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Just two more chances to get it wrong

It’s difficult to understand why the NCAA Tournament field expanded to 68 teams.

More of a mystery is how Illinois qualified so effortlessly as a No. 9 seed.

A good guess is that it’s Dr. Naismith, John Wooden and Al McGuire’s way of looking down and saying that the field is oversized.

Four teams were added this year. Finding 64 that belonged was difficult, and finding 68 is folly.

(Maybe I’m grumpy right now because all the bloated field does is give me an opportunity to pick two more games incorrectly.)

Anyway, when the most prominent bracket experts projected the field the past few weeks, Illinois always was in. The Illini weren’t even one of their last four or even last six to make it.

What exactly Illinois did the past couple of months to deserve such faith is baffling. Was it losing to Michigan in its first postseason conference tournament game?

The Big Ten has seven teams in the field. Have Michigan State, Penn State, Michigan and Illinois really earned a chance to win the national championship?

Apparently so, because the selection committee picked them along with 11 — count them 11 — Big East teams.

No matter how good the Big East allegedly has been this season, no league’s 11th team has a reason to play above the NIT.

Now, the following predictions are not for gambling purposes, unless of course you’re eager to lose your money.

FIRST ROUND

Texas-San Antonio over Alabama State, UAB over Clemson, VCU over USC, Arkansas-Little Rock over NC-Asheville.

SECOND ROUND

East: Ohio State over Texas-San Antonio, Villanova over George Mason, UAB over West Virginia, Kentucky over Princeton, Xavier over Marquette, Syracuse over Indiana State, Washington over Georgia, North Carolina over LIU.

West: Duke over Hampton, Tennessee over Michigan, Arizona over Memphis, Texas over Oakland, Missouri over Cincinnati, Connecticut over Bucknell, Temple over Penn State, San Diego State over Northern Colorado.

Southwest: Kansas over Boston University, Illinois over UNLV, Richmond over Vanderbilt, Louisville over Morehead, VCU over Georgetown, Purdue over St. Peter’s, Florida State over Texas A&M, Notre Dame over Akron.

Southeast: Pittsburgh over Arkansas-Little Rock, Butler over Old Dominion, Kansas State over Utah State, Wisconsin over Belmont, St. John’s over Gonzaga, BYU over Wofford, Michigan State over UCLA, Florida over UC-Santa Barbara.

THIRD ROUND

East: Ohio State over Villanova, Kentucky over UAB, Syracuse over Xavier, North Carolina over Washington.

West: Duke over Tennessee, Texas over Arizona, Connecticut over Missouri, San Diego State over Temple.

Southwest: Kansas over Illinois, Louisville over Richmond, Purdue over VCU, Notre Dame over Florida State.

Southeast: Pittsburgh over Butler, Wisconsin over Kansas State, St. John’s over BYU, Florida over Michigan State.

REGIONAL SEMIFINALS

East: Kentucky over Ohio State, Syracuse over North Carolina.

West: Duke over Texas, San Diego State over Connecticut.

Southwest: Kansas over Louisville, Purdue over Notre Dame.

Southeast: Wisconsin over Pittsburgh, Florida over St. John’s.

REGIONAL FINALS

East: Kentucky over Syracuse. West: Duke over San Diego State. Southwest: Kansas over Purdue. Southeast: Wisconsin over Florida.

FINAL FOUR

Duke over Kentucky, Kansas over Wisconsin.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Kansas over Duke.

mimrem@dailyherald.com