You’ve kept up with his projections for the past few months, but Joe Lunardi doesn’t go into hibernation once the real bracket comes out. Our resident Bracketologist is a hardcore basketball fan who knows his stuff. Here are his picks for the Big Dance:
MIDWEST
First round
1 Kansas over 16 Lehigh
9 Northern Iowa over 8 UNLV
5 Michigan State over 12 New Mexico State
4 Maryland over 13 Houston
11 San Diego State over 6 Tennessee
3 Georgetown over 14 Ohio
7 Oklahoma State over 10 Georgia Tech
2 Ohio State over 15 UC Santa Barbara
Second round
1 Kansas over 9 Northern Iowa
4 Maryland over 5 Michigan State
3 Georgetown over 11 San Diego State
2 Ohio State over 7 Oklahoma State
Sweet 16
1 Kansas over 4 Maryland
3 Georgetown over 2 Ohio State
Elite Eight
1 Kansas over 3 Georgetown
WEST
First round
1 Syracuse over 16 Vermont
9 Florida State over 8 Gonzaga
12 UTEP over 5 Butler
13 Murray State over 4 Vanderbilt
6 Xavier over 11 Minnesota
3 Pittsburgh over 14 Oakland
7 BYU over 10 Florida
2 Kansas State over 15 North Texas
Second round
1 Syracuse over 9 Florida State
12 UTEP over 13 Murray State
3 Pittsburgh over 6 Xavier
7 BYU over 2 Kansas State
Sweet 16
1 Syracuse over 12 UTEP
7 BYU over 3 Pittsburgh
Elite Eight
1 Syracuse over 7 BYU
EAST
First round
1 Kentucky over 16 East Tennessee State
8 Texas over 9 Wake Forest
5 Temple over 12 Cornell
4 Wisconsin over 13 Wofford
6 Marquette over 11 Washington
3 New Mexico over 14 Montana
7 Clemson over 10 Missouri
2 West Virginia over 15 Morgan State
Second round
1 Kentucky over 8 Texas
4 Wisconsin over 5 Temple
6 Marquette over 3 New Mexico
2 West Virginia over 7 Clemson
Sweet 16
4 Wisconsin over 1 Kentucky
2 West Virginia over 6 Marquette
Elite Eight
2 West Virginia over 4 Wisconsin
SOUTH
First round
1 Duke over opening-round winner
8 California over 9 Louisville
12 Utah State over 5 Texas A&M
4 Purdue over 13 Siena
11 Old Dominion over 6 Notre Dame
3 Baylor over 14 Sam Houston State
7 Richmond over 10 Saint Mary’s
2 Villanova over 15 Robert Morris
Second round
1 Duke over 8 California
12 Utah State over 4 Purdue
3 Baylor over 11 Old Dominion
7 Richmond over 2 Villanova
Sweet 16
1 Duke over 12 Utah State
3 Baylor over 7 Richmond
Elite Eight
3 Baylor over 1 Duke
NATIONAL SEMIFINALS
Kansas over Syracuse
West Virginia over Baylor
NATIONAL TITLE GAME
Kansas over West Virginia