NCAA Tournament Picks

I turned in my bracket this evening. For the first time since high school, I believe, I only filled out one. This is not from a lack of interest. Hardly. I thought long and hard about my selections. I was deliberate, perhaps maniacal. I like my picks; they're solid, a fine patchwork of caution, calculated risk, blind faith, arrogance and stones.

My picks might not pan out, but I'm now wedded to them, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer. This year, there will be no hedging of picks between different pools. I'm all in.

Here, then, for your consideration, are my picks, starting with the East. As you'll find out, I followed all my lessons save one. I trust it won't come back to haunt me.

EAST
1 Ohio State over 16 Texas-San Antonio
8 George Mason over 9 Villanova
5 West Virginia over 12 Clemson
4 Kentucky over 13 Princeton
6 Xavier over 11 Marquette
3 Syracuse over 14 Indiana State
7 Washington over 10 Georgia
2 North Carolina over 15 UC Santa Barbara

1 Ohio State over 8 George Mason
4 Kentucky over 5 West Virginia
3 Syracuse over 6 Xavier
7 Washington over 2 North Carolina

Sweet 16
1 Ohio State over 4 Kentucky
7 Washington over 3 Syracuse

Elite Eight
1 Ohio State over 7 Washington

WEST
1 Duke over 16 Hampton
8 Michigan over 9 Tennessee
5 Arizona over 12 Memphis
13 Oakland over 4 Texas
11 Missouri over 6 Cincinnati
3 Connecticut over 14 Bucknell
7 Temple over 10 Penn State
2 San Diego State over 10 Northern Colorado

1 Duke over 8 Michigan
5 Arizona over 13 Oakland
3 Connecticut over 11 Missouri
2 San Diego State over 7 Temple

SWEET 16
1 Duke over 5 Arizona
2 San Diego State over 3 Connecticut

Elite Eight
1 Duke over 2 San Diego State

SOUTHWEST
1 Kansas over 16 Boston U.
8 UNLV over 9 Illinois
12 Richmond over 5 Vanderbilt
4 Louisville over 13 Morehead State
6 Georgetown over 11 USC/VCU
3 Purdue over 14 St. Peter's
7 Texas A&M over 10 Florida State
2 Notre Dame over 15 Akron

1 Kansas over 8 UNLV
4 Louisville over 12 Richmond
3 Purdue over 6 Georgetown
2 Notre Dame over 7 Texas A&M

Sweet 16
1 Kansas over 4 Louisville
3 Purdue over 2 Notre Dame

Elite Eight
1 Kansas over 3 Purdue

SOUTHEAST
1 Pittsburgh over 16 UNC-Asheville
9 Old Dominion over 8 Butler
12 Utah State over 5 Kansas State
13 Belmont over 4 Wisconsin
11 Gonzaga over 6 St. John's
3 BYU over 14 Wofford
10 Michigan State over 7 UCLA
2 Florida over 15 UC Santa Barbara

9 Old Dominion over 1 Pittsburgh
12 Utah State over 13 Belmont
11 Gonzaga over 3 BYU
2 Florida over 10 Michigan State

Sweet 16
12 Utah State over 9 Old Dominion
2 Florida over 3 BYU

Elite Eight
2 Florida over 12 Utah State

Final Four
Ohio State over Duke
Kansas over Florida

Chamionship
Kansas over Ohio State