March Madness - Bracketology

March Madness is here, and this year’s bracket is as wide open as ever. There’s no clear-cut number one team — and that’s what makes it so exciting. Anyone could cut down the nets in April. Unlike past tournaments, where the hottest shooting teams often stole the show, this year’s field is packed with defensive juggernauts built to grind games out. Still, while the parity at the top is undeniable, I don’t foresee a bracket full of shocking upsets.

My pick to win it all? The Florida Gators. The Gators ran through the SEC Tournament easily, Florida looks like a team peaking at the perfect time. Their guards come to play, their bigs crash the board better than most teams in the field, and they are a balanced, battle-tested lineup. The Gators won’t blink against potential heavyweights like UConn or a St. John’s squad coached by the legendary Rick Pitino. This team has everything — talent, toughness, and momentum — to bring home its first national title since the back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007.

Round by Round Predictions

Round of 32:

South Region:

#1 Auburn def. #8 Louisville

#5 Michigan def.  #4 Texas A&M

#3 Iowa State def. #11 North Carolina

#2 Michigan State def. #10 New Mexico

West Region:

#1 Florida def. #8 UConn

#4 Maryland def. #12 Colorado State

#3 Texas Tech def. #11 Drake

#2 St. John's def. #10 Arkansas

East Region:

#1 Duke def. #9 Baylor

#4 Arizona def. #5 Oregon

#3 Wisconsin def. #11 VCU

#2 Alabama def. #7 Saint Mary's

Midwest Region:

#1 Houston def. #8 Gonzaga

#4 Purdue def. #5 Clemson

#3 Kentucky def. #6 Illinois

#2 Tennessee def. #10 Utah State

Sweet 16:

South Region:

#5 Michigan def. #1 Auburn

#2 Michigan State def. #3 Iowa State

West Region:

#1 Florida def. #4 Maryland

#3 Texas Tech def. #2 St. John's

East Region:

#1 Duke def. #4 Arizona

#3 Wisconsin def. #2 Alabama

Midwest Region:

#1 Houston def. #4 Purdue

#3 Kentucky def. #2 Tennessee

Elite 8

South Region:

#2 Michigan State def. #5 Michigan

West Region:

#1 Florida def. #3 Texas Tech

East Region:

#1 Duke def. #3 Wisconsin

Midwest Region:

#3 Kentucky def. #1 Houston

Final 4

#1 Florida def. #2 Michigan State

#1 Duke def. #3 Kentucky

National Championship

#1 Florida def. #1 Duke with a final score of 75-68.