NCAA Bracket 2017: Schedule, Title Picks and Predictions After Selection Sunday

The wait is over, and the NCAA tournament is finally here. 

The 68-team field was officially released on Sunday, so it's time for us to spend the next few days poring over brackets in an effort to sort out the contenders from the pretenders and pick out the inevitable upsets.

This year's field may be even more difficult to predict than usual because of a lack of truly elite teams. Every top team is capable of losing early, as evidenced by the win-loss records of some of the top contenders. The North Carolina Tar Heels, for example, earned a No. 1 seed despite entering the tournament with seven losses. 

Before finalizing your picks, take a look at the Final Four predictions below and be sure to consider having these contenders advanced deep into your bracket. 

Click here for B/R's printable bracket.

Final Four Matchups

Duke Blue Devils vs. Arizona Wildcats

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It's been a streaky season for the Duke Blue Devils, who recently went through a stretch in which they lost three out of four games. But no team in the nation is coming off a more impressive conference tournament run, as the Blue Devils knocked off the Louisville Cardinals, North Carolina Tar Heels and Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a three-day span. 

As a team that relies heavily on the three-pointer, it's not surprising that Duke has been a streaky team this year. But that's also what makes them so dangerous when they get hot. 

If the Blue Devils stay hot through the tournament, they are capable of cruising through the East Region to the Final Four. 

In the West Region, the Arizona Wildcats have a chance to return to the Final Four for the first time since 2001.

Despite their Final Four drought, the Wildcats still boast the most recent success of any team in their region. Arizona could advance to the Elite Eight for the third time in four years and the fourth time overall under head coach Sean Miller. That type of experience could prove valuable in a region with relatively little recent history of success in the Big Dance.

North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Kansas Jayhawks

In this era of college basketball it's rare for an elite team to feature a senior leader, but that's exactly what the Kansas Jayhawks have in Frank Mason III. 

Some people may be jumping off the Jayhawks' bandwagon after their shocking upset loss to the TCU Horned Frogs in the Big 12 tournament, but that only makes them an even smarter pick in your pool. 

Despite the loss, Kansas' combination of experience and talent will make them one of the most dangerous teams in the field and a strong bet to reach the Final Four for the first time since 2012, when they lost the title game to the Kentucky Wildcats.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are another contender with unique experience, as the majority of their rotation players from last year's run return. The Tar Heels lost the National Championship game to Villanova on a buzzer-beater a season ago. 

That experience should serve North Carolina well, as their players already have experience playing in tight games on the biggest stage. 

National Champion Pick: North Carolina over Duke

A matchup between bitter rivals North Carolina and Duke would go down as one of the most anticipated championship games to ever be played in any sport. 

The two teams have already met three times this season, with Duke winning twice. 

Another rematch would certainly be a classic, but the edge goes to North Carolina. While Duke can get hot on any given night with its three-point shooting, North Carolina's defense is the more consistent factor. 

The Tar Heels play fast, averaging 84.9 points per game, and also play lockdown defense, holding opponents to a field goal percentage of just 41.6 percent. That's a deadly combination in March and could lead North Carolina to its third National Championship under head coach Roy Williams.