OK, everyone, just a quick hit today to set the stage for tomorrow's game.   Here's where things stand right now:

And we don't have to wait for tomorrow to know how this is going to shake out.  First and foremost, regardless of who wins, SoarinOverWDW holds first at 422 points and is unreachable. Congrats to a bracket named after one of my favorite rides at Epcot!

What remains is a spirited argument about 2nd through 10th — and whether Grandma Bubba or a Basset Hound should be your emotional investment for Monday.  Specifically:

If UConn wins: Grandma Bubba and Wichmann 1 leap to 2nd place, both vaulting 25 slots up the leaderboard. MIZery Tigers stays in the money but drops to a tie for 4th.  And Wichmann's other bracket is ALSO in the money, tied for the last paying spot with Max G, who many of you may recall is way better at bracket picking than his mom was when she was doing this. :)

If Michigan wins: Olive the Basset climbs to 2nd, a bracket selected by a cat slides into money position, and an Alpaca Party also joins the party.  Great day to be named after an animal of some sort

💀 Rest in Peace: Tired and Guessing, Gone With Arizona

Many thanks to those of you that rooted for Tired and Guessing, my kid's bracket that entered the weekend at 29th, sitting at 334 points with a max possible of 402. Alas, Arizona — the bracket's chosen champion — got absolutely brutalized by Michigan, losing by 18 in a game that actually felt much more lopsided. And with that, my hopes that my child might end up in the money were dashed.  

At least they can rest easy in the knowledge that their "just write something down so I can get to bed" strategy ended up being more successful than most of the field. Once again proving that this tournament can be fun whether you are a basketbal junkie, or someone that guesses based upon how much you like the team's uniforms.  Better luck next year!