Our March Madness predictions: The men's bracket is busted

The NCAA men's basketball bracket assembled by my daughter Lora and me and shared in the March 18 blog "Our March Madness Predictions: A Prelude to Humiliation...," was looking shaky prior to the beginning of weekend play. Now it's essentially a heap of rubble thanks to Villanova's soul-crushing, last-nanosecond victory...

By Michael Roberts

March 30, 2009

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The NCAA men's basketball bracket assembled by my daughter Lora and me and shared in the March 18 blog "Our March Madness Predictions: A Prelude to Humiliation...," was looking shaky prior to the beginning of weekend play. Now it's essentially a heap of rubble thanks to Villanova's soul-crushing, last-nanosecond victory over the University of Pittsburgh Panthers, our choice to win it all. This loss means that neither of the crews we'd foreseen in the championship game will participate (Memphis fell earlier in the tourney). Granted, one our final four selections is still alive: North Carolina. But we were so torn over whether to go with the Tar Heels or Pitt in a head-to-head matchup that we chose the victor by flipping a coin. Stupid quarter. Click "Continue" to survey the wreckage.

NCAA Tournament Bracket 2009: Men's

MIDWEST BRACKET, ROUND ONE:

Louisville over Morehead State CORRECT (Friday, 3-20) Siena over Ohio State CORRECT (Friday, 3-20) Utah over Arizona INCORRECT (Friday, 3-20) Wake Forest over Cleveland State INCORRECT (Friday, 3-20) West Virginia over Dayton INCORRECT (Friday, 3-20) Kansas over North Dakota State CORRECT (Friday, 3-20) USC over Boston College CORRECT (Friday, 3-20) Michigan State over Robert Morris CORRECT (Friday, 3-20)

WEST BRACKET, ROUND ONE:

Connecticut over Chattanooga -- CORRECT (Thursday, 3-19) BYU over Texas A&M -- INCORRECT (Thursday, 3-19) Purdue over Northern Iowa -- CORRECT (Thursday, 3-19) Mississippi State over Washington -- INCORRECT (Thursday, 3-19) Marquette over Utah State CORRECT (Friday, 3-20) Missouri over Cornell CORRECT (Friday, 3-20) Maryland over California -- CORRECT (Thursday, 3-19) Memphis over Cal. State Northridge -- CORRECT (Thursday, 3-19)

EAST BRACKET, ROUND ONE:

Pittsburgh over East Tennessee State CORRECT (Friday, 3-20) Oklahoma State over Tennessee CORRECT (Friday, 3-20) Florida State over Wisconsin INCORRECT (Friday, 3-20) Xavier over Portland State CORRECT (Friday, 3-20) UCLA over VCU -- CORRECT (Thursday, 3-19) Villanova over American -- CORRECT (Thursday, 3-19) Texas over Minnesota -- CORRECT (Thursday, 3-19) Duke over Binghamton -- CORRECT (Thursday, 3-19)

SOUTH BRACKET, ROUND ONE:

North Carolina over Radford -- CORRECT (Thursday, 3-19) Butler over LSU -- INCORRECT (Thursday, 3-19) Illinois over Western Kentucky -- INCORRECT (Thursday, 3-19) Gonzaga over Akron -- CORRECT (Thursday, 3-19) Arizona State over Temple CORRECT (Friday, 3-20) Syracuse over Stephen F. Austin CORRECT (Friday, 3-20) Clemson over Michigan -- INCORRECT (Thursday, 3-19) Oklahoma over Morgan State -- CORRECT (Thursday, 3-19)

MIDWEST BRACKET, ROUND TWO:

Louisville over Siena CORRECT (Sunday, 3-22) Wake Forest over Utah INCORRECT (Sunday, 3-22) Kansas over West Virginia CORRECT (Sunday, 3-22) Michigan State over USC CORRECT (Sunday, 3-22)

WEST BRACKET, ROUND TWO:

Connecticut over BYU CORRECT (Saturday, 3-21) Purdue over Mississippi State CORRECT (Saturday, 3-21) Missouri over Marquette CORRECT (Sunday, 3-22) Memphis over Maryland CORRECT (Saturday, 3-21)

EAST BRACKET, ROUND TWO:

Pittsburgh over Oklahoma State CORRECT (Sunday, 3-22) Florida State over Xavier INCORRECT (Sunday, 3-22) Villanova over UCLA CORRECT (Saturday, 3-21) Duke over Texas CORRECT (Saturday, 3-21)

SOUTH BRACKET, ROUND TWO:

North Carolina over Butler CORRECT (Saturday, 3-21) Gonzaga over Illinois CORRECT (Saturday, 3-21) Syracuse over Arizona State CORRECT (Sunday, 3-21) Oklahoma over Clemson CORRECT (Saturday, 3.21)

MIDWEST BRACKET, SWEET SIXTEEN:

Louisville over Wake Forest CORRECT (Friday, 3-26) Kansas over Michigan State INCORRECT (Friday, 3-26)

WEST BRACKET, SWEET SIXTEEN:

Connecticut over Purdue CORRECT (Thursday, 3-26) Memphis over Missouri INCORRECT (Thursday, 3-26)

EAST BRACKET, SWEET SIXTEEN:

Pittsburgh over Florida State CORRECT (Thursday, 3-26) Duke over Villanova INCORRECT (Thursday, 3-26)

SOUTH BRACKET, SWEET SIXTEEN:

North Carolina over Gonzaga CORRECT (Friday, 3-26) Syracuse over Oklahoma INCORRECT (Friday, 3-26)

MIDWEST BRACKET, ELITE EIGHT:

Louisville over Kansas CORRECT (Sunday, 3-29)

WEST BRACKET, ELITE EIGHT:

Memphis over Connecticut INCORRECT (Saturday, 3-28)

EAST BRACKET, ELITE EIGHT:

Pittsburgh over Duke INCORRECT (Saturday, 3-28)

SOUTH BRACKET, ELITE EIGHT:

North Carolina over Syracuse CORRECT (Sunday, 3-29)

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

Contact: Michael Roberts

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