March Madness 2016: Dates, Predictions, TV Schedule and Bracket Analysis

Elation, outrage, denial and confusion. Those are just some of the emotions that college basketball teams and their fans felt as they found out their respective fates on Selection Sunday. 

The NCAA tournament bracket is all set as 68 teams will begin the journey toward the national championship.

"

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.

"

For those who don't want to miss a single game, here are the dates and the television schedule for the tournament:

Date	Round	TV
March 15-16	First Four (Dayton, Ohio)	Tru TV
March 17-18	First Round (Raleigh, N.C.; Providence, R.I.; Des Moines, Iowa; Denver; Brooklyn, N.Y.; St. Louis; Spokane, Wash.; and Oklahoma City)	CBS, TruTV, TNT, TBS
March 19-20	Second Round (Raleigh, N.C.; Providence, R.I.; Des Moines, Iowa; Denver; Brooklyn, N.Y.; St. Louis; Spokane, Wash.; and Oklahoma City)	CBS, TruTV, TNT, TBS
March 24-25	Sweet 16 (Louisville, Ky.; Anaheim, Calif.; Chicago; and Philadelphia)	CBS, TBS
March 26	Elite Eight (West, South Regions)	CBS
March 27	Elite Eight (East, Midwest Regions)	TBS
April 2	Final Four (Houston)	TBS, TNT, TruTV
April 4	National Championship Game (Houston)	TBS, TNT, TruTV

Bracket Analysis

South Region

Kansas is the NCAA tournament's first overall seed after a 30-4 season and a Big 12 championship. The Jayhawks are continuing their high standard of play, as it is the seventh straight season they have had a top-two seed in the tournament. 

That's the longest streak in NCAA tournament history. 

The selection committee didn't give the Jayhawks the top seed in the tournament based only on those credentials, though. Kansas has a high-powered offense that has averaged over 80 points per game this season, while its defense has allowed fewer than 70. That's a good recipe for winning. 

The Jayhawks also have one of the top players in the nation in senior forward Perry Ellis, who has become a solid scorer near the basket, as Kansas Basketball shows: 

In the Big 12 tournament, Ellis averaged 19.3 points per game over three nights, and his team will look to him as its veteran leader in the Big Dance. 

Kansas does have some competition in the likes of No. 2 Villanova and No. 5 Maryland, its main threats.

Villanova is led by the pure shooting of Kris Jenkins and the hard-nosed leadership of Ryan Arcidiacono, while Maryland has a trio of stars in guards Melo Trimble, Rasheed Sulaimon and forward Diamond Stone. 

But Villanova has underwhelmed in March in the past—not to mention Seton Hall upset the Wildcats in the Big East championship game on Saturday. 

In the past month, Maryland has lost to Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue and Wisconsin, which aren't necessarily bad losses. But a stumble at Minnesota is, especially for a team that was challenging for a No. 1 seed earlier this season. 

Prediction: Kansas wins the South

West Region

The West Region provided one of the more surprising No. 1 seeds. The Pac-12's Oregon used a dominant run in the conference tournament to give the committee one last solid impression before Selection Sunday.

In each of their three games, the Ducks scored at least 83 points while beating second-seeded Utah 88-57 in the title game.

This region is going to provide a much stiffer test than what the Pac-12 has to offer, though. The West includes teams such No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 3 Texas A&M and No. 4 Duke. 

Oklahoma has the most explosive scorer in the nation with Buddy Hield, who has put up 25.0 points per game this season. His play helped the Sooners to a 25-7 record, but they couldn't overcome West Virginia's press in the Big 12 tournament. 

Oklahoma could have a big problem on its hands if it plays VCU's havoc defense in the second round. Big enough where we could see a No. 10 seed upset a No. 2. 

No. 4 Duke has had problems defensively shutting down the glass and defending the rim all season. It doesn't have a ton of size, and its physicality is questionable at best. 

A second-round matchup with No. 5 Baylor, a team that loves to attack the paint with the likes of Taurean Prince and Rico Gathers, could show the Blue Devils the door.

But the most complete team in the West is Texas A&M. The Aggies have a top-30 defense and have a well-rounded, deep lineup that contains versatile scorers in guards Jalen Jones and Danuel House, both of whom averaged over 15 points per game this season. 

Texas A&M also has plenty of size to bully its way down low, led by Tyler Davis (6'10"). Having competed in the SEC, a tougher conference than the Pac-12, A&M has the legs and the depth to beat Oregon. 

Prediction: Texas A&M wins the West

East Region

When it comes to the East Region, the old adage of defense wins championships will ring true. There are plenty of high-powered schools in this bracket with No. 1 seed North Carolina, surprising No. 2 Xavier and the always-dangerous No. 4 Kentucky.    

The problem for them is that they are in the same bracket as West Virginia, better known as "Press Virginia" because of its full-court, high-intensity defense that has perplexed opponents all year. 

The Mountaineers are forcing an average of 18.5 turnovers per game this season. Only Stephen F. Austin has forced more in 2015-16. 

The Mountaineers can also shut down the best in the game, as Oklahoma's Hield spoke about with CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd after his team's Big 12 semifinal loss to West Virginia on Friday:

Don't just take Hield's word for it, though:

That kind of defense is going to be difficult for any team in the tournament to take on. West Virginia will have to contend with No. 6 Notre Dame in the second round, a team that made the ACC championship game but lost to the North Carolina Tar Heels. 

If they even get past the Irish, the Mountaineers would have No. 2 Xavier. In terms of such a high seed to take on in the Sweet 16, Xavier would be the best to play among the others in the bracket. 

All that would be left is a semi-upset over the Tar Heels, and with the kind of defense West Virginia boasts, anything is possible. 

Prediction: West Virginia wins the East 

Midwest

The other surprise No. 1 seed came in the Midwest Region with Virginia. The Cavaliers didn't win the ACC regular-season title and didn't win the conference tournament either. Both of those honors went to North Carolina. 

Michigan State, which won the Big Ten championship on Sunday before the selection show, won three more games than Virginia, but it got the No. 2 seed in that same region. 

Growing up, I was taught some important things in life: Treat others how you want to be treated, tip your waiters and waitresses and never go against a Tom Izzo-coached team. 

With a versatile guard like Denzel Valentine leading the Spartans offense, I will continue going with Tom Izzo and Co. in 2016. 

On any given night, Valentine can put up 20 points per game and provide seven to 10 assists in the process. He's the perfect kind of floor general who can not only facilitate, but can carry an offense. 

CBS Sports CBB showed the kind of skill Valentine carries when it comes to scoring:

What helps out Michigan State even more is that it could have an easier path to the Elite Eight. I have the Spartans beating Dayton in the second round and playing No. 6 Seton Hall, which will upset No. 3 Utah, in the Sweet 16.

With a trip to the Final Four on the line, I'm taking Tom Izzo, who has been there seven times, over a Virginia team that has never won a national championship.

Prediction: Michigan State wins the Midwest

Stats courtesy of ESPN.com.