We produced the bracket for all 63 picks based on looking at the analytics and then going with our gut. Here is a recap of those “gut” picks, and seven other options to let you go with our pure analytic choice, which team is hottest, most healthy, has the most NBA talent, best experienced point guard or the most All-Americans. Or you can just go with the lowest seed every time.
A “6” means to put the team on six lines through the national championship, “5” for losing in the title game, “4” for winning four to make the Final Four, etc.
| Seed | South Region | Gut | Analytics | Hot | Healthy | NBA | PG | All-Amer | Seed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| 16 | Austin Peay | ||||||||
| 8 | Colorado | 1 | |||||||
| 9 | Connecticut | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 5 | Maryland | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 12 | South Dakota St. | ||||||||
| 4 | California | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 13 | Hawaii | ||||||||
| 6 | Arizona | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 11 | Vanderbilt | 3 | |||||||
| 11 | Wichita St. | 2 | 3 | 2 | |||||
| 3 | Miami FL | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 14 | Buffalo | ||||||||
| 7 | Iowa | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 10 | Temple | ||||||||
| 2 | Villanova | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 15 | UNC Asheville | ||||||||
| Seed | West Region | Gut | Analytics | Hot | Healthy | NBA | PG | All-Amer | Seed |
| 1 | Oregon | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 16 | Southern | ||||||||
| 16 | Holy Cross | ||||||||
| 8 | Saint Joseph’s | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| 9 | Cincinnati | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 5 | Baylor | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | ||
| 12 | Yale | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| 4 | Duke | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| 13 | UNC Wilmington | ||||||||
| 6 | Texas | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||
| 11 | Northern Iowa | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| 3 | Texas A&M | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 14 | Green Bay | ||||||||
| 7 | Oregon St. | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 10 | VCU | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 2 | Oklahoma | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| 15 | Cal St. Bakersfield | ||||||||
| Seed | East Region | Gut | Analytics | Hot | Healthy | NBA | PG | All-Amer | Seed |
| 1 | North Carolina | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 16 | Florida Gulf Coast | ||||||||
| 16 | Fairleigh Dickinson | ||||||||
| 8 | USC | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| 9 | Providence | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 5 | Indiana | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 13 | Chattanooga | ||||||||
| 4 | Kentucky | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| 13 | Stony Brook | ||||||||
| 6 | Notre Dame | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| 11 | Michigan | ||||||||
| 11 | Tulsa | 1 | |||||||
| 3 | West Virginia | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | |||
| 14 | Stephen F. Austin | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||
| 7 | Wisconsin | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 10 | Pittsburgh | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||
| 2 | Xavier | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 15 | Weber St. | ||||||||
| Seed | Midwest Region | Gut | Analytics | Hot | Healthy | NBA | PG | All-Amer | Seed |
| 1 | Virginia | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| 16 | Hampton | ||||||||
| 8 | Texas Tech | 1 | |||||||
| 9 | Butler | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 5 | Purdue | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | Arkansas Little Rock | ||||||||
| 4 | Iowa St. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| 13 | Iona | ||||||||
| 6 | Seton Hall | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 11 | Gonzaga | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 3 | Utah | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 14 | Fresno St. | ||||||||
| 7 | Dayton | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 10 | Syracuse | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| 2 | Michigan St. | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| 15 | Middle Tennessee |
So our gut is Michigan State over Oklahoma for the title, with UNC and Kansas also in the Final Four.
If you go purely by our analytic calculation of all of the following, then Michigan State wins the title over Kansas, with Oklahoma and UNC also in the Final Four.
If you want to go with the hottest team you again get Michigan State over Kansas, with with Oregon and West Virginia also in the Final Four.
If you want the healthiest team (missing key players during the year but all full-strength), then Michigan State tops Texas for the title, with UNC and Arizona in the Final Four.
If you trust the teams with the most NBA talent then take Kentucky over Kansas with Michigan State and Duke also in the Final Four.
If you want the best, experienced guards to withstand the pressure Oklahoma over Michigan State with Kansas and Indiana also in the Final Four.
If you want the top Breitbart Sports All-Americans and All-Conference players Kansas over Kentucky, with Duke and Iowa State in the Final Four.
Or you can just go with the lowest seed all the way through – which honestly is the one method that puts you near the top but never gets you the actual win. If you do that, it is Kansas over Oklahoma, with Oregon and Virginia also in the Final Four.
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