NCAA Tournament Predictions

OK, so here is my rundown of my tournament picks. Stay tuned for Stefan's comprehensive picks tomorrow and more March Madness can currently be celebrated over at Complete Sports.

ALL PICKS ARE BOLDED

MIDWEST

FIRST ROUND
(1) Florida vs. (16) Jackson St.
(8) Arizona vs. (9) Purdue
Purdue has been playing well but Arizona is too athletic for the Boilermakers. Just not a good matchup for Purdue
(5) Butler vs. (12) Old Dominion
Butler is coming in cold and Old Dominion is hot right now. It's going to be a very close game but I think you can look for Butler to pull it together a bit and get through the first round.
(4) Maryland vs. (13) Davidson
(6) Notre Dame vs. (11) Winthrop
A lot of people like Winthrop as a upset-minded mid-major team. Notre Dame can shoot the lights out and will live and die from beyond the arc. In the first round they live.
(3) Oregon vs. (14) Miami-OH
(7) UNLV vs. (10) Georgia Tech
I like Georgia Tech with the upset. Much like the Arizona vs. Purdue matchup this just doesn't do much for UNLV. Georgia Tech is just too athletic for UNLV...look for the upset.
(2) Wisconsin vs. (15) Texas A&M CC

SECOND ROUND
(1) Florida vs. (8) Arizona
(4) Maryland vs. (5) Butler
(3) Oregon vs. (6) Notre Dame
I think that this will be a really great game. Both teams are tremendous shooting teams and I'm really excited to watch this one. Oregon wins a great game by shooting great down the stretch
(2) Wisconsin vs. (10) Georgia Tech

SWEET SIXTEEN
(1) Florida vs. (4) Maryland
(2) Wisconsin vs. (3) Oregon
I really like Oregon but I think Wisconsin's posts are too much. If Brian Butch can play look for him to make the difference.

ELITE EIGHT
(1) Florida vs. (2) Wisconsin


WEST

FIRST ROUND
(1) Kansas vs. (16) Niagara
(8) Kentucky vs. (9) Villanova
This game is as good as a coin flip
(5) Virginia Tech vs. (12) Illinois
I like the upset here. I think V-tech is a weak 5 seed and Illinois matches up really well against them. V-Tech is just too inconsistent and doesn't shoot well from the FT line.
(4) Southern Illinois vs. (13) Holy Cross
(6) Duke vs. (11) VCU
Here is my big upset. Virginia Commonwealth is a team to be reckoned with and Duke has just not been Duke this year. Look for VCU to pressure Duke a lot and keep them uncomfortable.
(3) Pitt vs. (14) Wright State
(7) Indiana vs. (10) Gonzaga
(2) UCLA vs. (15) Weber State

SECOND ROUND
(1) Kansas vs. (9) Villanova
(12) Illinois vs. (4) So. Illinois
(11) VCU vs. (3) Pitt
VCU is this year's George Mason...they have the means to do it. It's just a matter of playing within their game the way that they know they can. I think VCU wins again.
(7) Indiana vs. (2) UCLA

SWEET SIXTEEN
(1) Kansas vs. (4) So. Illinois
(2) UCLA vs. (11) VCU

ELITE EIGHT
(1) Kansas vs. (2) UCLA
It's really tough to pick against my Jayhawks but this is what we do here at The Sports Flow. I gotta do it. I think UCLA is just all-around a touch better than Kansas. This will be a great, talent-loaded game to watch and UCLA's experience helps them squeak this one out.

EAST

FIRST ROUND
(1) UNC vs. (16) E. Kentucky
(8) Marquette vs. (9) Michigan State
I originally had Marquette with this one, however upon finding out that they would be without their #1 scorer and defended I just can't pick them any more. Drew Nietzel is a stud.
(5) USC vs. (12) Arkansas
(4) Texas vs. (13) New Mexico
(6) Vanderbilt vs. (11) George Washington
Vandy is struggling and I think George Washington can get it done on the defensive end and pull of the upset.
(3) Washington St. vs. (14) Oral Roberts
(7) Boston College vs. (10) Texas Tech
(2) Georgetown vs. (15) Belmont

SECOND ROUND
(1) UNC vs. (8) Michigan St.
(4) Texas vs. (5) USC
(3) Washington St. vs. (11) George Washington
(2) Georgetown vs. (7) BC

SWEET SIXTEEN
(1) UNC vs. (4) Texas
All UNC has to do is stop Durant.
(2) Georgetown vs. (3) Washington St.

ELITE EIGHT
(1) UNC vs. (2) Georgetown
G-town can slow down the Tarheels and win this one.


SOUTH

FIRST ROUND
(1) Ohio State vs. (16) Central Conn. St.
(8) BYU vs. (9) Xavier
A lot of people like Xavier but I think BYU is under appreciated
(5) Tenn vs. (12) Long Beach St.
(4) Virgina vs. (13) Albany
I think Virginia is pretty weak as a 4 seed really. The Great Danes almost did it last year and I think they get it done this year.
(6) Louisville vs. (11) Stanford
(3) Texas A&M vs. (14) Penn
(7) Nevada vs. (10) Creighton
(2) Memphis vs. (15) North Texas

SECOND ROUND
(1) Ohio St. vs. (8) BYU
(5) Tenn vs. (13) Albany
(3) Texas A&M vs. (6) Louisville
(2) Memphis vs. (7) Nevada
Nick Fazekas and Marcelus Kemp are a great tandem. Nevada is very well balanced and I'm just going to straight-up call the upset on this one.

SWEET SIXTEEN
(1) Ohio St. vs. (5) Tenn
Tenn played Ohio St. close earlier this year but the Buckeyes mean business this time.
(3) Texas A&M vs. (7) Nevada

ELITE EIGHT
(1) Ohio St. vs. (3) Texas A&M
I love Acie Law and the Aggies. I think that they have what it takes to shut down man-boy Greg Oden and his pack of fearsome freshman down long enough to win a close one.

THE FINAL FOUR
(1) Florida vs. (2) UCLA
Florida is beatable and I think UCLA is a better and more well-balanced team. Florida has the advantage down low. However, I fell UCLA has the means to overcome this and book their ticket to the championship.
(2) Georgetown vs. (3) Texas A&M
Two very similar well-balanced teams. This should be a dandy.

CHAMPIONSHIP
UCLA vs. Georgetown
This is another great game to watch. I'm giving the edge to Georgetown. Not just to go against Complete Sports , but really because I think Georgetown is a great team coming in to the tournament really hot. I'm going with my gut and it tells me that Georgetown is your 2007 NCAA Basketball Champion.