Elite 8: (1) Kentucky vs. (2) West Virginia

• Non

  

  The only region with a 1 vs. 2 matchup.
  
  But WVU still enters as the heavy underdog.
  
  I think this will be the late game, right?
  
  Since it would seem to be the better ratings game.
• Azubuike24

  

  It's at 7 PM.
• cats gone wild

  Im taking UK by double digits. With WVU's PG out and UK having 2 great guards, it should be a W for the cats.
• TheMightyGators

  Go Cats!
• mattinctown

  Would love to see a Duke-Kentucky matchup, so I'll pull for UK
• cats gone wild

  mattinctown wrote: Would love to see a Duke-Kentucky matchup, so I'll pull for UK

  Would be nice to see that again.
• hoops23

  

  WVU will win.
  
  DEFENSE-DEFENSE-DEFENSE and a little serving from the Butler..
  
  70-64
  
  WVU and Huggy bear moves on.
• thedynasty1998

  

  I really don't see any possible way for WVU to win this game. I think they are a good team, but they go for long stretches and just look awful offensively and I think they puts them into too big of a hole against UK.
  
  Kentucky seems to be on a mission, and I don't think WVU really challenges them.
• THE4RINGZ

  

  WVU seems to come out slow and have to play catch up in the second half to win. I don't think if they dig themselves a hole in this game they can get out of it. UK by 8+
• j_crazy

  

  I'll be glued to the TV for this one. I hope it's as good as it looks on paper.
• krambman

  

  When will you people realize that when you start a thread like this it NEEDS TO HAVE A POLL attached to it so we can passively voice our opinion about who will win without actually having to comment!?
  
  EDIT: Thank you to whoever added the poll!
• centralbucksfan

  I think this could be a very good game. UK hasn't played a team as good as WVU in a long while. Huggy will make it ugly and physical. His team is mentally tough and Butler is clutch. The longer WVU can hang with UK, the better chance they have. I think WVU, having played a couple of tough games, helps them in this game. Should be a very good game IMO.
• golf4life2008

  I picked WVU in my bracket and I basically need them to win to win my money poll. One of my friends has KSU vs UK in the finals. I had Cuse vs Duke in the finals... so one of my final teams is out now. Come on WVU!
• justincredible

  

  Let's Go Mountaineers!
• cbus4life

  I picked WVU to beat UK in my bracket, though i'm kinda regretting that at the moment.
  
  I hope WVU can pull it out!
• centralbucksfan

  Also something to consider, as Digger just pointed out espn....UK struggles from the outside. They were 2-16 last nite from 3pt range vs Cornell. Well, what does WVU like to do...play 1-3-1 zone. UK also is NOT a good FT shooting team. UK won't have the easy inside access they did vs Cornell and others. They will have to shoot much better from the outside to beat WVU.
• GOONx19

  

  UK is very streaky. In the opening round they went 15/33 and Bledsoe was 8/9.
  
  Wall, Patterson, and Cousins are all consistent enough that they're gonna produce. This tournament will ride on Eric Bledsoe, Darnell Dodson, Darius Miller, and DeAndre Liggins. If two of them play good or one of them plays great, UK won't lose.
• Goldenboy26

  

  I think WVU can keep it close, for my brackets sake I am hoping they can pull it out.. I have TN vs. WVU in the championship, very unlikely that will happen but i also thought that Kansas and Syracuse would make the elite 8.
• thedynasty1998

  

  The thing that worries me with WVU, is that although they are a good rebounding team, they don't have any size. Who are they going to put on Cousins to slow him down? I see Cousins having a monster game going for 20 points and 13 rebounds.
  
  And don't overlook the PG matchup. With WVU having to rely heavily on Mazulla, I think that puts them at a huge disadvantage with him against Wall or Bledsoe.
• vball10set

  I think Kentucky has a little too much firepower for the Mountaineers...
  
  KY-68
  WVU-62
• just_a_swimmer

  

  Kentucky can't shoot so if you shut them down in the paint you can beat them. I just don't think WV can do it.
  I want WV to win I just think Kentucky is on another level.
  
  Go West Virginia
• centralbucksfan

  thedynasty1998 wrote: The thing that worries me with WVU, is that although they are a good rebounding team, they don't have any size. Who are they going to put on Cousins to slow him down? I see Cousins having a monster game going for 20 points and 13 rebounds.
  
  And don't overlook the PG matchup. With WVU having to rely heavily on Mazulla, I think that puts them at a huge disadvantage with him against Wall or Bledsoe.

  Thats if Cousins can stay out of foul trouble. Something he has a VERY difficult time doing. With WVU, they will attack the basket and I could see Cousins get in foul trouble quickly. He had 4 fouls vs Cornell...a team of nothing but spot up shooters.
• centralbucksfan

  GOONx19 wrote: UK is very streaky. In the opening round they went 15/33 and Bledsoe was 8/9.
  
  Wall, Patterson, and Cousins are all consistent enough that they're gonna produce. This tournament will ride on Eric Bledsoe, Darnell Dodson, Darius Miller, and DeAndre Liggins. If two of them play good or one of them plays great, UK won't lose.

  They are streaky because if you turn it over against them, they can get up the floor better then anyone in the country. But if you make them play halfcourt, their weakness is outside shooting. WVU will try do this, but will have to keep UK off the offensive boards as well. They don't have the overall size of UK. But they have the athletes to rebound IMO.
  One thing WVU is very good at, is controlling the tempo of a game. They will slow this game down and make it a half court game. And defensively, they are as good as anyone IMO. Will be an interesting matchup.
• GOONx19

  

  What does getting up the floor have to do with three point shooting? 15 threes. Maybe three were in transition. Sometimes they shoot well, sometimes they struggle. Five out of their seven guards shoot better than 33%, and Patterson shoots well, too.
  
  EDIT: Sorry, maybe I was misunderstood. When I said streaky in my first post I was referring to their outside shooting.
• Swamp Fox

  I need Kentucky to win and I need Ohio State to win. If they meet in the finals and the Bucks win, I'm either first or second in my office pool. Otherwise, I'll finish about where I usually do. I expect to finish where I usually do.