Today was Selection Sunday, which is the unofficial beginning of the greatest three weeks of the year -- the NCAA basketball tournament. I'm not going to lie. I was a little disappointed with the pairings. There are a lot of games that just don't excite me, particularly in the 4-13, 5-12 and 6-11 matchups where you normally find some big-time upsets in the first round. Of course, this tournament appears to be devoid of your traditional Cinderella teams. That happens when non-major conferences get only four of the 34 available at-large bids. I just don't get it. Part of what makes this tournament so exciting is rooting for the underdog. But there aren't that many true underdogs because so few were let into the tournament. Honestly, who besides Arizona grads would rather see the Wildcats over St. Mary's or Creighton? Anyway, enough of my complaining. I'm sure the tournament will still be riveting, and while I'm disappointing today, when the first round begins on Thursday, I'll be completely compelled to watch.
I was put in charge of running the office pool this season, and since we run a small operation here in New Braunfels, there are only eight of us participating. But that won't make it any less exciting and competitive. Plus, I'm still in The Town Talk's league. Of course, not that these office pools mean anything, because I inevitably end up near the bottom of the pack, behind people who have no business out-picking me in an NCAA tournament pool.
Now that you've been forewarned about my lack of picking prowess, I urge you not to copy the following picks. They're not made with much enthusiasm, as I'm just not that good at this stuff.
First Round
Midwest Region
No. 1 Louisville over No. 16 Morehead State (which will beat Alabama State in the play-in game)
No. 9 Siena over No. 8 Ohio State
No. 5 Utah over No. 12 Arizona (which has no business being in this tournament!)
No. 4 Wake Forest over No. 13 Cleveland State
No. 6 West Virginia over No. 11 Dayton (in a near upset)
No. 3 Kansas over No. 14 North Dakota State (which is no Bucknell)
No. 10 USC over No. 7 Boston College (Tyrese Rice meet Marcus Simmons)
No. 2 Michigan State over No. 15 Robert Morris
West Region
No. 1 Connecticut over No. 16 Chattanooga
No. 9 Texas A&M over No. 8 BYU
No. 5 Purdue over No. 12 Northern Iowa (in a squeaker)
No. 4 Washington over No. 13 Mississippi State
No. 11 Utah State over No. 6 Marquette (which misses Dominic James)
No. 3 Missouri over No. 14 Cornell
No. 10 Maryland over No. 7 California
No. 2 Memphis over No. 15 Cal State Northridge
East Region
No. 1 Pittsburgh over No. 16 East Tennessee State
No. 8 Oklahoma State over No. 9 Tennessee
No. 5 Florida State over No. 12 Wisconsin (another team that doesn't belong here)
No. 4 Xavier over No. 13 Portland State
No. 6 UCLA over No. 11 VCU (I went back and forth on this one ... basically a coin flip)
No. 3 Villanova over No. 14 American (how can you not root for a university named American? it's un-American!)
No. 7 Texas over No. 10 Minnesota
No. 2 Duke over No. 15 Binghamton
South Region
No. 1 North Carolina over No. 16 Radford
No. 9 Butler over No. 8 LSU (making the SEC 0-for-3)
No. 12 Western Kentucky over No. 5 Illinois (everyone's upset special)
No. 4 Gonzaga over No. 13 Akron
No. 6 Arizona State over No. 11 Temple
No. 3 Syracuse over No. 14 Stephen F. Austin (much closer than most think)
No. 10 Michigan over No. 7 Clemson
No. 2 Oklahoma over No. 15 Morgan State
Second Round
Midwest Region
No. 1 Louisville over No. 9 Siena
No. 4 Wake Forest over No. 5 Utah
No. 6 West Virginia over No. 3 Kansas (sorry defending champs, not enough experience)
No. 2 Michigan State over No. 10 USC (nice knowing you, Demar Derozan)
West Region
No. 1 Connecticut over No. 9 Texas A&M
No. 5 Purdue over No. 4 Washington
No. 3 Missouri over No. 11 Utah State (too much athleticism)
No. 2 Memphis over No. 10 Maryland
East Region
No. 1 Pittsburgh over No. 8 Oklahoma State
No. 5 Florida State over No. 4 Xavier
No. 3 Villanova over No. 6 UCLA (no fourth straight Final Four for the Bruins)
No. 2 Duke over No. 7 Texas
South Region
No. 1 North Carolina over No. 9 Butler (which didn't do it this time)
No. 4 Gonzaga over No. 12 Western Kentucky (in overtime)
No. 6 Arizona State over No. 3 Syracuse (which runs out of gas after the Big East tourney)
No. 2 Oklahoma over No. 10 Michigan
Sweet Sixteen
Midwest Region
No. 4 Wake Forest over No. 1 Louisville (which is the first No. 1 seed gone)
No. 2 Michigan State over No. 6 West Virginia
West Region
No. 1 Connecticut over No. 5 Purdue
No. 3 Missouri over No. 2 Memphis (in the best game of the entire tournament)
East Region
No. 1 Pittsburgh over No. 5 Florida State
No. 2 Duke over No. 3 Villanova
Elite Eight
Midwest Region
No. 4 Wake Forest over No. 2 Michigan State
West Region
No. 3 Missouri over No. 1 Connecticut (which is vulnerable because of injuries)
East Region
No. 1 Pittsburgh over No. 2 Duke (Dejuan Blair dominates the Dukies)
South Region
No. 2 Oklahoma over No. 1 North Carolina (Blake Griffin goes off against Tyler Hansbrough)
Final Four
No. 4 Wake Forest over No. 3 Missouri
No. 2 Oklahoma over No. 1 Pittsburgh
No. 2 Oklahoma over No. 4 Wake Forest
Blake Griffin puts the Sooners on his shoulders and carries them to the national title before leaving to become the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.
