Barack Obama picks Michigan St., UConn to win NCAA tournaments

The Associated Press

7 years ago

In this Oct. 13, 2017 file photo, former President Barack Obama, right, and former first lady Michelle Obama arrive for the first session of the Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo reacts during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Wisconsin in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten conference tournament, Friday, March 2, 2018, at Madison Square Garden in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

In this Feb. 21, 2018, file photo, Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma watches the action in the second half of an NCAA basketball game against Tulane, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Scott Threlkeld, File)

CHICAGO — Former President Barack Obama has picked his NCAA Tournament brackets, and he has Michigan State winning the men’s title and — no surprises — UConn winning the women’s championship.

Obama has the Spartans beating Bucknell, Syracuse, Duke, and top-seeded Kansas to reach the Final Four along with defending national champion North Carolina, Villanova, and Virginia. Then he has Michigan State topping Villanova in the national semifinals and Virginia, the tournament’s top seed, for the national championship.

On the women’s side, Obama has the unbeaten Huskies, the overall No. 1 seed, defeating Saint Francis, Quinnipiac, Duke, and South Carolina to reach the Final Four along with Louisville, Notre Dame and Mississippi State. UConn beats longtime rival Notre Dame in the national semifinals and Mississippi State for the title.

Just because I have more time to watch games doesn’t mean my picks will be better, but here are my brackets this year: https://t.co/ETRchPcZxF pic.twitter.com/gnNXw0Ysxr

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) March 14, 2018

The picks were posted Wednesday on the Obama Foundation’s website. Last year he picked the North Carolina men and UConn women to win, and at least the Tar Heels obliged. The Huskies had their 111-game winning streak snapped by Mississippi State in last year’s Final Four.

It’s unclear whether President Donald Trump will fill out a bracket. He declined an invitation last year from ESPN to do so on-air, as Obama did during his presidency.