March 18, 2009
NCAA tournament predictions
The Tribune staff offers NCAA tournament insight
Tribune reporters have mapped out their brackets and reveal which teams will cruise to Detroit and which schools will send your bracket careening into a ditch.
Terry Bannon Final Four: North Carolina, Duke, Kansas, Connecticut.
Champion: North Carolina.
Upset special: Dominic James' season-ending injury helped drop Marquette to a No. 6 seed in the West regional, and then the Golden Eagles were dispatched to play 11th-seeded Utah State in Boise, where the Aggies will have the advantage of a friendly crowd.
Most outstanding player: Tyler Hansbrough has shared the stage with others this year, but he and the Tar Heels will benefit from opening the tournament in Greensboro, N.C.
Teddy Greenstein Final Four: Louisville, Memphis, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh.
Champion: Pittsburgh.
Upset special: Virginia Commonwealth over UCLA. The Colonial Athletic Association champs upended Duke in 2007. This Rams team plays better defense thanks to 6-foot-10-inch shot-swatter Larry Sanders. Hey, now!
Most outstanding player: Pitt's DeJuan Blair. On the right night, this 6-7, 265-pound brute is a 20-20 man. He'll have two good nights in Motown.
Brian Hamilton Final Four: Pittsburgh, Memphis, Louisville, North Carolina.
Champion: Pittsburgh.
Upset special: Western Kentucky over Illinois. Everyone will be jet-lagged in Portland, the Illini might not have Chester Frazier at 100 percent and the Hilltoppers have a win over Louisville—Louisville!—on their résumé.
Most outstanding player: Sam Young, Pittsburgh. DeJuan Blair earned league player of the year hardware, but Young becomes the source of the big shots and big rebounds as the Panthers take the title.
Dan McGrath Final Four: Louisville, Memphis, Villanova, North Carolina.
Champion: North Carolina.
Upset special: Western Kentucky over Illinois. The Illini are vulnerable without Chester Frazier, and the scrappy Hilltoppers will scramble them with pressure. And a 12 always beats a 5 in the first round.
Most outstanding player: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina. About the only honor missing from Psycho T's highly decorated college career.
John Mullin Final Four: Louisville, Memphis, Pittsburgh, North Carolina.
Champion: Memphis.
Upset special: The last time Cleveland State was in the NCAA tournament in 1986, the Vikings beat Bob Knight's Indiana team and were within a missed buzzer-beater of beating Navy and David Robinson in the Sweet 16. CSU has only one starter taller than 6-4, but Wake Forest won't be the only big dog to trip over them.
Most outstanding player: DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh. The Pitt strongman plays his best against better opponents and in big games. Guard Levance Fields knows how to get him the ball and Blair stands out at both ends of the court, with the ability to take over a game completely.
Shannon Ryan Final Four: Louisville, Pittsburgh, Memphis, Oklahoma.
Champion: Pittsburgh.
Upset special: Maryland knocked off Top-10 teams North Carolina and Wake Forest this season and lost by just six to Duke in the ACC semifinals. Here's a chance to be considered prominent once again.
Most outstanding player: Terrence Williams, Louisville. Unjustifiably, Williams isn't a candidate for the Oscar Robertson Award, nor was he mentioned as a Big East player of the year candidate. The 6-6 senior forward stuffs a stat line: 12.3 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 5.1 apg and 2.5 spg.
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Big Ten: Illinois • Northwestern
Big East: Notre Dame • DePaul
Horizon League: Loyola • Illinois-Chicago
Missouri Valley: Bradley • Illinois St. • Southern Ill.
Others: Northern Illinois • Western Illinois
• Eastern Illinois • Chicago State
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