NCAA Tournament 2012: Final Bracket Predictions

Here's a look at my final bracket for the 2012 NCAA basketball tournament, the ultimate fantasy game of chance. I originally had Vanderbilt knocking off 1-seed Syracuse (Sweet 16) in Monday's brainstorm bracket...so Fab Melo's dismissal from the mighty Orange's lineup was never really a factor.

A few notes: I must have changed the picks for Long Beach State vs. New Mexico (West region) and Long Beach State vs. Louisville (the following round) at least seven times but finally settled on the 49ers toppling the Lobos before falling to Rick Pitino's Cardinals two days later.

And as a proud Michigan State alum, I sincerely hope that I'm wrong about the West final...although in this Season Of Zero Expectations, I'll be thrilled if Sparty outlasts Memphis and Louisville (or Long Beach) before the clash with Mizzou.

South Region

Round 2 Winners (Thursday-Friday)

No. 1 Kentucky over No. 16 Western Kentucky
No. 9 UConn over No. 8 Iowa State
No. 5 Wichita State over No. 12 VCU
No. 4 Indiana over No. 13 New Mexico State
No. 11 Colorado over No. 6 UNLV
No. 3 Baylor over No. 14 South Dakota State
No. 7 Notre Dame over No. 10 Xavier
No. 2 Duke over No. 15 Lehigh

Round 3 Winners (Saturday-Sunday)
No. 1 Kentucky over No. 9 UConn
No. 5 Wichita State over No. 4 Indiana
No. 3 Baylor over No. 11 Colorado
No. 2 Duke over No. 7 Notre Dame

Round 4 Winners (Sweet 16, Atlanta)
No. 1 Kentucky over No. 5 Wichita State
No. 3 Baylor over No. 2 Duke

Round 5 Winners (South Final, Atlanta)
No. 1 Kentucky over No. 3 Baylor

West Region

Round 2 Winners (Thursday-Friday)
No. 1 Michigan State over No. 16 LIU-Brooklyn
No. 8 Memphis over No. 9 St. Louis
No. 12 Long Beach State over No. 5 New Mexico
No. 4 Louisville over No. 13 Davidson
No. 6 Murray State over No. 11 Colorado State
No. 3 Marquette over No. 14 BYU
No. 7 Florida over No. 10 Virginia
No. 2 Missouri over No. 15 Norfolk State

Round 3 Winners (Saturday-Sunday)
No. 1 Michigan State over No. 8 Memphis
No. 4 Louisville over No. 12 Long Beach State
No. 6 Murray State over No. 3 Marquette
No. 2 Missouri over No. 7 Florida

Round 4 Winners (Sweet 16, Phoenix)
No. 1 Michigan State over No. 4 Louisville
No. 2 Missouri over No. 6 Murray State

Round 5 Winners (West Final, Phoenix)
No. 2 Missouri over No. 1 Michigan State

East Region

Round 2 Winners (Thursday-Friday)
No. 1 Syracuse over No. 16 UNC-Asheville
No. 8 Kansas State over No. 9 Southern Miss
No. 5 Vanderbilt over No. 12 Harvard
No. 4 Wisconsin over No. 13 Montana
No. 11 Texas over No. 6 Cincinnati
No. 3 Florida State over No. 14 St. Bonaventure
No. 10 West Virginia over No. 7 Gonzaga
No. 2 Ohio State over No. 15 Loyola (Md.)

Round 3 Winners (Saturday-Sunday)
No. 1 Syracuse over No. 8 Kansas State
No. 5 Vanderbilt over No. 4 Wisconsin
No. 3 Florida State over No. 11 Texas
No. 2 Ohio State over No. 10 West Virginia

Round 4 Winners (Sweet 16, Boston)
No. 5 Vanderbilt over No. 1 Syracuse
No. 2 Ohio State over No. 3 Florida State

Round 5 Winners (East Final, Boston)
No. 2 Ohio State over No. 5 Vanderbilt

Midwest Region

Round 2 Winners (Thursday-Friday)
No. 1 North Carolina over No. 16 Vermont
No. 8 Creighton over No. 9 Alabama
No. 12 South Florida over No. 5 Temple
No. 4 Michigan over No. 13 Ohio
No. 11 North Carolina State over No. 6 San Diego State
No. 3 Georgetown over No. 14 Belmont
No. 10 Purdue over No. 7 St. Mary's
No. 2 Kansas over No. 15 Detroit

Round 3 Winners (Saturday-Sunday)
No. 1 North Carolina over No. 8 Creighton
No. 4 Michigan over No. 12 South Florida
No. 11 N.C. State over No. 3 Georgetown
No. 2 Kansas over No. 10 Purdue

Round 4 Winners (Sweet 16, St. Louis)
No. 1 North Carolina over No. 4 Michigan
No. 2 Kansas over No. 11 N.C. State

Round 5 Winners (Midwest Final, St. Louis)
No. 1 North Carolina over No. 2 Kansas

Final Four (New Orleans)

No. 1 Kentucky (South) over No. 2 Missouri (West)
#1 North Carolina (Midwest) over #2 Ohio State (East)

National Championship (New Orleans)
No. 1 North Carolina over No. 1 Kentucky (168 tiebreaker points)

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