Introducing the Group of Death

Despite what you might think, the tournament selection committee is not all bad. For the most part they do an excellent job of distributing strong teams across the four brackets. Sometimes they screw up and a top seed appears to waltz through the regional final. This year my Final Four features two no. 1 seeds and two no. 2's, but that's just because the talent is top-heavy. None of the top seeds appear to have a distinct advantage on their way to Georgia.

However, there is always one group that strikes me as particualarly dangerous. It may not be the most talent-laden but it will typically feature teams with unique styles that are tough to match up against, especially on short notice. This is the Group of Death, and this year that title goes to the West.

Take a look.

• Kansas- They're poorly coached and their last two tournament performances were a joke. That being said, they have a plethora of talent all over the roster and they can rebound with anybody. They aren't the best top seed but if their shooters get hot they can run through anybody outside of College Station.


• UCLA- They have plenty of experience and, quite possibly, the best coach in the nation. Ben Howland forces opponents into his style, opponents should expect their offense to run off of precision passing with a suffocating defense.


• Pitt- They play Howland's system nearly as well as UCLA. His successor, Jamie Dixon, has been nothing short of brilliant since taking over the program. If Aaron Gray can pull his fopish head out of his dandy ass they're damn near unbeatable. They don't pound opponenets into submission like the Brandin Knight teams of my day but they've improved their shooting and athleticism.


• Southern Illinois- So So Ill. If you've been sleeping on them it's time to wake up. I had the chance to see them about five times this year and I've always been impressed. Jamaal Tatum and Randal Falker make up one of the better inside/out combos in the field, and they're better than the Skinn/Lewis combo that led Mason last March. If you saw their epic out of conference win in Butler's stifling gymnasium then you should understand why everyone fears their defense. If you didn't see the game just imagine Castillo/Corrales I on a basketball court--hooray hyperbole!


• Virginia Tech- Their athleticism and pace of play has wreaked havoc on the ACC this season. They attack their opponent with the ferocity of a great mid-major team but they have the benefit of stronger athletes. Then there's Sam Greenberg, my favorite up-and-coming coach in America...and it's not just because he's Jewish. They could go down in the first round but they could just as easily crash the Elite 8.

And that's just the top five seeds. Beyond the big guys is a roster of potential sleepers. Even as a 10 seed Gonzaga remains dangerous while other mid-majors like VCU, Wright State, and Holy Cross are capable of achieving a major upset. The there's Duke and Kentucky; two teams on a relative down year who can silence all their critics with a couple of wins. Teams like this should never be overlooked. However it's the Villanova Wildcats that could be the surprise team of the bracket. Based on their paper resume they'e one of the best nine seeds I've ever seen. I know Scottie Reynolds from his days in Herndon and he could pose a single-handed challenge to Kansas (assuming they get by the other Wildcats).

This is the bracket to watch out for because nobody knows what could happen. Enjoy your first day of the tournament. I'm on a skiing vacation in Colorado but I'll be taking tomorrow off to watch the games on the laptop. I plan to check in with updates and general thoughts, be sure to join in the fun.