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.