Welcome to Bracketville

For the first time in four years, George Washington is not in the N.C.A.A. Tournament. This means a return to objectivity in this space.

Let’s get onto it:

East Region

Most overseeded team: (6) Oklahoma.

Most underseeded team: (7) Butler.

Best first-round game: (4) Washington State vs. (13) Winthrop.

Most outstanding player: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina.

Best player you’ve never heard of: Pat Calathas, Saint Joseph’s.

Best freshman: Eric Gordon, Indiana.

Best name: Longar Longar, Oklahoma.

First-round winners (Italics denote upset): (1) North Carolina, (8) Indiana, (5) Notre Dame, (4) Washington State, (11) Saint Joseph’s, (3) Louisville, (7) Butler, (2) Tennessee.

Sweet Sixteen: North Carolina, Notre Dame, Louisville, Tennessee.

Elite Eight: North Carolina, Louisville

Final Four: North Carolina

Midwest Region

Rock, chalk, Jayhawk!

Most overseeded team: (2) Georgetown.

Most underseeded team: (15) Maryland-Baltimore County.

Best first-round game: (6) Southern California vs. (11) Kansas State.

Most outstanding player: Michael Beasley, Kansas State.

Best player you’ve never heard of: Stephen Curry, Davidson (though, by now, you should have heard of him).

Best freshman: Beasley.

Best name: Ken Bone, Portland State (head coach)

First-round winners: (1) Kansas, (8) Nevada-Las Vegas, (12) Villanova, (4) Vanderbilt, (6) Southern California, (3) Wisconsin, (10) Davidson, (2) Georgetown.

Sweet Sixteen: Kansas, Vanderbilt, Southern California, Georgetown.

Elite Eight: Kansas, Southern California.

Final Four: Kansas.

South Region

Time to pick someone other than a one-seed.

Most overseeded team: (9) Oregon.

Most underseeded team: (4) Pittsburgh.

Best first-round game: (7) Miami, Fla. Vs. (10) St. Mary’s, Calif.

Most outstanding player: D. J. Augustin, Texas.

Best player you’ve never heard of: Dionte Christmas, Temple.

Best freshman: Derrick Rose, Memphis.

Best name: Da’Veed Dildy, Stanford.

First-round winners: (1) Memphis, (8) Mississippi State, (5) Michigan State, (4) Pittsburgh, (6) Marquette, (3) Stanford, (10) St. Mary’s, Calif., (2) Texas.

Sweet Sixteen: Memphis, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Texas.

Elite Eight: Pittsburgh, Texas.

Final Four: Texas.

West Region

A cake-walk for the Bruins.

Most overseeded team: (10) Arizona.

Most underseeded team: (13) San Diego.

Best first-round game: (3) Xavier vs. (14) Georgia.

Most outstanding player: Joe Alexander, West Virginia.

Best player you’ve never heard of: Courtney Lee, Western Kentucky.

Best freshman: Kevin Love, California-Los Angeles.

Best name: Gyno Pomare, San Diego.

First-round winners: (1) California-Los Angeles, (9) Texas A&M, (5) Drake, (4) Connecticut, (11) Baylor, (3) Xavier, (7) West Virginia, (2) Duke.

Sweet Sixteen: California-Los Angeles, Drake, Xavier, Duke.

Elite Eight: California-Los Angeles, Xavier.

Final Four: California-Los Angeles.

Final Four

Championship Game: California-Los Angeles over Kansas.