Anderson: Vols should take East Regional

2008-12-14T17:09:26-05:00

2008-03-23T20:01:22-04:00

2008-09-10T06:40:05-04:00

2008-03-24T02:00:18-04:00

Volman800

Cabot 402501

Dude, spend some time looking at a map instead of just drinking blue kool-aid--Knoxville is not that far from Charlotte. To say UNC has a "home" game is ridiculous and to assume that is some sort of advantage for them (Note: their home and away records this year) makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. While I agree that the UL game will be tough, UT is a battle-tested team that is getting overlooked. Bet your money where you will, but for being the overall No.1 seed, UNC sure didn't get an easy road to to the Final Four. 1394178

2008-03-23T22:16:20-04:00

103

YDT8523

Flushing 76495

Netiher Louisville or Tennessee will beat North Carolina in Charlotte. The Tar Heels will beat Washington State by a healthy margin beacuse they will have no answer for Tyler Hansbourgh or Ty Lawson or Wayne Ellington. Plus Washington State has to fly cross country to Charlotte. Louisville and Tennessee will beat each other up to the point where they have nothing left against Carolina. Plus the East regional will be in Charlotte where the crowd will be 90% Tar Heels fans in a "Home" game for the Tar Heels. 1393243

2008-03-23T21:07:24-04:00

roohead

Denver 364346

Uh, yeah. Like nyccharlie noted, did anybody see Carolina play. UT wins by 15 and 5. Heels win by 39 and 31. No doubt the games get tougher in Charlotte, but dude, seriously. NC looks much more in the groove than the the Vols. And anybody overlooking the 'Ville needs a reality check. 1392650

2008-03-23T20:42:07-04:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/184/674/thumb/29airobama533.jpg 31 NY

nyccharlie

Brooklyn 184974

um did either of you see carolina play just now? 1392541

2008-03-23T20:14:44-04:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/104/96/thumb/stephen_curry.jpg 12359 PA

G.O.A.T. is back?

Scranton 10516

Tennessee is my picks as well. 1392384

Writer:  Lars Anderson Game:  Tennessee-Butler Post Time: 8:03 p.m., Sunday  BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Overtime between Tennessee and Butler was three minutes away from tipping off, and I bolted out of my courtside seat to make a phone call from the relative quiet of an interior hallway at the BJCC in Birmingham. But as I turned a corner into the corridor that leads to the locker rooms here, I was nearly flattened by Louisville coach Rick Pitino, who was pacing back and forth with his head down like an expectant father. If there had been a referee there, I'm certain Pitino would have been whistled for a charge. But Pitino shouldn't have been anxious about his upcoming second-round game against Oklahoma, because right from the opening minutes, it was clear that the Cardinals were the vastly superior team. Louisville sped to a 35-16 lead, held a 44-22 halftime advantage, and won 78-48 in playing their most complete game of the season. The Cardinals, a No. 3 seed, are a dangerous team. Even though they entered the tournament on a two-game losing streak, they're playing as well as any team in the country right now. Their pressure defense appears to be second to none, and it's the big reason why over the last two games Louisville is shooting 57.5 percent from the field while its opponents (Boise State and Oklahoma) have shot only a combined 40.6 percent. But the Cardinals road to the Final Four won't be easy. In Charlotte on Thursday they'll face Tennessee, the No. 2 seed in the East region. If the Vols can get anything out of guard Chris Lofton, a consensus preseason All-America candidate who stunk it up in Tennessee's two wins in Birmingham (he was a combined 4-for-18 from the field), it'll add a dimension that UT has been lacking so far in the tournament. Then, awaiting the winner of the Tennessee-Louisville game, will likely be North Carolina, the overall No. 1 seed in the tournament. Since I'm off to NASCAR duty next week, I'll make my East Regional pick now. And so, the team that will emerge from what I think is the toughest section of the bracket and reach San Antonio will be: Tennessee, because after spending a lot time talking one-on-one with Lofton over the past few days, I think he's going to come up big next weekend. Check out Grant Wahl's story in the magazine this week for more on Lofton. 2435

NCAATournament

Torrington 395546