The East bracket. UTSA and Clemson will win the play in games. Then the first round winners will include Ohio State, George Mason, West Virginia, Syracuse, Washington, and North Carolina.
In the second round, Ohio State, Kentucky, Syracuse, and North Carolina will move on. I am tempted to pick Washington over NC, but the game is in Charlotte.
The third round winners are Ohio State and Syracuse. North Carolina is simply too young. Ohio State wins the East region.
In the West. Duke, Tennessee, Arizona, Texas, Cincinnati, UConn, Temple, and San Diego State win first round games. Look out for Oakland over Texas, but Texas should prevail. In round two, Duke, Texas, UConn, and San Diego State move on.
In round three, Duke and San Diego State move on. San Diego State is really, really good. UConn will be really, really tired by then.
Duke beats San Diego State...only because they have been there before. But I would not be shocked by a San Diego State upset.
Southwest region. VCU wins the play in game. Kansas, UNLV, Vandy, Louisville, Georgetown, Purdue, Texas A&M, and Notre Dame win first round games. In round two, Kansas, Louisville, Purdue, and Notre Dame move on.
In round three, Kansas and Purdue move on, with Kansas winning the region.
The Southeast region has UALR winning the play in game, followed by Pitt, Old Dominion, Utah State in an upset over Kansas State, Wisconsin, Gonzaga in an upset over St. John's, BYU, Michigan State, and Florida winning first round games. Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, Gonzaga, and Florida advance to the next round as BYU bows out.
Pittsburgh and Florida advance with Pittsburgh winning the region.
Final Four. Ohio State is too much for Duke. Pittsburgh guards are too much for Kansas. In the end, Ohio State is the National Champion.
Now go fill out your brackets.
About San Diego State, they may have been 32-2 overall and 14-2 in conference play, but they are 0-6 all time in the NCAA Tournament. The conference they play in (the Mountain West Conference) is 10-26 all time in the tournament, and no team has gone beyond the Sweet 16. I see them winning one game, and they will have to work hard to get it against #15 seed Northern Colorado.
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