NOW, You Can Fill Out Your Brackets

I didn’t have time to do a full (read: insanely-long) NCAA tournament preview this year. Last year, Matt Reaves and I gave you information on all 65 teams in the tournament. This year, I barely have time to type this entry.

But, I know that you have been laying awake at night thinking, “I just wonder who Adam has in his brackets. I know it’s wrong to steal, but I also know he never misses any games in the NCAA tournament.” Well, if you are thinking that, you need a nap. I miss several games each year (although, I did go 28 for 32 in the first round once).

With that said, it might be worth taking the opposite of my picks, but here they are anyway:

EAST REGION:

First Round

(1) North Carolina over (16) It Doesn’t Matter-U (actually, I think Coppin State might win the opening round game tonight, making them the first 20-loss team to win a tournament game).

(9) Arkansas over (8) Indiana.

(5) Notre Dame over (12) George Mason.

(4) Washington State over (13) Winthrop.

(11) St. Joseph’s over (6) Oklahoma.

(3) Louisville over (14) Boise State.

(7)Butler over (10) South Alabama.

(2) Tennessee over (15) American. American Eagles. I like their shirts.

Second Round

(1) North Carolina over (9) Arkansas.

(5) Notre Dame over (4) Washington State. I wouldn’t see this as an upset at all.

(3) Louisville over (11) St. Joseph’s. And I don’t think it’ll be close.

(2) Tennessee over (7) Butler.

Sweet 16

(1) North Carolina over (5) Notre Dame. Harringoty vs. Hansborough. That’s a lot of letters, and rebounds.

(3) Louisville over (2) Tennessee. I think whoever wins this game will win easily. That’s what makes it so hard to pick.

Elite 8

(1) North Carolina over (3) Louisville.

MIDWEST REGION

First Round

(1) Kansas over (16) Portland State

(9) Kent State over (8) UNLV

(5) Clemson over (12) Villanova

(4) Vanderbilt over (13) Siena. I’m going to be in Nashville this weekend. Did you think I’d pick Vandy to lose their first game?

(6) USC over (11) Kansas State

(3) Wisconsin over (14) Cal. St. Fullerton

(10) Davidson over (7) Gonzaga. The new Gonzaga beats the old Gonzaga.

(2) Georgetown over (15) Maryland-Baltimore County (in case you didn’t know what UMBC stood for)

Second Round

(1) Kansas over (9) Kent State. I think this could be a great game.

(4) Vanderbilt over (5) Clemson.

(6) USC over (3) Wisconsin.

(2) Georgetown over (10) Davidson…barely.

Sweet 16

(1) Kansas over (4) Vanderbilt

(6) USC over (2) Georgetown

Elite 8

(1) Kansas over (6) USC

SOUTH REGION

First Round

(1) Memphis over (16) Texas-Arlington. The headline can read, “Memphis beats the Mavericks!”

(8) Mississippi State over (9) Oregon

(5) Michigan State over (12) Temple. The winner may score 55.

(4) Pittsburgh over (13) Oral Roberts

(6) Marquette over (11) Kentucky…sorry, dad.

(3) Stanford over (14) Cornell

(10) St. Mary’s over (7) Miami-Florida

(2) Texas over (15) Austin Peay

Second Round

(1) Memphis over (8) Mississippi State

(4) Pittsburgh over (5) Michigan State

(3) Stanford over (6) Marquette

(2) Texas over (10) St. Mary’s

Sweet 16

(1) Memphis over (4) Pittsburgh

(2) Texas over (3) Stanford

Elite Eight

(2) Texas over (1) Memphis. I picked Memphis in the pre-season, but I really don’t like this matchup for them.

WEST REGION

First Round

(1) The University of California at Los Angeles over (16) Mississippi Valley State (the Delta Devils…how cool of a mascot is that?)

(9) Texas A&M over (8) BYU

(5) Drake over (12) Western Kentucky. Although, if you are going to pick a 12 over 5, this is the one. WKU is really good.

(4) Connecticut over (13) San Diego

(6) Purdue over (11) Baylor

(3) Xavier over (14) Georgia

(7) West Virginia over (10) Arizona

(2) Duke over (15) Belmont. Okay, so I’m going to be in Nashville when this game is played, too, but I’m not going that crazy with the “I’m in the city” thing!

Second round

(1) UCLA over (9) Texas A&M

(4) Connecticut over (5) Drake

(3) Xavier over (6) Purdue

(2) Duke over (7) West Virginia

Sweet 16

(1) UCLA over (4) Connecticut

(2) Duke over (3) Xavier

Elite 8

(2) Duke over (1) UCLA. No one is taking Duke, so I’ll take the risk.

FINAL FOUR

(1-MW) Kansas over (1-E) North Carolina

(2-W) Duke over (2-South) Texas. Even though it is in San Antonio.

TITLE GAME

(1-MW) Kansas over (2-W) Duke.

Now you don’t even have to watch the tournament. There’s what will happen!