Tonight kicks off the 2022 Men’s NCAA Tournament’s Sweet Sixteen and boy does it have an aura of legendary parity around it. Don’t you see it? Well, if you don’t it doesn’t matter–I see it. My memory may be failing me at mid-life so college basketball aficionados will have to correct me if I am wrong because I don’t ever recall a Sweet Sixteen with so much parity and equilibrium. I mean, really, as my eyes glide down my tattered and basketball war decimated bracket–I actually think that with the exception of this year’s Cinderella story, the St. Peter’s Peacocks–any of the 15 remaining teams standing could win it all. Of course, history whispers, “Remember the Blue Bloods” in my ear and much respect to Duke, UNC, Kansas, UCLA, and Michigan but history may have run her course in this year’s tournament . . . the cool points are out the window and I am literally twisted up in the game.

Of the remaining teams, my Final Four consists of the revered Kansas Jayhawks, the Purdue Boilermakers representing the Big 10+, the Houston Cougars led by Kelvin Sampson, and those gritty Razorbacks from the University of Arkansas. Wait, wait, wait, before you start texting me, calling me, DMing me, or cursing me here–let me submit here that in this year’s tournament: you gotta roll with the punches baby, and every remaining team is hitting hard . . . but there a few that are hitting just a little bit harder or maybe a lot harder than some of the others–and that is what it is going to take to reign supreme come the night of Monday, April 4. So, for the next two weekends, expect some dogfights between 16 teams that appear about evenly matched with each of their respective opponents.

Here are my predictions for this evening’s slate of tournament games:

(1) Gonzaga Bulldogs v. (4) Arkansas

The Gonzaga Bulldogs break their fans’ hearts in a hard-fought loss to those scrappy and hard-balling Razorbacks from Arkansas. This college hoops season I watched more college ball than I have in a few years and what I saw from Arkansas for most of the season and during the tournament leads me to the conclusion that tonight we may be bidding Gonzaga adieu.

(2) Duke Blue Devils v. (3) Texas Tech Red Raiders

I also believe the Duke Blue Devils play their hearts out against Texas Tech and squeak by with a three to a five-point win. Call this one the Coach K Factor! This is Coach K’s last season in case you’ve been living underneath a rock for the last six or so months, and his players are going to muster up everything within them to get Coach K closer to winning another NCAA Tournament Championship. Don’t get me wrong here, the Red Raiders are some war dogs too when it comes to college basketball ferocity but I think they will be the victims of the basketball gods tonight.

(1) Arizona Wildcats v. (5) Houston Cougars

The Arizona Wildcats take on the Houston Cougars tonight as well; another battle for basketball glory! The Cougars looked like basketball royalty against the Illinois Fightin’ Illini last week. Coach Kelvin Sampson has the Cougars playing on all cylinders–so this will be a slugfest for Arizona tonight. I believe the Cougars will come out on top in this one.

(2) Villanova Wildcats v. (11) Michigan Wolverines

Finally, we have the Villanova Wildcats versus the Michigan Wolverines. I am a huge Jay Wright fan and have admired the highly disciplined nature of the Villanova teams in the past and present but I actually believe that Michigan finds a way to get the win tonight folks. Without a doubt, the Wolverines hit their stride at the right time and have shown the determination and resilience necessary to get them to this opportunity to knuckle up with the Wildcats. I am also an even bigger fan of former Fab Fiver and Chicago native son, Juwan Howard–so, I have to root for Coach Howard and the Wolverines to get it done.