Written by Zach Harper | 19 March 2009

For some reason, I've entered about 360 NCAA Pools around the city of Sacramento and the entire scope of the internets. I usually keep it to about two or three every year but I literally have so many this March that I could easily win 10 of these things and never know it because I can't remember all of the pools I've made.

Last year, I stayed at home, purchased the March Madness package from DirecTV and fully engaged in everyone's favorite tournament. This year? Well, I used up a lot of time off on my trip to Boston and if I'm going to make an attempts to see my sister and nieces in this calendar year, then I'm going to have to be a little frugal with my time off. So this year, I've got the laptop set up and am ready to watch everything through cbsportsline.com.

Instead of giving you my entire bracket, I'll just say right now that by very little logic and all guy feeling, I've selected Louisville to win it all. What I'm going to give you know are the winners of the first round and why I feel this way. Some reasons will be brilliant pieces of analytical genius. Others will make about as much sense as remaking the Karate Kid with Will Smith's kid (I wish MY dad was the highest grossing movie star of all time). So here are my first round predicitions:

Thursday's Winners
8. LSU vs. 9. Butler -- South Bracket
The reasoning for this pick is Butler always looks like the rec league team who has very little business being on the court with the bigger, stronger guys but in reality they all played ball at these college prep schools and were given some of the best coaching and tutelage that a high school player could ever get. So they know the smartest way to play the game that is possible and it helps them slay the bigger, stronger teams. Plus, LSU gave us Stanley Roberts and Stromile Swift.
Prediction: Butler wins

2. Memphis vs. 15. Cal State Northridge -- West Bracket
My friend and co-host on the Weekly Fix Podcast, Andy Eisner, has the most inane reasons for liking certain coaches and/or players. He likes John Calipari from Memphis for the simple fact that he has a philosophy of no matter what happens in the rest of the game, Calipari's team's mission to win the last four minutes of every half. I think they can do that again Cal State Northridge. In fact, I'm pretty sure they'll win every four-minute stretch of basketball in this game. That's why you come here for the expert analysis.
Prediction: Memphis wins

8. BYU vs. 9. Texas A&M -- West Bracket
My reasoning for this one is pretty simple -- basketball means more to the Mormon community than it does the community of Texans. I lived near a Mormon church for most of my life and have been to a few. But I've never attended services at one because I'm not Mormon myself. I've been to these churches because there's always the one friend you have who happens to know a bunch of Mormon guys. All of these guys have keys to get into their church and the reason they have these keys is because there's a basketball court in every single church (at least from my experience). If Varsity Blues had been about basketball instead of football, I might feel a different level of committment from the guys at Texas A&M. Unfortunately, I've never been to a Texas church.
Prediction: BYU wins

5. Purdue vs. 12. Northern Iowa -- West Bracket
Maybe I'm just ignorant to the relaitve size of most things like borders and boundaries but I had no idea Iowa was such a large state that they'd need to break it up into a North and South type of collegiate setup. The fact that I have no idea how big the state of Iowa is combined with the fact that NIU is a 12 seed makes me feel like the upset is coming in this game. But Purdue alumnist Brad Miller can do things like this in his house. And that makes me feel confident in this win for Purdue.
Prediction: Purdue wins

1. North Carolina vs. 16. Radford -- South Bracket
I have absolutely no clue where Radford is. So that's a knock against them. But Ty Lawson is missing this game, which puts Radford back at square one for me.Throw in the fact that the name Radford makes me think of the movie RAD and the Rad Mobile arcade game in Encino Man and they're instantly a favorite in my mind for the biggest upset in tourney history. Unfortunately, I'll never pick a #16 seed to win a game as long as Eric Maynor (more on him later) is ranked higher than a 16. So UNC's rich tradition, loaded squad, and most likely victory gets a pass this year, once again.
Prediction: UNC wins 

7. California vs. 10. Maryland -- West Bracket
On my Facebook status the other day, I stated that there may be a better point guard in the history of basketball that isn't Eric Maynor (again, more on him later) but I've never seen said person. Ed Maisonet from EdtheSportsFan.com mentioned the name Greivis Vasquez as someone better. Greivis happens to not only have a name that I've never heard before but also runs the offense for Scott Van Pelt's Maryland Terrapins. Greivis sounds like egregious and it makes me think that it would be an egregious error to overlook his abilities to upset the Cal Bears. Plus, my friend has told me that his sister was in a college class at Cal when Tony Gonzalez was there and that Tony Gonzalez along with other athletes would get study guides with the answers in them from their teachers. That makes me think the Cal players aren't nearly smart enough to hold strong with their higher seed.
Prediction: Maryland wins

1. Connecticut vs. 16. Chattanooga -- West Bracket
UConn is a one seed going against a 16 seed. Throw in the fact that Hasheem Thabeet is a gold puffy jacket away from looking just like Marlon Wayans' character in Above the Rim and that's enough reason to believe that UConn should coast through this game.
Prediction: Connecticut wins 

4. Washington vs. 13. Mississippi State -- West Bracket
There's something about PAC-10 basketball and sports in general that I just don't trust in tournament and playoff style formats. For some reason, I just have this built in instinct to go against PAC-10 teams unless the match-up is completely ludicrous and there's no way that these West coast teams can lose. I like that the Huskies have given us Brandon Roy but I'm not a big fan of them giving us Nate Robinson. With Mississippi State, I've forgiven them for giving us Erick Dampier. I think Mississippi State is a physically stronger team that has a solid presence on defense around the basket. Teams like this seem to be able to steal a game or two in the tournament.
Prediction: Mississippi State wins 

7. Texas vs. 10. Minnesota -- East Bracket
Ever since Bobby Jackson left, I haven't really been able to get behind a Gopher team and feel like they were significant. In fact, I forgot that the damn school even had a basketball team. With Texas, they've lost a lot of talent over the last few years due to the draft but they still keep coming back with offensively impressive teams that seem to be able to dominate teams that conferences like Conference USA and the Big Ten seem to throw at them. If Texas loses this game, I'll be shocked. But I'll definitely remember that Minnesota has a hoops squad.
Prediction: Texas wins 

7. Clemson vs. 10. Michigan -- South Bracket
The Maze and Gold is back! I was a huge Michigan fan growing up because I loved the Fab Five, thought Jalen Rose was the next Magic Johnson (for like two months), and couldn't get enough of the hype surrounding Charles Woodson and Drew Henson. And not since Louis Bullock was palling around with Robert Traylor have I been aware that this team had a shot at the tournament. Not a shot at winning. Just a shot at making the tournament. Now, they're back as a 10 seed and I couldn't be happier that this program could be back on the rise. So of course, I'm taking them over a college like Clemson that has very loose reading requirements and seems to choke in every big sporting event they ever play in. Let's Go Blue!
Prediction: Michigan wins, so does my inner child

3. Villanova vs. 14. American -- East Bracket
If this was a writing contest and I had to pick between Scottie Reynolds of Villanova or American U alumnist David Aldridge, then this would be an upset all the way. Nova would fall and American would be dancing on Saturday. Unfortunately, this is still a basketball tournament and there was a point last season where I thought I would name my first born after Scottie Reynolds as he dominated point guards.
Prediction: Villanova wins

4. Gonzaga vs. 13. Akron -- South Bracket
I badly want a Gonzaga-Western Kentucky showdown for some reason and am pretty sure that every high school teammate that LeBron had has graduated or used up their eligibility with this Akron school. So in spite of the fact that it will probably make Romeo Travis roll over in his grave, I'll take the Zags and see them choke at a later point in the tournament like usual. It's a tradition unlike any other, Jim Nance.
Prediction: Gonzaga wins

2. Duke vs. 15. Binghamton -- East Bracket
Sorry but not even my mancrush for Tony Kornheiser can make me take his alma mater in Binghamton (formerly Harper College). I don't hate Duke as much as most of the internets do and I actually see them going really far in the tournament. But while you're snoozing through this sure to be a blowout of a game, be sure to check out Dan Levy and Tony Kornheiser chat about American Idol and some tourney talk.
Prediction: Duke wins 

2. Oklahoma vs. 15. Morgan State -- South Bracket
I knew a guy in college who's name was Morgan and he was the most insecure, blithering idiot I've ever met. Blake Griffin will soon take that title from him but until then, I can't take a college (especially a 15-seed) that was clearly named after him. Sooners run wild like the Liks in this game and win huge.
Prediction: Oklahoma wins

6. UCLA vs. 11. VCU -- East Bracket
Okay, I'm seriously to the point that I would pull a Talented Mr. Ripley on Eric Maynor or name every single child that I end up fathering some variation of his name. This guy is the best defensive baseline to baseline point guard that I've ever seen in a college setting. He constantly changes the game before the opposing team can even get the ball across half court and having that as a weapon against a veteran point guard on a loaded team is the only way to create the upset. If Maynor can pressure the ball, never give an inch and make Darren Collison be extremely cautious with the ball then VCU will officially be in the heads of UCLA with the word "upset" pounding away at their psyche. All VCU has to do is survive the first half and the first five minutes of the second half. If they find themselves in the game still or holding a lead when the final 15 minutes of regulation starting ticking away then Eric Maynor's ability to make plays will take over and he'll perfectly set his team up to slay the dragon. Plus, I don't trust PAC-10 teams. So I'm going upset here.
Prediction: VCU wins

UPDATE!!!!
5. Illinois vs 12. Western Kentucky -- South Bracket
Okay, I certainly forgot to include this game for some reason. I blame CBS' online broadcast because the schedule only had the 15 games originally. As for this game, I'm still drinking the Courtney Lee kool-aid and he doesn't even play for them anymore. But I feel like he has the same affect that Kirk Snyder had on Nevada when he left. They've learned how to be giant-slayers with a top player and now have the confidence to do it again. Plus, it's hard to take these Big Ten teams seriously. I feel like unless Deron Williams still has eligibility, this Illinois team probably doesn't have the guns to keep up with the Mike D'Antoni-esque pace that the WKU players put on their opponents. I feel a 12-5 seed tourney upset in this one.
Prediction: Western Kentucky wins


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Coming later today, Friday's winners

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