Wahoo Wire

I would like to start my column by apologizing to my avid readers that there has not been a “What to Watch” article for a while. Studying abroad in a country that does not have ESPN, and balancing school work, exploring Copenhagen, travelling, keeping in touch with family and friends, reflecting on my experience, and laxing harder than Brantford Winstonworth has kept my writing for the Wahoo Wire to an unacceptably low amount. I promise to try my best to write this column weekly (or every other week) for the rest of my semester and it will become weekly when the semester ends.

Wednesday March 24

NBA: Orlando Magic at Atlanta Hawks

With only twelve games left for both the Atlanta Hawks and the Boston Celtics, every one counts as they both teams try and get a better seeding for the playoffs. Right now both the Hawks and the Celtics are 45-25 and are a doable four and a half games behind the Orlando Magic. A win for Atlanta in a head to head game like this with the Magic would make it three and a half and possibly give some breathing room as the Celtics take on the formidable opponent of the current two seed in the West, Denver. The Hawks’ uptempo, high scoring offense and good play at home will look to push it from the get-go as a slow game will favor Dwight Howard and the Magic. Expect a close game and for the Hawks to put up a fair amount of points but for Howard to be too much and lead Orlando to victory.

NHL: Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals

Yes, you read that right; there is a hockey game in What to Watch for this Week in the World of Sports for the first time ever. If I had been good at keeping up with this column this semester it would have been here earlier because of the Olympics, but alas hockey is on the list. What better way to be unveiled than by featuring the two best teams in the Eastern Conference with the best two players in the NHL facing off as Sidney Crosby’s Penguins visit Alexander Ovechkin. The Penguins have not been so hot lately as they have dropped three of their last four. The Capitals have won three of their last four and will look to make it two in a row. Expect an exciting game with the league’s two most exciting players going toe-to-toe but for the Capitals to win this one.

Thursday March 25

Men’s NCAA Tournament Basketball:

The Tournament has indeed lived up to its nickname of March Madness this year as ten of the thirty two teams playing in the second round were the higher numbered seed, and five of the sixteen teams left playing in the third round (sweet sixteen) are the higher numbered seed. Half of the teams left are not a one through four seed. With such madness and so many quality games thus far, the NCAA Tournament is a must see this week.

West Bracket:

#1 Syracuse versus #5 Butler

Butler might be on a twenty two game winning streak but only two of those games were against tournament teams and those were in the actual tournament. They got given an easy draw against a weak UTEP and they got lucky that they did not have to play Vanderbilt, yet were still almost upended by Murray State. Syracuse on the other hand started the season 28-2 playing in arguably the best conference in college basketball. Even though Louisville had their number and they performed poorly in the Big East Conference Tournament, Syracuse deserved the number one seed by winning the Big East Regular Season Title and going undefeated in non-conference games. I actually think losing the last two games of their season has made them realize their weaknesses in time to correct them before the tournament started as well as have a little rest before the tournament started (8 days of rest and correcting weaknesses to be exact). Coach Jim Boeheim has been around the block a few times and knows how to prepare his team for the tournament. Expect another 20+ point win as the Orange cruise to the Elite Eight.

#2 Kansas State versus #6 Xavier

The last time these two teams met Kansas State was looking for revenge as Xavier gave Kansas State its worst lost under the guidance of Coach Frank Martin in 2007. The home fans were into it and Xavier was still reeling from the Old Spice Classic where they lost twice (to tournament teams #6 Marquette and #3 Baylor) while Kansas State had yet to face a hard opponent and were finishing up a three game home-stand. Since then Xavier has gotten it together, finishing out the season winning 21 of their last 26 with all but one of their eight losses coming to teams seeded nine or below in the tournament. Kansas State was not too shabby either en route to earning a two seed. Beating a team twice in a season is never easy especially when the first game was at home, but given the superior strength inside of the Wildcats, I expect Kansas State to win.

East Bracket:

#2 West Virginia versus #11 Washington

Usually an eleven seed in the sweet sixteen would surprise us a little but given the weakness of the three and six seeds as well as the strength of this eleven seed, it should surprise no one Washington has made it this far. A team who will not be underestimating the Huskies though is the West Virginia Mountaineers. Both teams are conference champions (Washington in the Pac-10, West Virginia in the Big East) and have sizeable win streaks (Washington 9 games, West Virginia 8 games), but Washington has yet to be tested by a team nearly as good as West Virginia. Expect the fairytale of yet another 11 seed making a deep run in the tournament to end here as West Virginia sets up a battle with another conference (tournament) champion in either Kentucky (SEC Champion) or Cornell (Ivy League Champion – there is no tournament but if there was they would have won it).

#1 Kentucky versus #12 Cornell

This is Cornell’s third straight tournament appearance in a row. Cornell has already shown they can play with two of the other one seeds in the tournament this season and has shown that their two weeks off before the tournament started were put to good use. Their two wins in the tournament against strong four and five seeds have been impressive. If only they played in the Midwest Region and were facing a more beatable opponent like Northern Iowa. Instead they play a Kentucky team coached by John Calipari and filled with soon to be NBA Draft lottery picks. I said it in my preview of the East bracket and will say it again, Kentucky is winning the tournament (and John Wall is winning the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award). Sorry Big Red, go back to the library where you belong.

Friday March 26

Men’s NCAA Tournament Basketball:

Midwest Bracket:

#2 Ohio State versus #6 Tennessee

Ohio State has won fifteen of their last sixteen en route to a share of the Big Ten Regular Season title as well as winning the Conference Tournament. Evan Turner is playing out of his mind averaging twenty points, nine rebounds, and six assists per game. If Turner can be contained though, it will be a tough task for the Buckeyes to repeat their results from the 2007 Sweet Sixteen. Tennessee is the only team this year to have beaten one seeds Kansas and Kentucky. They have multiple people who can step up and score as many as needed instead of relying upon one main star player. I think the Vols’ defense will neutralize Turner enough to make it through to the Elite Eight. If they make it to the Elite Eight, I see no reason why they will not make it to the Final Four.

#5 Michigan State versus #9 Northern Iowa

Who would have predicted that Northern Iowa would beat Kansas. I, for one, am still in shock. Almost 40% of all the ESPN fantasy brackets predicted that Kansas would win the whole tournament! With two close wins in a row can the Panthers keep it up and make it to the Elite Eight? I think so. Michigan State has not been very impressive this season or tournament and are average enough that if Northern Iowa continues to slow down the game and play tough defense, I see no reason why their shock run does not continue.

South Bracket:

#3 Baylor versus #10 St. Mary’s College

Having won seven in a row, three in a row against very legitimate opponents, one has to wonder whether St. Mary’s College was not given too high of a number seed. Regardless, they have come to play this tournament and will look to do the unexpected again, this time in the heart of Texas (where Baylor is located). There must be something in the WCC water as Gonzaga were the original mid-major sweetheart and now St. Mary’s tries to emulate Gonzaga’s prior success. Unfortunately for them as I mentioned before, Baylor will be playing in their backyard where everything is bigger, Texas. Baylor also has had quite the easy way to the Sweet Sixteen making them full of energy. Expect a closer game than Baylor wanted but for the Bears to come out on top.

#1 Duke versus #4 Purdue

Duke has been on a tear winning fourteen of their last fifteen. Purdue was not so clutch in their conference tournament and was lucky to have beaten Texas A&M. Coach K is so good at what he does and Duke should never be underestimated. Expect the suffocating defense and three headed offensive monster of Jon Scheyer, Kyle Singler, and Nolan Smith to be too much for the Boilermakers to handle.

Saturday March 27

Premiership Soccer: Aston Villa at Chelsea

This game is pivotal for both Aston Villa and Chelsea. Chelsea is four points off league leaders Manchester United with a game in hand. Villa is one point off a guaranteed spot in the Europa League (sixth place) with two games in hand. Chelsea will be playing their fifth game in two weeks which is a lot for any club, even one of the best in Europe. Chelsea has also not exactly played amazing in these games as they were sent crashing out of the Champions League and drew with Blackburn. Chelsea’s mind might not be fully in the game either, as the following week is arguably the most important game of the season as they travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United. Villa on the other hand is on a nine game league unbeaten streak and have already beaten Chelsea earlier this year. These two teams will meet again two weeks later in the Semi-Final of the FA Cup in Wembley with Villa desperately looking to end their trophy drought. Expect this game at Stamford Bridge to be close and down to the wire, but for Chelsea to pick up all three points and ensure quite the race for the league title.

What to Watch that is Undetermined this Week in the World of Sports:

Saturday March 27 and Sunday March 28

Men’s NCAA Tournament Basketball: Elite Eight games

The Elite Eight games will be played on March 27^th and March 28^th, but as they are not determined until March 26, a preview of the games will have to be left out of this week’s edition of What to Watch for this Week in the World of Sports.