Arkansas, Vermont, Eric Musselman discussed on CBS Sports Eye On College Basketball Podcast
Automatic TRANSCRIPT
Four seed chip. I'll start with you. What first round game in the west regional? Are you most looking forward to? Arkansas and Vermont because prior to the release of the bracket, I had Eric musselman's razorbacks as that dark horse kind of team, you know, we always ask us questions for CBS sports headquarters, you know, find a team below this line on the bedding board who you think could be able to make a deep run in the tournament. And with clearly JD note and the way that he played in the way that this Arkansas team defends, I liked a lot of the pieces for Arkansas to, again, make it to the second weekend and maybe cause some real problems. However, then the bracket was released and I see them getting paired against Vermont, which, by the way, Arkansas only about a 5 and a half point favorite. I mean, that's when the alarm bells go off. Like as a matter of principle, if you are a higher seed, but that betting line is within two possessions, then you are very, very like you are very, very likely going to be in danger at some point in this game. And so for a lot of reasons, I think that Arkansas Vermont, both for what it means to Arkansas, but also what it means to the rest of the bracket in terms of if Arkansas were to lose, that really opens things up for Yukon, another team that a lot of people are excited about. And so I just think that in the way that the whole west region is set up, whether or not Arkansas is a factor in the sweet 16 is going to be a big part of that. And so with them only being about a two possession favorite against a very, very good Vermont team, I think that's my, that's the first round game that I think is going to be the most impactful on how the region plays out. Same for you. Yeah, I agree. Huge northeast presence, by the way, in this pod. This is in Buffalo. So you'll have UConn fans that'll drive there. You'll have Vermont fans that will drive there. And then on the other side of the bracket, but this in this pod is Providence, there's going to be there's going to be just really, really good local relatively local fan bases get there. Arkansas Vermont is it for me. I think that the west is going to firecrackers. I love this. I love this region. I wrote about it for CBS sports dot com. It's on the CBS sports app. We have a lot to like in this part of this part of the bracket. Arkansas Vermont is the most enticing entertaining game heading in, matchup. We could look up and for all we know, Texas tech versus Montana state winds up being the best game in this region. It's why I adore this tournament is because we always find ways to get surprised. But going in to me the most Vermont's been on fire, man. They have been destroying opponents just won their games by an average of 37 in the America east. It was the largest average margin of victory for any team in any league tournament in more than three decades there. Arkansas can win this game. It can lose it. It can also I think pose a threat to Gonzaga if they were meeting in the suite 16 there. So yeah, I want to see what John Becker's team can do against an Arkansas team that has been really, really good at times. Remember, it did have a swoon. It's capable of having a let down game here. Both teams will be pretty ready to go. And I think it's just a terrific XML matchup between both these squats. You make a great point. Arkansas can win or lose this game. Not a lot of people are talking about it. And that's why you come to the eye on college basketball podcast. It's not talked about enough how much Arkansas can win or lose a basketball game. This doesn't get talked about a period until we get to the month of March. Here I am telling you right now that's going to play Vermont. There are two outcomes that can happen here. Arkansas can win this game against Vermont. Arkansas can also lose this game against Vermont. You're not going to find that kind of information anywhere else. Listen, I don't want to get too out there, you know, as we discuss what may or may not happen in this bracket, but honestly, after looking at it, I'd say the same thing for Yukon. They could win. They could win or they could lose. That is also true. Yeah. How about this? Here's a prediction for you. Either you kind of or Arkansas will lose. They will not play each other in the round of 32. I don't know which one. What I'm going to lose. Doesn't this feel like to GP's point chip? Doesn't this specific one? 5 12 5 12 economy Mexico state four 13 Arkansas Vermont. You look at the entire bracket, doesn't that double dip feel the most likely to have a double digit seed move along? No. But really? Yeah, we can talk about that when we get to the south region with that Houston UAB Illinois. I'm not going to be here. The core Magic Johnson, I'm not on that episode, but sure. That's fine. But your points are, I'm not as high just with my own personal analysis on New Mexico state. But I very much like the idea that there's so much excitement in that building. There's just such incredible energy and you know what's going to get the other fans really hyped up, watching some double digit seeds threatened for an upset or pull it off outright. So a 100% could see it. So look, I don't think you kind of because I will both win. I mean, they obviously could as norlander detailed early. People are talking about it. It's not going to win their games. And they won't lose them. Do you think that there'll be more disappointment, so that's trying to set up Arkansas, you kind of say it's not going to happen. There's so much buzz about another mic chevsky, Tom izzo, match up in the second round. That one also feels like it's a little bit too sweet and might get disrupted by the normal funny bounces of March. Well, that is my favorite first round game in this regional. Michigan state and David said, foster lawyer. Against his own team. Foster lawyer. Could barely play at Michigan state? Now he's going to drop 22 on Michigan state in the first round of the instantly turn. I think David's a wins that game. And.