As is a March Madness tradition, President Barack Obama has filled out his bracket predictions for both the men's and women's NCAA Basketball Tournament.
ESPN released the POTUS' first bracket, for the men's tourney, Wednesday, the same day ESPN W released a teaser for Obama's women's predictions. A noted basketball fan, this will be the seventh year Obama has released his Presidential March Madness Picks.
Starting in the Sweet 16, Obama unveiled an array of upsets including a pair of those pesky 12-seed-5-seed matchups picking Buffalo to upset to West Virginia and Wyoming to beat Northern Iowa. The second round was highlighted by the President's pick of Davidson (10) knocking of Gonzaga (2).
Discussing his board with ESPN's Andy Katz, Obama said there always seems to be a one- or two-seed that does not make it to the Sweet 16. For the POTUS, Gonzaga fit the bill in what is a field of strong one- and two-seeds.
But from there one, Obama went with safe picks rather than more upsets. For example, he ended Davidson's journey against Iowa State (3) and decided against advancing either Buffalo or Wyoming to the Sweet 16.
Obama's Elite Eight consisted of all four one-seeds, two two-seeds and two three-seeds. His Final Four consisted of Kentucky (1) against Arizona (2), who beat Wisconsin (1) in the previous round, and Duke (1) against Villanova (1).
For the title, he predicted Kentucky would beat Villanova to complete a perfect season at 40-0.
But his impending women's bracket, to be released Thursday, promises to hold more surprises, as ESPN W's Rebeca Lobo reveled the POTUS has a "rooting interest" for one of the teams. In addition to providing a "scouting report" on his niece Leslie Robinson, who plays for Princeton, Lobo said Obama plans to discuss his own playing style.
