Big East a bummer for President Obama's bracket

[March 19, 2010]  NEW YORK (AP) -- The Big East was a big letdown for President Barack Obama.

Obama correctly predicted 12 of the 16 winners on the first day of the NCAA tournament Thursday. Three of the losses were by teams in the Big East: Georgetown, Notre Dame and Marquette, while the other team crossed out on Obama's bracket was Texas.

Obama had Georgetown reaching the round of eight -- like many other pool prognosticators -- after filling out a bracket for ESPN for the second straight year. The Hoyas, the No. 3 seed in the Midwest Regional, were stunned by 14th-seeded Ohio 97-83.

Two of the sixth-seeded Big East teams fell to No. 11 seeds. Notre Dame lost to Old Dominion in the South Regional, and Marquette was edged by Washington in the East Regional. Obama had Marquette reaching the round of 16 in his bracket.

He nearly went 0 for 4 with Big East teams as No. 2 seed Villanova survived a big-time scare from No. 15 seed Robert Morris in a 73-70 overtime victory.

Texas, the No. 8 seed in the East, lost to ninth-seeded Wake Forest 81-80 in overtime.

Obama's West Regional was flawless after Kansas State, Butler, Murray State and BYU won. The First Fan also has his Final Four in tact: Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky and Villanova.

Last year, Obama correctly picked North Carolina to win the national championship. His bracket ranked 903,125th overall, just above the 80th percentile in the ESPN's online contest.

[Associated Press]

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