The Times Dispatch Blogs

March Madness is upon us once again. The 65-team field for the 2009 NCAA Tournament was announced on Sunday.

It was a down year for the Southeastern Conference and that was reflected in the tournament selections. Only three SEC teams made the tournament and they were lucky to get that many teams in. LSU, the regular-season conference champion, is seeded only eighth in the South Regional.

Now, on to the predictions.
First-round winners

Midwest Regional: Louisville, Ohio State, Arizona, Cleveland State, West Virginia, Kansas, Boston College and Michigan State.

West Regional: Connecticut, Texas A&M, Purdue, Washington, Utah State, Missouri, Cal and Memphis.

East Regional: Pittsburgh, Oklahoma State, Florida State, Xavier, UCLA, Villanova, Texas and Duke.

South Regional: North Carolina, LSU, Illinois, Gonzaga, Arizona State, Syracuse, Michigan and Oklahoma.

Second-round winners

Midwest: Louisville, Arizona, Kansas, Michigan State.

West: Connecticut, Washington, Missouri and Memphis.

East: Pittsburgh, Florida State, Villanova and Texas.

South: North Carolina, Gonzaga, Arizona State and Oklahoma.
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