A return of a former Cinder-fella. A big man looking to make his mark. And a group of Blue Devils ready for a grande return... and maybe even a little revenge. The East region isn't the part of the bracket where the fans will see major star powers battle. Rather the East region will be a battle of the lesser known hardwood warriors.
Match-up to hope for - This is a game which will be fueled by revenge. As we know revenge is best served cold, and for the Duke seniors they know that feeling all to well. The 2007 first round upset loss to VCU was a major stunner to the college hoops world. If both VCU and Duke can win two games, the stage will be set for a VCU-Duke Sweet 16 showdown. By the way, the player of the game for the Rams (against DUke) - Eric Maynor - is still the man at VCU. But if you don't want to wait that long. Check out the battle that will be going on in the first round between Eric Maynor and Darren Collison. Could be a battle for the ages.
Star power you want to gaze at - It isn't hard to know which teams to watch to see some of the best talent in the tournament. The easy answer is to pick one of Pitt's Big 3 of Blair, Fields and Young, but I am picking a player who is absolutely crucial to his teams performance. The star to watch in the East region goes to Scottie "Too Hottie" Reynolds. Villanova's star point guard is the engine that moves Nova forward. I know Dante Cunningham has been brilliant for the Cats this season, but it is Reynolds who holds the keys to the offense and is the player who is most likely to shoot the lights out. He is capable of having some huge games.
Unusual S(tar)uspects - Well if you haven't heard enough of him (don't call it a man crush) you are going to hear his name again. Eric Maynor has bracket buster experience, and ice water running through his veins. He is a hard-nosed ball player who makes everyone around him better. Just don't count out the Rams with Eric Maynor running the show.
Team to watch that may suprise you - The Seminoles of Florida State made a good run through the ACC tournament, ultimately falling to Duke in the championship game. They were rewarded with a 5-seed in the tourny and are matched-up against a "don't judge a book by its cover" Wisconsin squad who will offer a tough challenge. But the Seminoles have Toney Douglas running the point and sniping from all distances, to go along with two strong, shot blocking big men inside - Soloman Alabi and Uche Echefu - giving the Seminoles a real good chance to make a surprise run.
Sweet 16 picks - I am going to keep it simple. I have Pitt, Xavier, Duke, and Villanova. As much as I wanted to take VCU and maybe even Florida State this was not the place for me to throw my money away.
Advice to YOU, who wants to pick the upset - Wisconsin isn't enough of an underdog - even if they are the 12-seed - to call it a true upset. I am sticking with the Rams of VCU. Again as the underdog, but this time the upset will be against college basketballs most everything, UCLA.
Final Four pick - I don't think any other team in the East region is as physical and fun to watch as the Pitt Panthers. They are controlled street ball under floor general Levance Fields, who is a New York street baller. With big man DeJuan Blair splattering opposing big men all over the paint, and Sam Young throwing down alley-hoops it is hard to stop anything else the Panthers throw at teams - Wanamaker, Dixon, and Biggs.
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