MIDWEST REGION
- 1st Round winners - Kansas, UNLV, Michigan State, Maryland, San Diego State, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Ohio State
- Sweet 16 teams - Kansas, Michigan State, Georgetown, Ohio State
- Elite 8 - Kansas, Georgetown
- Final 4 (Regional Champ) - Kansas
Thoughts: I really like UNLV and I wish they didn't draw Kansas in Round 2.... The Michigan State sweet 16 pick is a product of Izzo and easy matchups.... I wish I could pick Georgetown and Ohio State to both be elite 8 teams.... I almost picked Houston over Maryland, but not because Houston is good, because they aren't
WEST REGION
- 1st Round winners - Syracuse, Gonzaga, UTEP, Vandy, Xavier, Pitt, BYU, K-State
- Sweet 16 - Syracuse, UTEP, Pitt, BYU
- Elite 8 - Syracuse, BYU
- Final 4 - Syracuse
Thoughts: I obviously love BYU because of their guards, their style of play, and matchups.... I was way down on K-State all year.... Butler/UTEP was a tough call as I like both teams and was no doubt picking either one in Round 2... I think the Gonzaga over FSU pick is a heart over mind pick.... I liked the regional layout for Syracuse because I don't feel like there is a team in the top half of the region that can play with them
EAST REGION
- 1st Round winners - Kentucky, Texas, Temple, Wisconsin, Washington, New Mexico, Clemson, W. Virginia
- Sweet 16 - Kentucky, Wisconsin, New Mexico, W. Virginia
- Elite 8 - Wisconsin, West Virginia
- Final 4 - Wisconsin
Thoughts: Obviously this is my "shock the world" pick in Wisconsin... they have an elite coach in Bo Ryan, can control tempo, guard people, and have veteran guards that have been there.... add that in with a favorable matchup with Kentucky IMO (because of what I highlighted) and they are my pick.... I really like Temple (and even Cornell) but they were matchup victims... New Mexico is legitimately good, and if they weren't coached by Steve Alford I'd pick them to beat WV... Clemson/Missouri may be the game I care least about in the entire field....
SOUTH REGION
- 1st Round winners - Duke, Cal, Texas A&M, Purdue, Old Dominion, Baylor, Richmond, Villanova
- Sweet 16 - Duke, A&M, Baylor, Villanova
- Elite 8 - Duke, Baylor
- Final 4 - Duke
Thoughts: You've heard this ad nauseum.... but Duke's regional layout is jokingly easy when you consider they aren't the overall #1 seed, and that's really the only reason I have them going this far (I'd pick teams like Georgetown and Ohio State on a neutral floor against Duke).... I love, love, love Baylor and have all year, but it does worry me a little that they've been getting trendy "sleeper" status... The Purdue backlash has gone too far....
FINAL FOUR
Kansas over Syracuse
Duke over Wisconsin
Kansas over Duke 78-66
How confident am I in Kansas? Middle of the road... They are the most talented team in the country, and I'm frankly tired of betting against such teams (i.e. UNC last year) just because I hate picking the favorites.... They have a lead guard in Sherron Collins that has a ridiculous amount of experience (especially in today's climate), an elite big in Cole Aldrich, and an embarrassment of riches elsewhere... They have a very, very tough draw (for instance, if they switched places with Duke in the bracket, I'd pick them with no thought whatsoever) but Michigan State is banged up, Georgetown isn't well coached, and Ohio State is very beatable unless Turner goes for 35.....
At any rate, the spectacle of March Madness is upon us... and I, for one, can't wait... Good luck to everyone in their bracket pools, and just take it in and continue to hope that the NCAA doesn't screw it up and go to 96 teams in the future... And Oh yeah... Go Badgers (for the sake of embarrassment if they lose early)
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