It’s time to fill out your bracket for the 2023 NCAA Tournament. For those of you looking for some help on who to take in each game, or just for some possible upsets, here is a look at who I have coming out of each region. I have also listed my Final Four predictions as well to help you win your bracket contests and pools. Be sure to check out my completed bracket for my picks in every game.
Download or print your own blank bracket to fill out.
Alabama has arguably the easiest path of any No. 1 seed and that’s why I have them making it to the Final 4. I also think the the path is pretty easy for Pac-12 Tournament champion Arizona, but the Wildcats will have to beat the Baylor/Creighton winner. That’s why I’m most confident in Alabama advancing to the Final 4 from the South.
There will be some chaos in the East Region. I think both Purdue and Marquette are vulnerable and that shows up in my bracket. I was pissed to see Memphis and Florida Atlantic matched up because I was going to pick both to make deep runs. I was also planning on taking Kentucky to make a deep run, and they’re in this region as well. Kentucky’s path is easier than that of Memphis, thus I have Kentucky making the Final 4 instead of the Tigers, who are playing as well as anyone in the country right now off consecutive blowout wins over Houston and Tulane to win the AAC Tournament.
If Alabama doesn’t have the easiest path to the Final 4 of the No. 1 seeds, it’s certainly Houston. That’s why I have the Cougars advancing in the Midwest Region. They should have their best player in Marcus Sasser back healthy after missing the Memphis game. He was a key cog in their Final 4 run two years ago and got injured during their Elite 8 run last year. I think Texas is playing as well as anyone in the country and also has an easy path to Houston, and that will be one of the best games of the tournament if it plays out that way.
The West is loaded with five teams ranked in Kenpom’s Top 11 in UCLA (2nd), UConn (4th), Gonzaga (8th), Kansas (9th) and St. Mary’s (11th). So Kansas is the fourth-best team in this region and is the No. 1 seed, and I actually agree. Kansas is vulnerable and that showed with consecutive blowout losses to Texas to close out the season, plus it’s extremely difficult to win back-to-back championships. I have Kansas losing to UConn, and I have Gonzaga beating a short-handed UCLA team to square off in the Elite 8. I could see either team winning that game, but I think UConn has fewer weaknesses and is the better defensive team, so I’ll back the Huskies to make the Final 4.
As stated in my breakdown of the regions, both Alabama and Houston have the easiest paths to the Final 4. So by process of elimination, I am taking them both to meet in the Championship Game. That will be a rematch of Alabama’s 71-65 win in Houston on December 10th earlier this season, which would make a great headline as well. This game will be played in Houston so the Cougars would have the home-court advantage, but I just don’t know if I can trust Sasser to stay healthy for six games. Alabama is the most complete team in the country and will prove it again by winning the 2023 National Championship.