Jeff Borzello
Multiple Authors
For the past three decades or so, I’ve printed out a blank bracket on Selection Sunday to fill out as the NCAA tournament is announced. I used to hem and haw over my selections for days, and it never worked out, so now we’re taking tinkering out of the process and revealing my bracket picks … instantly.
So here’s my true instant bracket, filled out (by hand!) as the field was announced. And I promise not to make any changes. No second-guessing here!
Note: Winners in bold.
Jump to:
East | West
Midwest | South
Final Four
First Four (Dayton)
WEST REGION
(11) NC State 82, (11) Texas 78
MIDWEST REGION
(11) SMU 91, (11) Miami (Ohio) 81
(16) UMBC 70, (16) Howard 65
SOUTH REGION
(16) Prairie View A&M 69, (16) Lehigh 78
East Region (Washington D.C.)
FIRST ROUND
(1) Duke 85, (16) Siena 59
(8) Ohio State 74, (9) TCU 72
(5) St. John’s 69, (12) Northern Iowa 63
(4) Kansas 74, (13) California Baptist 62
(6) Louisville 88, (11) South Florida 83
(3) Michigan State 77, (14) North Dakota State 66
(7) UCLA 84, (10) UCF 75
(2) UConn 80, (15) Furman 61
SECOND ROUND
(1) Duke 75, (8) Ohio State 66
(4) Kansas 68, (5) St. Johns 75
(3) Michigan State 79, (6) Louisville 74
(2) UConn 71, (7) UCLA 67
SWEET 16
(1) Duke 73, (5) St. John’s 71
2) UConn 68,( (3) Michigan State 64
ELITE EIGHT
(1) Duke 72, (2) UConn 73
REGION ANALYSIS
The subplots in the East are wildly intriguing — and it doesn’t take long to get rolling. There’s a potential second-round coaching matchup between Rick Pitino and Bill Self. What will Pitino have up his sleeve to slow down Darryn Peterson? There’s a potential second-round sideline spectacle between Dan Hurley and Mick Cronin. And look at the point guards in the bottom half of the region: UConn’s Silas Demary Jr., Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr., UCLA’s Donovan Dent and Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr., if healthy.
I anticipate the matchups will go according to seed in the first round, but I’m going with St. John’s over Kansas in the second. The Red Storm had a case to be seeded ahead of Kansas after winning both the Big East regular-season and conference tournament championships, and they seem to have put the UConn blowout loss deep in the rearview mirror. That sets up a showdown between Duke and St. John’s in the Sweet 16, and a terrific individual matchup between Cameron Boozer and Zuby Ejiofor.
In the bottom of the region, we’re buying back into UConn. The Huskies have often had more success outside the Big East, and the bottom-half of the region sets up well for Hurley’s team. If healthy, a surging UCLA team could be the stiffest matchup for UConn, but the Huskies have enough.
And I’m going with UConn over Duke in the Elite Eight, with the Huskies getting to the Final Four — and preventing a national semifinal with all four 1-seeds again.
Jump to:
East | West
Midwest | South
Final Four
West Region (San Jose)
FIRST ROUND
(1) Arizona 94, (16) Long Island University 65
(8) Villanova 70, (9) Utah State 73
(5) Wisconsin 87, (12) High Point 78
(4) Arkansas 90, (13) Hawai’i 71
(6) BYU 83, (11) NC State 77
(3) Gonzaga 86, (14) Kennesaw State 68
(7) Miami 80, (10) Missouri 75
(2) Purdue 99, (15) Queens 64
SECOND ROUND
(1) Arizona 82, (9) Utah State 67
(4) Arkansas 86, (5) Wisconsin 84
(3) Gonzaga 79, (6) BYU 80
(2) Purdue 81, (7) Miami 71
SWEET 16
(1) Arizona 86, (4) Arkansas 80
(2) Purdue 83, (6) BYU 77
ELITE EIGHT
(1) Arizona 81, (2) Purdue 77
REGION ANALYSIS
There’s serious star power in the West. There’s Arizona’s slew of potential first-round picks. There’s Wisconsin’s elite backcourt duo of Nick Boyd and John Blackwell, who could be matched up with Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas in the second round. The bottom of the region is headlined by All-American AJ Dybantsa from BYU and preseason Player of the Year Braden Smith from Purdue.
The most logical upset potential in this region comes from High Point, although if it becomes a battle of offenses, the Panthers aren’t going to outscore the Badgers. Boyd and Blackwell are performing at far too high a level right now to lose in that scenario. Then their second-round game against Arkansas — which has perhaps the most Kemba Walker-like player in this tournament with Acuff, who just carried the Razorbacks to an SEC tournament title — should be one of the games of the tournament.
The biggest upset I’m watching is BYU going to the Sweet 16. Even without Richie Saunders, the Cougars have enough pop in Dybantsa and Robert Wright III to go toe-to-toe with any team in the country. Will they be able to stop Gonzaga’s Graham Ike on the interior? Keba Keita should be up to the challenge.
In the Elite Eight, we’re once again going with the top-two seeds. Arizona is playing as well as any contender, and Purdue really found top form in the Big Ten tournament. The Wildcats should edge the Boilermakers in this one.
Jump to:
East | West
Midwest | South
Final Four
Midwest Region (Chicago)
FIRST ROUND
(1) Michigan 95, (16) UMBC 57
(8) Georgia 90, (9) Saint Louis 88
(5) Texas Tech 74, (12) Akron 75
(4) Alabama 89, (13) Hofstra 77
(6) Tennessee 73, (11) SMU 71
(3) Virginia 80, (14) Wright State 66
(7) Kentucky 79, (10) Santa Clara 75
(2) Iowa State 85, (15) Tennessee State 67
SECOND ROUND
(1) Michigan 90, (8) Georgia 77
(4) Alabama 93, (12) Akron 84
(3) Virginia 71, (6) Tennessee 69
(2) Iowa State 79, (7) Kentucky 69
SWEET 16
(1) Michigan 92, (4) Alabama 87
(2) Iowa State 74, (3) Virginia 69
ELITE EIGHT
(1) Michigan 77, (2) Iowa State 75
REGION ANALYSIS
Miami (Ohio) is in — and in Dayton! But taking a step back, this region sets up really well for Michigan and Iowa State to battle in the Elite Eight for a trip to Indianapolis.
Michigan hasn’t looked quite as dominant since L.J. Cason’s season-ending injury, and Iowa State has as good a trio as any team in the country in Tamin Lipsey, Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson. The Cyclones will look to pressure Elliot Cadeau and make him uncomfortable — but can they deal with Michigan’s size on the interior? And if Yaxel Lendeborg makes life difficult for Momcilovic, Iowa State’s offense takes a severe hit.
Iowa State will likely have to go through plenty of size throughout the bracket, especially against Virginia’s vaunted shot-blocker Ugonna Onyenso in the Sweet 16.
Also in the Midwest: A potential 12-over-5 upset watch is in order for Akron against a Texas Tech team that hasn’t looked the same since JT Toppin was lost for the season with an ACL injury. Then there’s Alabama, which has one of the elite takeover guards in the country in Labaron Philon Jr. The Crimson Tide have enough firepower to give Michigan a run in the Sweet 16.
With the way this region took shape, though, it seems Michigan is Final Four bound. Despite the Wolverines’ recent struggles, this is a team built to win games in March.
Jump to:
East | West
Midwest | South
Final Four
South Region (Houston)
FIRST ROUND
(1) Florida 101, (16) Lehigh 63
(8) Clemson 64, (9) Iowa 62
(5) Vanderbilt 83, (12) McNeese 73
(4) Nebraska 72, (13) Troy 66
(6) North Carolina 75, (11) VCU 73
(3) Illinois 93, (14) Pennsylvania 65
(7) Saint Mary’s 75, (10) Texas A&M 71
(2) Houston 83, (15) Idaho 55
SECOND ROUND
(1) Florida 76, (8) Clemson 63
(4) Nebraska 70, (5) Vanderbilt 73
(3) Illinois 84, (6) North Carolina 71
(2) Houston 71, (7) Saint Mary’s 64
SWEET 16
(1) Florida 83, (5) Vanderbilt 79
(2) Houston 74, (3) Illinois 72
ELITE EIGHT
(1) Florida 70, (2) Houston 69
REGION ANALYSIS
There are a couple very intriguing potential rematches that stick out in the South. There’s a potential Sweet 16 showdown between Florida and Vanderbilt, which just met in the SEC tournament semifinals, where the Commodores won by 17. And there’s a potential Elite Eight matchup between Florida and Houston, which would be a rematch of last year’s national championship game — except this time, it would take place in Houston.
There’s potential for multiple upsets throughout this region. McNeese is a high-octane group with high-major athleticism, and the Cowboys can give Vanderbilt a game. Troy is a well-coached unit that played in the NCAA tournament last year, and the Trojans will go against a Nebraska team without a tournament win in program history. VCU, which just won the Atlantic 10 tournament, is a real threat to North Carolina.
The South has three Final Four-caliber teams ready to duke it out. Florida, the reigning champ, is the favorite. And a Sweet 16 matchup between Illinois and Houston should be one of the best games of the tournament. We’ll go with the Gators to get back to the Final Four, though — Todd Golden’s team has too much inside for a Houston team that isn’t quite as imposing defensively as it’s been in recent years. The Gators’ backcourt will have their hands full with the Cougars’ electric perimeter trio of Kingston Flemings, Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan. I have Florida advancing nonetheless — by one point.
Jump to:
East | West
Midwest | South
Final Four
Final Four
(1) Arizona 82, (1) Michigan 80
(1) Florida 77, (2) UConn 74
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
(1) Arizona 80, (1) Florida 77
FINAL FOUR ANALYSIS
Injuries to Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba II kept Duke out of my Final Four — and my bracket from having all four 1-seeds advancing to the Final Four for the second year in a row
I’m banking on UConn to find top form now that the Huskies are out of Big East play. They have size, balance, depth and the shotmakers — but their run will end against the same team that knocked them out a year ago. Florida was humbled by Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament semifinals, but prior to that game, the Gators were playing arguably better than they were down the stretch of last season’s title run. Their frontcourt trio of Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu is overwhelming. Their defense is also elite.
The other side of the bracket will feature the two best teams in the country: Arizona and Michigan. Prior to Cason’s injury, the Wolverines looked like the odds-on favorite to cut down the nets. Without Cason, Dusty May needs six straight high-level games from Cadeau — is the North Carolina transfer up to the task? Arizona has been playing lights-out since Koa Peat returned from injury, and the Wildcats’ backcourt duo of Jaden Bradley and Brayden Burries is as clutch and touch as it gets late in games. They also have the size to battle Michigan up front. Arizona moves on.
Leave a Reply