Living At-Large

Fifteen teams were unanimous picks this year (Stanford, Indiana, Xavier, UNC, Gonzaga, Duke, Purdue, UConn, Cornell, Tennessee, UCLA, Memphis, Butler, Michigan State, and Wisconsin), and twenty other teams were picked by 60 or more.

Only five of us visualized the Committee's love for Oregon (George B, Brenner, Harlan, Fitzmyer, M Leach), and just 25 and 20 of us realized Kentucky's and Villanova's respective potential. Yet 61 of us foolishly and falsly figured on Florida making the field, and 53 of us mugged for Maryland.

Clever strategists abounded, with several people picking upsets in the conference championships while picking the conference favorites at-large. Like Selarnick who committed at-large spots to Austin Peay, Belmont, Drake, Morgan State, New Mexico, Rider, and Robert Morris at the expense of Kansas, Georgetown, Louisville, Clemson, BYU, and Mississippi State. (Although at least Selarnick struck gold with Villanova and South Alabama.) Cagey contestant Siegel focused so much on pulling a second-tier bubble team out of his hat (Dayton, Houston, NC State, Rhode Island, Seton Hall, Rider) that he had no magic left for Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, or Washington State. Veteran entrant Acchione went with Cal, Houston, Air Force, and San Diego State, while ignoring Drake, UNLV, Oklahoma, and West Virginia. To his credit, Acchione's unorthodox selections of Kentucky, Villanova, and San Diego panned out.

This year's king of non-conformity was Wetherell, who boldly chose as at-large teams Akron, Creighton, Houston, Illinois State, IUPUI, Mississippi, New Mexico, Rhode Island, UNC-Greensboro, Utah State, and Wright State, while eschewing ho-hum favorites like Pitt, Marquette, Clemson, Arizona, Southern Cal, Baylor, UNLV, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi State, and West Virginia.

Tomorrow we'll focus on Final Four and Final Eight picks, and later in the week we'll take a look at the annual Tag Team competition and grudge matches. Study those brackets!