Thoughts on a maddening time of year

Everybody can guarantee themselves one point in the office pool by picking against Fairfield ...

If Michigan actually makes the tournament, a distinction which the 17-11 Wolverines do not deserve, pick against them ...

Tucson basketball fans like a front-runner, so you all should hope Utah gets the No. 1 seed in the West Regional. If they do, the No. 1 vs. No. 16 game will be played here because Salt Lake City is hosting the other West site ...

St. Joseph's beat LaSalle last week by three points at the buzzer. Don't pick St. Joe's to get past the second round ...

If Arizona and UCLA win out, it would actually be advantageous for UA. By winning out, the Bruins will get a No. 2 seed somewhere and UA could sneak into the West Regional as a three or four seed ...

If UCLA plays like a team over the next three weeks, instead of five guys looking to raise their draft standings, they could be hoisting the national championship trophy ...

South Carolina has beaten defending champion Kentucky twice this year. This team is not a fluke. They're better than Mississippi State - the SEC team that beat Kentucky last year - at this time last year and the Bulldogs went to the Final Four ...

North Carolina is starting to play like a team coached by Dean Smith. Be afraid. Be very afraid ...

Anybody got a copy of "Hoosiers"? The VCR ate mine and it just wouldn't be March without the boys from Hickory High ...

A team to look to in the Tournament pool could be Boston University. The boys from Beantown should cap off a 20-win season with a trip to the Big Dance. Sure, they play in the American East Conference, but so does Drexel and they were a solid upset pick last year ...

Kansas can and will be beaten ...

Cincinnati's thug-ball will only take them so far. If they meet a quick team in the Tournament, they'll get bounced on their ear ...

Duke is just not worthy of a No. 1 seed ...

The surprise of the tournament could be Tulsa. Its a solid team and Shea Seals in the best player in the country that you've probably never heard of ...

Depending on the brackets, six teams have a legitimate shot at the title. They are Wake Forrest, Kansas, UCLA, Kentucky, South Carolina and - this kills me to say - Duke. Hey, I just said they weren't a No. 1 seed. I didn't say that they don't have a shot at the title ...

Of course, I've been wrong before ...

Once ...

Sports editor Craig Degel shares his thoughts on sports and life every Wednesday in the Wildcat.