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I finally outdid myself this year.
After admitting to you last week that I am still “0-for-NCAA March Madness” in trying to select the winning team in the men’s brackets after more than 40 years of trying, my 2022 brackets have just crashed and burned sooner than normal.
After the first weekend of play (the first two of six total games it takes to crown a national champion), both my Men’s and Women’s NCAA tournament picks to win it all have been eliminated.
Both teams won their first round game. However, both lost in the second round.
I’m done. Busted like never before. Pit-i-ful.
CBS Sports currently ranks my Men’s bracket as #1,115,212 as of today.
That’s right! There are more than 1.1 million people who are better at this than I am.
On the women’s side, the same site ranks my picks at #290,179 today.
Since CBS Sports doesn’t reveal how many people have entered, I might as well be in last place right now. It feels that way to me!
In the NCAA Men’s tournament, I selected a Final Four consisting of Tennessee, Gonzaga, Auburn, and Virginia Tech.
Sure, taking the #11 seed Virginia Tech to the Final Four was probably a bit of a reach, but the Hokies looked every part of a national contender in capturing their first-ever ACC Tournament title the previous week. Virginia Tech beat Clemson, Notre Dame, North Carolina, and Duke in four days to win the ACC Tournament. They were on a heck of a roll. Until I jinxed them!
In last week’s first round game of the NCAA Men’s tournament, Virginia Tech lost to Texas 81-73 and headed home to Blacksburg, Virginia without a single win.
In the second round, #2 seed Auburn was thoroughly embarrassed by #10 seed Miami (Florida) and packed their bags for the plains of eastern Alabama.
Also in the second round, my overall pick to win this year’s NCAA Men’s tournament, the SEC Tournament champion Tennessee, was eliminated by a team which (my opinion) didn’t deserve to be in the field. #11 Michigan (now 19-14) blew past the Volunteers in the second half to post a 76-68 win over #3 seed Tennessee.
Thankfully, #1 overall seed Gonzaga won both of its first two games, but they were pushed to the limit in Round Two by a very tough #9 seed Memphis, 82-78. Whew!
I cannot remember a time when I lost three of my top four teams after just two games in the NCAA men’s tournament.
This year’s men’s tournament has seen some thrilling games, though.
#15 seeded St. Peter’s (Go Peacocks!) are still playing ball. The team is playing in their first-ever NCAA men’s tournament. They took down #2 seed Kentucky (yes, that Kentucky) in the first round and then went 2-0 against the Bluegrass State by beating #7 seed Murray State (from Bowling Green) in Round 2.
Sadly for St. Peter’s, there are no more teams from Kentucky to beat in the Sweet Sixteen as they will face #3 seed Purdue next.
The Big 12 and ACC still have three teams apiece remaining in the final sixteen. Kansas, Texas Tech, and the surprising #11 seed Iowa State Cyclones (which won just two games – total – in the previous season) will play at least one more tournament game this week. The ACC trio of Duke, North Carolina, and Miami are still alive, too.
The biggest surprise to me thus far has been the dominance of the big men for the advancing teams. Gonzaga has All-American 6’10” forward Drew Timme and a very coordinated but very thin 7’ freshman beanpole named Chet Holmgren who blocks shots without leaving his feet. Gonzaga still looks to have the most talented team, but I don’t want to jinx them right now, either.
My mistake was assuming that the superior guard play of Tennessee and Virginia Tech would keep them rolling as the tournament began. Wrong!
The Houston Cougars have continued to show that they play as a team as well as anybody again this year. Same for Villanova. Both of those teams are still alive in the round of 16.
I did get one thing right this year. The Big Ten Conference was overrated once again. With nine teams selected for the tournament, only #3 seed Purdue and #11 Michigan are still playing after the first weekend.
Now to the NCAA Women’s hoops bracket.
Yes, I selected Coach Kim Mulkey’s LSU Lady Tigers to win it all and play the championship game against her former team in Baylor. Playing at home in Waco, Texas, Baylor was bounced out in the second round against sharp-shooting #10 seed South Dakota.
Likewise, LSU was also playing the first two rounds of the women’s tournament at home in Baton Rouge. After having to rally late to defeat #15 seed Jackson State in the opening round, LSU was clobbered 79-64 at home by a much better Ohio State team Monday night. LSU’s women’s team was woeful from outside as they only attempted eight 3-point shots and made just two. Meanwhile, Ohio State hit ten out of 22 attempts from long-range. The LSU ladies also converted just 12 of 22 free throw attempts (54.5%). Coach Mulkey needs to get the team to improve their shooting between now and next season.
Though my women’s bracket still shows #1 overall seed South Carolina and #1 North Carolina State alive and projected into the Final Four, I had them both losing to LSU and Baylor in the national semifinals. I’m just as bracket busted with the women’s bracket after the first two games of the tournament.
Somewhere, there must be some type of lesson which I should learn.
At my advancing age, though, I’ll probably forget about any lessons by this time next season!
For those of you who still have your teams alive and well moving into this week’s Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight round of games, I wish you the very best!
As for me, I’ll just keep quiet and watch the ball games with no pressure at all this week!