Get your brackets ready, sports fans. It’s time for millions to enter and few to win. It’s time for buzzer beaters, 13 v 4 upsets, and me wasting another few bucks to lose to women in the front office who don’t know a crossover from a turnover.

It’s good to be back after two weeks of high school championship hoops. Hell, it’s good to be anywhere after two weeks of high school hoops.

This week we’ll talk all NCAA (unless A Rod and Jeter announce their engagement or Barry Bonds’ head shrinks).

Today will be my first round upset specials based on a Ouija board, tea leaves, and a coin. Actually, I’ll try to do better than that but don’t hold me to any of this.

EAST REGIONAL - Nothing jumps out at me but Arkansas is streakier than fraternity boys in the 70s. They are the 12 seed playing against a 5 seed USC team that was bounced 81-57 in the Pac Ten final. This one is a hunch.

In the same region you might also want to look at Texas Tech (10) over Boston College (7), a team I thought underachieved greatly. Love him or not, Bobby Knight will have Tech ready. I also like experienced senior guards this time of year and Jarius Jackson for the Red Raiders is the poster child for such a player.

SOUTH REGIONAL - You have to like Nate Funk and Creighton if you’re from this neck of the basketball hardwoods. They are a 10 going against the 7 seed Nevada. I’ll risk the boos, but I think Nevada’s Nick Fazekas will be too much inside for Anthony Tolliver, who is prone to foul trouble. My heart says the Blue Jays but my bracket might say Nevada.

I might take a flyer on Long Beach State (12) over Tennessee (5) only because the baseball team is called the Dirtbags and the Vols coach painted his body for a women’s game at Tennessee. Like I said, this isn’t science.

MIDWEST REGIONAL - Two choices here: Old Dominion over Butler and Winthrop over Notre Dame. OD scores a lot of points and beat Georgetown early in the season. Winthrop, while fodder for big dogs like UNC, still won 28 games. Everyone will be on Winthrop because of the George Mason quality of its name, but of the two, OD probably has the better shot although Butler is solid.

WEST REGIONAL - It’s killing me as a true Dukie but VCU over Duke (11v 6) might be the smart move. The Dukies are young and do not close out games very well. Tourney time often means close scores and down to the wire finishes. VCU is senior-laden and experienced — two good qualities this time of year.

You might also want to take a look at the 10 seed Gonzaga, with plenty to prove after two of its players went around the legal bend. The Zags have Indiana who has not impressed.

Next post: Bigs dogs going down in round two. And a guess on the next George Mason.