After a wild first weekend in the NCAA tournament, only 16 schools remain. Who to root for? Who to root against? In Part 1 of Good Men Project’s Sweet 16 Preview, Wai Sallas breaks down the Midwest and West regions. (Now with 100% More Hollywood movie references)
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MIDWEST
Kentucky
Why you should cheer for them: The Wildcats are trying to do something only few have ever done. Go through the entire season without losing. If you want to see history, if you want to see perfection, you want UK to win.
Why you should root against them: There’s a reason people hate the Patriots, there’s a reason people hate Duke. In the words of Taylor Swift, “haters gonna hate.” If you sometimes like to quench your thirst from the deep wells of haterade, no one should fuel your thirst for hate ration this year quite like Kentucky.
Hollywood’s version:
West Virginia
Why you should cheer for them: Bob Huggins has almost 700 career wins. He has the most wins without a national championship for an active coach. Let’s get him one! #HugoneforHuggins
Why you should root against them: Perfection.
Hollywood’s version:
Wichita State
Why you should cheer for them: The Shockers are not Cinderella. Last year they were undefeated heading into the tournament. The year before that Wichita State was five points away from playing for the National Championship. Yet, the other team from Kansas still has that unknown quality everyone wants to root for, the blue collar in the midst of blue bloods.
Why you should root against them: Head Coach Greg Marshall has turned the little known school into a basketball powerhouse. If they continue to win, Marshall might get the itch to move up to the NBA or a traditional basketball school. We need teams like Wichita State, we need them to lose.
Hollywood’s version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG3MWDVM5rA
Notre Dame
Why you should cheer for them: Jerian Grant is one of the best players in college basketball. He has taken games over by himself like he was playing one on five. Unlike the majority of college basketball, Notre Dame still likes to run an uptempo offense, making the sport somewhat enjoyable compared to the grindfest that has dominated the game.
Why you should root against them: There are two hated collegiate sports institutions, Notre Dame and Duke. No more needs to be said about this.
Hollywood’s version:
♦◊♦
WEST
Wisconsin
Why you should cheer for them: Their swing offense is a beauty to watch. The Badgers revolve their offense around arguably the best player in college basketball, Frank Kaminsky. Kaminsky and Wisconsin are efficient and rarely make mistakes. The Big 10 champs are a blast from the past from the way they play the game to Wisconsin’s starting five. The Badgers actually have multiple upperclassmen, two seniors, one junior and two sophomores.
Why you should root against them: Last year, the Boston Globe released a study on graduation rates among colleges. Wisconsin graduated 100% of its White basketball players and 0% of its Black players.
Hollywood’s Version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_RfD-xTnV8
North Carolina
Why you should cheer for them: It would be the ultimate tribute to the recent passing of legendary coach Dean Smith if North Carolina won the title this year. Ultimate Tribute.
Why you should root against them: Earlier this season a scandal rocked the University of North Carolina. More than 3,100 students – about half of them athletes – benefited from sham classes and artificially high grades in the African and Afro-American Studies department that has since been discontinued.
Hollywood’s version:
Arizona
Why you should cheer for them: Arizona’s school colors are red, white and blue. The United States of America’s colors are red, white and blue. Coincidence? I think not. If you love America, you should cheer for Arizona. (editor’s note: Author is a proud alum of this university.)
Why you should root against them: If you hate America.
Hollywood’s Version:
Xavier
Why you should cheer for them: The Muskateers are one of two mid-majors still in the tournament. Unfortunately, they are playing Arizona. So you shouldn’t cheer for them.
Why you shoot root against them: See Above
Hollywood’s Version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpigw4KD2lk
Click here for Part 2 of the Sweet 16 Preview: The South and East Regions.
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Photo Credit: James Crisp/AP Images
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