Its that time of year again for everyone to break out the office pools and test our basketball knowledge, or lack there of for some of us. This years NCAA tournament should be an exciting one with some very intriguing match-ups and possible Cinderella stories.

For all its worth I will give my insight and predictions on some game with local interest and who I have in my office pool.

First of all I will start by saying, with Kentucky blue running through my veins, this is the first time that I am picking my beloved 'Cats to go home after the first round. I am hoping the reverse psychology effect will take place and happily prove me wrong, but I guess that's why it is labeled "March Madness".

Next I am also picking that your local Hoosiers will also be also be one and done this year. I am not predicting this just because of the hatred rivalry between UK and IU, but in my opinion Arkansas comes into the tourney on a higher note. Plus head coach John Pelphrey is a former UK player and I am sure he will have his squad amped up and ready for whatever Hoosier team shows up.

Next in line, is the Purdue versus Baylor game. I think the Boilermakers have been a remarkable story this season, but with everything the Bears have been through and playing in a tougher Big 12 Conference, I have to give the edge to the underdog here.

Now comes my beef with the selection committee. Butler enters the tournament with a 29-3 overall record, ranked in the top 20 in both the AP and Coaches poll throughout most of the season, and they get "rewarded" with a No. 7 seed. To me this is a slap in the face to the Bulldogs. And in return, I have the Bulldogs handing South Alabama their bus ticket back home, and also knocking off No. 2 seed Tennessee on their way to at least the sweet sixteen for the second consecutive season.

Most bracketologists will say look for upsets with the No.12 seeds over the No. 5 seeds. I will do you one better and say go with the No. 13 seeds over the No. 4 seeds, as I have two No. 13 seeds advancing past the first round with Siena upsetting Vanderbilt and San Diego continuing their Cinderella story over Connecticut.

Next is the No. 1 seeds. First off, I going back to the Butler issue. If their 29-3 record is only "good" enough for a No. 7 seed, because of their conference play, then why should Memphis deserve a No. 1 seed with their high school conference they play in? With that in perspective I have the Tigers being bitten in the second round by the Bulldogs of Mississippi State. The SEC may have had a down season this year, but they make Conference USA look like a junior varsity high school team.

Another No. 1 seed I am not too find of is the UCLA Bruins. They must be the luckiest team in nation, excluding Memphis. Without the help of PAC-10 officials the Bruins have at least two more losses and are probably a No. 3 seed at best. But because they have the easiest region of the four (West) I have them making it to the regional final and getting beat by No. 2 seed Duke.

Next jumping ahead to my Final Four picks, I have No. 1 North Carolina out of the East region, No. 3 Wisconsin out of the Midwest region, No. 2 Texas out the South region and No. 2 Duke out of the West region.

Now I know most of you are saying why Wisconsin, right? Well I love their defensive approach and they play great team basketball, kind of like one of the high school teams in this area, but I wont mention which one!

And as far as the championship game, I have the Tar Heels against the Longhorns with the team from Chapel Hill prevailing in a shoot-out, 89-84.

So there it is my local picks, upsets and champion.