Even after viewing what felt like literally hundreds of college basketball games this year, I can honestly say that my predictions for this year’s tournament will probably be about as accurate as those of Dick Vitale or a 5-year-old child.

Nonetheless, it is hard for me to occupy this precious real estate with anything else this week. Since the brackets were released Sunday night, the tournament has encompassed my entire brain capacity – even the areas that concentrate on other sports and women.

Plus, wouldn’t you rather read my picks than watch Digger Phelps and the matching tie/highlighter debacle on ESPN?

Without further ado, I give to you my vision for the March to the Arch:

CHICAGO REGIONAL

We all know about the geographic luxuries that have been handed to the Illini, but 10,000 orange-clad fans in Chicago for the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 will not carry this team to the Final Four.

Illinois is still the best team in the country; however, they have picked a bad time to be playing their worst basketball of the season.

Luther Head, Dee Brown and Deron Williams have all been playing well below their potential as of late.

The Illini can get to St. Louis without their three-headed monster clicking, but the road will be much tougher.

There are two other Final Four-caliber teams in this region in Oklahoma State and Arizona.

If you haven’t seen Arizona’s Salim Stoudamire shoot the three this year, it’s definitely worth tuning into the Wildcats. Stoudamire is Mr. Draino – he simply drains from anywhere on the court.

However, ‘Zona might have a tough time with LSU’s inside presence, especially SEC Player of the Year Brandon Bass, in the second round.

Oklahoma State and Illinois should meet in the regional final, and obviously I’ll give the edge to the Illini – especially if Luther and Dee can get out of their shooting slumps.

ALBUQUERQUE REGIONAL

This region is the clear-cut favorite to have an underdog reach the Final Four.

Washington squeaked into the No. 1 seed position after defeating Arizona in the Pac-10 title game.

Wake Forest comes in as the second seed, having struggled recently with or without point guard Chris Paul. I’ve never had good luck betting on Wake in the tourney. Damn Randolph Childress.

Fourth-seeded Louisville and fifth-seeded Georgia Tech have legitimate chances to get to St. Louis.

Since the Rambling Reck made it last year, I am going to go out on a limb and take Rick Pitino’s Louisville Cardinals.

They have won 18 of their last 19 games and have great perimeter play from Francisco Garcia, Taquan Dean and Larry O’Bannon.

With two titles already on his resume, Pitino has always been a great tournament coach. I foresee his Cardinals beating Wake Forest in the Elite 8.

Bobby Knight will also make his triumphant return to the Sweet 16 when his Texas Tech Red Raiders upset Gonzaga in the second round.

Look out for Pacific or Pittsburgh over Washington in the second round.

AUSTIN REGIONAL

Right off the bat, I’m going to say this: I can’t stand Duke and refuse to pick them to go to the Final Four. They aren’t as talented or deep as previous Blue Devil teams.

There will be plenty of upsets in this bracket.

Texas-El Paso might get Utah in the 6/11 game. This is UTEP’s second-straight tourney appearance, and they could cause trouble for Player of the Year candidate Andrew Bogut and the Utes.

Twelfth-seeded Old Dominion also might be able to handle a vastly underachieving Michigan State team.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the winner of the Cincy/Iowa game takes out second-seeded Kentucky. The Wildcat’s talent is not comparable to those championship teams of the mid-to-late 90’s. Plus, this team was upset last year in the second round by UAB.

That leaves Syracuse and Oklahoma in the Elite 8.

I’ve always like Jim Boeheim, and the inside-outside combination of Gerry McNamara and Hakim Warrick will defeat Oklahoma.

SYRACUSE REGIONAL

I like North Carolina’s chances, even though they bowed out of the ACC Tournament in the semifinals and have been placed in probably the most stacked region.

Florida as the four seed is one of the hottest teams in the country, but they will be undermanned when they face the Tar Heels in the Sweet 16.

Fifth-seeded Villanova has been a pesky team all year and could give Carolina fits.

Kansas will get to the regional final despite their difficult draw of having to possibly face UCONN, Wisconsin, NC State or UNC Charlotte.

The Tar Heels triumph over the Jayhawks in an emotional Elite 8 game for Roy Williams to send UNC to St. Louis.

Illinois and Carolina will meet in the final – the match up everybody has been yearning and expecting to see.

Just don’t bet on it.