Ron Carthen's MARCH MADNESS Predictions!!!!!...written by Ronald Carthen

We know there will be a new national champion this year, since the North Carolina Tar Heels suck so bad this year. I'm excited about watching all 65 teams doing battle as we find out who will be crowned the best team in the country. You know you'll see some upsets you didn't see coming and all of you will have about eight brackets filled out and say you had it right. I'm sticking with one bracket and I think Get ready for my picks and let the debates begin.

Let's start with the Midwest Region....

1st round picks...no upsets in this region in the 1st round but Tennessee better watch out for San Diego State!!!!!!

(1) Kansas over (16) Lehigh
(8) UNLV over (9) Northern Iowa
(5) Michigan St. over (12) New Mexico St.
(4) Maryland over (13) Houston
(6) Tennessee over (11) San Diego St.
(3) Georgetown over (14) Ohio
(7) Oklahoma St. over (10) Georgia Tech
(2) Ohio State over (15) UC Santa Barbara

2nd round picks.....Expect Michigan St to head into the Sweet 16 over the Terps!!!!!

(1) Kansas over (8) UNLV
(5) Michigan St. over (4) Maryland
(3) Georgetown over (6) Tennessee
(2) Ohio State over (7) Oklahoma St.

Sweet 16...I know Evan Turner is the best player in the nation, but the Hoyas are on a mission. I remember watching Michigan St beating Kansas in the Sweet 16 last year, but not this year!!!

(1) Kansas over (5) Michigan St.
(3) Georgetown over (2) Ohio St.

Elite 8...The Hoyas will play well but Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich will find a way to win!!!

(1) Kansas over (3) Georgetown

West Region....

1st round...Murray State will upset an SEC team in the 1st round!!!

(1) Syracuse over (16) Vermont
(8) Gonzaga over (9) Florida St.
(5) Butler over (12) UTEP
(13) Murray St. over (4) Vanderbilt
(6) Xavier over (11) Minnesota
(3) Pittsburgh over (14) Oakland
(7) BYU over (10) Florida
(2) Kansas St. over (15) North Texas

2nd round...This could be a very interesting 2nd round. Don't sleep on Xavier or BYU, but I'm not going to take a chance!!!

(1) Syracuse over (8) Gonzaga
(5) Butler over (13) Murray St.
(3) Pittsburgh over (6) Xavier
(2) Kansas St. over (7) BYU

Sweet 16...I don't see the Orange or the Wildcats missing the Elite 8!!!

(1) Syracuse over (5) Butler
(2) Kansas St. over (3) Pittsburgh

Elite 8... The Orange only play seven players, but that will be enough to go to the Final Four!!!

(1) Syracuse over (2) Kansas St.

East Region...

1st round...Cornell will be the only 12 seed to advance to the 2nd round!!!!

(1) Kentucky over (16) East Tennessee St
(8) Texas over (9) Wake Forest
(12) Cornell over (5) Temple
(4) Wisconsin over (13) Wofford
(6) Marquette over (11) Washington
(3) New Mexico over (14) Montana
(10) Missouri over (7) Clemson
(2) West Virginia over (15) Morgan State

2nd round...I can't wait to see DeMarcus Cousins vs Dexter Pittman when Kentucky faces Texas. Expect Cornell to be the only double-digit seed in the Sweet 16.

(1) Kentucky over (8) Texas
(12) Cornell over (4) Wisconsin
(3) New Mexico over (6) Marquette
(2) West Virginia over (10) Missouri

Sweet 16... Cornell's cinderella story will end and the Mountaineers will be to much for the Lobos!!!!

(1) Kentucky over (12) Cornell
(2) West Virginia over (3) New Mexico

Elite 8... Demarcus Cousins and John Wall will be to much for Da'Sean Butler and the Mountaineers. Can't wait to see the Cats in the Final Four!!!!

(1) Kentucky over (2) West Virginia

South Region...

1st round...No Robbie Hummel will be a problem against Siena!!!

(1) Duke over (16) Winthrop or Arkansas-Pine Bluff
(9) Louisville over (8) California
(5) Texas A&M over (12) Utah St.
(13) Siena over (4) Purdue
(6) Notre Dame over (11) Old Dominion
(3) Baylor over (14) Sam Houston St
(7) Richmond over (10) St. Mary's
(2) Villanova over (15) Robert Morris

2nd round...Duke better watch it against Louisville and I think Luke Harangody will take care of business against Baylor!!!

(1) Duke over (9) Louisville
(5) Texas A&M over (13) Siena
(6) Notre Dame over (3) Baylor
(2) Villanova over (7) Richmond

Sweet 16...Duke will easily beat the Aggies. I like Luke Harangody but Scottie Reynolds and the Wildcats will be too much for the Irish!!!

(1) Duke over (5) Texas A&M
(2) Villanova over (6) Notre Dame

Elite 8...Duke had no chance against Villanova last year in the sweet 16 and I believe Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher will knock out the 3 S's (Jon Scheyer, Kyle Singler, and Nolan Smith) and will head to the Final Four!!!

(2) Villanova over (1) Duke

FINAL FOUR PICKS.....This will be a great final four!!!! Wes Johnson and the Orange zone defense will not be enough to stop Cole Aldrich and the Jayhawks depth. John Wall and Eric Bledsoe will shut down Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher. The most important thing is DeMarcus Cousins will dominate a small Wildcats team.

(1) Kansas over (1) Syracuse
(1) Kentucky over (2) Villanova

CHAMPIONSHIP PICK.....I remember John Calipari took Memphis to the championship game against in 2008 against Bill Self and the Jayhawks. Mario Chalmers hit a jumper to send the Hawks to overtime and went on to win the national championship. This time John is taking Kentucky to the big show. Even though the Wildcats have three or four players heading to the NBA after this season, I think Bill Self's team have the experience and Sherron Collins will win the battle over John Wall and Jayhawks will win it all!!!!!

(1) KANSAS over (1) KENTUCKY