Adam
March 24, 2007 7:54 PM | Link to this
do not underestimate the heels…it is so chic to say the heels do not play defense…they play defense..the teams they are playing are tough…carolina is showing some moxie and toughness…so watch out Bradley….
By Buck Cochran in the NW
March 24, 2007 9:56 PM | Link to this
The game should still be in about the 1oth O.T., but send the ACC and Dickie V. home.
By JG
March 25, 2007 12:27 AM | Link to this
Can someone please translate for Buck? He has a tough time with the English!
Heels over Hoyas! Believe me, they got a wake up call against USC. They’ll come out running and gunning. Georgetown won’t know what hit ‘em!!
By AB
March 25, 2007 8:15 AM | Link to this
Nothing warms my hears like a Bradley prediction against my team. Having read him for years and seeing his performance, it instills a new confidence. Go Heels.
By Matt
March 25, 2007 8:45 AM | Link to this
I’m still bitter over that bunny hop. HE TRAVELED AND VANDY SHOULD HAVE WON!!!!!
By what travel?
March 25, 2007 10:13 AM | Link to this
Packer said he did not see a travel…I’m older but I surely saw both feet hop. Packer says contrary things-he did not see Henderson hit Hansbrough either.
Heels win today.
By phillips
March 25, 2007 11:08 AM | Link to this
Hoyas were not lucky! They were given the win. Basketball should be abolished because the game is too fast to be fairly officiated. Either that, or put 4 officials on both ends of the court and allow no contact what so ever! Ohio St. has lost two games yet they are going to the final four. Xavier beat them. Just what is an intentional foul? Oden intenionally fouled with 8 seconds left but was not called. If it is called, ohio st is not here. Georgetown lost because the officials did not make the call. THEY wanted Georgetown IN, not Vandy. Said for years, the winner of two equal teams in basketball will always be determined by the officials, not the players. It will never change, so too bad for all you LUCKY official losers out there…..
By David
March 25, 2007 11:18 AM | Link to this
Go HEELZ…..Do you have Tyler Hansbrough aka Pyycho T? I dont think so…Heelz ALL THE WAY BABY!!
By Joel
March 25, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this
I pick Florida over Oregon because of the Gators’ talent, depth, and experience. Georgetown matches-up well vs. North Carolina with their defense, and the Tar Heels are young; therefore, the Hoyas earn a ticket and “travel” (pardon the pun) to Atlanta for the Final Four.
By BadgerDawg
March 25, 2007 12:31 PM | Link to this
For all you Vandy dreamers, the “foul” that led to Vandy getting FTs was marginal and almost never gets called at the end of the game to decide the outcome, so you could argue they never should have been in the position to begin with. That guy’s only benefit on the court is to get fouled and make FTs, and that’s exactly how it played out.
As for the outcomes here, I’d go with UF and GTown, but I think both should be close and if the Ducks are hitting from outside it’s over.