March 6, 2001

March Madness is starting, and it's time to pick who's going to win the NCAA Tournament and who will be MVP...also which team will be the surprise team of the tourney.

I asked many of the women on our basketball team to help me out and pick who they think will win the NCAA Tournament for the men, who will be MVP and who will be the Cinderella team this year.

Of course, you have the Duke fans. Yes, we even have some on our team. I even enjoy watching them play, but not more than I enjoy our own men's team. Allison Curtin and Aminata Yanni believe that Duke will be strong and have the tournament MVP.

"I think Duke will win the tournament and Shane Battier will be MVP. He plays with so much emotion and he is an all-around good player," says Curtin. Yanni agrees but has a little different feeling on the MVP.

"I think it could be either Shane Battier or Jason Williams. Jason Williams is an outstanding point guard."

Don't worry, Illinois fans. We do have some faithful supporters on the women's team. Brenda Blackburn, Shavonna Hunter, and of course, I believe that we will win the tournament, which would give MVP honors to our own Frankie Williams. Blackburn doesn't have a doubt when it comes to our Fighting Illini.

"Of course, our guys, because they have a good all-around team. Good point guard, good forwards, and a good inside game."

Hunter, too, believes that our men have a good chance at winning it all. "Our guys dominate many of the other teams. I think if we perform at our best then we should win it all."

I agree with her, and I feel if it were to be us and Duke in the championship game, that it would be one of the best matchups ever. I would enjoy seeing the faceoff between Jason Williams and Frankie Williams during such a big game.

I believe that Frankie would get MVP honors because of his ability to take over a game. No one can stop him when the game winds down and Illinois needs a basket, even though teams know exactly who they are going to go to.

Now we have the predictions for the champions and the MVP's, but let's not forget how it seems that one team each year somehow pulls out an upset and becomes the Cinderella of the tournament. Last year Gonzaga surprised us all, who is it going to be this year?

Curtin believes the glass slipper might fit Kentucky. "They have experience in the tournament and a great coach. They have pulled out some upsets already this year. I can see them getting pretty far in the tournament."

Blackburn has personal reasons for her prediction. "I'd have to go with Oklahoma State simply because I'm from there and that was my school growing up. Since they haven't been so hot this year, I'd love to see them do well in the tournament. I also think they have been through too much this year, and they deserve something good to happen to them."

Hunter has her eyes on either UCLA or Missouri. I have to agree with the UCLA pick because I love their style of play. They run teams down and their press is amazing. I also feel that Texas could pull some upsets if they play well, but the youth of the team could hurt them in the end.

So there are some of the women's picks for the tournament. But I am loyal to Illinois, so GO ILLINI! We'll be cheering you on all the way to the Final Four.