In what has become a tradition around these parts, I'll explain my 2010 NCAA picks. You can click here to see the 2009 version of this blog and click here to see the 2008 version.

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You also have the advantage of knowing my picks ahead of time...

Midwest Regional

Teams advancing to Second Round: Kansas, UNLV, Michigan State, Maryland, Tennessee, Georgetown, Oklahoma State, Ohio State

This is my most boring first round, as I'm picking all the seeds to hold. This is also the only 8 seed I'm picking, as I'd love for my sister-in-law's Gauchos to upset the Suckeyes, but it's not happening. Let's just move on...

Teams advancing to Sweet Sixteen: Kansas, Maryland, Tennessee Ohio State

Bruce Pearl is a good coach, and the Vols will be dangerous with a chip on their shoulder for being under-seeded. If they get in the right frame of mind to make the second round, I like them to make the Sweet Sixteen.

Michigan State could be dangerous, but they are so inconsistent I can't take them over Maryland here. This is one of the (potential) second round games I'm most looking forward to.

East Regional

Teams advancing to Second Round: Kentucky, Wake Forest, Cornell, Wisconsin, Marquette, New Mexico, Clemson, West Virginia

Cornell is one of the best picks for the annual 12 over 5, and the first of two I'm going to choose. I can't take Texas to do anything but sleepwalk into the NBA Draft, as it seems like that's what they've done all season. And Rick Barnes is OK with that.

Teams advancing to Sweet Sixteen: Kentucky, Wisconsin, Marquette, West Virginia

I'm taking Marquette for the awesome uniforms for what seems like 10 years in a row. I'm also beginning a trend of putting 6 seeds into the Sweet Sixteen. Wisconsin is a winnable matchup for Cornell, but I'm too much of a wuss to advance a double-digit seed at this point.

South Regional

Teams advancing to Second Round: Duke, Louisville, Texas A&M, Siena, Notre Dame, Baylor, Richmond, Villanova

I have to pile on Purdue.  But everyone has the same idea, so it will probably back fire.  Oh well, I honestly think they're going to lose, and if not in the first round, soon after.  No harm in picking them to lose.

Picking Cal to lose (and dumping on the Pac-10) is something I've been waiting all season for.

Teams advancing to Sweet Sixteen: Duke, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, Richmond

I like Richmond and Notre Dame as teams to pull some upsets and make a run.

West Regional

Teams advancing to Second Round: Syracuse, Florida State, UTEP, Vanderbilt, Xavier, Pittsburgh, Florida, Kansas State

Yeah, I went with the homer pick. But I honestly think our athleticism and our front court play could carry us over BYU.

I'm thinking Vermont-Syracuse flashback could be the first 16 over a 1... but then I'm sobering up and realizing this will be a blowout. Florida State would be a sneaky Sweet Sixteen pick, but you're crazy if you pick 1 seeds to go out in the first weekend.

Teams advancing to Sweet Sixteen: Syracuse, Vanderbilt, Xavier, Kansas State

Syracuse is my least favorite of the #1s to make a run, but I don't see them losing to anyone in their bracket besides Kansas State. I felt the most demoralized watching us play Syracuse, that there was no way we were going to play well enough to win.

I'm buying the A-10... maybe because UF was 0-2 in that conference. But I do think Xavier breaks the mold of what most people think about with a team outside the 6 'power conferences', and I could see them making an even deeper run than this.

Elite Eight

Kansas v. Ohio State: I feel a little cheesy picking a 1 v. 2, but it's how I feel this will play out. Ohio State and Kansas are pretty clearly better than the rest of this bracket.

Kentucky v. West Virginia: Another 1 v. 2, but I think West Virginia is a #1 seed talent, and would have been a Final Four pick for me in another bracket.

Duke v. Notre Dame: With Harangody back, I love them to make a run. I also like Duke better than most, because I think they are judging this team on Duke's recent history over the actual makeup of this squad. And by saying 'I like Duke' I mean I fucking hate them, but think they will win some games this year.

Syracuse v. Kansas State: Another 1 v. 2.  I sure ended up with a lot of them despite picking a lot of 6s and 7s to go deeper than their seeds indicate.  I think there's a strong chance neither of these teams makes it here, but I have no idea which team will upset them, so I'm making the safe play.

Final Four

Kansas v. Kansas State: I keep going back and forth between Syracuse and Kansas State here... I wish I could pick West Virginia to switch brackets and win this side. I don't know where Syracuse will slip up before the Fina Four, but I have a good feeling they will. So I see Kansas State as a safer pick to reach this round.

Despite having a rough bracket, I think Kansas makes it this far. I have made picks in the past based on a tough draw, and that never works. So I will stick with Kansas here.

Kentucky v. Duke: I'm predicting a lot of 1 seeds, but I think (as many have said) this is a year where the top teams are really far above the pack. I wouldn't be surprised if we have all 1 seeds make the tournament again. It could also be that with increased inter-conference matchups and better exposure for all teams that the committee is better at seeding now than ever, and that's why there are fewer upsets. Though I don't think you can pin the George Mason experience on seeding.

Championship Game

Kansas over Kentucky: These are the only two teams I ever considered to pick to win the championship this season. I think Kentucky is more likely to lose a game because of a mental lapse before this round, so I think Kansas is the safer pick to win the title. If this is really the game, it could be epic.