Atlanta

Breakdown: The bracket of champions, with the ACC (Duke), Big East (Syracuse), Big 10 (Iowa) and Missouri Valley (Southern Illinois) in this bracket, along with regular-season Atlantic-10 champions George Washington and SEC champ LSU. Duke and Texas are the trendy choices. A battle of gunslingers in Duke J.J. Redick and Syracuse's Gerry McNamara looms in the regional semifinals.

Upsets: The six seeds have fared well recently, but I like defensive-minded Southern Illinois out of all the lower seeds. The health of WVU's Mike Gansey could affect the outcome of this game. I would look at the Salukis to advance to the second weekend of play. Don't count out Iona over LSU, either.

Sleeper: George Washington
The Colonials could knock Duke out in the second round if Pops Mensah-Bonsu is healthy. He could neutralize Duke's Shelden Williams in the middle and GW has the depth to run different defenders at Redick.

Winner: Texas
Two weeks ago Duke was a lock to come out of this region, but the Blue Devils' late-season slide showed they aren't invincible. A rematch of the two teams' earlier meeting ends with the Horns marching on to Indy.

Oakland

Breakdown: I've been ragging on Gonzaga all year, and I don't know if the Bulldogs play good enough defense to make a run to the Final Four. This bracket, though, sets up well for them. People are really doubting Memphis, but they have a tournament-proven coach in John Calipari. UCLA has flown under the radar all year out west, and Bill Self has his young Kansas squad playing as well as anyone right now.

Upsets: Pittsburgh is playing well, but it couldn't be happy to draw Kent State out of the Mid-American Conference. The MAC has won at least one tourney game each of the past few years, and Kent State will continue that trend. There's always one upset that doesn't make sense in the first round, and this one is it. Also watch for San Diego State to perhaps advance to the regionals, along with Marquette.

Sleeper: No one is talking about Bucknell very much despite playing very solid this season to follow up its upset of Kansas last year. I think if Memphis goes down, it could be in the second round to the Bison.

Winner: Kansas
The Jayhawks are probably the best equipped to beat Memphis and are good enough defensively to beat either Gonzaga or UCLA out of the bottom half of the draw.

Washington, D.C.

Breakdown: Connecticut is the consensus "most talented team" in the field and when fully engaged, they seem to be the best team in the field. Those teams, though, don't always win the whole thing. Three of last year's Final Four teams are in this bracket with the Huskies (Connecticut, not U of Washington). The weakest two seed and most controversial in recent memory in Tennessee also resides in this bracket.

Upsets: Many are slotting Winthrop for the rare 15-seed upset of a two seed over the reeling Volunteers, but I look into the middle of the bracket and see Washington going down to Utah Sate in the first round.

Sleeper: Wichita State will "shock" Tennessee in the second round, giving the MVC two teams in the Sweet 16.

Winner: North Carolina
A personal confession - I'm a huge Carolina fan. I just watched its championship game win over Illinois from last year on the day prior to this year's tournament. Connecticut has been dominant this season, but erratic at times. I don't think Tennessee, Michigan State, Illinois or Washington have played consistent enough this season to make a run at the Huskies, but the Tar Heels have played their best basketball over the last five weeks and get the chance to defend their title.

Minneapolis

Breakdown: Is Allen Ray healthy? That's the biggest question in this bracket. If he is, this could be Villanova's bracket to run, although Big 10 regular-season champ Ohio State and SEC Tourney champ Florida, along with ACC brute Boston College, might have something to say about that.

Upsets: UW-Milwaukee was one of the many upset specials last year and it returns a veteran team. Oklahoma has lost numerous close games this season, but UWM gets past the Sooners and into the second round.

Sleepers: Pacific is a team that, again, very few people are talking about becuase they have Boston College, who have won 10 of their last 12, in the first round. I think Pacific, though, gets it done and then takes out Nevada to advance to the Sweet 16.

Winner: Villanova
This team is so much fun to watch and if not for a call in last year's regional semifinal loss, we might be talking about 'Nova trying to defend their title. This team could change the way the college game is played to an extent, with Jay Wright's four-guard line-up of athletic, strong, quick perimeter players that overcome their lack of size with fearlessness and superior athleticism.

Final Four

Kansas wins one semifinal and North Carolina the other, setting up a dream match-up for the NCAA as Roy Williams coaches his current team against his former team. The Tar Heels repeat as champions, 82-80. But probably not...