Mark's Final Bracket

7:21 PM Wednesday:

Watching Miami (Fl) vs. Providence in the NIT, getting ready to go out to Nevin's with my mom (who I just talked into filling out a bracket for the first time ever!) to watch Northwestern vs. Tulsa.

I just finished the bracket that will be entered into the Mother Bears Just For Fun Pool. I'm not goanna break it down matchup by matchup, but wanted to hit some of the highlights.

MIDWEST: I've got Louisville going to the Final Four. West Virginia over Michigan State in the Sweet Sixteen in Indy. North Dakota State beats Kansas in the first round and we all get to see the famous Bill Self Choker Face. And Arizona downs Utah in the first round on the way to giving Wake a run for their money on Sunday. I almost picked 'Zona to the Sweet Sixteen, but didn't quite have the intestinal fortitude.

WEST: I have Washington taking out one-seed UConn after beating Purdue. On the lower half, I've got Missouri beating Cornell, Utah State, then Memphis in what would be an awesome game, before taking down the Huskies and advancing to the Final Four.

EAST: Pittsburgh to the Final Four. I really don't like this bracket at all! In that spirit, I've taken Minnesota to beat both Texas and Duke on the way to the Sweet Sixteen, where they will be joined by Florida State and Villanova. I love Eric Maynor and had to take VCU to at least win their first game. 'Nova over Tubby's boys in the Round of Sixteen.

SOUTH: Please, please, please, let Ty Lawson's Toe be okay! Like our president, I just had to take the University of North Carolina to not only emerge from the South, but then go on to defeat the ascendant Missouri Tigers in the final. It won't happen if Lawson can't go. In other news, I've got Temple upsetting Arizona State, Michigan downing Oklahoma to get to the Sweet Sixteen, and Illinois joining them there after beating an overrated Gonzaga team in the second round. Michigan becomes the sole Big Ten team to make it to the Elite Eight.

FINAL FOUR: Missouri over Louisville, UNC over Pittsburgh.

CHAMPIONSHIP: UNC 79, Missouri 72.

So there you have it. Can't wait for tomorrow!