MARCH MADNESS PART ONE

While the NCAA tournament is my second favorite time of year, the NCAA basketball conference tournament week (from this past Monday to upcoming Sunday) manages to put up a strong fight for third. Especially in a year like this, where leagues like the Big East, Big Ten, and Mountain West have been very difficult to figure out, conference tournament week is sure to provide some excitement. Some people argue that the conference tournaments are glorified scrimmages. I'm in the camp that they are crucial for teams to build momentum, hang on to a good seed in the tournament, and just get in the Big Dance. Here are my predictions for the "Big Six" conferences and a couple crucial mid-major leagues that could provide a Final Four team next week.

ACC

My Pick: It's hard to pick against Duke. They're undefeated with Ryan Kelly in the lineup. Coach K is arguably the best coach to have on your bench this time of year. Add this to the fact that they are trying to garner a one seed, and maybe the one seed overall, Duke simply has too much to play for. It's going to be a tough road. They could potential draw Maryland, a team who beat them earlier, then North Carolina, a team out for revenge after a beat down last Saturday, and then Miami, a team that shocked the world and won the ACC. Ultimately, Duke will be up to the task and the Blue Devils will cut down the nets in Greensboro.

Dark Horse: Watch out for NC State. Highly touted as a challenger for Duke and North Carolina at the start of the season, NC State collapsed under too much talent. The Wolfpack has the talent to win four games in four days. The question is, will they beat themselves?

Big East

My Pick: Louisville will cut down the nets in Madison Square Garden in the final edition of one of the finest college basketball tournaments on the planet. As long as Louisville keeps the ball out of Russ Smith's hands in the final seconds, the Cardinals can beat any team in the country. They're currently the number one team in the Basketball Power Index and their defense has been getting better and better. Defense and guard play are crucial this time of year, and I think Peyton Siva will step up.

Dark Horse: Cincinnati went on an impressive run in last year's tournament and they looked impressive against Providence, a team who's been trending up of late. Mick Cronin squad's been inconsistent (which is a gross understatement in all honesty) but it wouldn't surprise me if they knock off top seeded Georgetown.

Big Ten

My Pick: Ohio State. If you told me a few weeks ago the Ohio State Buckeyes were a legitimate Final Foru team, I would've laughed at your basketball stupidity. There's no way a team that gets so much offense from one player, Deshaun Thomas, can be successful late in the season. However, America's Favorite Player to Hate, Aaron Craft started playing offense like he's never done before. When Craft plays like he is, and when players like Sam Thompson are molding into solid scorers, Ohio State can shock the world like they did last Tuesday at Indiana.

Dark Horse: Iowa. The Hawkeyes are a young and dangerous team. They've been a tough game for all the strong teams in the Big Ten, and they need some crucial wins if they want in the tournament. If Aaron White can play well, this team could be dangerous.

Big Twelve

My Pick: Kansas has owned the Big XII for years, and it's not going to change this year. I'm getting lazy so I'm not going to elaborate on this fact much more. When you have the most talent and people are scared to face you, you will win A LOT (see mid 2000s Tiger Woods). They did get blown out by Baylor, but that's going to end up being a blessing in disguise

Dark Horse: Baylor. The Baylor Bears are like a box of chocolates that's been thrown away, taken out of the trash can, and left around to sit for a couple months... You never know what you're going to find taken to a whole new level. Like NC State, they have the talent. Like NC State, they like to beat themselves, too.

Pac 12

My Pick: Arizona. Nobody east of Boulder, Colorado watches Pac 12 basketball because it's terrible to be brutally honest. The Wildcats are the best of a bunch of overrated teams, so I'm taking them.

Dark Horse: Oregon State. The Beavers are the 12 seed and I've never seen them play. To show how bad the Pac 12 is, I'm picking them.

SEC

My Pick: I truly had no idea who to pick. Florida, Kentucky, Ole Miss, and Missouri are like the Kardashian sisters. Sure they're pretty to look at initially, but past that there's not a whole lot of substance. Alabama is a football school and nobody even knew they had a basketball team until last month. I'm going with Tennessee simply because they're the hottest team of the bunch. Florida's still a very talented team, but they act like they don't care half the time they play away from Gainesville, which is a scary task.

Dark Horse: After the six teams above, the SEC basketball teams fall off a cliff in terms of talent. Then they proceed to fall off another cliff. I'll take South Carolina because there's a great chance I'll be enrolling there next year and it gives me an opportunity to type "GO COCKS!" 

Mountain West

My Pick: The Pac 12's little sister for many years has suddenly developed into a supermodel and has kicked the ugly, unsuccessful older sister to the curb. Watching MWC basketball was beyond exciting for a basketball aficionado like myself. Struggled with this pick, but I'm taking New Mexico. The Lobos ultimately won the Mountain West and they're brutal nonconference schedule has seasoned them for March. Any of the top five teams could win the tournament, and it's going to provide some exciting basketball.

Dark Horse: Boise State doesn't play on a blue basketball court, but they've come out of nowhere these last few months for their improved play. The Broncos will be a tough out in Las Vegas.

Atlantic 10

-My Pick: America's Favorite Final Four Darlings will leave the A-10 after this year to join the new (and improved?) Big East, but they've been outperformed by fellow newcomer VCU and feel good story Saint Louis. Rotnei Clarke is one of the best players in the conference, and once March rolls around, no one wants to see Brad Stevens' team on the docket. As a five seed, they're going to have to win four games and beat the two powers named above, but I trust the Hinkle Fieldhouse Magic and I'm to scared to pick against it.

-Dark Horse: Xavier went to the Sweet Sixteen last year. It's been a down year for this Cincinnati basketball team, but they have one of the most underrated freshman in Semaj Christon, and a lethal shooter in Brad Reford. Winning the tournament is Xavier's only path to the dance, but in the crazy A-10,  I wouldn't rule the Musketeers out.

J. Nave

Fun Fact of the Week: Supposedly a teacher at my school discovered my blog and read some of it. If you're reading  this article, I wanted to let you know I don't edit these posts at all; I sit down and type. If you would like to edit for me pro bono to give the blog some extra flair, feel free to contact me and I'll arrange something!