NCAA Basketball: 2018 2k Classic preview and predictions

Favorite

Oregon Ducks

Oregon is a just on the outside of the top ten right now and are a trendy pick by some to make the final four for the second time in three years. They have expectations they haven’t had in a while and it will be interesting to see how they respond to them throughout the year.

They should be a big favorite over Iowa in their first game and will probably play Syracuse in the second game. The Orange will present a problem but Oregon has the size to work around the zone of Syracuse. This should start to show if the Ducks are worthy of their high ranking.

But if they were to lose to Iowa in the first round, maybe all the hype around them was a little premature. They definitely have the most to lose in this tournament and would take a big hit with a poor showing.

Under the Radar Team

Iowa Hawkeyes

We talked earlier about their defensive woes and how they masked how good offensively they were last year. The Hawkeyes had four guys average in double figures last year and they added a couple of highly regarded recruits, including Joe Weiskamp who is averaging 12.5 points per game so far this year. They have balanced scoring also, as they had six guys score in double figures against Green Bay.

They are a sleeper pick to make some noise in the Big Ten and they have the scoring ability to beat any team here in New York. Even with that, no one will be picking them to beat Oregon. They have no pressure on them and could pull off the upset. If they do, they could carry that confidence over into conference play and could pose a real threat for the top half of the Big Ten this year.