Courtesy of scooter1727 from Webshots.com

The dominance in college basketball surely belongs to the east this year.  If you don’t believe me, check out the Elite 8 teams for yourself:

Big East Conference:  Louisville, Connecticut, Pittsburgh and Villanova

I guess you can say the seeding was correct as the top three seeds in the tournament are still alive and are expected make it to the Final Four.  However, there’s more to this eastern dominance:

Big Ten:  Michigan State

ACC:  North Carolina

Both these teams are traditional basketball powers and they both reside in the east.

Big 12:  Missouri, Oklahoma

Luckily, the Midwest has some representation in the Elite 8, but that’s as far west you go.  Gone completely off the map are the UCLAs and USCs.  The teams that made it to the Sweet 16 were actually Arizona (normally thought of as a powerhouse, but were not expected to make it this year) and Gonzaga (from the WCC).  Is the committee conspiring against the West?

My bet is the WAC, MWC and the Pac-10 was not strong this year.  UCLA was on and off.  USC barely made the tournament by virtue of the Pac-10 crown.  Washington lost a close one to underrated Purdue.  San Diego State didn’t even make it in.  Utah lost to a surprising Arizona team.  All in all, the phrase “Go West young man!” did not come to fruition this year.  Instead, the winds of change blew east and the powers that be (NCAA committee) got it right.  One of the few times I give the governing establishment some credit, but they really couldn’t get this wrong because in basketball, unlike college football, we have a tournament.

Now whose going to the Final Four?

Louisville:  has too much offensive power to be diverted off-track by a Michigan State team that could barely contain streaky runs by Kansas in the last game.  It is like defending a bullet with a piece of cardboard paper.

Missouri:  shocker?  Yes, if you look at the point production by Connecticut in the tournament so far (103, 92, 72), there seems to be a downward trend.  Missouri on the other hand is looking up (78, 83, 102).  Add to that Connecticut’s distraction, and you can clearly see why this upset is reasonable.  They messed up my dream of a Memphis championship, thus I must give them some credit.

Villanova:  In their only meeting this past year, Villanova defeated Pittsburgh.  I suspect this to continue coupled with Villanova peaking at the right time.  Jay Wright has them thinking right.

Oklahoma:  Though my heart goes to the state I was born (North Carolina), my head’s sensible nature nudges me toward the beast in the middle, Blake Griffin.  Additionally, we need some “Western” representation, even though it is not the true West.  The Sooners will soon mark their entrance into basketball elite for yours to come with this win.