Butler Falls, Title Contenders

What's up with Butler losing to Loyola at home?! That was definitely a surprise, but then again, nothing is too surprising in College Hoops these days. Anyone can truly win or lose on any given night. College Hoops is not like College Football where the team with better athletes eventually just outmuscles the less athletic and less talented team.

Butler is definitely the most talented team in the Horizon League, but they are also a team that depends heavily on the three pointer. They remind me a little bit of certain Kentucky teams back in the day who lived and died by the 3 pointer.

Butler doesn't seem like a team though that is incapable of winning if it has a bad night shooting from behind the arc. It's defense is what was most disappointing in its loss vs. Loyola. The Ramblers shot 9-20 from behind the arc. That was the difference in the game.

I think Butler still wins the Horizon League tournament and probably makes the NCAA tournament as a 7-8 seed. It's probably better for them to have a seed like that instead of in the 4-5 spot. I think they will fare better with less pressure on them with being such a young team.

I tell ya what…if I'm a 1 or 2 seed, I don't want to see Butler in that 7 or 8 spot. They are the type of team that could knock off one of the big boys with a good night shooting from behind the arc.

 

Title Contenders

For some reason I only think there are 3 teams that could win the National Championship right now. Those teams are…

UConn

Pittsburgh

North Carolina

I think this is the year Pitt breaks through and wins it all. I'll be honest. I'm not really a fan of Pittsburgh. Maybe because I don't like the Steelers. I just associate every sports team in Pittsburgh with being dirty.

But they are just a tough rugged team. They have the capability to beat you from the outside which is an area they haven't been to strong in past years. Dejaun Blair is a rebounding beast down low. Lavance Fields is a crafty tough stocky guard from NY City that I would want in a big game.

Fields averages over 11 points and 7 assists a game.

Then you have their leading scorer Sam Young who is a physical presence yet can hit the outside shot. He averages about 17 a game. Led by those 3 players and some solid role players, I think Pitt is primed to make a run to the Final 4 and possibly win it all this year. I may change my mind before I fill out my bracket, but that's what I'm thinking now!