March Madness predictions 2023: Our NCAA Final Four, national champion picks are in
The NCAA Tournament brackets are out, and our March Madness predictions are in.
Just like you all, our experts are making their Final Four and national championship picks.
Will Alabama dominate as the No. 1 overall seed? Can Duke play Cinderella, or will the Blue Devils fail to make it past Oral Roberts?
It sets up to be a very unpredictable March Madness. But we tried our best. Here are our NCAA predictions, updating throughout the night and into Monday.
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March Madness predictions: Who will make Final Four, win NCAA national title?
Gentry Estes, Tennessean columnist
Final Four: Alabama, Purdue, Houston, Gonzaga
National championship: Houston over Alabama. Teams don’t often get to play a Final Four at home. I figure that’ll matter if the Cougars get there. No promises, though. This tournament is more wide open than normal.
Blake Toppmeyer, SEC columnist
Final Four: Alabama, Purdue, Texas, Kansas
National championship: Kansas over Purdue. Bill Self is proven in the NCAA Tournament, with a resume featuring four Final Fours. Jalen Wilson was a key contributor in the Jayhawks’ national championship run last season. He’ll steal the show this March.
Jason Munz, Memphis basketball beat writer
Final Four: Alabama, Memphis, Texas, Kansas
National championship: Kansas over Alabama. The battle-tested Jayhawks have repeat written all over them.
Richard Silva, Auburn athletics beat writer
Final Four: Alabama, Duke, Houston, Kansas
National Championship: Kansas over Alabama. Although they didn't win the Big 12 Tournament, the Jayhawks have proven to be one of the best teams in the country. Jalen Wilson leads Kansas to back-to-back titles.
Stefan Krajisnik, Mississippi State beat writer
Final Four: Alabama, Duke, Texas, Kansas
National championship: Texas over Alabama. These teams have been dominant on both ends of the court, but I’ll give Texas the edge in its home state.
Rodd Baxley, Fayetteville Observer sports reporter
Final Four: Alabama, Duke, Houston, Kansas
National championship: Houston over Alabama. A rematch of one of the best games of the season, the Cougars will get revenge in their city and cut down the nets.
Nick Gray, trending sports writer
Final Four: Alabama, Marquette, Houston, UCLA
National championship: UCLA over Alabama. The Bruins' core remembers the watered-down atmosphere of the Final Four two years ago. They'll thrive in beating Houston in Houston in the Final Four, then navigate the Crimson Tide's shooting and length in the national title game.
Mikey DiLullo, Tuscaloosa News
Final Four: Alabama, Marquette, Houston, Gonzaga
National championship: Alabama over Houston. In March, it's about who gets hot at the right time. Right now, there's no one in college basketball hotter than the Crimson Tide.
Maxwell Donaldson, Tuscaloosa News
Final Four: Alabama, Marquette, Houston, Gonzaga
National championship: Alabama wins the title over Gonzaga behind dominant play from Brandon Miller.
Chris Thomas, sports director, USA TODAY Network South Region
Final Four: Alabama, Kentucky, Texas, Gonzaga
National championship: Alabama over Texas. Give the Longhorns credit for overcoming the fallout of Chris Beard's ousting, but Alabama and Brandon Miller were exceptional in the SEC Tournament and will be exceptional again.
Tommy Deas, Director, Content Strategy/Sports Strategist, Center for Community Journalism
Final Four: Alabama, Marquette, Texas A&M, UConn
National champion: Alabama beats UConn in a rematch. The Crimson Tide seemed to be stumbling through late February but has found itself in March. It has a clear path to win it all and the roster to do it.
Monica Holland, South Region college sports editor
Final Four: Alabama, Duke, Xavier, Kansas
National championship: Duke. A national championship in Jon Scheyer's first season as coach is the only balm for Duke's still-sore backside after last season's embarrassment at the hands of UNC.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: March Madness predictions 2023: Our NCAA Tournament Final Four picks
