From the Basement: March Madness predictions

Saying that Duke (27-8, 11-7 ACC) had a difficult road to March Madness would be an understatement. After being defeated in the Elite 8 by No. 1-seeded Oregon, the team looks to rebound this year. The 2016-17 season was not kind to Duke, however, as numerous starters fell to injury and key losses to teams such as Kansas, Syracuse and Miami began to pile up. When a loss to North Carolina at Chapel...

Villanova (31-3, 15-3 Big East Conference) is poised to repeat a national title run after an incredible 2016 March Madness. Villanova is a team that thrives on the pressure of March Madness and has been there before. Seeded No. 1 in the East, and playing against Mt. St Mary's University (20-15, 14-4 Northeast Conference) in the first round, Villanova will have an easy path into at least the Sweet...

Coming back reinvigorated after last year's disappointing first-round loss to Wichita State, the Arizona Wildcats (30-4, 16-2 Pacific-12 Conference) are an intriguing pick. The team has everything going for it: Pac-12 all-star sophomore guard Allonzo Trier, veteran coach Sean Miller, a conference win and a hometown Final Four in Phoenix. It is worth mentioning that this is Trier's first NCAA appearance...

While the confetti did not fall on Florida State (25-8, 12-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) at the ACC tournament in Brooklyn, New York this past weekend, the Seminoles remain strong contenders in March Madness. No. 3-seeded FSU first faces off against Florida Gulf Coast (26-7, 12-2 Atlantic Sun Conference) on Thursday in Orlando, Florida. After an impressive comeback in the second half but ultimately...