Bracket busters and Buzzer Beaters: March Madness preview

Doug McDermott of Creighton.

West Region

Final 4 Pick: Oklahoma StateThrow all the seedings out the window in this region because I’m going with my eye test. Oklahoma St. may have the resume of a #8 seed, but they have the talent of a top 3 seed team. As we’ve seen throughout the season, anybody can beat anybody on any given day so I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Oklahoma State will run through this region on their way to a final four. In every potential matchup they will most likely have the best player on the court with future lottery pick Marcus Smart, always giving them a chance to win.

Their biggest test will be in the 2nd game against #1 seed Arizona. Arizona is a very good team, but I am still not sold on them. The Wildcats, with their elite athleticism, lock-up defensively but at times lack elite scoring, and in particular elite shooting. I believe the winner of this game will be the team to make the final four out of this region. “Batman” Marcus Smart, along with “Robin” in Markel Brown, and “The Butler” in sharp-shooting Phil Forte will get the job done for the Cowboys and flop, I mean play, their way to Arlington, Texas. Speaking of flopping…

The bottom half of this region features #2 Wisconsin and #3 Creighton, as well as dangerous #7 Oregon. Never count out a Bo Ryan coached Wisconsin team, and this one is more offensively talented than usual. I see their swing offense and sharp shooting taking them to the Elite Eight before eventually getting knocked off by Oklahoma St. Also never count out a Creighton team led by Dougie McBuckets. Speaking of Dougie McBuckets… I’ll get to him more in a minute.

Upset Watch: 12 North Dakota St. over 5 OklahomaSometimes a great coaching job can lead to disappointing results. Hold on, just hear me out. Lon Kruger has done an incredible coaching job with the underwhelming talent (underwhelming by elite Big 12 standards) on his Oklahoma team, keeping them in contention all season for the Big 12 title. They are a good team, but nothing more. Along with the fact that they are a young team, I see them as a possible upset victim. In a one-and-done setting, a lower seed like North Dakota St., which features a physical, athletic front line, will not be intimidated from the jump. They are not a great shooting team, but they don’t shoot many 3s, and they don’t take bad shots in general, as well as the fact that they don’t turn the ball over at a high rate. I have a feeling Oklahoma will be in for a 40-minute battle in a game that will be decided in the final possessions.

Player to Watch: Doug McDermott, CreightonLet me introduce you to the best player in the nation, the best walk-on in the nation, and the coach’s son—Doug McDermott. If you follow college basketball at all you are familiar with the greatness that is Dougie McBuckets. And if you don’t follow college basketball, you’ve probably stopped reading long ago, and you’ll probably win your office pool based off which team has the prettiest colors.

In my generation, we’ve been lucky enough to be blessed with the presence of J.J. Redick, Jimmer Fredette, and now Doug McDermott. And by “We”, I mean us college basketball fans (I know what you were thinking!). McDermott continues to rise up the all-time scoring list and there is no team more reliant on the production of one guy as Creighton is with McDermott. As great as shooter as he is, his most underrated quality is his ability to move without the ball. (A typical Creighton possession consists of him setting about 9 screens before getting either a good-angled post-up, or an open, in-rhythm 3-pointer. Whether his team makes a deep run, or is bounced early in the tournament, let’s appreciate the greatness that is Dougie McBuckets while we still can before he turns into just another competent NBA role player who is designated to corner 3s and can’t guard his position.