The madness is nearly here!
March Madness is nearly upon us, as the 2024 NCAA Tournament is set to begin tomorrow with the Round of 64.
Despite the Michigan Wolverines missing the tournament for the second straight year, members of Maize n Brew answered some questions surrounding this year’s tournament and more.
With Michigan being in dead last place for the first time since the ‘60s, what do the Wolverines and their new head coach (whoever that will be) have to do to turn things around? And what you consider a successful season in year one of the new regime?
Von: It’s going to take a gargantuan effort to get this thing turned around. Given the NIL and admissions issues for the basketball program, Warde Manuel must focus on a coach who is elite at developing players into multi-year starters. They can’t have any one-and-dones — that is unsustainable at a program like Michigan.
I have zero expectations for the first season of the new regime. Given how many players are going to/have already entered the portal, as well as the decommitment from the top high school prospect in the Wolverines’ 2024 class in four-star Khani Rooths, this program is going to be completely different next season. I think a successful season would be establishing the new culture and setting the tone for what is to come with the program.
Matt: Step No. 1 will be to establish a culture of effort, especially on the defensive end. A key failure of the Juwan Howard era was a total lack of defensive intensity. For Michigan to have any success in the future, they will have to figure out how to defend. Success in year one is tough to define. However, given the transfer portal and NIL, rebuilding can take place significantly quicker. I’ll say success would be getting on or near the NCAA Tournament bubble next year.
Kellen: They need to hire a coach who can change the culture and provide the program with a fresh start. That coach needs to be a good on-court strategist, with all the innovation going on in college basketball. My wish list includes FAU’s Dusty May, BYU’s Mark Pope and Marquette assistant/former John Beilein assistant DeAndre Haynes. A successful season in year one would be improvement, maybe 7-9 conference wins, but I don’t think a tourney bid is a must, considering how much the Wolverines struggled this past season.
Dan: Roster construction is really important. Seeing growth with the players who stay and a direction from the new guys brought in to build a culture that can last. Direction and identity just in general will be a massive win. If Michigan is sitting around .500 next season I would be happy, but I would be surprised if they are even that good with the recent departures we have learned about.
Alright, let’s get to some real hoops now. The NCAA Tournament is set to begin on Thursday. What are some of the first-round matchups you are looking forward to watching the most? Is there anything special you plan on doing for the opening round of March Madness?
Von: I am really looking forward to watching FAU/Northwestern, Alabama/Charleston, Tennessee/Saint Peter’s and Kentucky/Oakland. I think all of those could be way closer than anticipated. I will just be watching from home as I work — nothing special planned this year.
Matt: Auburn vs. Yale should be an excellent first-round matchup. I’m also looking forward to Wisconsin vs. James Madison and Gonzaga vs. McNeese State. It’s tough not to mentioned all 32 first-round matchups because March Madness is the greatest postseason tournament in sports.
Kellen: I luckily have the Friday of the first weekend off, so I plan on watching 12 straight hours of college basketball like God intended. There’s a lot of intriguing first-round matchups, so I think we’re due to see a lot of upsets. Excited to watch Wisconsin/JMU, Duke/Vermont, Mississippi State/Michigan State, FAU/Northwestern and Washington State/Drake, just to name a handful.
Dan: Alabama-Charleston
– Bama is a little cold and Charleston is a very disciplined team. I suspect this is a close game.
Nebraska-Texas A&M
– Nebraska looking for its first NCAA Tournament win in program history.
Wisconsin-JMU
– JMU upset Michigan State to open the season and can compete with Big Ten-caliber teams, but Wisconsin finally looks back on track.
Gonzaga-McNeese
– It’s tough not to like McNeese who have already won 30 games and can shoot the ball really well from deep. The Zags can put up some points, too. This one should be a lot of fun.
Kansas-Samford
– Kansas is hurt and had an early exit from the Big 12 Tournament because of it and was already short on depth because of that. Now, it faces a Sanford team that has 10 players in its rotation.
I’ll just be watching the games from home, as I took off work more for their sake then mine!
Conversely, what are some first-round matchups that you could see being a big upset? And who is your Cinderella team this season?
Von: I’ve got New Mexico making it to the Sweet Sixteen as an 11-seed, so that is my Cinderella team this season and my biggest upset of the first-round.
Matt: I like every single 12-seed to win in the first round. All four of them have favorable matchups against weaker than normal 5-seeds. My Cinderella this season is Grand Canyon, which has NBA-caliber talent and can beat St. Mary’s and Alabama.
Kellen: Purdue losing as a 16-seed for the second season in a row would be hilarious, but I don’t see it happening. It’s easy to root for NC State with DJ Burns and BJ Horne running the show, and the Wolfpack winning five games in five days to steal an ACC Tournament bid. I like New Mexico beating Clemson as a 6-11 matchup even though Richard Pitino’s squad is favored. I like McNeese to make it to the Sweet Sixteen, with Gonzaga being over seeded, in my opinion, and Kansas limping into the tournament. I was really impressed by McNeese when it beat Michigan in Ann Arbor, despite how disastrous this year was. Will Wade is a damn good coach and Shahada Wells has Shabazz Napier vibes.
Dan: Some of the teams I mentioned above could go on runs: McNeese, Sanford and JMU are my top picks for a Cinderella-style run this season. I’m also not sleeping on Oakland, which I firmly believe could upset Kentucky.
Purdue and Illinois — the top two teams in the Big Ten this season — have been known for choking in the NCAA Tournament. Do you see these two teams changing their ways and making a big run, or do you think they will fold early on once again? And which Big Ten team will make it the furthest?
Von: I’ve got both Illinois and Purdue losing in the Sweet Sixteen this season. I’m not sure what it is, but these programs always underperform in the month of March. Currently, I have Iowa State knocking off the Illini, and Kansas taking down the Boilermakers. The Big Ten has been largely a disappointment across the board this season, so I think those two will make it the furthest among the Big Ten teams.
Matt: The last time a No. 1 seed lost to a 16-seed, they bounced back the next year to win the national title. I’m not saying Purdue will follow suit, but I have faith it will make a deep run due to its depth. Illinois, on the other hand, seems primed for a let-down following a magical Big Ten Tournament run. I would be more surprised if the Illini make the Sweet 16 than if they don’t. I like Purdue to make it the farthest of the Big Ten contingent.
Kellen: In my initial draft of the bracket, I have Purdue losing in the Elite Eight to Creighton as the longest lasting Big Ten team. This is Painter’s best squad ever and Zach Edey is a matchup nightmare, but it’s hard for me to trust them in March. Illinois has been playing really good basketball lately, I just think the Illini are in a stacked region and will lose in the Round of 32. The Big Ten title drought will sadly continue (although don’t count out Keisei Tominaga and Nebraska knocking off Houston in the Round of 32).
Dan: The Boilermakers will choke along the way. They always do and when Zach Edey doesn’t get his Big Ten whistle their season will come to and end. I have Utah State beating them in the second round. Illinois has a little more promise, but its region is a behemoth. Iowa State, UConn and Auburn are all capable of winning the national championship. I can’t imagine the Illini get through and make the Final Four.
Give us your prediction for your Final Four, and your National Champion.
Von: My Final Four is Houston, Arizona, Iowa State and Kansas, with Houston winning it all against Arizona.
Matt: I have UConn, Baylor, Houston and Creighton making the Final Four, with Houston as the National Champion.
Kellen: I have UConn, Arizona, Kentucky and Creighton. I think Arizona beats Kentucky in the National Championship, 78-69, and Tommy Lloyd earns his first title and the Wildcats are champs for the first time since 1997.
Dan: My Final Four is Auburn, Arizona, Marquette, and Creighton, with the Arizona Wildcats winning it all. They are top-15 in both offensive and defensive efficiency and have experience across the board led by Caleb Love.
