Break out your brackets, it’s that time of year again.
Is there anything better than the 32 games of magical pandemonium on the opening Thursday and Friday of the NCAA tournament? Upsets. Buzzer-beaters. Cinderellas. Gus Johnson making warm-ups feel exciting.
What a wild past few years the Big Dance has produced.
In 2006, George Mason turned college basketball on its head by becoming the first mid-major to reach a Final Four since the tournament expanded in 1985.
No No. 1 seeds reached the Final Four that year. Then last year, all of them did.
UCLA reached three consecutive Final Fours.
None of those occurrences will be repeated this time around.
So if your bracket winds up with all the tops seeds in Detroit, just tear it up and try again.
If you picked UCLA to win four games again, abandon all hope of actually winning your pool.
If you run a pool with a member whose user name is “Rneuheisel,” “UCLAFball Coach” or “PassionBucket,” immediately delete the entry and forget it ever happened.
Granted, it’s technically not impossible for the Bruins to win the East Regional. There’s simply no evidence whatsoever that they will.
This won’t deter former Bruin standout Kevin Love from committing bracket-sheet suicide. When Love was in town last week, he told me, “I would kind of feel like I did them wrong if I don’t (put UCLA in the Final Four). I got to give Coach How’ and the Bruins some love.”
A little love from Love never hurt.
Nonetheless, the Bruins drew the short end of the stick Sunday night when the selection committee shipped them off to Philadelphia to tango with Eric Maynor and Virginia Commonwealth.
Maynor, a 6-foot-3-inch NBA-ready point guard who is projected to be a lottery pick, will travel all of 204 miles up the coast to flaunt his dance moves against Ben Howland’s squad.
Howland said he will pore over the 16 films he has on VCU for preparation, but it should take him all of two minutes to notice the nightmare that Maynor presents.
UCLA is at its best when it can generate turnovers. Maynor’s ball-handling and control of the game can nullify that.
Darren Collison struggles defensively against bigger elite point guards. Will he match up with Maynor or will Jrue Holiday draw the assignment? The decision might be the difference in the game.
The Bruins are no slouches themselves, boasting one of the best shooting teams in the country.
It may take a slew of Michael Roll and Nikola Dragovic 3-pointers paired with another 20-point game from Josh Shipp to secure a victory.
Even if the Bruins survive VCU, a likely date with Villanova awaits in the second round.
“˜Nova doesn’t have to worry about airfare or bus trips, though. The Wildcats will be playing at their home away from home in Philly’s Wachovia Center.
Good luck with that.
If there’s any consolation, UCLA might be able to say it lost to the team (Villanova) that lost to the team (Pittsburgh) that lost to the eventual national champions (North Carolina).
Now that’s saying something.
Ultimately, it’s probably best if the Bruin faithful pick VCU to spring the upset in the first round.
This way, for once, they can set aside Wooden-related expectations and enjoy the ride, even if it’s a short one. And there is nothing unloving about that prognostication.
Hey, if UCLA somehow escapes Philadelphia with more than a cheesesteak, it will be that much sweeter.
E-mail Taylor at btaylor@media.ucla.edu and tell him how far you have UCLA going in the Big Dance.