03-15-2023, 06:39 PM
(03-15-2023, 05:57 PM)jk1926 Wrote:(03-15-2023, 12:05 PM)treetop11 Wrote: I may be all wet with my predictions for the tourney, however having watched a fair amount of teams across the country, I believe that the Pac12 will do really well this tournament - maybe their best showing ever. I see 6 teams making it to the Sweet 16; Ucla, Arizona, Stanford, Utah, and USC making it to the elite 8 and final four having Stanford, Ucla, Utah, joining Uconn. Besides seeing the levelof talent and coaching in the P12 this year, the teams have a of immense proportions advantage in having played so many other good teams in conference, but particularly teams with a variety of styles and types of players. Teams have had to prepare for the ugly low scoring play with Colorado and SC and then the wide open game of Utah and Ucla. The P12 has really good defensive teams and have learned how to shut down or contain the best scorers on the other team.
Again, I may be crazy for such a rosy outlook for the conference, but I just have a feeling that the P12 has been underestiamted and that they will have a very successful tournament.
Certainly optimistic with your predictions and I hope you are right.
Somehow I just can't imagine UCLA beating South Carolina in a Sweet 16 matchup. Many media pundits have #5 seed Oklahoma beating my Bruin team in the second round at Pauley. UCLA has demonstrated wildly varying levels of play this season, a reflection perhaps of relying on five true freshmen in the rotation. We all witnessed that variability in a single game - the conference tournament semifinal game against Cardinal.
I hope and believe Tara and her staff will have Stanford playing up to its potential and earnings its way to the championship game. I also think Washington State makes a better than expected run. Utah's run will depend on how well its opponents defend. Not sold on Arizona, USC or Colorado.
I picked WSU to get beat by FGCU. The Cougs might have a letdown after winning the P!@ tourney by surprise and FGCU is darn good.
South Carolina will go one of two ways. It goes all the way, remains undefeated and wins the NC as most everyone expects. They can also feel the pressure of being undefeated, have a letdown or real off night and get upset. In the early rounds, Ucla seems most likely. They played SC tough early in the season and the young team has gotten more experience and improved. The Bruins also have more of a guard offense that can give SC trouble if shots fall. Having played SC close and beat Stanford which almost beat SC, Ucla will be confident and feel like they an win. A negative key is staying out of foul trouble especially in the post. Otherwise, SC will totally dominate down low. A positive key is if Kiki Rice can continue playing as well as she has lately. I alao picked Ucla to beat arizona in the elite eight. But first Ucla will have to take care of business if they play Oklahoma (don't see Portland upsetting them).
