NCAA Sweet Sixteen: Pick a Team, Win a Dream

[XLFD]

The NCAA tournament has gotten down to sixteen teams, and as a tribute to March Madness, the Ludington Torch is offering you the chance to choose one of the remaining teams and the opportunity to ride them through to win the tournament!  

The rules are simple:  Eight of the teams are next playing on Thursday, March 28, and the other eight are playing Friday, March 29.  You need only reply to this thread and choose whatever team is left that you think will win the tournament.  Only one vote per person, and if someone has already took that team by replying earlier for that team, you cannot pick it.  So if you like Michigan, Michigan State or Wichita State, or if you'd rather have Florida or Florida Gulf Coast University, make those choices quickly, or you may be shut out.  Once all sixteen teams are picked, you're out of luck just like Georgetown and Gonzaga.  Here are your choices with their initial seed, the first eight play on Thursday:

 

West:

  Wichita State (9)

  La Salle (13)

  Arizona (6)

  Ohio State (2)

East:

  Indiana (1)

  Syracuse (4)

  Marquette (3)

  Miami (FL) (2)

 

Midwest:

  Lousiville (1)

  Oregon (12)

  Michigan State (3)

  Duke (2)

South:

  Kansas (1)

  Michigan (4)

  Florida (3)

  FGCU (15)

 

The one winner gets not only the experience and honor of winning but will also get the vaunted "thumbs up" gift award, along with whatever side bets they can muster from others.  I will not choose until March 26.

[Dave]

Think I'm going to take Duke.

By the way, assuming the numbers beside the teams were what their original seeds were, not all of them are right... U of M was seeded higher then MSU was in their bracket.. believe U of M was a 4 seed and MSU a 5.

[Willy]

Dave

X is correct, MSU is a 3 seed. Below is a copy of the bracket.

I'm picking Louisville to go all the way. I hope I'm wrong and State wins it but if they don't then the next big ten team I would put my vote on is Indiana.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/tournament/bracket

[Dave]

Hmmm.. I'd swear I saw MSU seated at 5... looking again it does show the seeds at MSU at 3 and U of M at 4... ah well... its a Monday

[Dave]

I think I figured out why I made the error in what I thought the seeding was on MSU and U of M, I think I was thinking of the Big 10 Tourney.

[Marty Redman]

Too easy.  Indiana is a shoe in.  Hoosiers all the way.

[XLFD]

Note that three of five of the bracket breakers (those seeded less than #4) are out west.  Get those votes in-- the better teams are going fast-- and the two Michigan teams are still available.  As are the three Florida teams for those wintering down there.

[XLFD]

I will put my vote on my sentimental favorite, that has won all the marbles before:  Michigan State.  Sure they have to get past Duke, then probably Louisville, just to get to the final four, but I am blinded by loyalty.

[XLFD]

There are still many quality teams left in the mix, and only 5 picked so far.  Get your votes in by 7:15 PM tomorrow, when the teams commence halving themselves once again.

[Eve Alone]

Arizona.

[XLFD]

The final picks are in:  Duke- Dave; Louisville- Willy; Indiana- Marty; MSU- XLFD; Michigan- EyE; Arizona- Eve

[XLFD]

Indiana and Arizona are out of the running, both losing tonight.

[Dave]

Looks like Willy and myself are the only ones left out of this little pool.. and Sunday we'll find out who wins as our teams take the court.