It takes two and a half madness-filled weeks for 65 NCAA Tournament pretenders to evolve into one champion. Most likely, you’re going to be betting on who that one will be. To assist all the NCAA-poolers who think Dick Vitale is the spawn of Satan and haven’t been following as much college basketball as they should, we at the Voice have decided to provide our readers with a peek at our award-winning bracket. However, these selections are being provided for the benefit of our readers with the caveat that half of all winnings earned as a result of viewing will go toward the “send Georgetown to the NIT” fund:
South Region
– First Round Winners: Duke, Notre Dame, Indiana, USC, Penn, Pitt, Kent St. and Alabama.
– Second Round Winners: Duke, USC, Pitt and Alabama.
– Sweet 16 Winners: Duke and Alabama.
– Elite Eight Winner: Duke
Comments: Duke is the strongest team in a top-heavy East Bracket. Look for Kent St. to give Alabama a run for their money in the second round; Kent has played exceptionally in an underrated Metro Atlantic Conference this year.
West Region
– First Round Winners: Cincinnati, UCLA, Missouri, Ohio St., Gonzaga, Arizona, Xavier and Oklahoma.
– Second Round Winners: Cincinnati, Ohio St., Gonzaga and Oklahoma.
– Sweet 16 Winners: Ohio St. and Oklahoma.
– Elite Eight Winner: Oklahoma
Comments: Gonzaga got the shaft this year, drawing a No. 6 seed in by far the strongest bracket; six of the top seven teams in this region were their conference champions. Oklahoma is too impressive to keep out of the Final Four.
East Region
– First Round Winners: Maryland, Wisconsin, Marquette, Kentucky, Southern Illinois, Georgia, Michigan St. and Connecticut.
– Second Round Winners: Maryland, Marquette, Southern Illinois and Connecticut.
– Sweet 16 Winners: Maryland and Connecticut.
– Elite Eight Winner: Maryland
Comments: Georgia is the weakest No. 3 seed in the tournament and will be surprised by the best team you’ve never heard of, the Southern Illinois Salukis. Don’t discount the Salukis; Indiana did earlier in the year, and the Salukis beat them by 12. Unfortunately, no word on what exactly a Saluki is. [Ed. note: The Saluki is an egyptian hunting dog.]
Midwest Region
– First Round Winners: Kansas, Western Kentucky, Florida, Illinois, Texas, Mississippi St., Pepperdine and Oregon.
– Second Round Winners: Kansas, Illinois, Mississippi St. and Pepperdine.
– Sweet 16 Winners: Illinois and Pepperdine
– Elite Eight Winner: Illinois
Comments: In the most screwed-up bracket, overachieving No. 2 seed Oregon will lose to overachieving No. 10 seed Pepperdine in the second round setting the stage for an Elite Eight appearance for Pepperdine. Once again, Kansas will choke in the NCAAs, this time against an experienced Illinois team.
Final Four
– Duke (South) vs. Oklahoma (West): Duke
– Maryland (East) vs. Illinois (Midwest): Maryland
National Championship
– Duke vs. Maryland: Duke
Comments: Duke will repeat as champions for the first time since the Grant Hill/Christian Laettner era. Duke junior point guard Jason Williams in the best player in college basketball and Duke knows how to handle the pressure situations better than any other team by far. we just wish we didn’t hate them so, so much
