Sweet 16: Who I'm Pulling for and Why

Men's bracket only. I can't think about the women's tourney right now, because I'm too upset that all the Nashville-area teams have already been eliminated.

East Region: Vanderbilt
As a graduate of Vanderbilt's Divinity School, I'm loyal to the Commodores.

Midwest Region: Butler
Butler is located in Indianapolis, where I was born and raised, and my mother did her graduate studies there.

West Region: Southern Illinois
As an alumnus of a Missouri Valley Conference school (Evansville), I have to pull for the lone remaining team from the Valley.

In the unlikely event that Butler and Southern Illinois were to meet in the Final Four, I'd have to pull for Butler, but would be happy either way.

South Region: No Loyalties
Some of my in-laws attended UT, and as a Vandy fan, I feel compelled to pull for the team from the SEC East. On the other hand, I really don't want Tennessee to advance further than Vanderbilt. I like Memphis as a Tennessee school from a non-power conference. I also like Ohio State with my fellow Indianapolis natives Greg Oden and Mike Conley, Jr. I'm not really drawn to Texas A&M, but I like Acie Law IV and the fact that the Aggies have risen from basketball obscurity in the last couple years.