Lou Pickney's Online Commentary

Picking The 2003 NCAA Men's Tournament

Here are my picks for the 2003 NCAA Men's basketball tournament. One of the first columns I posted on what was then the new LouPickney.com URL last year was my 2002 Tournament prediction. I took Oklahoma over Maryland, which wasn't good enough to win the WSAZ pick-em pool.

Even though it's been nearly two years since I left WSAZ, I still remain a yearly participant in the station's pick-em. The participants tend to lean loyal to teams like Kentucky, Florida, Indiana, the MAC, etc. So I took that into account. Three years ago the Florida/Butler game killed me (Butler, who I picked, lost in OT, and Florida went to the finals).

This year, I decided to pick a team that might get overlooked, but who I think has as good a shot as any team of winning: Mississippi State. Mario Austin and company are going to take it to them. Watch and see.

Midwest Region

Weber State is the only upset I project in this round.

Second Round
1 Kentucky over 8 Oregon
4 Dayton over 12 Weber State
3 Marquette over 6 Missouri
2 Pittsburgh over 15 Wagner

As you can tell, I'm playing it safe on these picks.

Sweet 16
1 Kentucky over 4 Dayton
2 Pittsburgh over 3 Marquette

That Pittsburgh/Marquette game should be very physical and intense.

Midwest Regional Final
1 Kentucky over 2 Pittsburgh

I don't see anyone in this region having what it takes to stop the Big Blue.

West Region

UW-Milwaukee head coach Bruce Pearl once lead the University of Southern Indiana to the Division II national title. Look for him to now lead UWM to an upset over slumping Notre Dame.

Second Round
1 Arizona over 9 Gonzaga
12 UW-Milwaukee over 4 Illinois
3 Duke over 14 Colorado State
2 Kansas over 7 Memphis

We'll see if Wisconsin-Milwaukee lives up to my upset prediction...

Sweet 16
1 Arizona over 12 UW-Milwaukee
3 Duke over 2 Kansas

'Zona is just too tough. And that Duke/Kansas game should be great...

West Regional Final
1 Arizona over 3 Duke

When the Wildcats have their "A game" going, no one in the country, UK included, is better.

South Region

Colorado impressed in the Big XII tournament; look for them to knock off MSU.

Second Round
1 Texas over 8 LSU
5 Connecticut over 4 Stanford
6 Maryland over 3 Xavier
2 Florida over 10 Colorado

The defending champs vs. Xavier should be a great game. My friend Brook Gardiner thinks Maryland has a good chance to win it all. I think they don't have the talent or drive to repeat -- but I like them to upset a talented Xavier team. We shall see...

Sweet 16
1 Texas over 5 Connecticut
2 Florida over 6 Maryland

This would set up a great Florida vs. Texas matchup.

South Regional Final
2 Florida over 1 Texas

The Gators have the chance to put SEC bragging rights on the line against the Big XII... I like UF, but not by much, over T.J. Ford and company.

East Region

I think I picked Penn just to spite my friends from Princeton who are all very much anti-Penn...

Second Round
1 Oklahoma over 9 N.C. State
5 Mississippi State over 4 Louisville
3 Syracuse over 11 Penn
2 Wake Forest over 7 St. Joseph's

This region is underrated in its talent level... The West has received a great deal of attention, but don't overlook the East.

Sweet 16
5 Mississippi State over 1 Oklahoma
3 Syracuse over 2 Wake Forest

Upset city! Syracuse playing in the state of New York will have home court advantage; MSU already holds one win over Oklahoma this season.

South Regional Final
5 Mississippi State over 3 Syracuse

Look for the Bulldogs to upend the 'Cuse in a thriller.

FINAL FOUR

I see Arizona beating Kentucky in an all-time classic, and MSU beating Florida in a battle of SEC rivals.

2003 NCAA Championship

I decided to go with the long-shot Bulldogs in the pool. Arizona has a tough team, but something tells me this is the year that the Bulldogs "shock the world". We'll all see soon enough.

March 2003 Commentary Page Commentary Archive Return to the Lou Pickney Homepage