MIAMI NICE: The Hurricanes, Pete Gillen’s choice to win the NCAA Tournament, are still alive, as Shane Larkin is hoiseted by teammates celebrating their spot in the Sweet 16. (
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Former Xavier and Virginia coach Pete Gillen, a New York native and CBS Sports Network college basketball analyst, shares some of his March Madness thoughts and predictions with The Post. As told to Steve Serby.
MY crack staff has just informed me that six of the Sweet 16 coaches — Tom Izzo, Mike Krzyzewski, Billy Donovan, Bill Self, Rick Pitino and Jim Boeheim — have won national championships, and three — Thad Matta, Tom Crean and Jim Larranaga — have gotten to the Final Four. The other seven aren’t chopped liver, but it looks to me like it’s about time for Goliath to step on and shatter Cinderella’s glass slipper.
I feel like I got hit in the head with a fungo bat after two of my Final Four picks, VCU and Gonzaga, bit the dust. If Miami, my pick to win it all, hadn’t survived and advanced, I’d be selling snow cones in The Bronx.
I think these games will be close, because coaches have a tendency to get more conservative and play not to lose rather than win.
EAST
Syracuse vs. Indiana
Crean does a great job, but he makes coffee nervous. Boeheim’s a great coach, but he complains so much he looks like he smelled some bad cheese with his facial expressions. His big men will beat up Zeller, and the Hoosiers have no answer for Fair, and the Orange zone will bother them.
Syracuse 68, Indiana 65
Miami vs. Marquette
Buzz Williams’ guys do pushups on picket fences before big games — they’re that tough. I loved Larranaga’s Ali Shuffle in the locker room. I never did anything like that; I did win 392 games as a head coach, but I usually had a bag over my head, I was running from the fans and alumni. Shane Larkin has the heart of a lion like his dad, and Durand Scott will slow down Vander Blue. And Miami’s just too big on the frontline.
Miami 64, Marquette 60
Syracuse vs. Miami
Larkin is quick enough to bother Carter-Williams, and him and Kadji and Brown will shut down the Syracuse zone.
Miami 56, Syracuse 53
MIDWEST
Louisville vs. Oregon
Oregon’s playing with a chip on its shoulder; it’s much better than a 12 seed. But Louisville’s zone defense and full-court pressure will slow down Singler and Artis.
Louisville 74, Oregon 68
Duke vs. Michigan State
A classic game in what I call the Hall of Fame Regional. This game will be so physical, shoulder pads and helmets will be passed out to fans as they enter the arena. Izzo vs. Coach K will be decided by the players. Ryan Kelly wakes up from his shooting slumber and stretches the defense by nailing 3s. Duke’s physical man defense locks up Harris and big man Nix.
Duke 68, Michigan State 67
Duke vs. Louisville
Dieng will negate Plumlee, and Duke can’t stop pathological scorer Russ Smith — his philosophy is, When in doubt, shoot. Always stay in doubt.
Louisville 67, Duke 64
WEST
Wichita State vs. La Salle
Wichita State plays great defense and La Salle can really score. Duren and the outside bombing of Galloway prevail as Wichita State’s suspect 3-point shooting goes cold.
LaSalle 70, Wichita State 65
Arizona vs. Ohio State
Craft is the best leader since Patton, and locks up Lyons, who isn’t a pure point guard. Thomas is a scoring machine, and Hill can’t do it by himself.
Ohio State 60, Arizona 57
Ohio State vs. La Salle
Ross and Scott — and the Buckeyes’ size and athleticism — are the difference.
Ohio State 70, La Salle 66
SOUTH
Kansas vs. Michigan
Johnson and Tharpe slow down Burke, Withey dominates the paint and McLenore breaks out with a big scoring game.
Kansas 66, Michigan 61
Florida vs. Florida Gulf Coast
Whoever loses will be watching dolphins and drinking mai tais on a sand dune in the morning. Florida Gulf Coast is playing with nothing to lose; it’ll stay in the game. Florida’s terrific perimeter defense will shut down Brown and Thompson, and Cinderella hasn’t seen a big guy like Patrick Young. Rosario continues his hot shooting.
Florida 72, Florida Gulf Coast 67
Kansas vs. Florida
Kansas doesn’t have a pure point guard, and that means trouble against Florida’s full-court pressure defense. Young gets Withey in foul trouble, and Florida stays hot from downtown.
Florida 68, Kansas 66
* My bracket has a lot of holes, it looks like Swiss cheese. It reminds me of our defense my last year at Virginia. I’m due.