MIDWEST REGION
1. Everyone's favorite
16. No players over 6'4
8. Self-conscious because they know they should be a 9
9. Vengeful because they know they should be an 8
5. Obnoxious pressing defense will win them one game at most
12. So many people picking them to upset that it's not even worth it
4. At least three of these guys will play in Turkey next year
13. Cool jerseys are all they have going for them
6. You'll change a pick to them at the last second and regret it
11. Star is coach's son, but doesn't get preferential treatment, he swears
3. Star freshman filling out NBA Draft paperwork during commercials
14. Best GPAs in the tourney by far
7. Women's basketball program is much better
10. Named after a signer of the constitution you've never heard of
2. Drake's favorite
15. One extremely good player and a bunch of scrubs
WEST REGION
1. Actually going to win
16. Just happy to be here
8. Coach's facial expressions way more entertaining than actual team
9. Playing so close to campus, it's practically a home game
5. Enrollment of 5,000, somehow great at basketball
12. Football school
4. Your sleeper pick, will lose in the second round
13. Barely won a garbage conference
6. 12 guys with the same haircut
11. Hockey school?
3. Absolutely should not be this high
14. [Cardinal Direction] [State You've Never Been to]
7. Best player looks 34 years old
10. ... Lacrosse school?
2. Any win they get will be vacated someday
15. Coach gunning for a much better job
EAST REGION
1. No, they could not beat the Sixers
16. Will get everyone excited with a strong first half, then lose by 20
8. Wait, hasn't their best player been in college since like 2003?
9. Preseason top 5 team here on reputation alone
5. "Wildcats"
12. "Wildcats"
4. Right before gameday half the team will get hurt
13. Whole lineup will transfer to major programs this summer
6. Would be good if their best player wasn't suspended
11. Couldn't guess what state they're from if you had 10 chances
3. All your Facebook friends from high school went here
14. Somehow another "Cal State ___" you've never heard of
7. Exclusively shoots threes
10. Sub-.500, but in a power conference
2. Announcers won't stop calling them "blue collar" and "scrappy"
15. Your alma mater, which you didn't even realize had a basketball team
SOUTH REGION
1. Duke ... wait, what!?
16. Play-in winners!
8. How did so many Australian guys end up on one team?
9. An 8-year-old will pick them as champs by accident and win your pool because of it
5. Gets every win on a buzzer-beater
12. This year's Cinderella but somehow nobody picked them
4. On one last tourney run before the impending NCAA investigation
13. Team sucks, pep band is AMAZING
6. Multiple NBA players, no shot at winning anything here
11. 27-game win streak, but no one takes them seriously
3. Drake's other favorite
14. Has some sort of weird bug of a mascot
7. Best player's zany parent will be on camera constantly
10. Spent more time planning elaborate celebration dances than practicing
2. Everyone's picking them to get upset. They'll make the Final Four.
15. Had one famous upset like 15 years ago
Click to expand the full bracket:
(Shoutout to Jared Dubin for inspiration)
(Shoutout to Rodger Sherman, Elena Bergeron, Ricky O'Donnell, Mike Prada, and Dan Rubenstein for helping)
(Shoutout to fish, just in general)