Tell Me I’m Wrong: Bold Statements in the Midwest Region

The Midwest Region is the strongest region in the NCAA Tournament.

There, I said it.

Not only does it have the (so-far) most successful team in almost 40 years at the one-seed (Kentucky), but top-to-bottom, this bracket is tough.

The Midwest has the best one-, three-, six-, seven-, nine-, and twelve-seeds in the entire bracket and is will showcase some of the best match-ups in the first round.

Case in point: The Butler vs. Texas and Notre Dame vs. Northeastern contests were already great games. Cincinnati vs. Purdue, Wichita State vs. Indiana, and West Virginia vs. Buffalo were also entertaining.

While that statement can’t ever really be proven, that’s part of the fun of March Madness is the arguing. Which upsets weren’t really upsets, which one-seed has the easiest path, and who was over- and under-seeded.

However, the next three statements can and will be proven. Here we go.

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Notre Dame will not make the Elite Eight.

Experts have talked all week about how many teams have a chance to beat Kentucky and prevent them from that 40-0 record. Wisconsin, Arizona, Gonzaga, and Duke are popular choices, but Notre Dame has also gotten some attention as a potential team to do it.

The Fighting Irish didn’t look great against Northeastern when they won by just four, but a win is a win and this team could definitely bounce back…

But they won’t.

Notre Dame will struggle against Butler and even if they do win, Wichita State or Kansas are likely waiting in the Sweet Sixteen to knock off the Fighting Irish.

The Northeastern game is a perfect example of why the Fighting Irish can be inconsistent. Notre Dame relies too much on shooting for success, and when that’s not on, teams like Northeastern are able to compete with you.

If Notre Dame is off against Butler, a much better team than Northeastern, what will the Bulldogs do?

Don’t be surprised if the Fighting Irish don’t make it out of the first weekend.

Mar 15, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Karl-Anthony Towns (12) dunks the ball against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half of the SEC Conference Championship game at Bridgestone Arena. Kentucky won 78-63. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky will win every game in the Midwest by double-digits.

Maybe this isn’t such a leap, but Kentucky is that much better than everyone they will see en route to the Final Four. Kansas is banged up, as mentioned earlier, Notre Dame might not even get to Kentucky, Maryland could give them a good showing, but they don’t have enough height to compete…

The list goes on through the teams. There’s lots of talent in the Midwest, but nothing compared to the Wildcats.

Wichita State will win the inevitable “Sunflower State Scrum”

Yes, Indiana had a chance to beat Wichita State. But, the Shockers were too much for the Hoosiers. And with Kansas taking care of business against fifteen-seed New Mexico State, that sets up the game the Shockers have been pleading for for years now. Who is the best team in Kansas?

It’s Wichita State. The Jayhawks play too inconsistently and is running out of healthy and eligible bodies. Perry Ellis sprained his knee on March 3, Landon Lucas has a banged-up hip and back, and Cliff Alexander isn’t even in Omaha for these games.

The Shockers have the most reliable point guard in the country in Fred VanVleet, one of the best perimeter defenders in Tekele Cotton, and another great defender in Ron Baker who has developed a three-point shot. Kansas’ guards won’t have a shot.

Next: NCAA Tournament Quick Hits: Round of 64 (Thursday)

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