Gene Clemons Gene Clemons hypothetically played out March Madness using the College Football Playoffs format.
We are blessed that the NCAA men's and women’s basketball tournaments give so many schools an opportunity to be represented and prove who is better on the court. In college football we just arrived at a place where they have increased the participation from four teams to 12 teams.
That's a far cry from the 68 teams that make up the basketball tournaments. There are positives and negatives to both. Many believe that having all of these teams is useless because the team that cuts down the nets at the end never comes from the lower half of the bracket. It makes you wonder what the NCAA basketball tournament would look like if they were football teams and had to adhere to the College Football Playoff seeding rules. Well, wonder no longer.
The selection criteria for the CFP is pretty simple. The Power Four teams who are conference champions get an automatic bid along with the highest-ranked G5 conference champion. The other seven teams are the seven highest-ranked teams remaining. The final criteria is that the top four highest-ranked conference champions get a bye in the first round.
Top Four Seeds [First-Round Bye]
No. 1 Duke
The Blue Devils are the top seed. They are the ACC Champion and they have amassed a 31-3 record and two of their three losses happened back in November, both to ranked teams. They are a team led by underclassmen who were learning on the job at the beginning of the season. They are experienced now and will be waiting for the winner of the 8v9 matchup.
No. 2 Houston
Defense is the calling card for the Cougars and they have the padlocks on hand to keep offenses in check. They claimed the Big 12 championship this year. Unlike Duke, which is led by primarily freshmen, Houston is led by upperclassmen who have been through the fire before. They are going to make every opponent work for everything. They will face the 7v10 winner in Round 2.
No. 3 Florida
The Gators may be playing the best basketball of any team in the country right now. They have been excellent on offense and their defense has made crucial stops when necessary. The SEC is the best conference in basketball, and the Gators had to run the gauntlet in order to claim the conference tournament championship. They will face the 6v11 winner.
No. 4 St. John’s
The Red Storm punched their ticket into this bracket because they are the highest-ranked G5 squad and they received a first-round bye because they are ranked fifth in the country. That means they are one of the four highest-ranked conference champions. They are having a historic season this year and they will prepare to face the winner of the 5v12 matchup.
First-Round Matchups
No. 5 Auburn vs No. 12 Michigan:
The Auburn Tigers are the fifth seed even though they are the fourth-ranked team because they did not win the SEC tournament. Auburn has spent significant time as the top seed this season. The Tigers have five players who score double digits and a sixth who averages over nine. They will host the 12th seed at home in Auburn. They will definitely have Neville Arena rocking when they welcome the Michigan Wolverines.
The Wolverines are the Big Ten tournament champions so they get the automatic bid, but because they are the lowest-ranked conference champion they do not get the bye and fall all the way to the 12th seed. This will definitely be a battle of styles. Michigan is paced by its two centers: 7-foot-1 senior Valdislav Goldin and 7-foot junior Danny Wolf. They are flanked by three guards who help space the floor for them. It will be an intriguing matchup, but it is difficult to imagine Michigan being able to keep pace offensively with Auburn. The Tigers should advance.
No. 6 Tennessee vs No. 11 Maryland
As the higher seed, the Volunteers get to welcome Maryland to “good ole Rocky Top,” and the fans will be hungry for a victory in Food City Center. Tennessee is led by senior guard Chaz Lanier, who averages almost 18 points per game while shooting 40% from behind the arc. He does not do it alone, as they have six players who average 25 or more minutes per game. They also boast one of the best defensive teams in the country. What else would you expect from a Rick Barnes-led squad?
Maryland comes in as the second-best squad in the Big Ten this season. They have five players who score 12 or more points per game, but they are paced by the 6-foot-10, 250-pound freshman center Derik Queen, who leads the team in scoring and is tied for the rebounding lead. He provides the interior scoring while they have two players in the main rotation who shoot over 40% from behind the arc. Tennessee has the home court, but Maryland has the scoring punch. Both teams play good defense so lean toward the team with the better offense. Maryland pulls the upset.
No. 7 Alabama vs No. 10 Louisville
The Crimson Tide rolls into this tournament as the seventh seed and the best scoring team in the nation. They play with a level of pace and offensive efficiency that many cannot keep up with. They have six players who score in double figures and another four who put in over five. They are top 10 in three-pointers and free throws attempted. When they welcome in Louisville, Coleman Coliseum will be bursting at the seams.
The Cardinals had to run through a revitalized ACC this season. An 18-2 conference record was only good for third place. They have five guys who do the bulk of the scoring and all average 12 points or more. They run a four guard lineup and all of them are seniors who average 30 or more minutes. This game has fireworks written all over it. There will be buckets in bunches, but the offensive firepower and home crowd will lean things heavily toward the Tide as they roll to the second round.
No. 8 Michigan State vs No. 9 Texas Tech
When it comes to the tournament, the Spartans know how to navigate it. Their legendary coach Tom Izzo will have them ready to compete. They win with tenacity and pride, good defense, and timely shooting. The Spartans have a way of raising their game when the tournament arrives, so looking at their regular-season numbers can be slightly misleading. They will have a tough test when the Red Raiders invade the Breslin Center.
Texas Tech finished second in the Big 12 behind Houston and there seemed to be a dropoff from one to two. They are paced by their two forwards; sophomore JT Toppin and junior Darrion Williams combine to average 32 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists. This matchup against Sparty will be the definition of rock ‘em, sock ’em robots. Expect a close game with lulls in scoring because of excellent defense. This will be a rare first-round exit for Michigan State, even at home.
Quarterfinal Matchups
No. 1 Duke vs No. 9 Texas Tech: Prudential Center, Newark NJ
The length and three-point shooting of Duke will be too much for the Red Raiders. Their guards are as big as Texas Tech’s forwards. Cooper Flagg should be good to go after getting the first-round bye and a few more days to rest his injury. Blue Devils advance.
No. 2 Houston vs No. 7 Alabama: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
This is a battle of wills! Can the defensive-minded Cougars impose their pace and will on the run-and-gun Tide? This game is a higher-scoring affair than Houston would like, but ultimately they have more offensive firepower than in years past. They get Bama down by double digits thanks to a scoring drought and never let them back in the game. Houston advances.
No. 3 Florida vs No. 11 Maryland: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
The Gators are just too hot and have too many ways to win. They are comfortable playing any type of game. They have the personnel to keep Derik Queen in check. Maryland will not boast the scoring advantage in this game and ultimately that will make the difference. The Gators Advance.
No. 4 St. John’s vs No. 5 Auburn: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
The Big East is not what it has been in past years so people might underestimate the Red Storm and their veteran-led trio of RJ Luis, Zubi Ejiofor, and Kadary Richmond. They combine for 45.5 points per game. Unfortunately for them Bruce Pearl will not be one of those who underestimates them. Auburn will just throw too many bodies at them. Tigers advance.
Semifinal Matchups
No. 1 Duke vs No. 5 Auburn: Alamodome, San Antonio TX
The Blue Devils can throw as many bodies at Auburn as Auburn can at other opponents. They are bigger and shoot better overall from behind the arc. They have the probable Player of the Year and a lot of other players who hope to be one and done, and are looking for the national stage to showcase their talents. It is the perfect storm for a Duke win.
No. 2 Houston vs No. 3 Florida: Alamodome, San Antonio TX
This will be a difficult task for Houston. Florida has been the hottest team over the past couple weeks and have momentum going into the tournament. But they have never seen defense like this. Even Tennessee does not offer the level of on-ball pressure that Houston brings. There will be a time in the game where Houston has to prove it can get consistent buckets and unlike years in the past, they have that ability. Three guys who shoot over 40% from beyond the arc will help any effort. Lock down defense and timely three-point shooting gets it done for the Cougars and they slide by a game Gators squad.
Championship Game
No. 1 Duke vs No. 2 Houston: Alamodome, San Antonio TX
Duke has to travel to Texas to face Houston. Yes, it is San Antonio but trust me, the entire state will be rooting for Houston that day. Duke will have a huge advantage offensively, but the Cougars will have that same large advantage defensively. Can they short circuit the outside shooting of the Blue Devils and turn them into a two-point field goal team. Can they keep Duke off the free-throw line? If they do, they have as good of a chance to pull off the victory. The veteran savvy provided by the upperclassmen on the Cougars may very well be the difference in this game that will likely come down to the final minutes of the game.
Houston gets it done and head coach Kelvin Sampson finally gets to cut down the nets for the first time in his 32-year career.
