March Madness picks: Sports Staff edition

The second weekend of March Madness is here, and we are down to sixteen teams looking to make it to San Antonio, where the Final Four and National Championship will take place this year. Everyone’s bracket is busted, with zero left in the whole world, but just because the brackets are wrong doesn’t mean you have to be.

Bryce’s Picks:

I really only think there are about 7 teams that truly have that national champion potential. My seven championship caliber teams are Duke, Houston, Auburn, Florida, Texas Tech, Maryland, and Michigan State. In my final four I have all four teams from my list of 7 potential champions. Let me break down my Final Four by region. Starting off with the East Region, I have Duke coming out of the region over Alabama, in the West Region, I have Texas Tech winning over Maryland, in the South, I have Michigan State over Auburn, and finally, Houston over Tennessee in the Midwest, which makes my final four Duke, Houston, Michigan State and Texas Tech. Let me say, if there is any year for all one seeds to make it, this would be the year, I just don’t see it happening. Starting with Duke vs Houston, we have a matchup of two juggernauts, with Duke’s star power and Houston’s dominant defense. 

 I take Duke to the national championship over Houston because their offense will outdo the Houston offense, and Duke, who ranks top 5 in offense and defense in the KenPom rankings looks unbeatable right now. As for the other matchup, Texas Tech vs Michigan State, I think these two teams are very similar in play, and Michigan State, despite not fitting in the chart known as the “trapezoid of excellence” where most of the past champs have fallen under, moves one. Their defense is top 5 in rating, which matches up well against the top 5 rated offense of the Red Raiders. Michigan State is also versatile offensively, having 9-10 guys able to score when needed. That leads to my title game, Duke vs Michigan State. I love both of these teams, but Duke looks incredible, and unbeatable. Their style of play and success is something unheard of, and Cooper Flagg leads the Blue Devils to their first title since 2015.  

Jackson’s Picks:

On the men’s side, I’ll start in the East region. Before the tournament started, I really liked Duke to win it all, so I’ll have to keep riding with them. Now that they have Cooper Flagg back from injury, I think Duke cruises through the rest of the East and we see the Blue Devils in San Antonio.  

Next, in the West, there is only one team whose chances I like, and that’s Florida. The rest of the West doesn’t seem like they belong and should’ve lost already. Give me the Gators.  

I’m going with a little bit of a wild card in the South and calling for the no. 1 team in the tournament to go down. Auburn loses to Michigan, setting up a South final of Michigan and Michigan State, a little Battle of the Great Lakes State. In that matchup, I’m taking Tom Izzo and the Spartans to make the final four.  

Finally, in the Midwest I still have a grudge against the Houston Cougars for what they did to my Beavers in the 2021 elite eight but I think they have one of the easier paths and they will be the last one in the final four 

In the final four, Michigan State beats Florida and Duke beats Houston. Blue Devils and Spartans for the MBB championship, I told my friends and they were shocked but give me Duke in a blowout.  

On the women’s side beginning in the first region in Spokane, I want to say Kim Mulkey and LSU but I just think UCLA is better, I’m taking the Bruins 

Second region in Birmingham is a no-brainer. You can’t count out the reining national champions and I think South Carolina cruises their way through to Tampa.  

Third region in Birmingham is a little tougher but the SEC is a strong conference in WBB so give me the Longhorns of Texas to make it from that region 

Finally the last region in Spokane has two really good teams with USC and UConn. I didn’t like the Trojans chances against the Huskies before but now that they lost one of their star players Juju Watkins in the second round with a season ending knee injury I definitely think UConn gets past them and takes that final slot in the final four.  

UConn in the last 30 years under head coach Geno Auriemma has won 11 national championships and has made the final four 22 times. They easily take care of UCLA in the first semifinal.  

South Carolina and Dawn Staley after an unbeaten perfect season last year and just three losses this year which came to both Texas and UConn, they get revenge against the Longhorns and go back to the title game. In the championship of UConn vs South Carolina, two powerhouses, give me the Huskies to win their first national title since 2016 and prevent the Gamecocks from going back-to-back. 

Liam’s Picks:

In the South region, Auburn and Michigan is going to be an entertaining Sweet 16 matchup with the winner advancing to the final four. Due to their experience and will to win after last season’s heartbreaking finish, I think Auburn will beat both of the scrappy Big 10 Michigan teams.  

Though it would be a fun storyline to have Maryland go far after their miraculous and controversial win over Colorado State, Florida is the most complete team in the country and will easily win the West region to appear in the final four. Walter Clayton has scored 23 points in each of the first two tournament games and will likely be a lottery pick this year.  

Prior to the tournament, I envisioned Duke failing to meet expectations and suffering an upset at some point before the final four. However, after seeing how easily they defeated a scrappy Baylor team, I think Duke will have no problem getting through the inconsistent defenses of Arizona and Alabama.  

In the Midwest, I think Houston is going to continue its hot streak and coast to the final four with wins over Purdue and Kentucky. While Tennessee has a solid chance of appearing in the final four, I think Kentucky is going to steal the win from the Volunteers for two reasons: depth and experience. Upperclassmen Koby Brea and Otega Oweh have combined for an average of 35.5 points, 10 rebounds and six assists through two tournament games. That, plus the return of Lamont Butler, who has already appeared in a national title game, will send Kentucky to the elite eight.  

In the final four, Houston and Duke is the best matchup we may see in the whole tournament. I am a huge fan of Kelvin Sampson and this Houston team but, in my opinion, there’s only one team with enough depth to beat Duke and it is not Houston. I think the Florida Gators are the most complete team in the nation and their combination of ball movement and defense will earn them their first national title since 2007, in an 88-86 victory over the Blue Devils.  

Jayden’s Picks:

My first final four team is the Florida Gators, one of the hottest teams in America right now. The Gators, 32-4, have been on a tear this season. They have won eight straight games, including the SEC championship. The Gators’ electric offense has me putting them in the final four.  

This is where I might be crazy, but I have the Michigan Wolverines getting a shock upset of the #1 overall seed, the Auburn Tigers. I have the Spartans, who have a balanced attack and four scorers in double figures. I think they will beat Michigan and head to the Final Four.   

Houston is the most balanced team still in the field and the nation’s best defense allowing just 58.4 points. The Cougars solid offense averaging 75 points per game has me believing in the Cougars to get to the final four. 

My last team is the Duke Blue Devils, who, in my opinion, have the best player in the nation in Cooper Flagg. The depth and pieces around him make them a favorite to win the championship.  

I have the Florida Gators beating Michigan State in a barn burner and Duke beating Houston in a defensive battle.  

In the championship, I honestly don’t know who would win, but if I had to make a prediction, it would be Duke. The balance of offense and defense, both ranking in the top 15 in both team offense and defense, has me picking the Duke Blue Devils to be your 2024-2025 champions.