We’ve finally (almost) made it.

With South Florida seeing off DePaul—on the Blue Demons’ kinda-home court (apparently McCormick Place was unavailable, so they played in McGrath-Phillips Arena on-campus)—in the CBI Championship’s third and final game, we’re down to the NCAA Women’s Tournament and the WNIT finals. Oh, and the NCAA Tournament Final Four.

Got all that? Me neither. We’ll come back to it later today.

In the meantime, the OTE staff deigned to pick today’s games. Thump and AK are probably drunk in a gutter somewhere in Detroit, so pray for them.

NCAA Tournament

All games CT, on CBS, and at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

[5] Auburn Tigers vs. [1] Virginia Cavaliers

5:09pm | UVA -6 | O/U 131

WhiteSpeedReceiver: Charles Barkley > UVA grads (although there are good people on both sides).

beezer07: Unfortunately for Auburn, UVA is way better. Also, UVA is definitely on its “this style was bound to work ONCE” run, ala the back to back Wisconsin FF teams.

Stewmonkey13: One of the great villains in the sport, a team so disreputable as to draw the ire of the most casual of fans. Everyone has heard of their troubles over the last year, when I high profile story put them in every sports section. Of course I’m rooting against them. Their very existence is an affront to the college game. Fuck UVA! Go Tigers! War Damn Eagle!

Boilerman31: UVA lay the points.

MNW: I am just personally thankful that Kyle Guy and his betrothed can collect gifts from their registry. As someone who spins a salad, zests multiple lemons, and uses a $500 stand mixer on a regular basis, I shudder to think what my life would be like without my wedding registry. Pearlies, 70-59.

Creighton M, LIVE! from Charlottesville: UVA’s bandwagon is a fragile machine full of dudes with brand new, hot-off-the-press UVA t-shirts tucked into salmon colored shorts trying to pretend that they’re not dreading the possibility of getting bounced by Tom Izzo again. I can tell everyone here is excited because every time I get stuck behind a car going 10 miles under the speed limit in the left lane, they have a stupid Wahoo flag sticking out of the window. Kyle Guy’s man bun may be gone, but Tony Bennett’s plodding brand of borderline unwatchable basketball remains.

I don’t think Auburn has another upset of a #1 seed in them, so give me the Hoos vs the Spartans in the championship, with Sparty taking it all. I couldn’t be happier for Tom Izzo*

*Tom Izzo can, in fact, go to hell

[3] Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. [2] Michigan State Spartans

7:49pm | MSU -2.5 | O/U 132.5

WSR: The Masked Rider > Lou Anna Simon & John Engler.

beezer07: Unfortunately for MSU, Texas Tech gets even more points on the “it just FEELS like this team is going to win” scale. Sure MSU feels like that too, but it’s not as strong a feeling. Therefore, science dictates that TT is gonna win and also MSU sucks. Go not-B1G.

Stewmonkey13: I hate this matchup. There’s no good choice here. I guess go Red Raiders as I would hate to see any Sparty fans happy. And while I’m a bit more anti the style of play from tech, it’s not like the wrestleball that MSU plays should be encouraged, either. Guns up!

Boilerman31: Texas Tech and the points.

MNW: I am 100% with beez on this one, which is a bad sign for him and for fans of Texas Tech.

Look, we know that the Raiders want to break you down with their defense...but if there’s a team from the Big Ten that’s thrived against that—read: Michigan—this season, it’s Michigan State. Well, and Penn State. But that’s not the point here. Sparty can answer the questions Tech will ask them inside, and I just...there’s no way Matt Mooney and Claudio Yarusso can continue to be the answer on the perimeter, right? That’s not an NCAA Tournament winner.

Is it? Surely not. But... Sparty, 67-65.

Andrew Kraszewski: No picks from me. I will say that the winner of the late game had sure as shit better win it all. The alternative is New Boball or a documented cheater and rat hoisting the trophy.

BigRedTwice: Auburn and MSU. No rationale, which is how I pick every game in my bracket.

WNIT

Northwestern Wildcats at Arizona Wildcats

2pm | CBSSN

This is it, ‘Cats. This is what you’ve been playing for. Pound it inside to Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, let Abi Scheid rock that outside-in game of bombing threes, and see what everyone else can do. One of the last four women’s teams playing, and one that’s gotten just two games at home throughout the entire WNIT.

Go ‘Cats.

Give us your picks in the comments!