NCAA Tourney: Early Bracket Predictions

Here's an early brainstorm of my bracket predictions for the 2012 NCAA Tournament -- the ultimate fantasy sports event. The official (read: fully researched) bracket will be posted on Wednesday.

South Region

Round 1 (aka The First Four)
#16 Western Kentucky over #16 Mississippi Valley State

Round 2 Winners (Thursday-Friday)
#1 Kentucky over #16 Western Kentucky
#9 UConn over #8 Iowa State
#5 Wichita State over #12 VCU
#4 Indiana over #13 New Mexico State
#11 Colorado over #6 UNLV
#3 Baylor over #14 South Dakota State
#10 Xavier over #7 Notre Dame
#2 Duke over #15 Lehigh

Round 3 Winners (Saturday-Sunday)
#1 Kentucky over #9 UConn
#5 Wichita State over #4 Indiana
#3 Baylor over #11 Colorado
#2 Duke over #10 Xavier

Round 4 Winners (Sweet 16 -- Atlanta)
#1 Kentucky over #5 Wichita State
#3 Baylor over #2 Duke

Round 5 Winners (Regional Final -- Atlanta)
#1 Kentucky over #3 Baylor

West Region

Round 1 (aka The First Four)
#14 BYU over #14 Iona

Round 2 Winners (Thursday-Friday)
#1 Michigan State over #16 LIU-Brooklyn
#8 Memphis over #9 St. Louis
#12 Long Beach State over #5 New Mexico
#4 Louisville over #13 Davidson
#6 Murray State over #11 Colorado State
#3 Marquette over #14 BYU
#7 Florida over #10 Virginia
#2 Missouri over #15 Norfolk State

Round 3 Winners (Saturday-Sunday)
#1 Michigan State over #8 Memphis
#4 Louisville over #12 Long Beach State
#6 Murray State over #3 Marquette
#2 Missouri over #7 Florida

Round 4 Winners (Sweet 16 -- Phoenix)
#1 Michigan State over #4 Louisville
#2 Missouri over #6 Murray State

Round 5 Winners (Regional Final -- Phoenix)
#2 Missouri over #1 Michigan State

East Region

Round 2 Winners (Thursday-Friday)
#1 Syracuse over #16 UNC-Asheville
#8 Kansas State over #9 Southern Miss
#5 Vanderbilt over #12 Harvard
#4 Wisconsin over #13 Montana
#6 Cincinnati over #11 Texas
#3 Florida State over #14 St. Bonaventure
#7 Gonzaga over #10 West Virginia
#2 Ohio State over #15 Loyola (Md.)

Round 3 Winners (Saturday-Sunday)
#1 Syracuse over #8 Kansas State
#5 Vanderbilt over #4 Wisconsin
#3 Florida State over #6 Cincinnati
#2 Ohio State over #7 Gonzaga

Round 4 Winners (Sweet 16 -- Boston)
#5 Vanderbilt over #1 Syracuse
#2 Ohio State over #3 Florida State

Round 5 Winners (Regional Final -- Boston)
#2 Ohio State over #5 Vanderbilt

Midwest Region

Round 1 (aka The First Four)
#16 Lamar over #16 Vermont
#12 California over #12 South Florida

Round 2 Winners (Thursday-Friday)
#1 North Carolina over #16 Lamar
#8 Creighton over #9 Alabama
#12 California over #5 Temple
#4 Michigan over #13 Ohio
#11 North Carolina State over #6 San Diego State
#3 Georgetown over #14 Belmont
#7 St. Mary's over #10 Purdue
#2 Kansas over #15 Detroit

Round 3 Winners (Saturday-Sunday)
#1 North Carolina over #8 Creighton
#4 Michigan over #12 California
#3 Georgetown over #11 N.C. State
#2 Kansas over #7 St. Mary's

Round 4 Winners (Sweet 16 -- St. Louis)
#1 North Carolina over #4 Michigan
#2 Kansas over #3 Georgetown

Round 5 Winners (Regional Final -- St. Louis)
#1 North Carolina over #2 Kansas

Final Four (New Orleans)

#1 Kentucky (South) over #2 Missouri (West)
#1 North Carolina (Midwest) over #2 Ohio State (East)

National Championship (New Orleans)
#1 North Carolina over #1 Kentucky

Jay Clemons can be reached on Twitter, day or night, at @ATL_JayClemons.