Bracketology
It’s that time of year. You know, the time when people have random illnesses on Thursdays and Fridays, and when televisions spend countless consecutive hours on basketball? Hooray for the tournaments! Generally, I follow the Mike Golic principle of filling out a single Sheet of Integrity for each tournament. This year, though, I followed my friend Joe’s idea and completed an entire men’s bracket by flipping a coin. I chose a Pakistani 5-rupee coin, treating the number as “top line advances” and the symbol as “bottom line advances”.
First, my men’s Sheet of Integrity. I’ll type the winners in each round.
Midwest Region
First Round: Louisville, Siena, Utah, Wake Forest, West Virginia, Kansas, Boston College, Michigan State
Second Round: Louisville, Wake Forest, West Virginia, Michigan Sate
Regional Semifinals: Louisville, West Virginia
Regional Final: Louisville
West Region
First Round: Connecticut, BYU, Purdue, Washington, Utah State, Missouri, Maryland, Memphis
Second Round: Connecticut, Purdue, Missouri, Memphis
Regional Semifinals: Connecticut, Memphis
Regional Final: Memphis
East Region
First Round: Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Xavier, Virginia Commonwealth, Villanova, Texas, Duke
Second Round: Pittsburgh, Xavier, Villanova, Duke
Regional Semifinals: Pittsburgh, Duke
Regional Final: Duke
South Region
First Round: North Carolina, Butler, Western Kentucky, Gonzaga, Arizona State, Syracuse, Michigan, Oklahoma
Second Round: North Carolina, Gonzaga, Syracuse, Oklahoma
Regional Semifinals: Gonzaga, Syracuse
Regional Final: Gonzaga
Final Four
National Semifinals: Louisville, Duke
Final: Louisville
***
Now, the women’s Sheet of Integrity.
Trenton Region
First Round: Connecticut, Florida, Virginia, California, Georgia, Florida State, Notre Dame, Texas A&M
Second Round: Connecticut, California, Florida State, Notre Dame
Regional Semifinals: Connecticut, Notre Dame
Regional Final: Connecticut
Berkeley Region
First Round: Duke, Michigan State, Tennessee, Iowa State, Texas, Ohio State, San Diego State, Stanford
Second Round: Duke, Tennessee, Texas, Stanford
Regional Semifinals: Tennessee, Stanford
Regional Final: Stanford
Raleigh Region
First Round: Maryland, Utah, Drexel, Vanderbilt, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Louisville, South Dakota State, Baylor
Second Round: Maryland, Vanderbilt, Louisville, Baylor
Regional Semifinals: Vanderbilt, Louisville
Regional Final: Louisville
Oklahoma City Region
First Round: Oklahoma, Georgia Tech, Xavier, Pittsburgh, Purdue, North Carolina, Rutgers, Auburn
Second Round: Oklahoma, Xavier, North Carolina, Auburn
Regional Semifinals: Oklahoma, Auburn
Regional Final: Oklahoma
Final Four
National Semifinals: Connecticut, Oklahoma
Final: Oklahoma
***
Last, but certainly not least, my men’s bracket completed by flipping a 5-rupee coin.
Midwest Region
First Round: Morehead State, Siena, Utah, Cleveland State, West Virginia, Kansas, USC, Michigan State
Second Round: Siena, Cleveland State, Kansas, Michigan State
Regional Semifinals: Siena, Kansas
Regional Final: Siena
West Region
First Round: Chattanooga, BYU, Purdue, Washington, Marquette, Missouri, Maryland, Memphis
Second Round: BYU, Purdue, Missouri, Memphis
Regional Semifinals: Purdue, Missouri
Regional Final: Purdue
East Region
First Round: Pittsburgh, Oklahoma State, Wisconsin, Xavier, Virginia Commonwealth, American, Minnesota, Duke
Second Round: Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, Virginia Commonwealth, Minnesota
Regional Semifinals: Wisconsin, Virginia Commonwealth
Regional Final: Wisconsin
South Region
First Round: Radford, Butler, Illinois, Akron, Temple, Syracuse, Michigan, Morgan State
Second Round: Butler, Illinois, Temple, Morgan State
Regional Semifinals: Illinois, Temple
Regional Final: Temple
Final Four
National Semifinals: Purdue, Temple
Final: Purdue
