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Butt's about it, Let's get out to the hotline. Welcome in,
Rocco Miller college basketball analysts and owner operator of bracketeer
dot org. What's up, Rocco? How you living?
Speaker 1: I'm living good. How you guys doing. I'm out here
in Vegas, you know, just going through these conference tournaments.
We had the WCC the last two nights, some exciting
action in Gondega for the twelfth time in fourteen years,
wins the title, of course, But Santa Clara, the big story.
Looks like they will be in the NCAA tournament for
the first time since Steve Nash in the early nineties.
It was gonna be a big day on Sunday down
there at the Levi Center to'll throw a big party
for the first at large bid. And I don't know,
I think since the sixties. I got a double check
that because I know they only got in as the
auto Bid with Steve Nash. So just an amazing experience
for that program and a program that I've been close.
Speaker 2: To for about a decade.
Speaker 1: And now we move on to the Big West tonight
for some early action. That'll be good watching a ton
of games like you guys today, and then I'll be
at the Mountain West quarterfinals throughout Thursday, which which shapes
up to be four really important games because that that
tournament figures to steal one of the bids you know,
available in the bubble picture.
Speaker 3: So, yeah, what's your bubble watch right now? What is
that looking like? You know, the four, eight, six teams
that you're really intrigued by right now with that bubble watch.
Speaker 1: Yeah, the bubble watches, it's as a moving it's like
a conveyor belt of warts. You know, you're not on
the bubble unless you have warts, right, So I think
I think the big thing is first, it's just where
these bids might get taken from. So I'm I'm accounting
for the Mountain West West to get two teams in
right now, they only have one deserving team in Utah eight.
As you guys know, New Mexico might have a path
to a at large if they win twice and maybe
lose to Utah State in the finals. I think any
other scenario with the other seven, I think you know,
good enough teams to win it not named Utah State.
That adds up to about a seventy percent likelihood that
will have a bid steal.
Speaker 2: From the league.
Speaker 1: So I think it logical to go ahead and project
two bits for the league as this at this point
in the exercise, and that that knocks the spot away.
Right now, SMU is holding the last spot. Obviously, they
just lost moments ago to be done with their season.
You know, they're about as bubbly as can be as
a team that I think that the committee can select.
You know, they've done just enough, but at the same
time be very easy to remove them from the field.
If somebody steps up this week and really kind of
build a better profile, I think they can be they
can be taken over. So we'll see how that plays.
Speaker 2: Out with them.
Speaker 1: You know. VCUS also in Limbo. You know, they had
a really really solid year, but they only got to
play five.
Speaker 2: Teams in the projected field.
Speaker 1: They went zero to five in those five games, and
they've been very very clean. Besides that, they got a
big win at Dayton to close the year, So again,
kind of like SMU, a team you can feel okay
about selecting if you're the committee, especially compared to a
lot of the Power Conference teams with warts. But if
spots go away, or if a team like a Cincinnati,
for example, can beat Arizona tomorrow, it's gonna shake the
whole picture up. And at the Power Conference level you
have chances to do that. You have California. I'm not
predicting they're going to do this, but if they were
to beat Florida State today and then they beat Duke
tomorrow with the Duke's two injuries, that would shake the
world up in the bubble because I think you would
have to probably put California in the field if that happens.
So there's so many things like that can happen, and
it's all about how many opportunities you can get early
in the week. And then you have Indiana sitting there,
who I think, you know, most people would have as
one of their first teams out or last teams in.
That's pretty much where I'm at with the Hoosiers. I
do not think they've done enough, so they need to
beat Northwestern today, and then I know they get a
crack at their arrival the Purdue boiler Makers. If they
win today, they play them tomorrow. So those are the
teams I think are the most fascinating. Auburn, of course,
is going to get a lot of attention. They're still
playing right now. We'll see how that finishes up. I
think they should be out no matter what, for a
lot of good reasons, but I'm also concerned about the
power of the SEC in that committee room. College sports
are different right now than we've ever seen, and we
might see some history made if they really strongly look
at Auburn and try to make a case for them,
but otherwise there's no history says they have no business
being selected. Then you have Oklahoma, who I think is
even further away, but they're starting to creep up because
they do. They did finish strong, So if you're rooting
for a bubble team, you definitely want Oklahoma to lose
early in this tournament. In the SEC, and that's probably
the main list right now. We know Stanford's probably played
themselves out, Virginia Tech played themselves out. USC just lost,
They're out of the picture. So those are the core
teams that I'm looking at.
Speaker 3: Love that breakdown that only you can give. Roco Miller
here on your UTAI ESPN radio network. Roco, where do
you stand with the Big twelve right now? How many
bids do you see coming from this conference?
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's been a you know since TCUs
really established themselves. Did that finish they had, They're cleanly in.
You know, it's kind of kind of crazy because two
weeks ago we looked at TCU.
Speaker 2: We didn't know what to do with them.
Speaker 1: Then all of a sudden, they they I think they
finished seven and one to close the year. Phenomenal job
by the Frogs, and they're clearly in. They played their
way up to like an eight seed now or maybe
a nine, and so they'll be in, and that gives
the league a solid eight teams. And then again we've
got the wild card situation with Cincinnati that I just explained.
So if and I'm not predicting they'll be in Arizona,
but if it happens, I think the committee is going
to make a case for them to get in. It's
not too many teams in the country can go be
to one seed. Cincinnati's got the wild results too. Because
you know, go into fog Allen Fieldhouse and winning by sixteen.
I know that just as a human it sticks in
your mind. Cincinnati has had a lot of battle bad
on their profile, you know, even with Gigsel James, they
were swept by West Virginia. I think there are twelve
and ten right now overall, so they're they even with
giggl James, are still kind of a bubbly type of record,
and that's being a little bit generous. And then of course,
if you if you are looking at the full season,
they lost to Eastern Michigan, which is a team that
fired their coach and did not even qualify for the
MAC Tournament. So it's one of the ugliest losses you'll
see anywhere. So we'll see what happens. So there's there's
an opportunity for a ninth team. I think Oklahoma State
would have to make a very deep run, and I
don't know if they would get considered at this point
even if they did. So I think it lies with Cincinnati,
but the league can count on eight getting in.
Speaker 3: Definitely, Rocko Byu looks to be a six seed. Anything
that could change that in your opinion.
Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely so.
Speaker 1: By using in a tough spot with the Richie Sanders
Saunder situation, right, and the way the committee evaluates means
in this situation for good or bad and then unfortunately
for you are you it's it's hopefully nothing, but it
could be add because they might just take it. Look
at what the teams looked like since the Saunders injury,
which obviously had a little bit of a drop off,
especially on that road trip to West Virginia and Cincinnati.
Nice job by the Krugers to get that Texas Tech
home when I thought that was very important, just because
the evaluation could go a lot of different ways, especially
if they really look like a different team. So they
at least showed, and of course they showed that first
game when they came out and beat Iowa State. Have
two really good wins without them, but they're both.
Speaker 2: At home now.
Speaker 1: I think today don't want to go down to West
Virginia again because I think that would still open the
door for the committee to really pick this team apart,
and you know, they could fall.
Speaker 2: Down to an eight nine game.
Speaker 1: I think if that happens, because they would they would
zero in on the results lately without Saunders, and that
that leaves b Yu exposed I think to be moved down,
and so I think a win today is really important
because it will help hold the line. You know, they've
they've earned that spot. I think as the last six today.
I don't see them being higher than a seven if
they lose today. So pretty important game because you have
to think about the chronological order of the voting in
the committee rote room. So voting started today, a lot
of voting, and and this part of the bracket will
be sorted out tomorrow. So just getting into a game
tomorrow and still playing will help yu Uh to stay
in the conversation and obviously relieve some of those concerns
about how good they actually are without Saunders.
Speaker 3: Yeah, how how good do you think they are without Saunders?
From your purview?
Speaker 1: But I think honestly the defense has dropped off. They
got to figure they got to figure some things out defensively.
So I'd love to see that in this in this week.
That's my biggest concern. I also think Richie Saunders was
their best force pacer and Uh there's been a lot
of a lot more ice, though I kind of figured
it would be with with Aju, He's touch an elite talent.
He can go get buckets on his own. But you know,
I just I think the BYU offense is less effective
without that.
Speaker 2: Elite force spacing.
Speaker 1: You're not getting as many clean looks as you wore
with Riggie. So those two things are a little bit
of downgrades for me, just from what I've observed so far.
Speaker 2: But obviously still very talented, very capable team.
Speaker 1: And you know, I've noticed with injuries across the country
all this year. All this year, Stanford as a quick example,
they lost Chishimawk Para I think at the end of January,
and their next four games they look terrible, basically played
themselves out of the picture. But Kyle Smith and that
that staff just kept working on the guys they had,
and eventually those new those newly uh those fresh to
defined roles uh played out to be. Stanford got pretty
good again.
Speaker 2: By the end of the year. They beat NC State
and they were clearly better again.
Speaker 1: So by you has that opportunity. They just need to
get some more at bats. And that's why I thinks
another reason just basketball wise, for them to to get
a win today so they can keep playing together before
it's really the big pressure of the NCAA Tournament.
Speaker 3: Rocco Miller talking some n c double A tournament and
bracketology here on your Utah ESPN Radio Network, brought to
you by Big O Tires in American Fork Roco this
uh uh this tournament. You know, I feel like, you know,
there's certain teams that are trending. Is you know, favorites
to win the national title. They've been favorites for most
of the year. We kind of feel like we know
who our one seeds are. Where do you staying kind
up with your one seed and your favorites to win
the NCAA Tournament this year?
Speaker 1: Well, thanks to yukon Ukon Locke to Marquette on that
final day made everything kind of clear, right, Florida takes
that fourth number one. Duke Michigan and Arizona are just
at a whole different level with their resume and you know,
only having a couple losses each, quite clearly the top three.
I think the committee will didn't have enough reason to
change that order up going into their actual final bracket
this weekend. Arizona has an argument they didn't get to
play either of those two.
Speaker 2: They have went at Houston.
Speaker 1: They have a lot of great wins. They've been awesome
in the Big twelve. But because Duke played Michigan and
beat Michigan and it's still Duke, you know, you figure
those day one now. One thing, you know, we'll have
to see how Duke plays, at least this first game.
You know, like I said earlier, they'll play Florida State
or California because they got two injuries, and we know
Foster's probably going to miss that at least the first weekend,
maybe even the entire NCAA tournament. Curious to see if
Duke fell in that game. You know, I think you'd
probably have to at least move them below Michigan and Arizona.
Despite the head to head, they would still be a
one seat, but it would change up the order. I
think that's really the main thing at stake there Florida,
since they're crushed to the to the picture obviously still
not that much margin between them and Yukon. I think
they just probably need to win their first game in
the season tournament and then they'll be fine. And it
looks like they'll play like Missoo or Kentucky. So even
if they lose, they might be okay, because that's not
a bad loss. Those are both tournament teams.
Speaker 2: And then speaking of.
Speaker 1: Florida, I mean, I think that's the team that's.
Speaker 2: The team to be when we get to the tournament.
Speaker 1: I mean the way I understand that they've figured all
this stuff out in league play, and they lost.
Speaker 2: A lot of their our key non conference games, but they.
Speaker 1: Didn't lose by much. You know, they lost to Duke
by one, they lost to Arizona in a really good
game on opening night, lost to Yukon by four, and
then they really started switching things up with their with
their guards, you know, Xavion Lee and Boogie flann and
and Urban and all those wing players. Uh, they were
they were a little two three point reliant and lately
they've just been attacking the paint relentlessly. We we only
know they have the best front line in college basketball
when it comes to offensive and defensive rebounding. Well, now
what they're doing is they're using their bigs at the
top of the key and uh in the areas where
the guards are driveling to free the guards up for
back cuts. And now you're seeing Zavion League getting wide
open layups in the screen game. And so they're taking
a lot less threes and they're just attacking the rim.
That's seventy two points in the paint against Alabama in
their biggest game lately, and that was not it wasn't
just your traditional points in the paint. A lot of
guards were getting layups because of those back cuts. And
now the defense is that in that are trying to
stop this offense don't know what to focus on because
they're scoring in a variety of ways and it's very,
very difficult to stop. And then, of course, on the
other side of the coin, they have elite defenders. You know,
rubenclu is probably the best defender in the SEC. So
I think that formula gives them a really, really good
chance to repeat as national champs.
Speaker 3: Love that breakdown, Roco Miller here on ESP and the
fan Roco going back to b Yu, what's the ceiling
of this stand if they get hot, if they play well, Like,
how far can they go in the NC DOUAA tournament?
What would you project?
Speaker 1: Well, First of all, I think they need to play
teams that just want to play offense and they don't
have like I don't want to vy. You have to
go up against a really good defense. I think I
think that could that could be a problem giving by
You go cold and and just be an ugly, ugly game.
I want to see by You play a team that
wants to get up and down, they can beat them
like ninety five to ninety that type of game. So
if they get that kind of path, of course, they
can still get Probably about the Elite eight, I would say,
would be anything beyond that would surprise me. But I
think it's all about the matchups. You know, they should
run into a brutal matchup in the first game for
all we know. So it's anywhere between the first round
and the Elite eate in my opinion. And even if
they did get to the Sweet sixteen, I think based
on Richie going down and all the concerns right now,
I think I think hopefully the fans and BYU community
would still call that a good year.
Speaker 3: Yeah, where do you project them as far as location
is right now? I was, I was looking at possibilities
with Portland, but then you could also see, you know,
I've heard you know, you could get a matchup with
like maybe Miami, Ohio or you know kind of where
where do you kind of see location wise? In first
round matchup with BYU.
Speaker 1: So let's say if YU can hold on to the
six spot, that requires a win today. But if they
hold on to the sixth spot, it's really nice because
they'd be slotted into Portland in the same pot as
Gonzaga as the number three seed, and the way I
have it right now, they play since I have a
spot for the Mountain West champion, I have that penciled
in as San Diego State, but you could just plug
in any Mountain West champion. They probably get that last
eleven seeds and keep them in the West in Portland,
so it makes a lot of sense. So in my
projection right now, it would be by U versus San
Diego State winner plays Gonzaga, but they've been a seven
seed on other occasions. If they're seven, they're most likely
to go to Buffalo because in Buffalo you have a
Thursday Saturday sight there and that's where Michigan Michigan State's
likely going to be, So that would be with Michigan State,
and then in some of those I think the last
one I had they had BYU was playing Texas A
and M, but it could also be like a Georgia.
It could also be sorry not Georgia. I'm misspeaking there.
It could be a Santa Clara. Santa Clara's gonna be
a ten seed, so that could be interesting. So we'll
see how that shakes out. But but yeah, I keep
getting either Portland or Buffalo, and then certainly Oklahoma City
could be in play. But I just don't see Oklahoma
City because Houston is going to be the two seeds
in Oklahoma City, and I know the committee will look
to avoid having two teams from the Big twelve in
the same pod, but if they don't have any other options,
they could still do it. I believe Yu and Houston
only played one time this year, so they are allowed
to do it. So just keep that in the back
of your mind as well for Oklahoma City.
Speaker 3: Yeah, Roco, love your content, man, you do fantastic work
for all those that are tuning in right now. Best
way to support you what you do, how you do
it for all of our listeners.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I really appreciate that.
Speaker 2: Bracket.
Speaker 1: Two dot Orgs, the site I own and operate, we've
got we've got some younger guys getting that experience covering
the NCAA tournament, these conference tournaments. We have two guys
out doing the Big East Tournament, so anybody that wants
to support our work. We also do non conference schedule
updates all summer and spring. I know sometimes I come
on in the summer with you guys to talk about
updates there. So it's a three hundred and sixty five
day operation obviously for bracketology, you know, every single morning
or afternoon at least I'll be posting updates about the
forecast where you can expect your cougars to go or
if you're a fan of another team, definitely come to
the site for that. And then I'm on Field of
sixty eighth throughout the weekend. So we have our show
Friday to do our last projection show, Fielding the.
Speaker 2: Sixty eighth the name of the show at at three.
Speaker 1: O'clock Mountain time, five o'clock Eastern time, and then Jeff
Goodmin and myself will be on the live reaction show
on Sunday. Stuff you want to hear a little something
else besides the announcement on CBS, come on to Field
of sixty eight about forty five minutes early. We're going
to start around forty five minutes before the show starts
to our final projection to get your juices flowing and
then we'll react to every pick. So you know, I
remember last year with the North Carolinda pick. I think
that one kind of went viral. So you never know
what's gonna happen, and it's a it's kind of a
fun experience every year.
Speaker 3: Roco, much love to you man, keep doing great work.
And for all those March Madness fanatics, if you want
to pick the right bracket, the right winners, all you
got to do is go to bracketeer dot org.
Speaker 2: Right, that's right, let's do it.
Speaker 3: Well, go appreciate your Rocko, thanks so much for joining us.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, thank you very much.
Speaker 2: Appreciate it.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir, great segment with Rocomiller bracketeer dot org. Check
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