NCAA Bracket 2016: Schedule, Title Picks and Predictions After Selection Sunday

The 2016 NCAA tournament bracket dropped on Selection Sunday, as college basketball fans and even casual observers of the game gear up for the long-awaited annual chance to make predictions.

Before proceeding for further bracket advice and a brief overview of the top teams and title picks, check out the complete tournament field:

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About the only certainty regarding the Big Dance is uncertainty. That's why this time of year in the sport is referred to as March Madness. At least one team will emerge with an unfathomable upset victory, busting brackets almost everywhere.

If that sounds like muddled, noncommittal and hedge-bet rhetoric, that's because it is. Searching for tournament trends over the years makes one's head spin.

As a prime example: Getting hot during a conference tournament doesn't necessarily translate to a deep March Madness run. Look back to Iowa during the 2005-06 campaign. A trendy, pseudo-sleeper Final Four pick, the Hawkeyes were after going undefeated at home in the regular season and winning the Big Ten tourney.

That Iowa bunch fell to 14th-seeded Northwestern State in its Big Dance opener. The Hawkeyes didn't return to the NCAA tournament's round of 64 until last year, when two other No. 14 seeds pulled off improbable wins.

Making matters more trying in 2016 is the depth of competition and general parity dynamic created by the wild card of many big-name programs building around one-and-done NBA prospects.

Sports Illustrated's Seth Davis referenced how it's been hard as any time in recent memory to narrow the Big Dance field:

Looking at this season's crop of contenders, it's rather safe to presume one of the No. 1 seeds will be cutting down the nets at NRG Stadium in Houston at the conclusion of the Final Four. Determining which squad that will be is the tricky part.

Eight of the past 11 national champions have been No. 1 seeds. Although three No. 1s made the national semifinals in 2015, the year before, a seventh-seeded Connecticut defeated an eighth-seeded Kentucky to win the national championship—and only one top seed advanced out of its region.

The blend of program pedigrees, returning experienced players and quality of coaching that headline this NCAA tournament makes every No. 1 seed a commodity that can be easily endorsed.

The Kansas Jayhawks have won 14 straight games and have thrived with the target on their back as the clear favorites in both major national polls.

Coach Bill Self hinted at how the innate chemistry between his top contributors in Perry Ellis, Wayne Selden Jr., Frank Mason III and Devonte' Graham has helped the Jayhawks thrive, per CBSSports.com's Dennis Dodd:

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Sometimes when you play at a place like Kansas you have to win and that's their mindset. As opposed to, 'Let's just go have fun and play.' I think those guys are doing a better job of just going and playing.

Pleasure should exceed pressure. A lot of time that doesn't happen in sports.

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After losing in the round of 32 last year, Self and his players will be eager to prove themselves this time around.

The same can be said for the Virginia Cavaliers, who fell to the dangerous North Carolina Tar Heels in the ACC tournament title game. Conference Player of the Year Malcolm Brogdon leads Virginia but was only 6-of-22 shooting versus UNC, whose coach, Roy Williams, willingly went with the Cavs' grinding, defensive style of basketball and saw his side emerge triumphant.

Brogdon and Virginia have a chip on their shoulder to prove they're among the nation's true elite. They also lost as a No. 2 seed in the second round in 2015, so there's reason to believe the Cavs can proceed just as far or further than the Tar Heels in the NCAA tournament.

To bet on an ultimate champion, though, it's hard to go against the Tom Izzo-coached Michigan State Spartans, especially after being slighted and snubbed out of a No. 1 seed despite ranking second in the last Associated Press poll.

Izzo guided the team to a Final Four berth as a No. 7 seed last year and returned a lot of players from that team in 2015-16. Now Sparty has banded together and largely benefited from the phenomenal perimeter play of Denzel Valentine, a senior who's a threat to post a triple-double any time he steps on the court.

With a playmaker like Valentine, a sharpshooter like Bryn Forbes and leadership of Izzo's caliber, Michigan State is a legitimate juggernaut and has more collective talent than Izzo is accustomed to working with.

It therefore stands to reason the most prestigious piece of hardware in college basketball will be coming to East Lansing for the second time in Izzo's legendary tenure.

Sign up and play Bleacher Report's Bracket Challenge now for a chance to win the Ultimate Sports Trip to four events of your choice. And click here for B/R's Printable Bracket.