By JIMMY D / AllStar Game Challenge a la Jimmy D | Jimmy's archive

Three years, three bracket contests, three Jimmy D victories.

If you can boast that type of result, then you don’t need to read on before you fill your college basketball pool picks. If you can’t, it might be a good idea.

Last year, Jimmy placed all four Final Four teams, picking Villanova and Michigan State to advance past the top seeds in their bracket. This year, only two No. 1 seeds will play on Easter weekend for the national title.

The key to winning bracket games is pegging the early upsets. If you pick a vulnerable No. 1 seed and it loses, your bracket can be busted before it gets started. And in recent years, the key to grabbing early-round points has been the No. 5 vs. No. 12 matchup.

If you blindly pick all the No. 5s, you have lost the past few seasons. Every year since 1999, a 12 has upset a 5. Last year, it happened three times (and the No. 12 covered the spread all four games).

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Midwest

Kansas is the top seed and boasts two leaders from its 2008 championship team. They have a clear path to the Sweet 16. No Georgetown? Not after upsetting No. 1 seed Syracuse in the Big East tournament, Jimmy?

Nope. Jimmy has the hot Hoyas (who finished eighth in the Big East and lost to some bad teams in 2010) losing to No. 6 Tennessee, which fell apart against Kentucky but is dangerous.

Midwest Final 4: Kansas, Maryland, Tennessee, Ohio State

West

Syracuse had been ranked No. 1 during the season and lost to a hot Hoyas team in the Big East tourney. But the bracket makers still made them a top seed and for good reason. (Canucks can cheers on Montreal’s Kris Joseph).

Speaking of Canadians, Gonzaga has four Canucks on the roster and should beat No. 9 Florida State before getting squeezed by the Orange. Here is one of your potential No. 12 upset picks. UTEP was upset in the C-USA final but probably deserved to be as high as a 9 seed here. They face a tough and talented Butler team, which is favored by just two points on the point spread.

If UTEP can pull this upset, Jimmy thinks they can also upset No. 4 Vanderbilt and make the Sweet 16. Kansas State is very tough and a lock for the Sweet 16, while Pitt should be able to handle both Oakland and Xavier to advance.

West Final 4: Syracuse, Kansas State, Pittsburgh, UTEP

East

Kentucky was pushed hard in the SEC by Mississippi State but completely destroyed a talented Tennessee team by 31 in the semifinal. They cruise here.
Jimmy again shows his Philly bias by suggesting Temple will succeed as a No. 5 seed and defeat Cornell.

Jimmy has the owls beating Wisconsin as well.

West Virginia is the No. 2 here and arguably deserved a No. 1 after winning the tough Big East. New Mexico is a very dangerous 3-seed, having their 15-game win streak ruined by San Diego State in the Mountain West final.

East Final 4: Kentucky, West Virginia, New Mexico, Temple

South

Duke and Villanova cruise through two rounds here as the top seeds. Baylor is underrated as No. 3 and battled hard in the tough Big 12. But beware the No. 12 here.

Utah State lost to New Mexico State in the WAC final, but has the talent to upset No. 5 Texas A&M. (It’s an Aggie Festival as all three of those teams are nicknamed Aggies). Utah State could also upset Purdue in the second round, as the Boilermakers lost their best player Robbie Hummel to injury a week ago.

South Final 4: Duke, Villanova, New Mexico, Utah State

Jimmy D

jpoole@herald.ca