This is the picks that go with my heart rather than my logic. The sane picks are a decent base and I will keep most of them – but I have to switch up the teams. I want a couple of double digit teams in the Sweet 16 (which was really hard for me since I like a lot of the 3 seeds). I also am going to change up some of the Final 4.
Breaking down the West – Memphis and the Rutgers/ND winner still advance. But I am going to have New Mexico State finally pull of that upset after multiple years of disappointment. And I am going to have Michigan State beat Davidson, because you should not bet against Tom Izzo in March. In the second round, Gonzaga, Arkansas and Texas Tech advance, but Michigan State continues their path by upsetting Duke. Gonzaga will then take out Arkansas in the Sweet 16 and Texas Tech in the Elite 8 to make it back to the Final 4.
Breaking down the East – this is obvious on where the big change happens. I still have Indiana and Virginia Tech as upsets. But this time, I have Murray State beating San Francisco (the line has shifted a lot since the start – according to covers.com, everyone is betting on Murray State so who am I to argue with the masses). We will keep the Sweet 16 as the huge UNC upset on Baylor, UCLA, Purdue and Kentucky. But in this case, my Boilermakers beat Kentucky in the Sweet 16 and UCLA in the Elite 8 to finally reach the Final 4.
Breaking down the West – TCU, Michigan and Loyola have the first round upsets. Since I want to try to have another 5 seed advance, we will see Arizona go against Houston while Tennessee still goes against Loyola IL (as my wife liked to say when they went on their amazing run, they have God on their side). I need to switch up my winners a little, so I will be crazier. Tennessee is going to end Loyola’s Cinderella run, and then upset Arizona to show their SEC Tournament championship was not a fluke – they are a Final 4 team.
Breaking down the Midwest – Creighton, South Dakota State and Miami FL still advance – but so does Iowa State. With LSU firing their head coach, while they are a better team than Iowa State, I believe LSU is going to have too many distractions. I also need another double digit team to make the Sweet 16, so I am going to have Miami FL upset Auburn to join Wisconsin, Kansas and Iowa. Then, the favorites go on – Kansas will beat the two Big 10 schools to get to the Final 4.
Since these are my crazy picks. we will continue to have my heart win – Purdue upsets Gonzaga in the semi-finals, and upsets Kansas in the championship to win the 2022 NCAA Championship. With talents like Jaden Ivey, Zach Edey and Trevion Williams, they certainly have a chance. Have to support my Boilers – BOILER UP!!!!