2011 NCAA Tournament Printable Bracket Updated Ahead Of Thursday's Games

The real NCAA Tournament kicks off on Thursday with action from early in the morning to late at night as 32 teams battle to make it to the weekend. The First Four games are out of the way, solidifying the bracket of 64 ahead of the two greatest days of the year. March Madness kicks into high gear on Thursday and there's still a precious few hours to get those last minute bracket predictions in under the wire.

Grab a printable bracket, grab a friend or 10 and get those bracket pools organized as the NCAA Tournament begins in earnest. The bracket has been updated to reflect the results of the First Four games, and will continue to be updated as the tournament progresses, allowing you to carry around a handy reminder of where you favorite team lies or how your bracket is doing. So grab one and get to work. If you're like me, you've already procrastinated long enough.

The first game of the day tips off at 9:15 a.m. on CBS as West Virginia and Clemson hit the court at Tampa. From there, the action heats up and games begin to roll throughout the day, capped by Gonzaga and St. John's in the evening session at 6:45 p.m. on CBS.

For your last minute predictions needs, check out our NCAA bracket predictions StoryStream. From expert brackets to our own picks, there's plenty of prediction help as you fill out your bracket. 

NCAA Bracket 2011 Predictions: Last Chance To Round Up Bracket Picks

So you've procrastinated and are scrambling to make last-minute bracket picks ahead of the NCAA Tournament. With brackets due at 9 a.m. on Thursday, just before the start of the first game of the day, there's still time to get picks in. Whether you've waited for any last-minute injury news or just plain forgot, time is short to get those NCAA bracket predictions in. Never fear, though, we're here to help.

We've taken a spin around the web so you don't have to in an effort to round up bracket predictions from all over. All week, we've been compiling predictions, including our own, in our NCAA bracket predictions StoryStream. Wander through the StoryStream and check out all the updates, compiled in a neat and tidy format. For quick reference, here are the East, West, Southeast, Southwest regions and Final Four picks. Dick Vitale's bracket, Jay Bilas' bracket and Barack Obama's bracket can also be found in the StoryStream.

Over at SB Nation, bracketology expert Chris Dobbertean has also picked every March Madness game in the NCAA Tournament predictions StoryStream. There's also a look at how No. 16 through No. 9 seeds perform historically in the tournament, followed by how No. 8 through No. 1 seeds perform. You can also find favorites, sleepers and picks for the West, Southwest and Southeast regions.

At ESPN, you can check out some of the "expert's" picks, as well. What does Bill Simmons' bracket look like? Or how about ESPN fantasy guru Matthew Berry? The world wants to know what Michelle Beadle thinks, as well. You can find more at ESPN's March Madness bracket central.

So be sure to grab a printable bracket and get to work ahead of the Thursday's NCAA Tournament games. Time is running out to get those picks in, so make it happen fast. Check back with our NCAA bracket predictions StoryStream for the latest leading up to the games on Thursday.

NCAA Bracket Predictions 2011: Rounding Up The Latest March Madness Picks

With just over 12 hours to go until the “second round” of the NCAA Tournament gets underway, it’s a good time to check out a few resources for some last-minute bracket predictions. As many pools and contests ignored the First Four games, there’s still time to fill out a printable bracket and get an office pool or bracket contest started. We now know all but one First Four winner, as well, giving us a good look at the bracket as we make our predictions.

We begin here, where we’ve been compiling bracket predictions throughout the week. In our NCAA bracket predictions StoryStream, you can find Dick Vitale’s bracket, Jay Bilas’ bracket and even Barack Obama’s bracket. In addition to the “expert picks,” you can also find game-by-game predictions for all the regions and the Final Four.

Next up: SB Nation’s bracket predictions. The crew over there has been compiling picks throughout the week, going through region-by-region to select winners in each and every game. If a look at the seeds is your thing, check out Jon Bois’ historical look at how each seed does in the NCAA Tournament, along with excellent mock interviews.

I know what you’re thinking: What does LeBron James think? Well, there's no conclusive answer, unfortunately. James filled out two brackets, each with different winners. For those with ESPN Insider accounts, Joe Lunardi makes his picks and there’s also a bracket predictor available. The expert’s picks video can be found here, as well.

Be sure to wander the rest of NCAA bracket predictions StoryStream for the latest picks and predictions. Grab a printable bracket and make your own picks ahead of Thursday’s game bonanza.

NCAA Bracket Predictions 2011: Picking Wednesday's First Four Matchups

The final two “First Four” games tip-off on Wednesday night as Texas-San Antonio faces Alabama State in a matchup of No. 16 seeds and USC battles VCU in a No. 11 seed matchup. On Tuesday night it was UNC-Asheville dropping Arkansas-Little Rock in overtime to advance to the “second round” in the early game, followed by a drubbing of UAB by Clemson. So far, we’re two-for-two in NCAA bracket predictions.

Just like Tuesday night, truTV will broadcast the two First Four games back-to-back. However, Wednesday night’s matchups will feature Gus Johnson on the call. It’s in America’s best interest to root for a close game.

Let’s take a look at the matchups and make a few picks.

Texas-San Antonio over Alabama State. Because I know next to nothing about these two teams, UTSA gets the edge based on Ken Pomeroy’s rankings and game predictions. He has UTSA winning, 69-63, so we’ll go with that.

USC over VCU. The Trojans should take this one as VCU was a head-scratcher on Selection Sunday. USC is ranked 46th by Pomeroy while VCU is a surprise at-large at No. 84 by Pomeroy. Go with the Trojans to move on here.

Need more help making predictions? We’ve got you covered in our NCAA bracket predictions StoryStream. Grab a printable bracket and make your own picks ahead of Thursday’s game bonanza.

President Obama's Bracket Has Four No. 1 Seeds In The Final Four

President Barack Obama made his annual NCAA Tournament picks, filing out a bracket for ESPN on Wednesday. Chalk would be the apt word for his bracket, with upsets hard to come by and all four No. 1 seeds in the Final Four. Yes, Ohio State, Duke, Kansas and Pittsburgh all survived the regionals in Obama’s bracket, which has Kansas beating Ohio State for the national championship.

So we know who takes home the title, according to Obama, but what about our local teams? In the first round, it’s good news for both Washington and Gonzaga. Obama picked the Huskies to take care of Georgia in Charlotte and picked Gonzaga to upset St. John’s in Denver in the first round. The bad news? He has both the Huskies and Zags losing in the second round as the favorites prevail once again.

Check out the full bracket over at ESPN and his explanation of the picks. Then grab your own printable bracket and get to work proving the president wrong.

Need more help making predictions? We’ve got you covered in our NCAA bracket predictions StoryStream. For more on the Huskies and Zags, visit SB Nation’s UW Dawg Pound and The Slipper Still Fits. For previews of each team’s first round games, check out our Gonzaga preview and UW preview.

NCAA Bracket Predictions 2011: Southeast Region, Gonzaga Vs. St. John's

The Gonzaga Bulldogs begin their NCAA Tournament journey against the St. John’s Red Storm in Denver on Thursday, giving us time to round up a few last-minute predictions. How far with the Zags go this year as the 11th seed in the region? Can Gonzaga drop 2011 darling St. John’s in the first round? We’ll have a firm answer on Thursday, but until then, it’s more fun to speculate and play the prediction game.

We start at SB Nation where Jason Kirk has developed an affinity for teams from the state of Washington. On Tuesday, it was the Huskies and on Wednesday it’s Gonzaga. Kirk picks the Zags in an upset over St. John’s, citing those crazy numbers.

Prediction: Lots of people are thinking upset, and the numbers back it up. The Red Storm has certainly lost to teams less talented than Gonzaga, and their Madison Square Garden referee magic won’t join them Denver.

But what about the experts? Well, Dick Vitale loves the Zags this year, picking them as a surprise Elite Eight team. He has the Zags losing with a trip to the Final Four on the line, but clearly this means Gonzaga will win its first game in Denver.

Chris Dobbertean is also pegging Gonzaga as an upset special. Dobbertean believes the injury that knocked D.J. Kennedy out of the Big East Tournament will be the Red Storm’s downfall.

No. 11 Gonzaga over No. 6 St. John’s, only because D.J. Kennedy’s absence is going to hurt the Red Storm.

And just for consistency, I also chose Gonzaga. Ken Pomeroy’s numbers seem to agree: St. John’s is ripe for the upset and Gonzaga is a team that could pull it off.

The predictions won’t matter as the meat of the NCAA Tournament kicks off on Thursday in what’s become a college basketball holiday. Wall-to-wall action gets started early, with 16 games set to take place throughout the day.

Check out the rest of our NCAA bracket predictions StoryStream for the latest picks and predictions. Grab a printable bracket and make your own picks ahead of Thursday’s game bonanza. For more on the Zags, visit SB Nation’s The Slipper Still Fits. For previews of each team’s first round games, check out our Gonzaga preview.

2011 NCAA Bracket: Printable Bracket Updated After First Four Games

The NCAA Tournament officially kicked off on Tuesday as two of the First Four games got underway in Dayton, Ohio. UNC-Asheville needed overtime, but was able to get by Arkansas-Little Rock for the right to face Pittsburgh in the “second round.” Clemson also easily handled UAB in the second game of the night, moving forward as a No. 12 seed. With those games out of the way, we have our first NCAA Tournament bracket movement, and the 2011 NCAA Printable Bracket has been updated accordingly.

As the NCAA Tournament winds on, the printable bracket will be updated, giving us a nice, easy way to track changes in the bracket. With most bracket contests ignoring the first four games, you still have plenty of time to get those last-minute predictions in ahead of the second round games on Thursday. Grab a bracket, make those picks and earn bragging rights over your friends.

Need help making predictions? We’ve got you covered in our NCAA bracket predictions StoryStream. For more on the Huskies and Zags, visit SB Nation’s UW Dawg Pound and The Slipper Still Fits. For previews of each team’s first round games, check out our Gonzaga preview and UW preview.

NCAA Basketball Tournament 2011 Predictions: Kyrie Irving's Status Changes Final Four, Boosts Duke

On Tuesday, just two days before the real NCAA Tournament, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski dropped a bomb: Kyrie Irving might make an appearance in March Madness. There’s no might about this: Irving will play, and he’ll probably do it as soon as the Blue Devils second round matchup against Hampton. If Irving is able to play, and make it all the way through the NCAA Tournament, NCAA Tournament predictions should be adjusted accordingly.

Earlier, I picked Texas to knock off Duke in the West region and had San Diego State making the Final Four. If Irving is healthy — and all indications point to him being cleared by the doctors — Duke becomes the prohibitive favorite in the West region. Go ahead and pencil them into the Final Four.

From there, it’s time to take a second look at the Final Four. On Tuesday, I made these predictions. With the news about Irving’s status, it’s worthwhile to revisit the Final Four and adjust accordingly.

Final Four
Kansas over Pittsburgh. This one stays the same. Irving is good, but he’s not good enough to change other games.
Duke over Ohio State. The Blue Devils and Buckeyes are already neck-and-neck with Irving. With him, Duke gets the edge.

National Championship
Duke over Kansas. And with that, the results change dramatically. Irving’s return makes Duke the NCAA Tournament favorite.

There is one caveat: Irving will have to whip himself into game shape over the next two weeks. It shouldn’t matter much in the Blue Devils’ first two games, but in the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight, Irving will have to boost his minutes and production. If he’s able to do that, Duke is in great shape in the NCAA Tournament.

For more on the bracket predictions, check out the rest of our NCAA Tournament predictions StoryStream. Grab a printable bracket and get to work filling out your own while you’re at it.

NCAA Bracket Predictions 2011: First Four Picks For Tuesday's NCAA Tournament Opening Round

The NCAA Tournament kicks off on Tuesday night with the first two opening round games in Dayton, Ohio, labeled the First Four. Instead of the traditional play-in game in Dayton, the expansion to 68 forced three more opening round games — two between No. 16 seeds and two between No. 12 seeds. On Tuesday night, UNC-Asheville and Arkansas-Little Rock get the action started with a chance to face Pittsburgh on the line. Clemson and UAB follow it up in a matchup of No. 12 seeds, with a shot to play West Virginia on the line.

Looking for last-minute predictions to fill out those First Four in your NCAA Tournament brackets? We’ve got you covered.

First Four – Tuesday night
UNC-Asheville def. Arkansas-Little Rock. To be honest, this game doesn’t matter much. With Pittsburgh waiting and the history of No. 16 seeds vs. No. 1 seeds, whichever team wins this will likely have a short tournament life-span. But we’ll take Asheville to win in the opening round before Pittsburgh rolls in the regional.
Clemson def. UAB. Clemson, ranked No. 24 by Ken Pomeroy, probably shouldn’t even be in this game. UAB, on the other hand, should be a significant underdog, ranked No. 56 by Pomeroy. Clemson should not only win this, but also has a good chance of getting through to the round of 32 later this week.

The action begins at 3:30 p.m. on truTV. Not sure if you have truTV or where to find it? Check out our quick First Four guide, with listings for truTV in Seattle.

For more on the bracket predictions, check out the rest of our NCAA Tournament predictions StoryStream. Grab a printable bracket and get to work filling out your own while you’re at it.

NCAA Bracket Predictions 2011: East Region Picks, Washington Vs. Georgia

The Washington Huskies have been a trendy pick in early NCAA Tournament bracket predictions thus far. The Huskies, the No. 7 seed in the East region, are the hot hand right now after rolling through the Pac-10 Tournament and winning the championship with Isaiah Thomas’ buzzer beater. In the NCAA Tournament, the Huskies are an overwhelming favorite to defeat the Georgia Bulldogs and move on to the round of 32.

We’ve rounded up a variety of predictions to get a better idea of the Huskies’ chances.

We’ll start with the homer pick over at SB Nation Atlanta. Kris Willis thinks the Bulldogs have the inside presence to give the Huskies fits and is calling for an upset.

A lot of people will dismiss my pick of Georgia as being a card carrying Dawg fan. However, it is a reflection of my belief in Mark Fox. I think given the time to prepare, Georgia has the inside-out game needed to be successful in March. So I am going with the Bulldogs in an upset.

Over at SB Nation, Chris Dobbertean disagrees and picks the Huskies. It’s the Isaiah Thomas show and his game-breaking ability should be enough for Washington to move on.

No. 7 Washington over No. 10 Georgia, Isaiah Thomas and the Huskies should make the Bulldogs’ surprise trip a short one.

In the individual game preview, Jason Kirk, of SB Nation Atlanta and SB Nation, goes with the Huskies, as well. Georgia’s inconsistency, and inability to get up for big games, has Kirk worried.

Prediction: Chris Dobbertean has Washington taking care of Georgia in his NCAA Tournament predictions; I’d like to take the Bulldogs in an overtime thriller, but their tendency to crumble under pressure means just getting to the Dance will have to count as their big achievement for the year.

I also chose the Huskies to win. After watching Washington closely this year, I have no doubt if the team that showed up in the Pac-10 Tournament comes through in the NCAA Tournament, there should be no problem. When Washington is on, even with the injuries Lorenzo Romar’s team has had this year, it can play with just about anyone in the country.

For more on the bracket predictions, check out the rest of our NCAA Tournament predictions StoryStream. Grab a printable bracket and get to work filling out your own while you’re at it. To break down the bracket with Washington fans, be sure to stop by SB Nation’s UW Dawg Pound.

NCAA Bracket Predictions 2011: Picking The Final Four And NCAA Champion

We’ve already run through every region in an effort to predict every 2011 NCAA Tournament game — as daunting as a task it is. With the field down to four in our mythical NCAA bracket, it’s time to figure out who cuts down the nets and brings home the NCAA Championship this year in Houston. Will it be Ohio State or Kansas, two of the overwhelming favorites, anointed by experts and oddsmakers alike? Or will a Cinderella team sneak in ala George Mason?

Here’s what we have so far.

Out of the West region, it’s San Diego State over Texas in the regional finals. No. 1 seed Duke and No. 3 seed UConn lost to Texas and San Diego State, respectively, in the regional semifinals to set up the Longhorns-Aztecs battle for a trip to the Final Four.

In the Southwest regional, it’s all about Kansas. The Jayhawks are a favorite everywhere, including in the Vegas sports books. In the regional finals, the predicition is Kansas over No. 3 Purdue, with the Jayhawks heading to Houston for the Final Four.

In the Southeast region, Pittsburgh, another No. 1 seed, survives to advance to the Final Four. Utah State makes a run to the Sweet Sixteen while Gonzaga surprises St. John’s in the round of 64, but goes no further.

Finally, in the East, Ohio State moves on to the Final Four after defeating Syracuse in the regional finals. Washington gets by Georgia to open the tournament, but facing North Carolina in what is, essentially, a home game for the Tar Heels is too much.

Final Four
Kansas over Pittsburgh. The Jayhawks are too much for Pitt and make it to the Final Four and face-planting last year.
Ohio State over San Diego State. The Aztecs dream run ends with a loss to Ohio State in the Final Four.

National Championship
Ohio State over Kansas. I picked Kansas last year and it let me down. Never again.

Need more help making predictions? We’ve got you covered in our NCAA bracket predictions StoryStream. Grab a printable bracket and get to work filling out the field. For more on the Huskies and Zags, visit SB Nation’s UW Dawg Pound and The Slipper Still Fits.

2011 NCAA Printable Bracket: Last Chance To Grab A Bracket And Make Predictions

The First Four gets underway in a few hours, leaving precious few moments to grab a printable NCAA bracket and get those predictions in. The action kicks off in Dayton on Tuesday night as UNC-Asheville and Arkansas-Little Rock get the tournament started with the first of four opening round games. That game, between No. 16 seeds, is followed by Clemson and UAB, a more intriguing matchup of No. 12 seeds. Time is running short, so get those predictions in under the wire ahead of the start of the NCAA Tournament.

Head on over to SB Nation and grab the printable bracket. Get those NCAA Tournament picks in before March Madness kicks off on Tuesday. Locally, the Gonzaga Bulldogs begin their NCAA Tournament run in Denver on Thursday night while the Washington Huskies travel across the country to Charlotte, North Carolina for a Friday night matchup.

The action kicks off at 3:30 p.m. on TruTV as UNC-Asheville and Arkansas-Little Rock open the NCAA Tournament.

Need help making predictions? We've got you covered in our NCAA bracket predictions StoryStream. For more on the Huskies and Zags, visit SB Nation’s UW Dawg Pound and The Slipper Still Fits. For previews of each team’s first round games, check out our Gonzaga preview and UW preview.

March Madness 2011 Predictions: West Region Of The NCAA Tournament Bracket

The West region of the NCAA Tournament features the Duke Blue Devils on one side of the bracket and the San Diego State Aztecs on the other. It's the old guard, a staple of March Madness, in Duke against the hot team from a small conference in San Diego State. The West region is full of intriguing teams, making it a group to keep an eye on as the NCAA Tournament begins.

Look at Ken Pomeroy's rankings, Texas should actually be the fourth No. 1 seed, setting up an interesting regional semifinal game if the Longhorns and Blue Devils survive. Kemba Walker also finds himself in the West region; his streaking UConn Huskies earned the No. 3 seed. Add it all up and you have a tough region and murder's row.

Be sure to grab a printable bracket and  make your own picks ahead of the start of the NCAA Tournament on Tuesday.

Second Round
No. 1 Duke over No. 16 Hampton. None of the four No. 16 seeds will break through this year.
No. 8 Michigan over No. 9 Tennessee. Bruce Pearl is one-and-done after the Wolverines take care of business.
No. 5 Arizona over No. 12 Memphis. Arizona should easily take this one. Memphis is so far down in the rankings, it's not even funny.
No. 4 Texas over No. 13 Oakland. Oakland has been a trendy upset pick, but Texas is deserving of a No. 1 seed, if KenPom is to be believed.
No. 6 Cincinnati over No. 11 Missouri. The Tigers skidded down the stretch, losing four of their last five. Doesn't exactly inspire confidence.
No. 3 Connecticut over No. 14 Bucknell. Kemba Walker. That is all.
No. 10 Penn State over No. 7 Temple. A dead-even matchup in the 7-10 game. Temple is No. 38 and Penn State is No. 39 in KenPom's rankings, making this a complete toss-up. With that in mind, I flipped a coin. Penn State won.
No. 2 San Diego State over No. 15 Northern Colorado. The Aztecs roll easily.

Third Round
No. 1 Duke over No. 8 Michigan. 
No. 4 Texas over No. 5 Arizona. Sticking with Texas because of its nation's best defensive efficiency.
No. 3 Connecticut over No. 6 Cincinnati. Once again Kemba Walker and the Huskies keep the winning streak alive.
No. 2 San Diego State over No. 10 Penn State. I still have an irrational love for San Diego State. Go with it.

Regional Semifinals
No. 4 Texas over No. 1 Duke. This should be an incredibly close matchup as the Blue Devils are ranked second by Ken Pomeroy and Texas is ranked fourth. I'll take Texas in a coin-flip.
No. 2 San Diego State over No. 3 Connecticut. The Kemba Walker show ends as San Diego State is too much.

Regional Final
No. 2 San Diego State over No. 4 Texas. Sure, why not?

For more bracket predictions, check out the rest of our NCAA Tournament predictions StoryStream. To break down the bracket with Gonzaga and Washington fans, be sure to stop by SB Nation's The Slipper Still Fits and UW Dawg Pound.

NCAA Basketball Tournament 2011 Predictions: Southwest Region Picks

The Southwest region is there for Kansas' taking this year as the Jayhawks come in as the No. 1 seed. That doesn't mean it'll be a cakewalk for Bill Self's squad, though, as danger is lurking around every corner. Purdue has the ability to surprise some people and Louisville is always a tough out. Notre Dame is also hanging around the corner, making this a tough draw.

USC and VCU get the action started in the First Four round, with the winner moving on to face Georgetown in the second round. Be sure to grab a printable bracket and  make your own picks ahead of the start of the NCAA Tournament on Tuesday.

First Four
USC def. VCU. I'm still trying to figure out what VCU is doing here.

Second Round
No. 1 Kansas over No. 16 Boston University. Rock Chalk Jayhawk rolls easily.
No. 8 UNLV over No. 9 Illinois. This game is about as close to a toss-up as you can find. I'll take UNLV in a tight one.
No. 5 Vanderbilt over No. 12 Richmond. Another close 5-12 game, but Vanderbilt pulls this one out.
No. 4 Louisville over No. 13 Morehead State. The Cardinals take this one, but make sure to tune-in and check out Kenneth Faried, the nation's best rebounder.
No. 6 Georgetown over No. 11 USC. Kevin O'Neill has run his team ragged using a short rotation. I have no faith in the Trojans being able to hang with the Hoyas.
No. 3 Purdue over No. 14 St. Peter's. Believe it or not, Purdue may be a bit under-seeded here.
No. 10 Florida State over No. 7 Texas A&M. Another ridiculously close matchup according to Ken Pomeroy. He's got Florida State in a coin-flip, so I'll go with that.
No. 2 Notre Dame over No. 15 Akron. No chance. Notre Dame rolls.

Third Round
No. 1 Kansas over No. 8 UNLV. Kansas is the favorite in the region and it'd be a shock if the Jayhawks faltered this early.
No. 4 Louisville over No. 5 Vanderbilt. Shouldn't be a problem for the Cardinals
No. 3 Purdue over No. 6 Georgetown. Purdue may be the second-best team in this region better than Notre Dame.
No. 2 Notre Dame over No. 7 Florida State. The top-four seeds hold serve.

Regional Semifinals
No. 1 Kansas over No. 4 Louisville. Kansas is simply the better team, or should be. Then again, we do remember last year, right?
No. 3 Purdue over No. 2 Notre Dame. I still like Purdue here and the Boilermakers are a bit under-seeded. According to Pomeroy, Purdue is the better team on paper.

Regional Final
No. 1 Kansas over No. 3 Purdue. And the trendy pick advances to the Final Four. Of course.

For more bracket predictions, check out the rest of our NCAA Tournament predictions StoryStream. To break down the bracket with Gonzaga and Washington fans, be sure to stop by SB Nation's The Slipper Still Fits and UW Dawg Pound.

Jay Bilas' Bracket Has Kansas Winning The 2011 NCAA Tournament

While Dick Vitale decided to leave Kansas out of the Elite Eight in his 2011 NCAA Tournament bracket, Jay Bilas went the opposite direction, choosing Kansas to cut down the nets and bring home the NCAA Tournament Championship. Bilas released his bracket as the ESPN experts made their NCAA Tournament predictions on Monday in taped special on the network.

Bilas chose an Elite Eight consisting of Ohio State, Syracuse, Duke, UConn, Kansas, Purdue, Pittsburgh and Florida. For his Final Four, Bilas bucked the trend, picking Syracuse to upset Ohio State. Bilas also has UConn upsetting Duke to reach the Final Four, with Kansas and Pittsburgh surviving to advance to the last four, as well.

In the Final Four, Bilas has UConn over Syracuse and Kansas over Pittsburgh, with the Jayhawks bringing home the title in the finals. For the most part, it's all favorites for Bilas, with no seeds lower than No. 4, and every No. 1 seed, appearing in the Elite Eight. The top-half of his bracket does have two minor upsets ahead of the Final Four, with UConn and Syracuse advancing. In the end, the odds-on favorite Kansas prevails, though, rising to the top in the NCAA Tournament.

For more on the bracket predictions, check out the rest of our NCAA Tournament predictions StoryStream. Grab a printable bracket and get to work filling out your own while you're at it. To break down the bracket with Gonzaga and Washington fans, be sure to stop by SB Nation’s The Slipper Still Fits and UW Dawg Pound.

NCAA Basketball Tournament 2011 Predictions: Dick Vitale's Bracket Has Ohio State Winning It All

As he does every year, Dick Vitale released his 2011 NCAA Tournament bracket on Monday morning, giving us another “expert” opinion to work with. Vitale went with Ohio State as his winner, going with the trendy March Madness pick. Kansas and Ohio State have been overwhelming favorites in the early returns, with oddsmakers and experts alike choosing the Buckeyes.

Gonzaga is the surprise darkhorse in Vitale’s Elite Eight, joining Ohio State, Syracuse, Duke, UConn, Louisville, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh. Vitale chose Ohio State, Duke, Louisville and Pittsburgh as his Final Four teams, with Ohio State and Pittsburgh advancing to the National Championship.

Kansas is conspicuously absent from the Elite Eight as Vitale went with a Big East heavy lineup. With a jaw-dropping 11 teams in the tournament, the Big East has plenty of teams to choose from, with the odds saying at least one will survive to the Final Four.

Head on over to SB Nation, grab a printable bracket and get to work filling out your own. The games get underway on Tuesday with the first ever “First Four” matchups in Dayton, Ohio.

For more on the bracket predictions, check out the rest of our NCAA Tournament predictions StoryStream. To break down the bracket with Gonzaga and Washington fans, be sure to stop by SB Nation’s The Slipper Still Fits and UW Dawg Pound.

March Madness 2011 Predictions: Southeast Region Of The NCAA Tournament Bracket

The East region is done and we're on to the Southeast region as we work our way through the NCAA Tournament bracket predictions. Pittsburgh leads the region, taking the No. 1 seed during Sunday's Selection show. The Southeast region is as difficult as ever to predict, with no clear-cut favorite in the bunch. Among the top-four seeds -- Pittsburgh, Florida, BYU and Wisconsin -- nobody stands out in the bracket, with each team having flaws that could easily be exposed.

In the Southeast region, the Gonzaga Bulldogs will face the St. John's Red Storm in Denver in the second round. Keep an eye on BYU guard Jimmer Fredette as he takes his show to the NCAA Tournament.

Be sure to grab a printable bracket and get to work filling it out ahead of the start of March Madness.

First Four
UNC Asheville def. Arkansas-Little Rock. It shouldn't matter much as the No. 1 seed awaits in the next round.

Second Round
No. 1 Pittsburgh def. No. 16 UNC. Again, No. 16 seeds don't win.
No. 9 Old Dominion def. No. 8 Butler. Should be a close game as both these teams are seeded just right, but ODU gets the edge in the KenPom rankings.
No. 12 Utah State def No. 5 Kansas State. Again looking at Pomeroy's rankings shows the Aggies are grossly under-seeded while Kansas State is over-seeded. Let's go with Utah State and a "winning team" chant.
No. 13 Belmont def. No. 4 Wisconsin. This is the prime 13 over four game. Wisconsin ended the season with a thud, losing its final two games, while Belmont is way under-seeded. Could be a fun upset.
No. 11 Gonzaga def. No. 6 St. John's. Homer pick. I'm not a huge fan of Gonzaga, but let's go with the in-state team. Gonzaga is also ranked higher in Pomeroy's rankings.
No. 3 BYU def. No. 14 Wofford. The Terriers are going to get Jimmer'd.
No. 7 UCLA def. No. 10 Michigan State. The Bruins face-plant in the Pac-10 Tournament doesn't inspire confidence, but the Spartans have been wildly inconsistent all season.
No. 2 Florida def. No. 15 UC Santa Barbara. 15 over two is hard to come by and this won't be it.

Third Round
No. 1 Pittsburgh def. No. 9 Old Dominion. Yes, Pittsburgh struggled to end the season. No, Pittsburgh won't lose here.
No. 12 Utah State def. No. 13 Belmont. One double-digit seed will make it and the Aggies get the edge in KenPom's rankings.
No. 3 BYU def. No. 11 Gonzaga. The Zags' run ends here as Jimmer-mania continues.
No. 2 Florida def. No. 7 UCLA. Florida is over-seeded, but UCLA shouldn't give the Gators too much trouble here.

Regional Semifinals
No. 1 Pittsburgh def. No. 12 Utah State. 
No. 3 BYU def. No. 2 Florida. Without Brandon Davies, this is tough, but I still get the feeling Florida is seeded too high.

Regional Final
No. 1 Pittsburgh over No. 3 BYU. Pittsburgh's guards take over, slowing Fredette down to advance to the Final Four.

For more on the bracket predictions, check out the rest of our NCAA Tournament predictions StoryStream. To break down the bracket with Gonzaga and Washington fans, be sure to stop by SB Nation's The Slipper Still Fits and UW Dawg Pound.

NCAA Basketball Tournament 2011 Predictions: Picking The East Region

With NCAA Tournament brackets out and the regions set, it's time to make some predictions. Office pools and online bracket competitions are up and running, leaving us just about a day to get the picks in ahead of the opening round of March Madness. The first four games get underway on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the second round set to begin on Wednesday and Thursday at sub-regional sites throughout the country.

We begin in the East region, where the Washington Huskies will face the Georgia Bulldogs in the Charlotte, North Carolina on Thursday.

Be sure to grab a printable bracket and get to work filling it out ahead of the First Four games.

First Round
UT San Antonio def. Alabama State. This is a crap-shoot, but whoever wins here moves forward to be slaughtered by Ohio State.
Clemson def. UAB. UAB had no business being here and the Tigers are grossly under-seeded.

Second Round
No. 1 Ohio State def. UTSA. No. 16 seeds never win and this will be no exception.
No. 8 George Mason def. Villanova. The Wildcats backed into the NCAA Tournament and don't exactly inspire confidence here.
No. 12 Clemson over West Virginia. Clemson and West Virginia were about even, making this a prime 12/5 upset candidate 
No. 4 Kentucky def Princeton. Princeton is a nice story, but Kentucky, and its merry band of All-Americans, should roll.
No. 11 Marquette def. Xavier. If you believe Kenpom, Marquette is the better team on paper here and Xavier was over-seeded.
No. 3 Syracuse def. Indiana State. 'Cuse rolls in the first round.
No. 7 Washington def. Georgia. Washington is on a hot-streak and showed why its so dangerous in March during the Pac-10 Tournament.
No. 2 North Carolina def. Long Island. Again, talent wins out, just as it did with the Kentucky pick.

Third Round
Ohio State def. George Mason. Ohio State is the trendy pick to make the Final Four, so we'll go with the Buckeyes again.
Kentucky def. Clemson. Once again, it's all about talent. Clemson's run should come to an end here.
Syracuse over Marquette. Syracuse is just outside the top-10 in Pomeroy's ranking and should roll into the regional semis.
North Carolina over Washington. If this game wasn't in Charlotte, the Huskies could probably pull this off. Even playing a virtual road game, Washington should give North Carolina fits.

Regional Semifinals
Ohio State def. No. 4 Kentucky, as the Buckeyes mix of veterans and youngsters will be too much for the younger Wildcats.
North Carolina def. Syracuse. This should be an even game. KenPom has the Tar Heels ranked high, so that's the tie-breaker.

Regional Final
Ohio State def. Syracuse. Ohio State is too good and too consistent. The Buckeyes are a deserving No. 1 seed that should cruise into the Final Four.

For more on the NCAA Tournament, check out the rest of our NCAA Tournament predictions StoryStream. To break down the bracket with Gonzaga and Washington fans, be sure to stop by SB Nation's The Slipper Still Fits and UW Dawg Pound.

NCAA Basketball Tournament 2011 Predictions: All The Bracket Picking Resources You Need

Trying to figure out how to make your March Madness predictions? With office pools and bracket contests, the stakes are high and we can all use help filling out those brackets. We're here to help with our own NCAA Tournament predictions as we take you through each and every game, all the way up to the Final Four and NCAA Championship. But first, let's take a spin around the Internet to check out what others are predicting.

Over at SB Nation, bracketology expert Chris Dobbertean has been picking every game -- from the opening round to the Final Four. All his picks can be found in SB Nation's March Madness predictions StoryStream. In addition to his picks, SB Nation has also been compiling the expert's brackets. From Dick Vitale to Jay Bilas and more, college basketball analysts everywhere have been submitting brackets throughout the day. You can find those in SB Nation's NCAA Tournament expert predictions StoryStream.

Stay with this StoryStream throughout the day as we put together our own picks. From Gonzaga and Washington to Duke, we'll run down the entire bracket, picking winners along the way. Be sure to grab a printable bracket and make your own picks, as well.

We'll be back with more picks and predictions later. To check out the entire NCAA Tournament field, visit our Selection Sunday StoryStream or check out SB Nation’s 2011 NCAA Tournament printable bracket. To get acquainted with Washington and Gonzaga fans, visit SB Nation’s UW Dawg Pound and The Slipper Still Fits.