The Seedsing 2019 Preview of the NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament

My son is on spring break this week, and we are on a family vacation. But, I still wanted to do shorter blogs than I normally do for the week. Kind of my version of quick hit pop culture/sports for the week. Today I want to do my Final Four picks, and my title winner since the brackets came out yesterday.

I do want to say, the committee is clearly in love with the ACC, and they HATE the Big Ten. They made that abundantly clear. I loathe MSU, but they earned a one seed. And why does Wisconsin have to travel so far for a round one game? And if Michigan wins in round one, they most likely have to match up with Nevada, who was a preseason top 5 team, and are led by 2 great seniors. The ACC seemingly got an easy path to get at least 2 of their one seeds in the Final Four. It’s absurd. It’s like the SEC and football. ESPN has such a crush on that conference, and clearly the committee does too.

Anyway, with all that being said, in the East I have Duke. They’re hot right now, Zion Williamson is back, they get every single call, and the powers that be want, and need, them in the Final Four. Their toughest game will be MSU in the Elite Eight, but Duke is the better team, and MSU won’t have Big Ten officials helping them out. I do like LSU in the East as well. They could spoil.

In the West I have Texas Tech. Gonzaga should be the easy pick, but they’ve not lived up to the one seed the couple times they’ve earned it. They also lost an easy game to close the season to Saint Mary’s. Michigan is great. They play excellent defense. But, they have a match up with Nevada looming, and their offense has been wildly inconsistent all year. I love my team, but I don’t trust them. Murray State should make a Sweet Sixteen run. And Ja Morant Will finally be on a big stage. But Texas Tech is the most complete team. They do all the things needed to win games. They will come out of the West.

In the South I have Virginia, and I have them rolling there. They’re out to prove that last year was a fluke, and that they’re one of the best teams in the country. Sure, Tennessee could be trouble, maybe Purdue, maybe even Villanova. But, all those teams have flaws that Virginia can, and will, expose. As I said, they’re on a mission.

In the Midwest I’m taking my biggest risk. I despise their coach, and I’m sure they will be tapped in the FBI case, but Auburn might be the hottest team entering the tournament. They rolled Tennessee in the SEC tournament championship game. They pretty much rolled all the way through. I know they’re one of the dreaded 5 seed facing a 12, but one or 2 5’s win their first round game. I say they do, and they make a run to the Final Four. UNC, my preseason champ pick, looks vulnerable right now. KU is hurt and not very good and is going to get tapped in the FBI thing. Kentucky will find a way to blow an easy game because that is what John Calipari does. And Houston hasn’t really faced any real opponents this year. This is my dark horse region, and I have Auburn winning it.

So, that makes my Final Four Duke, Texas Tech, Virginia and Auburn. Virginia will crush Auburn, ending their magical run. And as much as everyone will want to see Duke face them a third time, I actually have Texas Tech beating them. As I said at the top, they’re the most complete team in the tourney.

That gives us a rock fight in the title, Virginia versus Texas Tech. I have Virginia, like I keep saying, rolling to a title. They’re on a mission, and I feel like they will do it with ease. This title will also lead to DeAndre Hunter being named Most Outstanding Player, and make his draft stock soar.

There you have it, my 2019 men’s NCAA tournament prediction. Now let’s bust some brackets.

Ty

Another view - I am all in on the Big 10. Michigan State, Michigan, and Purdue all make the final four. The one outsider will be North Carolina who will put it all together at the end of the year. UNC will beat Purdue, and Michigan will finally get by MSU. Unfortunately I have UNC winning the title and Michigan being the runner up once again.

I will not pick Duke.

RD

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. RD is the Head Editor and hates Duke but loves Zion Williamson.

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