The East regional (I steadfastly refuse to use the politically-correct NCAA city designations because those change from year to year) went to hell in a hurry. After a 7-1 first round there, I went 1-3 and lost both my participants in the regional final, including my national runner-up. I had a similar performance in my perennial regional-of-doom, the South, but fortunately my national champ survived to play another weekend. Elsewhere, I lost my West champ while going 2-2 in each of the other 2 regionals. 6-10 in round 2 (4-4 Saturday, a dead-man-buried 2-6 Sunday), 5 of my Elite Eight teams gone, and half my Final Four and National Championship game (fortunately, the losing half) blown up. On the basis of my first-round and play-in 22-12, I’m now 28-22 with a shot at still finishing above .500 on the tourney.
The few winning plays from round 2 are underlined, dead current picks struck out, “replacement” teams in italics and my dim hopes bolded.
Second round Midwest: "˜Nova 82 over Arizona 78, BC 69 over Montana 56, UWM 60 over Florida 82 (that’s right, the Panthers are Sweet-16 dancing again), Ohio State 52 over Georgetown 70
Second round East: UConn 87 over Kentucky 83, Illinois 64 over Washington 67, UNC 60 over George Mason 65, Tennessee 73 over Wichita State 80
Second round South: Duke 74 over George Washington 61, Texas A&M 58 over LSU 58, West Virginia 67 vs.Northwestern State 54 (dead game), Texas 75 vs NC State 54 (dead game)
Second round West: Memphis 72 vs. Bucknell 56 (dead game), Pittsburgh 66 over Bradley72, Gonzaga over Indiana 80, UCLA 62 over Alabama 59
Midwest Semis: "˜Nova over BC, Ohio State over UWM (too much inside from the Buckeyes) Florida vs Georgetown (dead game)
East Semis: Illinios over UConn vs Washington (dead game), Tennessee over UNC George Mason vs Wichita State (dead game)
South Semis: Duke over A&M LSU, SIU over California West Virginia vs Texas (dead game)
West Semis: Pittsburgh over Arkansas Memphis vs Bradley (dead game), UCLA over Gonzaga
Final Four: "˜Nova, Tennessee TBD from the East, Duke, Pittsburgh, TBD from the West
Champion: Duke over Tennessee, Bruce Pearl still gets hoisted off the court on his players’ shoulders TBD
