Akron and the bracket problem

Among the top five reasons I didn't do a bracket this year: every year I am compelled to pick the MAC team to win their game and am usually wrong. I don't even remember if I picked Ohio in the Sweet 16 last year; I'd like to say I did, but probably didn't, and more to the point, nobody cares.

I don't like Akron's chances, so if I filled one out I would probably put VCU in the second round. Yahoo! bracket contestants took Akron just 9.8 percent of the time. It's a number that means nothing, of course. I'm more prone to look at Ken Pomeroy's probability, where the Zips have a 33.9 percent chance at winning. That's a little better, wouldn't you say? But it's twice as likely VCU pulls this one off. The Rams are wonderful at forcing turnovers, and with Akron freshman point guard Carmelo Betancourt and highlight reel/volatile playmaker Nick Harney splitting time at the 1, turnovers are going to be a problem. And writing down "AKRON" on that little line is going to be your problem.

Gambling is a hobby that's stacked against you, but the only way that picking Akron would make sense is if there was some bonus for choosing a 12-seed over a 5. And that's assuming you concluded it was worth taking the Zips at those odds. Which brings us back to why you're gambling in the first place. Man, just watch and hope that Akron wins.

The ability of Zeke Marshall and Demetrius Treadwell can advance this team, and that's all I want to see. I have no expectations or aspirations of victory. Let's just see of it happens.