Brett Fera ass. sports editor

Men's National Champion

'Cuse and Carmelo are still a year away, while Marquette's Dwyane Wade is the best player everyone has heard that nobody has heard of. Texas' T.J. Ford has defied all logic, becoming the nation's best, yet still most overrated player at the same time. Better ÎRock Chalk Jayhalk' now; Roy-boy is off to Chapel Hill in his Caronlina blues.
Kansas

Men's Most Outstanding Player

Logic (the same kind that picked him as P.O.Y.) says that T.J. gets the nod, no? Say Texas falls in the semis, everyone would still mysteriously love this guy. Sure he's got a handle, but the guy's shot just doesn't drop. Back to reality: Hinrich's scattered showers from the arc will be enough to flood the Superdome.
HINRICH maneuvers his way to a ring.

Can UCONN's women repeat?

Jen Rizzotti (Connecticut '95, national champion); Katie Douglass (Purdue '01, national runner-up); Sue Bird (Connecticut '02, national champion); I've had a crush on all three (I'm not sure why, but its true, really·) and Diana Taurasi is it this year. Katrina Lindner and Arizona will go all the way in '04, but UCONN rolls this year.
UCONN can, and will.

The ultimate bracket-buster

A-R-I-Z-O-N-A. Los gatinos locos (men) should be cutting down the nets in the Big Easy. The postseason was a bust, and I know they know this, but finishing No. 1 is remembered a lot more than starting at the top. As far as the women, it was all over by halftime against Notre Dame in the first round.
No banners in McKale this year.

Charles Renning staff writer

Men's National Champion

The Orangemen are going to come out on top. They have the best player in college basketball (Carmello Anthony) and played in the best conference in the nation. No one will have an answer for their tough 2-3 zone defense and as the old saying goes, "Defense wins championships."
Syracuse

Men's Most Outstanding Player

Because Lebron James can't win it for his monster performances in the McDonald's All-American game and the EA Sports All-Star game, give it to Carmello Anthony. He's going to start by upstaging National Player of the Year T.J. Ford in the semis then out play Dwyane Wade in the championship.
Carmello Anthony

Can UCONN's women repeat?

Diana Taurasi is playing the best right now and will carry the Huskies to back-to-back titles. That's what the National Player of the Year does. Win. She has been vital in only allowing the Huskies to mark the loss column once in the last two years, and they aren't going to lose another one this season.
UCONN repeats.

The ultimate bracket-buster

The UA women losing in the first round to Notre Dame. Head Coach Joan Bonvicini had never lost in the first round of the tournament and was entering the 2003 bracket with one of her best squads. UA was supposed to be in the Hotlanta this weekend with Tennessee, Texas and Duke.
ARIZONA women's team

Shane Bacon staff writer

Men's National Champion

I'd like to see Kansas win about as much as Roseanne being the feature dancer at the Bunny Ranch. Syracuse can't pull it out with a freshman as its star and Marquette HAS to fold, right? I'm going back home and picking the Longhorns to win, putting their athletic program in the last five years as the best of all time.
Texas

Men's Most Outstanding Player

T.J. Ford will take this award home because of one thing, leadership. The UT sophomore has been a solid force all year and has turned it up a notch during all the Madness. The Houston native has a lot of weapons in his bag, but the thing that makes Longhorns fans the happiest is Ford's ability to make everybody else better.
T.J. Ford

Can UCONN's women repeat?

UConn got beat, UConn bounced back, UConn will win. The team came out with Taurasi and a bunch of scrubs, but continued the dominance that looks to be equal to a small run UCLA put together a few years ago. Taurasi will grab the MVP award as Coach Geno will try to find room for another ring. Can you say dynasty?
UCONN repeats.

The ultimate bracket-buster

You could find more love at a Bibby family dinner than I have for Kansas, but beating Arizona wasn't something totally out of the question. Marquette's win over Kentucky edged the UA loss not only because the Wildcats were the No. 1 seed, but because Kentucky had as many losses since Christmas as I've had sexual encounters with Wonder Woman.
Marquette

Ross Hammonds staff writer

Men's National Champion

The Warriors, sorry, Golden Eagles, I apologize to liberals everywhere, are gonna win for everyone who doesn't know where Marquette is. It's like the Simpson's Springfield ÷ could be anywhere. The last time the Warriors of Marquette were here, they weren't the Eagles and Luke just blew up the Death Star.
Marquette

Men's Most Outstanding Player

Although Diener is the teen-age looking guy, the Golden Eagles will still be on D Dub's shoulders when they cut down the net on Monday night. Conference USA · Final Four · it don't faze Wade, the man is golden, pun intended. Ford, maybe Thomas could shut him down, but the Horns get agent Oranged on Saturday.
Dwyane Wade

Can UCONN's women repeat?

You tell me. If you read this question and are still reading this answer, you know more than I do ÷ about women's basketball. Who are they playing? I'll ask around, Texas, OK, Duke, nope, Tennessee? My sister says their coach is good, their name sounds the funniest and that works for girls, they'll win.
Negative.

The ultimate bracket-buster

Let me just say, a girl who picked winners based on the sound of their names, like BUTler, is winning one of my pools · MSU. That's right, Mississippi State. Those bastards (their parents weren't married) weren't supposed to lose until N'Awlins. Granted the SEC West is ö hey! Like you have the Îperfect' bracket!
Mississippi State