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March Madness: 8 bold predictions for 2019 NCAA Tournament

By Brian Rauf

Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 15: Tremont Waters #3 of the LSU Tigers shoots the ball against the Florida Gators during the Quarterfinals of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 15, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 15: Tremont Waters #3 of the LSU Tigers shoots the ball against the Florida Gators during the Quarterfinals of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 15, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

5) LSU still makes the tournament’s second weekend

You know who else is going to be in the Elite Eight? LSU!

Yes, that LSU team who enters the tournament without their head coach in Will Wade, who has been suspended indefinitely after reportedly being caught on wiretap arranging payments to now current Tigers freshman Javonte Smart.

Could it be a distraction for LSU that causes them to be upset in the first round by a very good Yale team? Absolutely. But I don’t think that will happen.

The most important thing for the Tigers is that they have their full roster intact. Smart is back with the team after missing a game and star big man Naz Reid returned for the SEC Tournament after missing the game against Vanderbilt.

That roster is big, long, and deep, and that frontcourt has made them one of the country’s best rebounding teams this year. They also have a tremendous backcourt headlined by Tremont Waters, Skylar Mays, and Smart. They’re the ones who are playing the games and still provide matchup problems against pretty much everyone they’ll face.

I know what you’re thinking – Brian, didn’t they lose to Florida in the SEC Tournament without Will Wade?

They did! But two of their three games against Florida went to overtime this year. The Gators simply play them well and that result was more about that than anything Will Wade related.

Block out the noise. LSU is still going to make a run.

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