Rock, Chalk Picks

It may not be considered 'the holiday season' to most, but to sports fans like myself, this is truly the most wonderful time of the year. March Madness is the definition of perfection, a splendid combination of competition, drama, action, and gambling. I say the two best days of the year are the two first days of the NCAA Tournament, when 16 games span 12-or-so hours each day. Each year, I reserve the days to do absolutely nothing other than watching basketball. And each year, I thank myself for being so smart.

This year's tournament offers much of the normal confusion that every other year provides. Nobody knows who will be the sleeper teams that sneak into the second weekend or which high seed (high seed means low number means better team, which I find confusing every year) will loose focus and get bounced in round one. But this year has the added wrinkle of the selection committee giving the toughest regions to the nation's two best teams. Makes it tough when four of the countries five best teams (Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio St. and West Virginia) are split into two regions (Midwest and East).

Regardless of the confusion, America has persevered and filled out their brackets. And of course I am among them. So here are my picks for the 2010 NCAA Tournament, which I would recommend you not copy if you'd like to win money come early-April. (You can see my 2009, 2008 and 2007 picks here, though I have no clue why that would interest you.)

MIDWEST

1-Kansas over 16- Lehigh
9- No. Iowa over 8- UNLV
5- Michigan St. over 12- New Mexico St.
4- Maryland over 13- Houston
11- San Diego St. over 6- Tennessee
3- Georgetown over 14- Ohio
7- Oklahoma St. over 10- Georgia Tech
2- Ohio St. over 15- UC Santa Barbra

1- Kansas over 9- No. Iowa
4- Maryland over 5- Michigan St.
3- Georgetown over 11- San Diego St.
2- Ohio St. over 7- Oklahoma St.

1- Kansas over 4- Maryland
3- Georgetown over 2- Ohio St.

1- Kansas over 3- Georgetown

Analysis: This is as tough of a region that a No. 1 overall seed has received in a long, long time. I think the Jayhawks are clearly the best team, but I wouldn't be shocked if they are knocked off by the 2, 3, 4 or 5 seeds. And as recently as two years ago, Bill Self-coached teams couldn't be trusted to win when it really counts. But they cut down the nets in 2008 and this years team, with Collins, Aldrich, Henrey, the Morris twins and a deep bench, won't be halted by a road scattered with land mines.

WEST

1- Syracuse over 16- Vermont
8- Gonzaga over 9- Florida St.
12- UTEP over 5- Butler
4- Vanderbilt over 13- Murray St.
5- Xavier over 11- Minnesota
3- Pittsburgh over 14- Oakland
7- BYU over 10- Florida
2- Kansas St. over 15- North Texas

1- Syracuse over 8- Gonzaga
12- UTEP over 4- Vanderbilt
5- Xavier over 3- Pittsburgh
7- BYU over 2- Kansas St.

1- Syracuse over 12- UTEP
7- BYU over 5- Xavier

1- Syracuse over 7- BYU

Analysis: A lot of upsets in the wild, wild west, though in the end I still like the top seeded Orange. BYU is an exciting team to watch and will have the home-court advantage in Salt Lake City if they make it to the second weekend. UTEP has some great skill, and Xavier always playes well in March. But when it's all decided, Syracuse and their famed 2-3 zone will be too much for the challengers.

EAST

1- Kentucky over 16- East Tennessee St.
9- Wake Forest over 8- Texas
12- Cornell over 5- Temple
4- Wisconsin over 13- Wofford
6- Marquette over 11- Washington
3- New Mexico over 14- Montana
10- Missouri over 7- Clemson
2- West Virginia over 15- Morgan St.

1- Kentucky over 9- Wake Forest
4- Wisconsin over 12- Cornell
6- Marquette over 3- New Mexico
2- West Virginia over 10- Missouri

1- Kentucky over 4- Wisconsin
2- West Virginia over 6- Marquette

2- West Virginia over 1- Kentucky

Analysis: No doubt that Kentucky has the talent. The 'Cats may have four future Lottery picks on their roster and a coach who had made multiple (vacated) Final Four trips. But I don't think they match up well with the Mountaineers, who have comprable talent and are much tougher than UK is. I also think the bracket sets up well for WVU, who could face a team (Marquette) they are familiar with from conference play in the Sweet 16.

SOUTH

1-Duke over 16- Arkansas Pine-Bluff
9- Louisville over 8- California
5- Texas A&M over 12- Utah St.
13- Siena over 4- Purdue
6- Notre Dame over 11- Old Dominion
3- Baylor over 14- Sam Houston St.
7- Richmond over 10- St. Mary's
2- Villanova over 15- Robert Morris

1- Duke over 9- Louisville
5- Texas A&M over 13- Siena
3- Baylor over 6- Notre Dame
2- Villanova over 7- Richmond

1- Duke over 5- Texas A&M
3- Baylor over 2- Villanova

1- Duke over 3- Baylor

Analysis: No, you didn't mistakenly click on Dickie V's bracket; I am picking Duke. Why? They have the second-best efficiency rating on KenPom, which in the past has done a great job of projecting NCAA Tournament winners. And they have talented guards and good size, two things I look for in March. They don't match up well with Villanova, who (I correctly predicted) bounced them from the Dance in 2009. But I see Baylor knocking off the 'Cats, giving Coach K the chance to return to the Final Four.

FINAL FOUR

1- Kansas over 1- Syracuse
1- Duke over 2- West Virginia

1- Kansas over 1- Duke

Analysis: Every year I write 'Don't take the favorite'. And every year, I seem to come up short. So this year, I'm going with the best team. I don't have 100% confidence in the Jayhawks and could easily see at least five other teams (the three other F4 teams, Kentucky and Ohio St.) cutting the nets down in early-April. But Kansas seems to have everything a champion needs, and they are my title pick for 2010.