If it’s March, then it must be time for March Madness! Who do NAPA Net readers favor in the Final Four – and who is destined to be the 2018 “Cinderella” team?
Well, in the South, UVA topped reader’s picks (as well as the “experts”), garnering 39%, followed by Arizona (21%) – oops, well, that didn't last long – Cincinnati (14%), Kentucky (11%) and Tennessee (7%), with Creighton and Davidson picking up some interest (hope?) as well.
It wasn’t quite that diverse in the West regional. North Carolina (47%) dominated here, followed by Gonzaga (28%), Xavier (12%) and Michigan (9%), with Ohio State picking up the remaining scraps.
Things were tighter in the Midwest: Kansas eked out a narrow (31% to 28%) margin over Michigan State and Duke, but it dropped off quickly thereafter, with the remaining (slim) pickings going to Auburn, Clemson and Arizona State.
In the East, it was all Villanova – 72% went with the Wildcats. Purdue was a distant (9%) second choice, with Wichita State (6%) in third. The rest split between Radford, Virginia Tech, Florida and Arkansas. As one reader noted, “It’s Nova. Need I say more? I still fondly recall #8 seeded Nova’s 1985 National Championship win against Georgetown. This was the first year the tournament expanded to 64 teams and the championship was referred to as ‘The Perfect Game,’ and it was.” That is, I suppose, unless you were pulling for Georgetown.
Bracket Buster?
Seems like every year there’s one team that completely undermines a majority of the brackets. This week’s respondents favored New Mexico State as the team that would mount the upset of the tournament, cited by 17%. Kentucky ranked second here, with about 10% of the vote, while Tennessee and Gonzaga each got 7%.
And while of course it could be the same team, respondents favored Loyola-Chicago as the Cinderella team of the 2018 tournament (and off to a good start with that buzzer beater last night), slightly ahead of – yes – New Mexico State. Davidson (maybe next year), St. Bonaventure (ditto), Michigan, and… “no idea” rounded out the top grouping.
And finally, asked to pick the winner of the tournament, Villanova dominated there as well, with Virginia (and Duke) distant seconds, and Kansas and Michigan State tied in pulling the third-most votes. Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio State, Purdue and Xavier were also mentioned.
Thanks to everyone who participated in our weekly NAPA Net reader poll! And good luck to those of you participating in a bracket pool!
