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March Madness is here and just like every other office in America, your friendly team here at DK Nation is making their picks!
We gathered our staff of those that follow every bounce of the ball all season long (Collin, Chinmay, Nick, Erik), and those that spend most of the season feeding their backyard chickens when their alma mater Wichita State isn’t playing (Chet) to make their choices as to who wins the national championship.
Here’s who everyone has cutting down the nets in NOLA!
Collin Sherwin, Deputy College Sports Editor
Final Four: Arkansas, Kentucky, Arizona, Auburn
National Champion: Arizona
I went to both the WCC and Pac-12 Finals here in Las Vegas, and two of my questions got answered:
- Can Gonzaga protect the rim well enough with Chet Holmgren and Drew Timme to win it all? I came up with no, even though I think the Zags are one of the best three teams in the country. Arkansas is a nightmare matchup because it’s a team that can defend 1-to-5 in space with speed.
- Can Arizona win it all even if they get nothing from injured point guard Kerr Kriisa? And I think yes because they just have so many dudes, including two cold-blooded closers in Azuolas Tubelis and Bennedict Mathurin.
If the Zags get past Arkansas, Gonzaga-Arizona could be the most entertaining college basketball game in a decade. But as it lies, this is how my bracket shook out.
I have plenty of first round upsets (Chattanooga, Colgate, Loyola), and Saint Mary’s in the Elite Eight (!!), but a lot of chalk outside of the Razorbacks. However with no super-dominant team and a lot of parity, I think plenty of “expert” brackets are papier-maché by Sunday night.
Ben Zweiman, Senior Managing Editor
Final Four: Gonzaga, Arizona, Kentucky, Iowa
National Champion: Kentucky
It’s a Kentucky year. That’s all I’ve got.
Chinmay Vaidya, Jr. Sports Editor
Final Four: Gonzaga, Kentucky, Arizona, Wisconsin,
National Champion: Arizona
Let me preface this by saying I don’t feel good about any of these picks. This college basketball season has been marked by inconsistency, late-game collapses and no truly elite teams. That means this bracket is either going to be one of the wildest in recent memory or stay relatively chalky.
I do like several teams to spring upsets in the round of 64, with Loyola, Richmond and New Mexico State headlining that group. However, I think we see the top seeds ultimately phase out these bracket busters by the Elite Eight round.
Gonzaga and Arizona have been the most consistent teams, while Kentucky has the upside most other teams lack. Wisconsin has been a nice surprise this season, so I like the Badgers to take out Auburn and Kansas on the way to the Final Four. I’d like to see Gonzaga win it all this year but after the way last season ended, I’ll take Tommy Lloyd’s Wildcats to cut down the nets at the end of this tournament.
David Fucillo, Head of Sports Betting Content
Final Four: Gonzaga, Kentucky, Kansas, Tennessee
National Champion: Gonzaga
When you’re running a website, it’s easy to not pay super close attention to an individual sport. And with that, I’ll just say it’s time for the Bulldogs to finally cut down the nets.
Kate Magdziuk, Editorial Coordinator
Final Four: Kentucky, Gonzaga, Arizona, Wisconsin
National Champion: Arizona
I’m more of a football nerd, so pardon the lack of hardcore analysis here, but technically speaking, we all have a 1 in 9.2 quintillion chance of submitting the perfect bracket. Really, my chances of hitting on the Final Four feel as good as any. Arizona dominated the Pac-12, and if they wind up with Kerr Kriisa back in the lineup as he returns from a nasty-looking ankle injury, the Wildcats could be unstoppable.
Chet Gresham, Deputy NFL Editor
Final Four: Kentucky, Gonzaga, Arizona, Iowa
National Champion: Gonzaga
I like people named Chet, so Gonzaga gets an obvious boost there with Chet Holmgren towering over the competition. Otherwise, I think Iowa keeps up the hot play in a region they only need to upset Kansas to win. But, in the end, it’s the big dogs that end up eating.