Analysis: Scalabrine picks his bracket
Celtics forward Brian Scalabrine was once again kind enough to put his NCAA tournament knowledge on the line and pick a bracket for Boston.com this year. Scal is one of the Boston.com VIP’s for this year’s bracket challenge, which you can sign up for here. Signing up will allow you to compete against Scal, basketball Bob Ryan, and others.
You can view Scal’s complete picks here, but what follows is some analysis and advice from the former USC star himself as to why he made his picks.
(Editor’s note: Leon Powe is scheduled to give us his picks before tonight’s Heat game, but we’ve got to check on his availability after his knee injury last night).
Scal’s analysis:
MIDWEST
“Of course, I like history repeating as I see my alma mater USC beating BC. Some of my BC friends remember the 2001 game as one of the worst moments in program history. Me, I kind of liked it.
“I’m sticking with my Pac-10 and taking Arizona for a 5-12 upset. Rick Pitino’s done a phenomenal job with Louisville this year, and I’m taking them deep.”
Elite 8: Louisville over Michigan State
WEST
“After that 6-OT game against Syracuse, I’ve got #1 seed UConn bowing out early against BYU for my biggest early round bracket buster.
“I’m a big fan of the 5-12 upset, so let’s take another one here with Northern Iowa over Purdue. As you’ll see, I’m taking Washington for a ride here, of course because of all of those great Seattle players they have.”
Elite 8: Washington over Memphis.
EAST
“Portland State over Xavier? Yeah, that’s right. Gotta give the love out to the only coaching staff who recruited one Brian Scalabrine out of high school. Once again, giving it up for the Pac-10 with my UCLA pick. I really like Pitt this year, Levance Fields and the Pitt guards should take them deep. You hear it all the time, and believe me, it’s true: you can’t underestimate the importance of guard play at The Dance.”
Elite 8: Pittsburgh over Duke
SOUTH
“I thought UNC was the best team in the country at the beginning of the year. They stumbled a bit during the season, but I think they’re ready and they should get through this bracket. Gonzaga is one of those teams that always shines in the tourney. I think Syracuse is good, but I’ve got an early out for them for the same reason that I have UConn ducking out early — that 6 OT game caused some tired legs. And you’ve got to love the fact that the best player in the country, Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin is on a path to meet up with the second best player in the country, Arizona State’s James Harden. My Pac-10 pride’s takes ASU over Oklahoma in that showdown.”
Elite 8: North Carolina over Arizona St.
FINAL FOUR BREAKDOWN
“Pittsburgh’s guards get them here, but UNC is one of the few teams that won’t allow their guards to get to them.”
National semifinal: UNC over Pittsburgh
“Rick Pitino is one of the great all time tourney coaches, he gets Louisville to the Final Four. Only to be upset by… you guessed it… the Washington Huskies!”
National semifinal: Washington over Louisville
“Right now, you’re thinking, okay Scal. You’re the guy that had your alma mater USC winning it all last year! Hey, I was on the O.J. Mayo bandwagon, what can I say. But let me break it down for you: some things you need to know about Washington. I play with these guys when I’m back home in the summer, and this is a good T-E-A-M. They may not dazzle you with the raw talent of some of the top seeds, but it’s not all about talent. They also have a great coach in Lorenzo Romar, who knows how to deal with people, how to get the best out of each of his players.
“So my national champion is… the Washington Huskies over North Carolina! Hey man, I pick with my heart. Pac-10 pride all the way!”
FINAL THOUGHTS
“As for my competitor this year, my good friend Leon Powe, I have this to say: there are some guys on this team I’d be worried about competing in this against. Leon’s not one of them. Paul Pierce, on the other hand, dude’s amazing. He’s one of these guys who can watch a team just once and know how far they’re going to go in the tournament. But Leon? I don’t see him coming within 10 points of me. Even though he’s a Pac-10 guy.”
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