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Episode 10
48 Plays1 year ago
March Madness is here!! Listen in to a game by game, round by round breakdown of this year's NCAA Tournament. The Ross Sports Report's Final Four teams are....listen and find out!
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Transcript
Introduction to Episode 10
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome in to episode 10 of the Ross Sports Report. And here we are.
March Madness Kickoff
00:00:09
Speaker
March Madness has already begun as I'm recording this. I'm recording this Wednesday night. And so we had two games last night with Southeast Missouri State over Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
Scheffler's PGA Triumph
00:00:25
Speaker
And Pittsburgh winning a thriller over Mississippi State late in Dayton in the first four. Tonight I just finished up with Texas Southern and Fairleigh Dickinson. Fairleigh Dickinson winning that one to move on. And now coming up next, I'm recording in between games. It'll be Nevada. And who's the other 11 seed somewhere? Nevada and Arizona State.
00:00:52
Speaker
Recording in between two games gonna knock this out We're gonna go game by game bracket by bracket until we crown a champion here in a minute on March Madness But before we get to the NCAA tournament some news of interest earlier today always
00:01:13
Speaker
fun.
Masters Champions Dinner Menu
00:01:15
Speaker
Well, first of all, congratulations to Scotty Scheffler on running away with the players championship on Sunday, absolutely running away with it, winning millions and millions of dollars in the largest purse ever in a PGA tour event. He dominated. Nobody really even challenged him. Any of the part, any, any day, any part of the day, I should say on Sunday. So Scheffler
00:01:38
Speaker
Of course, defending Masters champion has won a ton in the last, really, 12 months, a month, a year and a half, has really solidified himself as the number one player in the world. With that being said, Jon Rahm did remove himself from the tournament, I think, on Thursday or Friday, Friday, two under par.
00:02:01
Speaker
Um, with an illness. So, uh, not saying that that had anything to do with it. Um, Scotty Scheffler played exceptionally well, uh, all week long and especially on a Saturday, late Saturday and Sunday to put it away. So, uh, I say that to say this Scotty Scheffler has released his master's champions dinner menu. For those of you that do not know every year, the master's champion.
00:02:31
Speaker
picks the menu for the champions dinner the following Tuesday night of the tournament. So this year it'll be Tuesday night, April the 4th after a practice round day before the par three contest and all that. And only the past champions and the chairman of Augusta national at this point at this time, Fred Ridley are invited to eat probably the most exclusive
00:03:02
Speaker
meal by far in all of sports.
March Madness Bracket Breakdown
00:03:05
Speaker
The only really organized meal that, um, a major sporting event puts on, um, the week of during the event. So Tuesday night masters champion dinner. So he put the menu out today, lots of jokes on social media about it and saying it's an Applebee's menu or a Chili's menu.
00:03:30
Speaker
But yeah, I think about Scotty Shuffle is a young guy. And, you know, growing up in the nineties and 2000s, he liked finger foods and chilies were very popular Applebee's popular. So, uh, the appetizer is going to be cheeseburger sliders and firecracker shrimp. Those are your appetizers. Then, uh, tortilla soup.
00:03:54
Speaker
with avocado, crispy blue tortilla chip strips, sour cream, cilantro, and lime. And then the main dish, the entree, Texas ribeye steak, of course, Scotty Scheffler hails from Texas, or blackened redfish, served with family-style mac and cheese, jalapeno cream corn, fried Brussels sprouts, and seasoned French fries.
00:04:19
Speaker
For dessert, warm chocolate chip skillet cookie, milk and cookies ice cream. So yes, does sound very chilies-esque with the sliders and the firecracker shrimp or bang bang shrimp of some places call it. And then you got the tortilla soup, which they have at Chili's. I'm thinking Applebee's, Texas, we're by steak. You can get a steak there. It's not very good, but you can get a steak there. I don't think you can go to an Applebee's or a Chili's in anywhere across the country and find redfish.
00:04:49
Speaker
But yes, they definitely have a chocolate chip skillet cookie for dessert. So very interesting. But I will say it sounds absolutely fantastic and delicious to me. And interesting enough, and we'll find out closer to time, if not the night of or after, the cheeseburger sliders underneath, they're going to be served Scotty style. So that's how he likes his cheeseburger slider. Be very interesting to see.
00:05:19
Speaker
how that turns out. Let's get to the bracket. The greatest sporting event of the year, as I mentioned last week, smack dab in the middle of the greatest sports time of the year over the next four weeks. You have March Madness, you have the Masters, you have the opening day for Major League Baseball. So the greatest time of the year has come for sports.
00:05:47
Speaker
And without further ado, we're going to run down the bracket how I have it. And let me just get a little explanation of how I go about it. I work from region to region, round to round. So I base it on matchups. I don't have a set Final Four in my head when I fill this out. I don't have a set champion in my head when I fill this out. I just go by matchups when I see them develop down the line.
Furman's Upset Potential vs Virginia
00:06:16
Speaker
Uh, I think I mentioned last week, um, and I did that again, every year since 1987, I have a legal pad and I watched the selection show and I write down my bracket. So every year since 1987, I've done that. It's just my thing. It's a lot of fun. Uh, and I love it. And then I print off a bracket off of a website. I think this one was NCAA.com. And then I sat down and I filled it out game by game as the match ups.
00:06:43
Speaker
So again, I don't have a set final for my head. I don't have a set final in my head. I don't have a set championship or a champion in my head. When I do this, I just kind of let the bracket, the bracket flow and also may not be the right way to go about it because I've never won a bracket challenge group that I've ever been in. But be that as it may, here is the raw sports report, 2023 March Madness bracket, starting in the South region.
00:07:11
Speaker
In the first round, Alabama will move on against Southeast Missouri State. Maryland will defeat West Virginia. I have a couple of upsets in the first round. This is one of them. Charleston upsetting San Diego State down in Orlando on Thursday. Charleston, the Cougars 31 and 3 out of the Atlantic 10. They will move on over San Diego State and the Furman Paladins.
00:07:39
Speaker
We'll move on. Upsetting the Virginia Cavaliers. Not just because I have a lot of friends that are on the Furman staff or a lot of friends that are associated with Furman and not because I worked for Furman for so long, but I truly believe that Furman style of play will give Virginia fits the way they play. Virginia wants to slow it down and make it a 20 to 18 game and a half time. Furman wants to run it and can run and push it.
00:08:03
Speaker
So I think the Furman style of play is going to really put Virginia kind of, but they can't slow it down. Don't get me wrong. Virginia has the ability to slow a game down, but I think Furman plays into that very well. And of all the four seeds that Furman could have picked matchup wise, this is the best for the Paladins. They wouldn't have matched up well with Tennessee with their bigs. They would not have matched up well.
00:08:32
Speaker
with Indiana because of their inside out play. And they would not have matched up well with UConn because of how many guards they have and their guard play.
00:08:44
Speaker
They do a three guard thing, but I think Furman matches up well with basically on the pace of play. Now, Virginia can score some points if they want to, and they may have to tomorrow at 1240. But I think Furman will move on. And when in the NCAA tournament, of course, the first time they've been in the NCAA tournament since 1980.
First Round Upset Predictions
00:09:04
Speaker
1980. Moving on, NC State will upset Creighton now. Creighton has some injuries and they started out preseason top 10. They have faded. NC State, I think, peaking a little bit at the right time, but I will say this. I do believe that NC State should not be in the tournament. Well, Robbie, why did you pick them to win a first round game? That doesn't matter.
00:09:30
Speaker
The matchup, as I said, is right for North Carolina State, but I think Clemson being left out of the field and putting NC State in the field was wrong. Clemson beat North Carolina State three times in the regular season, two times in the regular season, once in the ACC tournament and beat them bad, two of those times. Clemson finished third in the league, NC State finished sixth in the league, but yet they put Clemson out and put NC State in.
00:09:59
Speaker
don't agree with the selection, but the matchup is there for NC State, who has very good players, very talented players with Treveon Smith, can put a team on his back and win a first round game and maybe even a second round game when we get there. NC State upsets Creighton. Baylor over UC Santa Barbara, but consider this to be close. Baylor has had some injury struggles and UC Santa Barbara is pretty good.
00:10:21
Speaker
27 and seven on the year. So don't sleep on UC Santa Barbara, but I think Baylor moves on. Missouri played extremely well in the SEC tournament. Just ran into a buzzsaw there at the end, but they move on over Utah State, who was one of the last teams in and they had to fight to their conference championship game to get in as an at-large bid. Arizona
00:10:44
Speaker
They are a very, very good basketball team. Got the two seed. I think the best of the two seeds, to be quite honest, is Arizona. They get the two seed. They will beat Princeton who upset Yale in their championship tournament. So as Arizona moves on. Now moving down to the East in the first round, Purdue will handle Fairleigh Dickinson. Memphis will handle Florida Atlantic. Florida Atlantic has a great record, 31 and three best record in the tournament.
00:11:15
Speaker
along with Houston at 31 and three. But Memphis has found their peak.
Second Round Upset Predictions
00:11:20
Speaker
They played really, really well to win their conference tournament over the weekend and against Houston. So Memphis will move on into the second round. It will be Duke over Oral Roberts, but don't expect that to be much of a blowout. Oral Roberts only 30 and four on the year.
00:11:37
Speaker
They are very athletic and play very good basketball, so look for Duke to maybe struggle for a half down in Orlando tomorrow. Tennessee gonna be upset by Louisiana and I know you're what you're saying. Robbie, you've got 213 seeds moving on in this in the first round. You can't have two well.
00:11:55
Speaker
It's another matchup that looks very good because Tennessee is without their point guard and they have been struggling lately without their point guard. So Louisiana has a very, very good scoring offense and can run with Tennessee, which soon as he likes to run, Louisiana going to move on as the 13th seed to play Duke on Saturday in Orlando, Kentucky.
00:12:15
Speaker
A lot of people on TV this week calling for Kentucky to be on upset alert. Providence, very, very good out of the Big East, 21-11, so is Kentucky. But remember, folks, you got to think about it. Calipari and Kentucky got upset by 15 seed St. Peter's last year in the first round.
00:12:36
Speaker
Calipari's not going to let that happen again. Although it's still an 11-6 game, it's not going to happen. I think Kentucky moves on and could win a couple of games in this tournament, as we will see. Kansas State over Montana State, three versus 14. My Kentucky, Kansas State moves on. Michigan State in the tournament for the 25th straight year under Coach Izzo.
00:12:58
Speaker
That is a record. They move on over USC and Marquette under Shaka Smart. Man, what a great job Shaka Smart does everywhere he goes. VCU, Texas, now Marquette, and he's taking another team to the tournament. Marquette, the two seed, they beat Vermont. Looking over in the Midwest bracket, it will be Houston over northern Kentucky. The Norse just not going to have enough firepower to handle Houston. Auburn,
00:13:27
Speaker
upsetting Iowa as a 9-8 game in Birmingham. So think about this Auburn a de facto home game in Birmingham to play Iowa and then to play Houston in the second round. The committee did Houston no favors by sending them to Birmingham to take on Auburn in a potential second round matchup in pretty much a home game for the War Eagles.
00:13:50
Speaker
On down, it is Miami, the five seed over Drake. Miami moves on Indiana over Kent State in an in-state battle there. So Indiana moves on as the four seed. The six seed Iowa State against 11 seed Pitt. Pitt won a very good game last night over Mississippi State, shot the ball extremely, extremely well. I see Pitt moving on again, winning two games in this tournament, beating of Iowa State.
00:14:15
Speaker
moving on to the second round. Xavier over Kennesaw State. Kennesaw State three years ago, one in 29. Now they're in the NCAA tournament the first time, but their run ends as Xavier will move on as the three seat. Texas A&M and Penn State. Penn State punched their ticket.
00:14:31
Speaker
via their performance all the way to the big 10 championship game down by 17 in the second half come all the way back and almost win the big 10 but falling just short at Purdue Penn State gonna upset Texas A&M Texas A&M very very streaky
00:14:50
Speaker
Uh, this year, uh, they can play great. They can play really, really bad. And I think Penn state who is hot at the right time has some great guard play. Uh, they're going to move on Texas against Colgate. You see what the committee was trying to do. They were trying to create a Texas, Texas A&M second round matchup. Not going to happen because Penn state's going to ruin that party, but Texas, the two seed in the Midwest will move on to feeding Colgate.
00:15:15
Speaker
last first round matchups. Kansas will have no trouble with Howard. Arkansas will beat Illinois. They are the eight over the nine. Another upset 12 seed. VCU will upset St. Mary's. It will be Yukon, the four seed over Iona.
00:15:30
Speaker
TCU will move on regardless of who they play tonight, either Arizona State or Nevada. Gonzaga, Grand Canyon, it'll be Gonzaga moving on there. Boise State, a 10 seed, gonna get a win in the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row. They're gonna upset Northwestern and UCLA will end UNC Asheville season in the first round. So we go back to the South region for second round games
00:15:55
Speaker
Alabama will take care of Maryland to move the Sweet 16. Charleston I think just had too much firepower for Furman in that 13-12 matchup Charleston moves on to the Sweet 16.
00:16:06
Speaker
NC State will upset Baylor. Like I said, NC State can get rolling. Baylor has some injury issues. So even though I still don't think NC State should be in the field, I like the matchups. They will move on to the Sweet 16. Arizona will take care of Missouri. So the Sweet 16 in the South region
00:16:26
Speaker
is going to be Alabama, Charleston, NC State, and Arizona. Now moving to the east region, Purdue will take care of Memphis. I think Zach Edie is too strong for Memphis's guard play to hang with them. Duke will beat Louisiana, although it will be close. Duke is peaking at the right time, but still, you got to think back. Duke has not been this Duke team until the last three or four weeks. They could show
00:16:51
Speaker
uh back their true colors or what are their true colors i guess we'll see either the team that played in december january and half of february or the team that's played in february and march we'll see but duke moves on to the sweet 16 kentucky will win a second game in greensboro they move on over kansas state to the sweet 16 and then marquette will move on as well so it will be
00:17:11
Speaker
in the Sweet 16 in the East, Purdue and Duke, Kentucky and Marquette. And that'll be in Madison Square Garden. That'll be exciting. Moving on to the Sweet 16 out of or the second round games out of the Midwest. I mentioned a moment ago, Auburn will take on Houston in a de facto home game in Birmingham. I think Auburn is going to win it. Bruce Pearl can find magic in his teams this time of year. And I think Houston is the most susceptible number one seed
00:17:40
Speaker
of all of them and I see Auburn taking out Houston and Houston will be the first number one seed to fall. Indiana and Miami, Miami is grossly under-seated in my opinion. I think Miami is a two seed at worst.
00:17:55
Speaker
the way they played all year long at 25 and seven, winning the ACC, getting all the way to the championship game in the ACC. One of the best teams in the country. Of course, they went to the Elite Eight last year. They move on to the Sweet 16 being Indiana. Xavier and Pitt, Pitt's Cinderella run ends as an 11 seed. Xavier moves on. Penn State, I think they're going to upset Texas. I think Penn State is a 10 seed, is going to keep rolling and move on to the Sweet 16.
00:18:25
Speaker
So the Sweet 16 matchups in the Midwest will be Auburn, Miami, Xavier, and Penn State. Could you ever believe that I would have Auburn and Alabama in a Sweet 16 and North Carolina not being there?
00:18:38
Speaker
Tell you what things times they are changing moving down to the West Kansas over Arkansas to move on. Yukon will be too much for upset minded VCU. They will move on in what will be a fantastic sweet 16 game. TCU will fall to Gonzaga and UCLA. So chalk in that region. The only region with chalk
00:18:59
Speaker
for me, so the Sweet 16 in the West, Kansas, Yukon, Gonzaga, and UCLA.
Sweet 16 and Elite Eight Forecasts
00:19:07
Speaker
So we move back to the South, Sweet 16 games being played. I think those are in, where are those? Maybe Louisville, the Yum Center or KFC Center, I think. Anyway, it'll be Alabama over Charleston to move on to the Elite Eight, and Arizona will take care of NC State. So chalk with the one and two seeds there moving on.
00:19:28
Speaker
in the east it will be Purdue being too much with eighty four Flipowski and Duke. The one seed will move on and the two seed Marquette will move on in Madison Square Garden over Kentucky so chalk bear one two in that one.
00:19:44
Speaker
The right side of the bracket, the chalk goes away. Miami, the five seed will beat Auburn, the nine seed to go to the Elite Eight. And Xavier will end Penn State's run. Xavier, the three seed will beat Penn State the 10 to get to the Elite Eight. And down in the West, the chalk ends there too. UConn will upset Kansas and UCLA will defeat Gonzaga. So the Elite Eight that I have, Bama, Arizona, a one and a two.
00:20:11
Speaker
Purdue and Marquette a one and a two, Miami a five and a three with Xavier and then Yukon a four and a two with UCLA. So moving on to the Elite Eight in the South region, Alabama will fall to Arizona.
00:20:29
Speaker
Arizona is a very, very good basketball team. They will move on to the final four defending Alabama. Marquette will upset Purdue to move on to the final four as well. Miami, a five seed will upset Xavier to go to the final four.
00:20:44
Speaker
Getting over the hump for Jim Laronega at Miami, of course, his second Final Four appearance. He went back in 2006 with George Mason and Yukon. The four seed will upset the two seed UCLA to go to the Final Four. So the Ross Sports Report Final Four picks Arizona, Marquette, Miami, and Yukon in Houston.
00:21:04
Speaker
In semifinal Saturday on Saturday, April 1st, it will be Arizona defeating Marquette. Arizona goes to the national championship game to take on Yukon. They will they will defeat Miami. So in the national championship game on Monday, April 3rd, it will be Arizona and Yukon.
00:21:24
Speaker
And I have, as Dickie Vate likes to say, Arizona cutting down the nets in Houston. Arizona Wildcats are your 2023 Ross Sports Report NCAA men's basketball champion. So there you go, folks. The bracket is there. I'm not going to guarantee you're going to win any money following that, but I gave you a very exciting tournament.
00:21:48
Speaker
A number of upsets, not too many, but a good number of upsets. A number one seed falling in the second round. And then all the other number one seeds getting to the Sweet 16, another falling in the Sweet 16, two getting to the Elite 8. So I give you a good mix of upsets, but also I give you some chalk as well.
Final Four Team Predictions
00:22:09
Speaker
So take that as you will.
00:22:11
Speaker
Enter your bracketology pools in the last, you got till 12 o'clock tomorrow. So you got about another 12 hours. And once this hits the internet, uh, but Hey, there it is. It's all fun and games. There's nothing better than the NCAA tournament.
00:22:25
Speaker
If you love tournament basketball, the NIT is going on as well. You know, it's just a great time of year. So, there is episode 10. I promised it to be March Madness-centric, and that's what it is. We will be back again next week to update these picks. Probably be again Wednesday night looking ahead to the Sweet 16 and see how many teams I got correct.
Episode Conclusion and March Madness Excitement
00:22:51
Speaker
that are going on to the Sweet 16. Once again, this is the Ross Sports Report. Thanks for listening and enjoy March Madness and all tips off tomorrow at 12 o'clock on TruTV, TNT, TBS, and CBS wall-to-wall basketball. The next four days, you gotta love it. Thanks for stopping by. This is the Ross Sports Report.