March Madness!

March Madness is finally here! In this month alone, the #1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, and the 25th ranked teams have at least lost one game.

The number one team in the nation, Connecticut, lost a overtime game to the upset-minded Gerry MacNamera and his Syracuse Orangemen on Friday. They still will be a number one seeded team in the NCAA Tournament.

The number two team in the nation, the Villanova Wildcats, also lost a second-round Big East Tournament matchup on Friday against the Pittsburgh Panthers. They too, like Connecticut, will be a #1 seeded team in the NCAA Tournament.

Duke, the soon-to-be #1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, actually lost two ACC games before its conference tournament got underway. They lost consecutive battles to unranked Florida State and tenth ranked North Carolina, but are still ranked as a #3 seed overall.

The #5 Memphis Tigers lost to the University of Alabama-Birmingham(UAB) on March 2nd, but recovered and beat the same team in the Conference USA Final last Saturday. That loss won't effect their chances at a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

George Washington (No, not the first president of the US, but the university) surprisingly lost in the opening round of their tournament to the unranked Temple Owls. That might hurt their chances as a number one seed come the NCAA Tournament Selection Show. They will end up as a number two seed, because of their "Easy" schedulethis year.

The Texas Longhorns, the eighth ranked team in the AP Rankings, lost to Texas A&M on the first day of March, but are storming back. They will get a number 2/3 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. It would be a remarkable achievement if these Longhorns win the NCAA Tournament (The same university won the NCAA Football Title Game last January). I highly doubt it though.

Last Friday, even the ninth ranked Illinois Fightin' illini lost. They fell to the Michigan State Spartans in the second round of their Big Ten Tournament, which might have cost them a number two seed in the NCAA Tourney.

North Carolina, rival to the Duke Blue Devils, also lost a game, this time to newcomer Boston College in the semifinal round of the ACC Tourney on Saturday. Since they are a young team (starting three freshmen this year) they might get a number three seed in the Tourney.

In the first round of the Pacific-Ten tourney, the Washington Huskies (#12) got upset by the Oregon Mighty Ducks. I think they will end up as a number three seed in the Tourney.

Like Duke, the Tennessee Volunteers (#14) lost twice this month, against rival Kentucky, and in the opening round of the SEC Tourney. They are the surprising cinderella team this year, and I will give them a #2 seed in the Tourney.

The same thing happened to UPitt (University of Pittsburgh) Panthers yesterday. They lost in the Big East Final against the Orangemen, and also surprisingly lost on March 3rd against Seton Hall. Those losses might dampen their chances as a number three seed, and might get the fourth seed.

The eighteenth-ranked Louisianna State University Tigers (LSU) lost against the streaking Florida Gators in the semifinals of the SEC Tourney. They have played well this year, and they might end up as a number 4/5 seed come the Tourney.

The University of West Virginia Mountaineers (UWV) are also another team that has not played to its standard this month, losing two crucial games, one to the Cinncinati Bearcats and another to those Panthers. They have had an up-and-down season, and will get a 3 seed, if they are lucky.

The twenty-second ranked Oklahoma Soonershave also lost two straight games, their last one being a stunner. They lost to the Longhorns and to the Nebraska Cornhuskers, respectively. Don't be surprised if they end up getting a 5/6/7 seed in the Tourney.

The next team, the Georgetown Hoyas, under the son of the legendary coach John Thompson, have gradually been another one of those surprising teams this year, despite their last loss to the Orangemen this month. They will get a 5 seed in the tourney.

UAB, the team that last defeated the Tigers, are coming up strong as the Tourney approaches. They are the 24th ranked team in the country, and might get a 6th seed in the Tourney.

The last team in the AP top 25 is the North Carolina State Wolfpack . They have defeated GW once and the University of Miami twice, but are right now on a four game losing streak. I doubt that this team would get in the upcoming Tourney.

These are my predictions on the NCAA Tournament that gets underway on Tuesday. I might be wrong, but don't be surprised if my predictions are correct.