Gator Country

Billy Donovan hopes to lead Florida to its third national championship since 2006./Tim Casey

Tuesday and Wednesday’s “first-round games” aside, the NCAA Tournament begins in full today. And by now, no doubt you have filled out your bracket.

Each year, in addition to various other pools I play in (for recreational purposes, of course), I battle my fiancee, Lee, for a “breakfast in bed.”

I go about selecting my picks through countless hours of research and game-watching. Lee often has another way of choosing teams, be it by uniform color, who our oldest dog Winnie points to (she is a very smart girl) or veteran guard play – it kind of just depends on the matchup.

I thought I’d open the doors and share what she and I have selected for the 2011 version of March Madness.

East Region
Lee
Ohio State over Texas-San Antonio
Villanova over George Mason
Clemson over West Virginia
Kentucky over Princeton
Xavier over Marquette
Syracuse over Indiana State
Georgia over Washington
North Carolina over Long Island
Round of 32
Villanova over Ohio State (“upset of the tournament”, she says)
Kentucky over Clemson
Xavier over Syracuse
North Carolina over Georgia
Sweet 16
Kentucky over Villanova
North Carolina over Xavier
Elite Eight
Kentucky over North Carolina

John
Ohio State over Texas-San Antonio
George Mason over Villanova
West Virginia over Clemson
Kentucky over Princeton
Xavier over Marquette
Syracuse over Indiana State
Washington over Georgia
North Carolina over Long Island
Round of 32
Ohio State over George Mason
Kentucky over West Virginia
Xavier over Syracuse
North Carolina over Washington
Sweet 16
Ohio State over Kentucky
North Carolina over Xavier
Elite Eight
Ohio State over North Carolina

West Region
Lee
Duke over Hampton
Tennessee over Michigan
Arizona over Memphis
Oakland over Texas
Cincinnati over Missouri
Connecticut over Bucknell
Temple over Penn State
Northern Colorado over San Diego State
Round of 32
Duke over Tennessee
Oakland over Arizona
Connecticut over Cincinnati
Temple over Northern Colorado
Sweet 16
Duke over Oakland
Connecticut over Temple
Elite Eight
Connecticut over Duke

John
Duke over Hampton
Tennessee over Michigan
Arizona over Memphis
Texas over Oakland
Missouri over Cincinnati
Connecticut over Bucknell
Penn State over Temple
San Diego State over Northern Colorado
Round of 32
Duke over Tennessee
Texas over Arizona
Connecticut over Cincinnati
San Diego State over Penn State
Sweet 16
Duke over Texas
Connecticut over San Diego State
Elite Eight
Duke over Connecticut

Southwest Region
Lee
Kansas over Boston University
UNLV over Illinois
Vanderbilt over Richmond
Louisville over Morehead State
Georgetown over Virginia Commonwealth
Purdue over St. Peter’s
Texas A&M over Florida State
Notre Dame over Akron
Round of 32
Kansas over UNLV
Louisville over Vanderbilt
Georgetown over Purdue
Notre Dame over Texas A&M
Sweet 16
Kansas over Louisville
Purdue over Notre Dame
Elite Eight
Kansas over Purdue

John
Kansas over Boston University
Illinois over UNLV
Vanderbilt over Richmond
Louisville over Morehead State
Georgetown over Virginia Commonwealth
Purdue over St. Peter’s
Florida State over Texas A&M
Notre Dame over Akron
Round of 32
Kansas over Illinois
Vanderbilt over Louisville
Purdue over Georgetown
Notre Dame over Florida State
Sweet 16
Kansas over Vanderbilt
Notre Dame over Purdue
Elite Eight
Kansas over Notre Dame

Southeast Region
Lee
Pittsburgh over UNC-Asheville
Butler over Old Dominion
Kansas State over Utah State
Wisconsin over Belmont
Gonzaga over St. John’s
Brigham Young over Wofford
UCLA over Michigan State
Florida over UCSB
Round of 32
Butler over Pittsburgh
Kansas State over Wisconsin
Brigham Young over Gonzaga
Florida over UCLA
Sweet 16
Butler over Kansas State
Florida over Brigham Young
Elite Eight
Florida over Butler

John
Pittsburgh over UNC-Asheville
Butler over Old Dominion
Kansas State over Utah State
Belmont over Wisconsin
St. John’s over Gonzaga
Brigham Young over Wofford
Michigan State over UCLA
Florida over UCSB
Round of 32
Pittsburgh over Butler
Kansas State over Belmont
St. John’s over Brigham Young
Florida over Michigan State
Sweet 16
Pittsburgh over Kansas State
Florida over St. John’s
Elite Eight
Florida over Pittsburgh

Final Four
Lee
Connecticut over Kentucky
Kansas over Florida

John
Ohio State over Duke
Kansas over Florida

Championship Game
Lee
Connecticut 72, Kansas 69
John
Ohio State 65, Kansas 62

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