By: Kipp Branch

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

It is that time of the year again where you fill out your brackets and let the madness start.

As I type this story I am sitting here watching Arizona getting blown out by Buffalo by 21 points and not many will have predicted this. I had Arizona going to the sweet 16 in my bracket.

Another surprise in my bracket was Miami going down in the first round to Loyola Chicago. I had the Canes going deep into the tournament. How many people on social media will say they picked Buffalo and Loyola in their big money brackets?

So how are my brackets holding up? I am taking a beating in my South Bracket so far with Arizona and Miami losing.

I am on the Virginia bandwagon as I have the Cavs coming out of the South. Virginia plays defense like the old school Bad Boy Detroit Pistons of the late 1980’s and will be a tough team to beat in this tourney.

In my West bracket Houston came through for me with a first round buzzer beater against San Diego State. I have picked Ohio State to upset its way to the regional final by knocking off Gonzaga and number 1 seeded Xavier along the way.

I have Michigan beating North Carolina in the sweet sixteen to face the Buckeyes in the regional final. Can you imagine a Michigan/Ohio State regional final to go to the final four? The West is my upset bracket. I have Michigan coming out of the West.

My East bracket is all about Villanova. I have Nova going through this bracket and making it to the final four. I have seventh seeded Arkansas upsetting Purdue to get to the sweet sixteen. I have Texas Tech beating both Florida and Arkansas to get to Villanova in the regional final.

My Midwest Bracket held up today with Rhode Island beating Oklahoma in OT today. Now they face Duke where their season will end.

I have top seeded Kansas getting to regional final by beating Clemson. Kansas over the years has won me a lot money in previous editions of March Madness. I have third seeded Michigan State beating Duke in the sweet sixteen and then beating Kansas for a trip to the final four.

My final four match ups are: Virginia vs Michigan. Villanova vs Michigan State

Two number one seeds and two number three seeds. I am taking Virginia over Michigan because the ACC champs can defend better than any team in this tournament.

I am taking Michigan State over Villanova because the Spartans are just due under Tom Izzo to win a high profile matchup.

In the title game I have Virginia cutting down the nets baby. Virginia proves that the ACC is the best basketball conference in the country.

I will leave you this week with this little nugget my girlfriend picked Arizona to win the National Championship in her bracket.

March Madness is a national treasure.