Monday, March 13, 2006

My NCAA Tournament Predictions

Here are my thoughts on all 64 NCAA tournament games. In reality, I have about 15 different brackets out there (one nice thing about Ohio is that it has an exception for March Madness pools in its gambling statute), so this is a conglomeration of all of them. I am by no means an expert, having finished out of the money in every pool I've been in, except for a 2nd-place effort in 1994. So take this with a grain of salt, and if you have any sense at all, don't use this as a basis for your own picks. And, as I did for my hilariously awful conference tournament predictions, I'll be updating this post with green for the picks I get right and red for the ones I get wrong.

Atlanta Region
First Round
Thursday March 16
#1 Duke vs. #16 Southern. Winner: Duke
#8 George Washington vs. #9 UNC-Wilmington. Winner: George Washington
#5 Syracuse vs. #12 Texas A&M. Winner: Syracuse
#4 LSU vs. #13 Iona. Winner: LSU
Friday March 17
#6 West Virginia vs. #11 Southern Illinois. Winner: West Virginia
#3 Iowa vs. #14 Northwestern State. Winner: Iowa
#7 California vs. #10 NC State. Winner: NC State
#2 Texas vs. #15 Penn. Winner: Texas

Second Round
Saturday March 18
#1 Duke vs. #8 George Washington. Winner: Duke
#4 LSU vs. #5 Syracuse. Winner: Syracuse
Sunday March 19
#3 Iowa vs. #6 West Virginia. Winner: West Virginia
#2 Texas vs. #10 NC State. Winner: Texas

Sweet 16
Thursday March 23
#1 Duke vs. #5 Syracuse. Winner: Duke
#2 Texas vs. #6 West Virginia. Winner: Texas

Elite 8
Saturday March 25
#1 Duke vs. #2 Texas. Winner: Texas

Oakland Region
First Round
Thursday March 16
#6 Indiana vs. #11 San Diego State. Winner: Indiana
#3 Gonzaga vs. #14 Xavier. Winner: Gonzaga
#7 Marquette vs. #10 Alabama. Winner: Marquette
#2 UCLA vs. #15 Belmont. Winner: UCLA
Friday March 17
#1 Memphis vs. #16 Oral Roberts. Winner: Memphis
#8 Arkansas vs. #9 Bucknell. Winner: Arkansas
#5 Pittsburgh vs. #12 Kent State. Winner: Pitt
#4 Kansas vs. #13 Bradley. Winner: Kansas

Second Round
Saturday March 18
#3 Gonzaga vs. #6 Indiana. Winner: Gonzaga
#2 UCLA vs. #7 Marquette. Winner: UCLA
Sunday March 19
#1 Memphis vs. #8 Arkansas. Winner: Memphis
#4 Kansas vs. #5 Pitt. Winner: Kansas

Sweet 16
Thursday March 23
#1 Memphis vs. #4 Kansas. Winner: Kansas
#2 UCLA vs. #3 Gonzaga. Winner: UCLA

Elite 8
Saturday March 25
#2 UCLA vs. #4 Kansas. Winner: UCLA

Washington, D.C. Region
First Round
Thursday March 16
#5 Washington vs. #12 Utah State. Winner: Washington
#4 Illinois vs. #13 Air Force. Winner: Illinois
#7 Wichita State vs. #10 Seton Hall. Winner: Seton Hall
#2 Tennessee vs. #15 Winthrop. Winner: Tennessee
Friday March 17
#1 UConn vs. #16 Albany. Winner: UConn
#8 Kentucky vs. #9 UAB. Winner: UAB
#6 Michigan State vs. #11 George Mason. Winner: Michigan State
#3 North Carolina vs. #14 Murray State. Winner: North Carolina

Second Round
Saturday March 18
#4 Illinois vs. #5 Washington. Winner: Washington
#2 Tennessee vs. #10 Seton Hall. Winner: Tennessee
Sunday March 19
#1 UConn vs. #9 UAB. Winner: UConn
#3 North Carolina vs. #6 Michigan State. Winner: Michigan State

Sweet 16
Friday March 24
#1 UConn vs. #5 Washington. Winner: UConn
#2 Tennessee vs. #6 Michigan State. Winner: Michigan State

Elite 8
Sunday March 26
#1 UConn vs. #6 Michigan State. Winner: UConn

Minneapolis Region
Opening Round Game
Tuesday March 14
#16a Monmouth vs. #16b Hampton. Winner: Hampton

First Round
Thursday March 16
#5 Nevada vs. #12 Montana. Winner: Montana
#4 Boston College vs. #13 Pacific. Winner: Boston College
#6 Oklahoma vs. #11 UW-Milwaukee. Winner: Oklahoma
#3 Florida vs. #14 South Alabama. Winner: Florida
Friday March 17
#1 Villanova vs. #16 Hampton. Winner: Villanova
#8 Arizona vs. #9 Wisconsin. Winner: Wisconsin
#7 Georgetown vs. #10 Northern Iowa. Winner: Georgetown
#2 Ohio State vs. #15 Davidson. Winner: Ohio State

Second Round
Saturday March 18
#4 Boston College vs. #12 Montana. Winner: Boston College
#3 Florida vs. #6 Oklahoma. Winner: Florida
Sunday March 19
#1 Villanova vs. #9 Wisconsin. Winner: Villanova
#2 Ohio State vs. #7 Georgetown. Winner: Georgetown

Sweet 16
Friday March 24
#1 Villanova vs. #4 Boston College. Winner: Boston College
#3 Florida vs. #7 Georgetown. Winner: Florida

Elite 8
Sunday March 26
#3 Florida vs. #4 Boston College. Winner: Boston College

Final Four
Saturday April 1
#2 Texas vs. #2 UCLA. Winner: Texas
#1 UConn vs. #4 Boston College. Winner: UConn

Monday April 3
#2 Texas vs. #1 UConn. Winner: UConn

In making these predictions, I have essentially ensured that the Final Four will not have any of these four teams. Take heed.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

If we can actually run a coherent offense against a defensive bruiser team from the Big Ten, I will give you two hairs from my mustache.