Put on your dancing shoes

Update
3:24: Confidence is down as pick Seton Hall goes down in the first game of the day (how could anyone in good conscience pick a team with the Shockers as their mascot?!), Sweet 16 team BC barely wins in double OT, and Oakland bracket games are delayed by bomb activies. Furthermore, I realize I accidentally clicked Seton Hall all the way to the Sweet 16 in one of my brackets.



Just about an hour until we get underway...my brackets are set and I feel confident this is going to be my year (famous last words). I've watched a lot of games this year, both in person and on tv, seen a more diverse group than usual play, did my research (for real: looking at teams and stats and not just experts' takes), and when in doubt went with the girlie standby of choosing based on arbitrary factors including but not limited to mascots, team colors, and attractiveness of players (See Sports Guy). I have several irrational tourney favorites that stay consistent year to year, chief among them the Salukis and Illini (mascots) and NC State Wolfpack and Cincy Bearcats (maybe mascot, but I think I really just like them for no reason). I think a new favorite is going to be UNC-Wilmington Seahawks, because why are they called the Seahawks? This is the first year I didn't pick the Salukis to go far, but those 4 teams I usually will pick almost no matter what. In addition, I won't automatically pick the following teams, but I'll definitely lean towards them if I can't decide: Wisconsin Badgers (mascot), Arizona (no reason), Texas (recent: I think it goes back to TJ Ford), UAB or UTEP (funny names), teams from the A-10 or Big East, and any team with a religious affiliation (it's the Nana in me). On the other hand, I lose confidence in a team like Iowa that looks like it picked it's roster from a YMCA men's league.

Anyway, I think I made some good picks. Hopefully this tournament will live up to last year's 3-week extravaganza of upsets and OT's.