Now that we’ve in the throes of March, it’s as a good a time as any to take a gander at how March Madness is shaping up. What will make the 2013-14 regular season special is the fact that its pre-season hype was more off-target than usual. Heavy money had the deep ACC being shaken up with new additions Syracuse and Pittsburgh—only to have freaking UVA end up swiping the regular season title.
For all of the hubbub over a more-hyped-than-usual freshman class that had Lexington discounting "perfect season" shirts in November, it’s refreshing to see a mid-major like Wichita State to run the table, finish 34-0, and be projected to score a top seed for the first perfect record since the ’91 UNLV Running Rebels.
WSU has been flirting with greatness all seasons, despite playing in a soft conference. According to metrics that suggest deep tourney runs like offensive and defensive efficiency, the Shockers are favored. They rank fifth overall in the efficiency ratings and are one of only four teams to be in the top 25 in both offensive and defensive efficiency.
This is the same squad that made a Final Four run last year and gave eventual champion Louisville some trouble. Guessing who will win the NCAA title, like guessing who will win the 2016 nominations, is a crapshoot. However, to WSU's credit, they carried on last season's momentum into this year.
I'm ambivalent as to which team ends up cutting down the nets in early April. But we're all winners if "One Shining Moment" plays blissfully over a bunch of co-eds tossing up the Shocker.
Two for the team and so on an so forth.