It’s the moment we have all been waiting for – the return of March Madness.

After the global COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA basketball tournament, the long wait is over and the tournament is back!!!!

This year’s men’s tournament features a great combination of elite teams plus some high-end talent and this year’s NBA Draft class is loaded.

This upcoming weekend might be the best four days on the sports calendar, so let’s get right into it.

 

East Region Preview

Michigan comes in as the No. 1 seed in the East Region based on the great season they had. However, they had a key injury to star guard Isaiah Livers in the Big Ten Conference tournament and were instantly eliminated the following game. They are the betting favourite in this region, but Livers’ health will be a major question mark for the Wolverines going forward.

While Florida State did lose in the ACC finals, which made them drop to a No. 4 seed. The Seminoles are a good team and have some serious value to win this region as coach Leonard Hamilton is looking to make his First Four appearance.

UConn is a team to watch as a sleeper as well and James Bouknight gives off some Shabazz Napier vibes – the sophomore guard has the ability to take over a game. If the Huskies can get past Alabama in the second round, look out. While Texas is a popular pick here as well, I am not as high on the Longhorns as others are.

The Favourite: Michigan Wolverines +200

My Pick: Florida State Seminoles +900

Sleeper Pick: UConn Huskies +1150

 

Midwest Region Preview

Illinois comes into the tournament strong, fresh off a Big Ten Championship tournament. Ayo Dosunmu returned from injury with a new-look mask and did not miss a beat. The Fighting Illini are a popular pick to go on a run here, but It was not all smooth sailing last weekend. They blew a big lead to Ohio State and barely held on for the OT win.

Oklahoma State did fall to Texas in the Big 12 finals, but the Cowboys got a big win over Baylor which showed their ability to win meaningful games against top teams. Cade Cunningham is likely going to be the first pick in the NBA Draft and rightfully gets all the hype, but teammate Avery Anderson III has come into his own in recent weeks as the Pippen to Cunningham’s Jordan. These two teams will likely meet in the Elite Eight and I like the value with the Cowboys.

A sleeper to keep an eye on here is San Diego State, which comes into the tournament on a 14-game win streak in the underrated Mountain West Conference.

The Favourite: Illinois Fighting Illini +150

My Pick: Oklahoma State Cowboys +600

Sleeper: San Diego State Aztecs +1000

 

South Region Preview

While Baylor did lose a few games down the stretch after dealing with some COVID-19 issues, they are not a team to be doubted. They shoot the ball at an elite level from three and in my opinion are far and away the best team in this region. That is not to say that either Ohio State or Arkansas are slouches, but Baylor just shoots the ball at a different level than the Buckeyes or the Razarbacks, which is key in the month of March. I’m normally not a big fan of the “chalk” picks, but I do not see Baylor losing this region.

If you do like chalk bets, Ohio State at +400 is decent value for a team that beat Michigan and took Illinois to the brink just last weekend.

The Favourite: Baylor Bears -133

My Pick: Baylor Bears -133

Sleeper: Ohio State Buckeyes +400

 

West Region Preview

As much as I said that I hate chalk picks (which I generally do), Gonzaga is the clear-cut best team in the country in my opinion. This is not your typical Gonzaga team as Jalen Suggs give the Bulldogs a different level of talent and he’s a top-five NBA draft pick this year. As well, Florida Transfer Andrew Nembhard of Aurora, Ont., was granted a waiver exception to play this year and has been an absolute stud depth-wise for the Bulldogs. That is without even mentioning Corey Kispert and Drew Timme, the team’s two leading scorers.

Gonzaga is 26-0 for a reason and are my pick to win it all. If you are looking to go against the grain, I think the Oregon Ducks are worth a flier. This is the weakest region and their athleticism could give Iowa some problems if those teams meet. The Ducks could be an Elite Eight team and the beauty of this tournament is that it only takes one game.

The Favourite: Gonzaga Bulldogs -227

My Pick: Gonzaga Bulldogs -227

Sleeper: Oregon Ducks +2500

 

First Round Plays

Friday

(9) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets +5.5 over (8) Loyola Chicago Ramblers

(4) Oklahoma State Cowboys -7.5 over (13) Liberty Flames

(8) North Carolina Tar Heels -1.5 over (9) Wisconsin Badgers

Upset Pick For Friday: Winthrop Eagles (12) over Villanova Wildcats (5)

Saturday

(3) Kansas Jayhawks -10.5 over (14) Eastern Washington Eagles

(2) Iowa Hawkeyes -15 over (15) Grand Canyon Antelopes

(7) UConn Huskies -3 over (10) Maryland Terrapins

Upset Pick For Saturday: (13) Ohio Bobcats over (4) Virginia Cavaliers