March Madness 2023 predictions and Final Four picks: The case for Texas

Now that Selection Sunday is behind us and the 2023 NCAA Tournament field is set, it’s officially time to start filling out our March Madness brackets.

It’s the best time of year for college basketball fans and bettors.

First round upsets? Buzzer beaters? Cinderella? Sign us up for all if it as March is in full swing.

Before filling out brackets or placing your bets, here is an overview of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, including predictions, upsets, sleepers and Final Four picks.

Easiest Region: East

Purdue and Marquette are very good teams, but they are both weak top seeds.

You are also looking at Kansas State as a three seed.

I see anarchy in this region and expect a lot of upsets.

If you are looking to take a dark horse to make the Final Four, this is where I’d take a shot.

Lower seeds like Memphis and Kentucky could make a deep run out of the East.

Toughest Region: West

This isn’t even debatable.

The top four teams in the West region are Kansas, UCLA, Gonzaga and UConn.

All of those teams are legitimate title contenders.

Even the sixth-seed, TCU, is talented enough to make a Final Four run.

Doubt you see Cinderella coming out of the West. The region is simply too tough.

Gonzaga forward Drew TimmeGetty Images

No. 1 Seed to Avoid: Purdue

Purdue is a quality team with the most dominant player in college basketball, Zach Edey.

However, they can struggle against athletic teams that can pressure their guards.

The Boilermakers will face a tough second-round matchup against the winner of Memphis and Florida Atlantic.

Then the winner of Duke-Tennessee could put them away.

At +1000 to win it all (Caesars), Purdue is simply overvalued.

Purdue center Zach EdeyGetty Images

Biggest Bracket Buster: Indiana

The Hoosiers got a nightmare Round 1 matchup against Kent State.

The Golden Flashes are one of the most talented mid-major teams in the country.

Kent State showed how good they are earlier this season when they lost to Houston by five and Gonzaga by seven.

And if Indiana survives the first round, the winner of Miami-Drake will be waiting.

I don’t see the inconsistent Hoosiers making a deep tournament run.

Betting on College Basketball?

First Round Upset: Drake (+3.5) over Miami

I love this Miami team and bet them to win it all at 65-1.

However, not only did the Canes get a tough draw, they lost 6-7 rebounding machine Norchad Omier to an ankle injury in the ACC Tournament.

Miami is a small team and Omier is basically the Canes entire frontline.

Drake is an experienced team that went 16-2 in its last 18 games.

The Bulldogs are also one of the top defensive rebounding teams in the country.

Look for them to pull the first round upset over the Hurricanes, especially if Omier is out.

Final Four Sleeper: Memphis

Malcolm Dandridge of the Memphis TigersGetty Images

I liked the Tigers coming into Championship Week but after winning the AAC Tournament, they are now on everyone’s radar.

Still, if Memphis can beat FAU in the opener, I think they match up well with Purdue.

Memphis has two stars in PG Kendric Davis and F DeAndre Williams that make the Tigers a dangerous lower seed.

In the weaker East region, I think Memphis is live to make the Final Four.

Final Four Picks

UCLA

I thought UCLA was the best team in the country before Jaylen Clark was lost for the season.

Still, the Bruins are built to make a deep tournament run.

I’ll take them to come out of the loaded West region.

Texas

Texas has everything you look for in a tournament team.

They are big, physical, and rank Top 20 on KenPom in both offensive and defensive efficiency.

I also love the Horns’ draw.

I think they meet Houston in the Elite Eight and with Marcus Sasser’s status uncertain (groin injury), I’ll take the Horns.

Big 12 tournament Most Outstanding Player Dylan Disu of the Texas LonghornsGetty Images

Alabama

The Tide are loaded and while they shoot a ton of threes and will keep shooting a ton of threes even if they aren’t going in, I like Alabama to make it to the Final Four.

I don’t see many teams in the South region that match up well with the Tide.