2013 NCAA Tournament Projections

East Regional - Washington, DC

Philadelphia
1 NC State 16 Montana
8 Pittsburgh 9 Iowa St.

San Jose
5 Cincinnati 12 Nevada
4 Arizona 13 Drexel

Austin
6 Creighton 11 Georgetown
3 Florida 14 Middle Tennessee

Lexington
7 Minnesota 10 Harvard
2 Louisville 15 Long Beach St.

East Regional - Round of 32

Philadelphia
1 NC State 8 Pittsburgh

San Jose
4 Arizona 5 Cincinnati

Austin
3 Florida 6 Creighton

Lexington
2 Louisville 7 Minnesota

East Regional - Sweet 16

Washington, DC
1 NC State 4 Arizona
2 Louisville 3 Florida

East Regional - Elite 8

Washington, DC
2 Louisville 1 NC State

South Regional - Arlington

Dayton
1 Kentucky 16 Lamar / SC Upstate
8 UNLV 9 St. Louis

Salt Lake City
5 Wisconsin 12 Providence / Alabama
4 Texas 13 Murray St.

Philadelphia
6 Gonzaga 11 Butler
3 Syracuse 14 Oral Roberts

Detroit
7 Tennessee 10 Miami
2 Michigan St. 15 Wagner

South Regional - Round of 32

Dayton
1 Kentucky 8 UNLV

Salt Lake City
12 Alabama 13 Murray St.

Philadelphia
3 Syracuse 11 Butler

Detroit
2 Michigan St. 7 Tennessee

South Regional - Sweet 16

Arlington
1 Kentucky 12 Alabama
2 Michigan St. 3 Syracuse

South Regional - Elite 8

Arlington
1 Kentucky 2 Michigan St.

Midwest Regional - Indianapolis

Dayton
1 Indiana 16 Southern / Savannah St.
8 VCU 9 Stanford

Salt Lake City
5 Missouri 12 Oklahoma St.
4 Duke 13 Utah St.

Kansas City
6 San Diego St. 11 Xavier
3 Ohio St. 14 Lehigh

Austin
7 Florida St. 10 Ohio
2 Baylor 15 Loyola (MD)

Midwest Regional - Round of 32

Dayton
1 Indiana 9 Stanford

Salt Lake City
4 Duke 12 Oklahoma St.

Kansas City
3 Ohio St. 11 Xavier

Austin
2 Baylor 10 Ohio

Midwest Regional - Sweet 16

Indianapolis
1 Indiana 12 Oklahoma St.
2 Baylor 11 Xavier

Midwest Regional - Elite 8

Indianapolis
1 Indiana 2 Baylor

West Regional - Los Angeles

Kansas City
1 Kansas 16 Boston U
8 Marquette 9 New Mexico

San Jose
5 Notre Dame 12 Vanderbilt / West Virginia
4 UCLA 13 Valpo

Lexington
6 Memphis 11 St. Mary's
3 North Carolina 14 Davidson

Detroit
7 Kansas St. 10 Maryland
2 Michigan 15 Coastal Carolina

West Regional - Round of 32

Kansas City
1 Kansas 9 New Mexico

San Jose
4 UCLA 12 West Virginia

Lexington
3 North Carolina 6 Memphis

Detroit
2 Michigan 7 Kansas St.

West Regional - Sweet 16

Los Angeles
1 Kansas 4 UCLA
2 Michigan 3 North Carolina

West Regional - Elite 8

Los Angeles
3 North Carolina 4 UCLA

2013 Final Four - Atlanta

1 Indiana 2 Louisville
1 Kentucky 4 UCLA

2013 National Championship - Atlanta

2 Louisville 4 UCLA

The Louisville Cardinals are my pick to cut down the nets in the Georgia Dome this coming April. They have all the key ingredients to making a championship run. Peyton Siva returns as the unquestioned leader of the team and my preseason pick to win Big East POY. Chane Behanan is a budding superstar that is primed for a breakout year. Rick Pitino is back on the sidelines as one of the nation's premier coaches. And the Cardinals gained a ton of valuable experience during last year's Final Four run. I have them beating UCLA in the finals. The Bruins are probably as close to last year's Kentucky team as we have. I only have them as a 4-seed because I think they will struggle early in the year. UCLA is loaded with talent though, and if they find a way to mesh they will go far in the Big Dance. I like Louisville to win it all though. The Cardinals will win the National Championship, keeping it in the Bluegrass state for 1 more year.