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We're only a week away from the tournament starting, and thanks to extra play-in games, we might actually care about the first few games this year. But being in Championship Week means a couple of things: 1. Awesomeness; 2. Lunardi has to work every day. So if you're reading this on Wednesday or Thursday, Bracketology might look different and some of this might not match up.
But since I'm so in the March Madness spirit, I may do this more than once this week.
East
1. Ohio State: The best and most complete team in the country won't have any trouble getting through the first two rounds. If it works out this way, however, getting out of the Sweet 16 could be tough ...
4. St. Johns: Because not only is St. Johns a pretty complete, battle-tested and senior-laden team, it will also get to play in Newark. It's not the Garden, where the Johnnies have been a nightmare for everyone, but it's not that far away, either.
3. Florida: The Gators are going to be a dangerous team in the postseason. Let's remember that Billy Donovan was recruiting his ass off for a while, and those players on that roster are pretty damn talented.
2. Notre Dame: Yeah, I went chalk on the East, but I think this one is pretty straight forward. I wasn't sure I believed in the Irish a couple of weeks ago. That's changed now. Do I think they can beat Ohio State? Probably not. But I also don't think they'll be upset fodder anymore, either.
West
1. Duke: The defending champs might have lost a couple of conference road games recently, but who doesn't lose conference road games?
4. Louisville: Watch out for the Cardinals. They're a team that can take Duke out if it comes to this.
6. Kansas State: The Wildcats, unlike Michigan State, have finally started playing like the top 10 team we all thought they'd be at the beginning of the season. This is bad news for a Syracuse team that has been up and down.
10. Tennessee: The Vols are a dangerous 10-seed, and while Cincinnati is no joke, I think that's a winnable game for Tennessee. And the winner gets to play a Brandon Davies-less BYU team in the second round.
Southwest
1. Kansas: The Jayhawks are the one team that could lay claim to the earlier statements I made about Ohio State.
4. Wisconsin: UConn is a one-man team, and I think that Bo Ryan can figure out a way to slow down Kemba Walker.
6. Vanderbilt: The Commodores have shown flashes of brilliance, and have a favorable draw in the first two rounds. San Diego State is going to be a 6-seed's dream, because it's really not that good.
2. North Carolina: The Heels are quickly becoming one of my Final Four picks as they're playing up to their massive potential. The one worry, though, is the youth they have and how they'll react if they get in trouble during the tournament.
Southeast
1. Pittsburgh: I don't love the Panthers this year, but it's real hard to argue with a team that won the Big East.
4. Kentucky: The Wildcats have their moments that make you wonder, as any young team will. But I don't know if West Virginia is strong enough to knock them off.
3. Purdue: Pay no attention to the Boilermakers slipping up at Iowa. Actually, do pay attention to it, and mark it as the game that refocuses them. This is a team that's capable of winning it all. I'm serious.
2. Texas: I'm salivating a little at the thought of a Texas/Purdue matchup. That will be must-see TV.
