DAYTON, Ohio -- The field is set. The office pools are coming together. The brackets are being filled.
Who ya got!?
Here are DKPS writers Corey Crisan and Cory Giger's filled-out bracket picks for the 2023 NCAA Tournament:
THE BRACKET 🙌#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/HZYnwD3s3x
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 12, 2023
SOUTH REGION
• CRISAN
- Round of 64: 1 Alabama def. 16 Texas A&M-CC/SEMO; 8 Maryland def. 9 West Virginia; 5 San Diego State def. 12 Coll. of Charleston; 4 Virginia def. 13 Furman; 6 Creighton def. 11 NC State; 14 UC-Santa Barbara def. 3 Baylor; 10 Utah State def. 7 Missouri; 2 Arizona def. 10 Princeton.
- Round of 32: 1 Alabama def. 8 Maryland; 4 Virginia def. 5 SDSU; 14 UCSB def. 6 Creighton; 2 Arizona def. 10 Utah State.
- Sweet 16: 1 Alabama def. 4 Virginia; 2 Arizona def. 14 UCSB.
- Elite 8: 1 Alabama def. 2 Arizona.
- Crisan's Take: Pending anything nuts to happen to Alabama as a result of the Brandon Miller situation (and Nate Oats making it a million times worse), I only see Virginia as true competition to them in this region. UC-Santa Barbara is my Saint Peter's this year. I love the way the Gauchos' Ajay Mitchell scores it and I love the speed they play at.
• GIGER
- Round of 64: 1 Alabama def. 16 Texas A&M-CC/SEMO; 9 West Virginia def. 8 Maryland; 5 San Diego State def. 12 Coll. of Charleston; 4 Virginia def. 13 Furman; 6 Creighton def. 11 NC State; 3 Baylor def. 14 UC-Santa Barbara; 10 Utah State def. 7 Missouri; 2 Arizona def. 10 Princeton.
- Round of 32: 1 Alabama def. 9 West Virginia; 4 Virginia def. 5 SDSU; 3 Baylor def. 6 Creighton; 2 Arizona def. 10 Utah State.
- Sweet 16: 1 Alabama def. 4 Virginia; 3 Baylor def. 2 Arizona.
- Elite 8: 1 Alabama def. 3 Baylor.
- Giger's Take: Agree with Crisan about the off-court issues could affect Bama, and short of that, the team is built for a Final Four run. Overall, I see this as a pretty weak region. Crisan is nuts with his Gauchos love. They're not beating Baylor.
EAST REGION
• CRISAN
- Round of 64: 1 Purdue def. 16 Texas Southern/FDU; 9 FAU def. Memphis; 5 Duke def. 12 Oral Roberts; 4 Tennessee def. 13 Louisiana; 6 Kentucky def. 11 Providence; 3 Kansas State def. 14 Montana State; 10 USC def. 7 Michigan State; 2 Marquette def. 15 Vermont.
- Round of 32: 1 Purdue def. 9 FAU; 5 Duke def. 4 Tennessee; 3 Kansas State def.6 Kentucky; 2 Marquette def. 10 USC.
- Sweet 16: 5 Duke def. 1 Purdue; 2 Marquette def. 3 Kansas State.
- Elite 8: 2 Marquette def. 5 Duke.
- Crisan's Take: I have ZERO confidence in Purdue (and, the rest of the Big Ten) outside of Zach Edey. Duke (and Kyle Filipowski are) hotter than Hades right now. Do the math there. But, I like Marquette in the long run after coming out of a LOADED Big East.
• GIGER
- Round of 64: 1 Purdue def. 16 Texas Southern/FDU; 8 Memphis def. 9 FAU; 5 Duke def. 12 Oral Roberts; 4 Tennessee def. 13 Louisiana; 6 Kentucky def. 11 Providence; 3 Kansas State def. 14 Montana State; 7 Michigan State def. 10 USC; 2 Marquette def. 15 Vermont.
- Round of 32: 1 Purdue def. 8 Memphis; 5 Duke def. 4 Tennessee; 3 Kansas State def. 6 Kentucky; 2 Marquette def. 7 Michigan State.
- Sweet 16: 1 Purdue def. 5 Duke; 2 Marquette def. 3 Kansas State.
- Elite 8: 1 Purdue def. 2 Marquette.
- Giger's Take: I really like Marquette. And Duke is playing great. But Purdue has 7-4 Zach Edey and good shooters, so I'll take the Boilers. Crisan's anti-Big Ten take is warranted for most of the conference, just not Purdue.
MIDWEST REGION
• CRISAN
- Round of 64: 1 Houston def. 16 Northern Kentucky; 9 Auburn def. 8 Iowa; 5 Miami def. 12 Drake; 4 Indiana def. 13 Kent State; 6 Iowa State def. 11 Mississippi State/Pitt; 3 Xavier def. 14 Kennesaw State; 7 Texas A&M def. 10 Penn State; 2 Texas def. 15 Colgate.
- Round of 32: 1 Houston def. 9 Auburn; 4 Indiana def. 5 Miami; 3 Xavier def. 6 Iowa State; 2 Texas def. 7 Texas A&M.
- Sweet 16: 1 Houston def. 4 Indiana; 2 Texas def. 3 Xavier.
- Elite 8: 1 Houston def. 2 Texas.
- Crisan's Take: This is the chalkiest region in my book. That Kent State/Indiana opener TERRIFIES me if I am a Hoosiers fan, though. Sincere Carry -- once upon a time a middle schooler at Hickory up in Hermitage, Pa. -- is a phenomenal guard. That game will be a must-watch. Sorry, Pitt and Penn State fans, I just don't see the run here.
• GIGER
- Round of 64: 1 Houston def. 16 Northern Kentucky; 8 Iowa def. 9 Auburn; 5 Miami def. 12 Drake; 4 Indiana def. 13 Kent State; 6 Iowa State def. 11 Mississippi State/Pitt; 3 Xavier def. 14 Kennesaw State; 10 Penn State def. 7 Texas A&M; 2 Texas def. 15 Colgate.
- Round of 32: 1 Houston def. 8 Iowa; 4 Indiana def. 5 Miami; 6 Iowa State def. 3 Xavier; 2 Texas def. 10 Penn State.
- Sweet 16: 1 Houston def. 4 Indiana; 2 Texas def. 6 Iowa State.
- Elite 8: 2 Texas def. 1 Houston
- Giger's Take: Longhorns have handled the Chris Beard firing exceptionally well and have what it takes to win it all. I see Pitt losing to MIssissippi State in First Four. Panthers just haven't looked good down the stretch.
WEST REGION
• CRISAN
- Round of 64: 1 Kansas def. 16 Howard; 8 Arkansas def. 9 Illinois; 5 Saint Mary's def. 12 VCU; 4 UConn def. 13 Iona; 6 TCU def. 11 Arizona State/Nevada; 3 Gonzaga def. 14 Grand Canyon; 10 Boise State def. 7 Northwestern; 2 UCLA def. 15 UNC-Asheville.
- Round of 32: 1 Kansas def. 8 Arkansas; 4 UConn def. 5 Saint Mary's; 3 Gonzaga def. 6 TCU; 2 UCLA def 10 Boise State.
- Sweet 16: 4 UConn def. 1 Kansas; 2 UCLA def. 3 Gonzaga.
- Elite 8: 4 UConn def. 2 UCLA
- Crisan's Take: I REALLY wanted to pick UCLA here, but I just couldn't after I just saw them carelessly fumble away the Pac-12 title game like that. UConn coach Dan Hurley is one of the handful of coaches I want on my bench, despite some of his struggles in the postseason. This team will play desperate in this tournament and can make a run. Just a gut feeling.
• GIGER
- Round of 64: 1 Kansas def. 16 Howard; 8 Arkansas def. 9 Illinois; 5 Saint Mary's def. 12 VCU; 4 UConn def. 13 Iona; 6 TCU def. 11 Arizona State/Nevada; 3 Gonzaga def. 14 Grand Canyon; 7 Northwestern def. 10 Boise State; 2 UCLA def. 15 UNC-Asheville.
- Round of 32: 1 Kansas def. 8 Arkansas; 4 UConn def. 5 Saint Mary's; 3 Gonzaga def. 6 TCU; 2 UCLA def 7 Northwestern.
- Sweet 16: 1 Kansas def. 4 UConn; 2 UCLA def. 3 Gonzaga.
- Elite 8: 1 Kansas def. 2 UCLA
- Giger's Take: UConn??? Is my man Corey serious with that? Hahaha. No way Huskies are getting to Final Four. Kansas is my pick to win it all.
FINAL FOUR
• CRISAN: 1 Alabama def. 2 Marquette; 1 Houston def. 4 UConn.
• GIGER: 1 Alabama def. 1 Purdue; 1 Kansas def. 2 Texas
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
• CRISAN: 1 Houston def. 1 Alabama
Crisan's Take: Houston is, bar none, the best basketball team I have seen this season, end of story. The Cougars are the only team in the sport to rank in the Top 11 in each of adjusted offensive efficiency (11th) and adjusted defensive efficiency (4th), per KenPom, and they are masterful at slowing the game down to their pace. I have full confidence in Kelvin Sampson. This is their year.
• GIGER: 1 Kansas def. 1 Alabama
Giger's take: Texas has downed Kansas twice in the past week, but I'll take the Jayhawks to win the most important matchup and win it all for the second straight year.