We're six days away from the NCAA men's tournament announcement and seven days away from the NCAA women's tournament announcement.

Who's interested in putting in a prediction? Marc, are you able to monitor the scores again this year?

My best guess right now (and subject to change depending on the tournament outcomes and the bracket placement) is

Men: Ohio State; but I'm thinking seriously of UCLA for my picks

Women: Candace Parker & the rest of the Tennessee team

Cheers, Anne

I'm going with Kansas this year - subject, of course, to further review once the brackets come out.

Right now I'm holding my breath hoping that Drexel makes it to the Big Dance. They'll be my sentimental favorite.

If you want, I can set up a league on ESPN or yahoo or one of the free services for us all the make picks.

Well, I would certainly LOVE to see our Badgers win it - they have had an incredible year, and Alando Tucker will be perhaps the top pick in the draft. We've also got high hopes for Marquette (can't tell we're from Wisconsin, can you?!)

No matter what, I LOVE this time of year - it always ends up so crazy and exciting and NO team is ever assured a victory. That's why they call it March Madness!!!

I won't be able to report as timely as last year because of the time zones. I can try. Gil, weren't you that one that registered our "group" on some site?

I still think UCLA this year although Kansas looks good. I will again bet against all the Big East teams.

Go Wisconsin Badgers!!!!! <img border="0" alt="[bounce]" title="" src="graemlins/ubbbounce2.gif" />

Yes - I've been gently reminded that I was the one who registered the group last year. So I will do the same.

For all you Badger fans, I'm thinknig Wisconsin in Final Four.

I saw alot of Div 3 basketball when my son was in College. His team made t to the Final Four 2 of the 3 years he was televising the games. But the locale that always seemed to have the best small college teams was Wisconsin.

Let's go Jayhawks! We have a chance as long as the team we play in Round 1 doesn't start with a B....Bucknell comes to mind.....

Definitely will go with the UCLA men this year! Know nothing about the women's teams 'cept for Annie's Blue Demons! :ch:

Gil - that would be great if you would set up the pool software. I think it was on Yahoo last year. That was a lot of fun.

Now .. about the Big East (BE). As of Friday, there wasn't a single lock for the men's teams for a seeded spot. That tells me no powerhouse team comes out of the BE. I'm glad we drew Villanova for our first match. We've got to beat them (and probably Georgetown, too) to keep any NCAA hopes alive.

UConn's team in the women's Big East is dominating. Rutgers plays a slow-down defense and the outcomes vs. DePaul in the quarters and Marquette in the semis was identical. I'll be shocked if Rutgers can keep up with UConn tonight. Duke fell in their tournament in the early rounds. That gives Tennessee added fire in their bellies to grab the title this year. As long as Candace is on her game, they are monstrously tough to beat.

Let's get our picks in and enjoy the tournament! After scouring Google for a suitable teapot, the only basketball one I could find was a duplicate to last year's winner. Therefore, we are going with a college teapot this year, no less than Notre Dame. Depending on your views, you can either virtually enjoy or virtually smash it if you win the bracket challenge!



Cheers, Anne

We are getting ready to leave for Paris for my birthday dinner, but one must have one's priorities. We will be home early in the a.m. on the 15th. Must be in front of the television for the NCAA's!! Go Maryland Terps! Judith

Go UCLA Bruins! I still remember though the heartache of 1969. John Wooden and the undefeated Bruins led by Lew Alcindor and Lynn Shackelford having the impossible happen. Getting beat by Elvin Hayes and the University of Houston! So, anything can happen in College Ball!

The Big "E". I was a freshman at U of H then...I thought it was '68 but could have been '69. Funny, I ended up going to UCLA later on. Great basketball schools!

I've learned to hold my breath at tournament time, being a Kansas alum. They look good this year, and maybe for once they are peaking at the right time. But boy do those first round losses loom large in the memory! So Rock Chalk Jayhawk (but very quietly, so as not to jinx anything).

Michele, you are right it was January of 1968 during the regular season at the Astrodome.
U of H broke the Bruins 47 game win streak. However, UCLA got the payback when they met them in March at Pauly Pavilion for the semi-finals, and blew them out by 32 points!

Priscilla, we have close Jayhawk friends that will definately join you in the cheer!

Do it again GATORS!!!!!

Betty K - GATORS in the overall #1 slot!

Start getting your brackets ready. Personal opinion? Big East has #2, #3, 2 #6, #8 and #9 slots. Not great. Louisville got a great location, playing in Lexington, KY.

Start getting your picks ready. Gil, when will we be able to put in our selections?
Cheers, Anne

And again and again Gators :app: :app: :app: :woh: :woh: :woh:

My Heels are a #1 seed, too.

My Jayhawks get a #1 slot too. Yea!

:ch: :ch: :ch:

Oh yeah, you gotta love them GATORS!!!!!

You can make your selections now. I posted this link elsewhere:

http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/men/group/55913


Group name LCT, PW = cruise


I have to say though that this tournament is fatally flawed this year. WE WUZ ROBBED! No DREXEL in the TOurney!
I'm putting in a Write-in vote for them.

Thanks, Gil!!!
We're in ~ B&LK. This will be fun!

Ohio State is the other #1.

Good luck, everyone.

and Gil .. you wuz robbed .. twice. They drew NC state, of all teams, in the NIT. They play Tuesday 8 pm on ESPNU.

Cheers, Anne

I imagine I won't be in the running this time. Last year, I think I was only one to pick UCLA to go so far. This year I have picked six Pac-10 teams to make Elite 8, four Pac-10 teams for the Final Four, and UCLA beating USC to win the championship. I would love to see UCLA - Duke followed by UCLA - Kansas. My other two Elite 8 picks are BYU and Kansas.

Oh well, as a westerner who feels that western teams always get the shaft when it comes to both TV time and the tournament, I can always wish.

Anne - I hadn't looked at the NIT schedule yet. What did they do to the Selection committees? They get one of the hottest teams in the Country as a first round game in consolation tournament after being the last team out in the Big Dance? Seems very unfair to me!

And St. Joseph's didn't get an invite to NIT either - I thought they'd get in as well.

The Great State Of New York is represented in the NCAA TOurney by those 2 basketball powerhouses Niagara and SUNY- Albany! AAAARGH!!!!!!

And to add insult to injury - Drexel, IF they win, plays the winner of Oklahoma State and Marist. Oh .. yea .. and if that be Oklahoma State, the Oklahoma State team has first choice of hosting the game.

Niagara (automatic bid, mind you) has to PLAY IN to the main tournament. Grrrr .. so I think the NCAA tournament should:

(a) get rid of the play-in game; an automatic bid is an automatic bid IMHO

(b) rethink the selection process. The top 4 on the NIT are Clemson, Mississippi St., Air Force and West Virginia.

(c) Look north of the Mason-Dixon line, and east of the Mississippi River.

Now that I have THAT out of my system, I'd best get working on my tournament picks.

Cheers to you (and jeers to the committee), Anne

Not following other than GO GATORS!!!! Marist??? The little Jesuit school in Poughkeepsie?? WOW!! Raised in Jesuit " GO HOYAS" family - (Societas leus and NO meat on Friday!!!)

Washington Huskies didn't even get invited to NIT; thats a disgrace. What are three Mississippi schools doing in the NIT with not one Pac-10 team.

Gil, now that NIT is only 32 teams, everyone has a first round game.

Marc - it was definitely a south of the Mason Dixon line kind of a selection year for the tournaments IMHO. Can't complain too much tho .. how in the heck did Stanford get in if there were 104 teams with a 20+ wins record? As they say in Berkeley .. "TAKE OFF THAT RED SHIRT!!"

On a brighter note .. the women Demons got a #10 seed in the Big Dance!! YEA!!

And their reward? Minneapolis, 7 pm Saturday against Georgia Tech.

:woh:

Now back to our regularly scheduled tournament ..

Cheers, Anne

Ok, I've signed up and made my choices. Haven't kept up with basketball as much this winter so I took a real "shot in the dark!" We shall see.

So sorry, Gil. NC State won 63-56 vs. Drexel in the NIT.

DePaul played neck & neck with Hofstra for 35 minutes. God love Wes Green, he was IMHO player of the game. We win, 83-71. Hofstra's guards were incredible. Amazingly, Kansas State only lead in the last minute or so. DePaul's next date is Manhattan .. Kansas. Hopefully, they get two dates in Manhattan in the NIT!!

Got my brackets in; so does Gary.

Let the fun begin!

Cheers, Anne

It keeps asking me for the group number not name. What am I doing wrong? I thought it was my laptop at home messing up but I'm getting the same thing this morning. Or am I too late?

Group number is 55913

so far so good!

Arelene, that depends!

Arlene - good for you! You are hanging out with Gary so far; I'm hanging out with Gil and Marc.

Best of luck to each of us! What a fun thing for the next few days.

VCU and Duke are neck-and-neck!!

Cheers, Anne

VCU has to carry the banner for the CAA now that both Hofstra & Drexel have lost in NIT and ODU in the NCAA's. That was quite a win for them over the DUkies. I'll bet there are alot of Tarheels fans that are very happy!

Now, this is fun! Lots of good basketball to see!

Our 's aren't scheduled to play until 10:00 tonight. Hope I can stay awake!!!! :)

Betty, congratulations to you and Gary for great picks! Take a nap this afternoon so that you can cheer your Gator's on.

Anthony and Beth must be celebrating over Duke's loss!

I'm having fun even though I am the lowest rung on the bracket ladder. :D