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Dick Vitale makes his 2022 NCAA tournament picks, names final 2021-22 Player of the Week

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Dickie V honored at SEC men's basketball tourney (0:34)

Dick Vitale is recognized at the SEC tournament for his contributions to the sport, the league and his fight against cancer. (0:34)

The 2022 NCAA tournament is going to be super, scintillating, sensational. I can't wait for it to get started on Tuesday night in Dayton, Ohio. There are several teams that could cut down the nets in New Orleans on April 4th, but here are my picks. March Madness is going to be awesome, baby!

WEST

FIRST ROUND

GONZAGA OVER GEORGIA STATE
MEMPHIS OVER BOISE STATE
CONNECTICUT OVER NEW MEXICO STATE
ARKANSAS OVER VERMONT
ALABAMA OVER NOTRE DAME
TEXAS TECH OVER MONTANA STATE
DAVIDSON OVER MICHIGAN STATE
DUKE OVER CSU FULLERTON

SECOND ROUND

GONZAGA OVER MEMPHIS
ARKANSAS OVER UCONN
TEXAS TECH OVER ALABAMA
DUKE OVER DAVIDSON

SWEET 16

GONZAGA OVER ARKANSAS
TEXAS TECH OVER DUKE

ELITE EIGHT

GONZAGA OVER TEXAS TECH


EAST

FIRST ROUND

BAYLOR OVER NORFOLK STATE
NORTH CAROLINA OVER MARQUETTE
SAINT MARYS OVER INDIANA
UCLA OVER AKRON
TEXAS OVER VIRGINIA TECH
PURDUE OVER YALE
MURRAY STATE OVER SAN FRANCISCO
KENTUCKY OVER SAINT PETERS

SECOND ROUND

BAYLOR OVER NORTH CAROLINA
UCLA OVER SAINT MARYS
PURDUE OVER TEXAS
KENTUCKY OVER MURRAY STATE

SWEET 16

UCLA OVER BAYLOR
KENTUCKY OVER PURDUE

ELITE EIGHT

KENTUCKY OVER UCLA


SOUTH

FIRST ROUND

ARIZONA OVER BRYANT
SETON HALL OVER TCU
UAB OVER HOUSTON
ILLINOIS OVER CHATTANOOGA
MICHIGAN OVER COLORADO STATE
TENNESSEE OVER LONGWOOD
LOYOLA CHICAGO OVER OHIO STATE
VILLANOVA OVER DELAWARE

SECOND ROUND

ARIZONA OVER SETON HALL
ILLINOIS OVER UAB
TENNESSEE OVER MICHIGAN
VILLANOVA OVER LOYOLA CHICAGO

SWEET 16

ILLINOIS OVER ARIZONA
TENNESSEE OVER VILLANOVA

ELITE EIGHT

TENNESSEE OVER ILLINOIS


MIDWEST

FIRST ROUND

KANSAS OVER TEXAS SOUTHERN
CREIGHTON OVER SAN DIEGO STATE
IOWA OVER RICHMOND
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE OVER PROVIDENCE
LSU OVER IOWA STATE
WISCONSIN OVER COLGATE
MIAMI OVER USC
AUBURN OVER JACKSONVILLE STATE

SECOND ROUND

KANSAS OVER CREIGHTON
IOWA OVER SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
WISCONSIN OVER LSU
AUBURN OVER MIAMI

SWEET 16

IOWA OVER KANSAS
WISCONSIN OVER AUBURN

ELITE EIGHT

IOWA OVER WISCONSIN


FINAL FOUR

KENTUCKY OVER GONZAGA
IOWA OVER TENNESSEE

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

KENTUCKY OVER IOWA


Every week in 2021-22, I have handed out awards for the week that just unfolded in college basketball and unveiled a new top 25. Here are my final awards and Top 25 for this season:

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Keegan Murray, Iowa. He set a Big Ten tournament record with 103 points in four Big Ten tournament games.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: Virginia Tech. The Hokies beat Clemson, Notre Dame, North Carolina and Duke to capture the ACC title .

COACH OF THE WEEK: Tommy Lloyd, Arizona. The Wildcats won the Pac-12 tourney, beating UCLA in the final.

SHOCK OF THE WEEK: Rider over Iona. Rider came in 13-18 and stunned the 25-win Gaels in the MAAC tournament.

DIAPER DANDY OF THE WEEK: Kennedy Chandler, Tennessee. He had 19 points in the SEC semifinal win over Kentucky and led the Vols to the SEC title on Sunday.

VITALE'S TOP 25:

1. Gonzaga
2. Arizona
3. Tennessee
4. Kansas
5. Villanova
6. Kentucky
7. Purdue
8. Baylor
9. Duke
10. Auburn
11. UCLA
12. Iowa
13. Texas Tech
14. Houston
15. Murray State
16. Wisconsin
17. Saint Mary's
18. UConn
19. Providence
20. USC
21. Illinois
22. Arkansas
23. North Carolina
24. Michigan State
25. South Dakota State

The 17th annual Dick Vitale Gala, benefiting the V Foundation, will be held May 6, 2022, at the Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota, Florida. For more information visit dickvitaleonline.com.