After a long season of hard work, heavy lifting and intense focus, team Takeaway presents its picks for this year's NCAA Tournament. Takeaway sports contributor, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin says Notre Dame will take it all, while Bradley Campbell, producer for our partner station, WGBH has his eyes on Kansas. We also get picks, based mostly on statistics, from Tobias J. Moscowitz, author of "Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won." We will follow the tournament all month with pre-game predictions and post-game analysis from our contributors:

• Celeste Headlee, Takeaway Host
• Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, Takeaway sports contributor
• Tobias J. Moscowitz, author of "Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won."
• Bradley Campbell, Producer for WGBH
• Andrea Bernstein, Director of the public radio Transportation Nation project

From: Ibrahim Abdul-Matin

Subject: 2011 Men's Bracket

Hi Toby, Bradley, Celeste, John, and Andrea!

Ibrahim Abdul-Matin here, The Takeaway’s sports contributor. Thought I would send in my bracket to kick off our discussion. Picking brackets isn’t easy for me, so here's the logic behind my "ibrahim-bracketology."

I always assume that Syracuse is going to win the NCAA tournament. This year, I decided to buck the trend and actually pick them to lose. It feels a little bit like hoping a friend falls in a ditch and breaks his leg. I guess I feel like a Benedict Arnold on that one. But to assuage my guilt, I always fill out two brackets: one in pencil and one in pen. This year, I penciled in Syracuse. This should take of my Karma.

I used pen to write in Notre Dame, though, and I feel good about that. Here's why: On the way to work today, I saw an old man with a Notre Dame hat and then walked by another man with a Notre Dame jacket.

But, of course, the choice wasn't easy. I fretted all last night about who I should pick to win. I mean, I like Ohio State, and Kansas is great, and Duke is a safe pick, but there is something to say about those hungry Hansboroughs. The older brother, Tyler, won a title with UNC and the younger brother, Ben, has a lot to prove. He was Big East player of the year (taking the title during the toughest conference this year by far). 

Finally, I liked Wisconsin all year. I think their three point touch will come back to help them get to the Elite 8. And, as a bonus, my wife went to school there, so this keeps her happy.

What do you all think? What's your no-so-secret-strategy for bracket dominance?

- Ibrahim

P.S. i am filling out my women's bracket now... that will come later.

From: Bradley Campbell

Subject: 2011 Men's Bracket

Ibrahim:

I felt like I was in the similar place with Duke. I always pick the Blue Devils to win it all. (Yeah, I know. I'm that guy. The one who cheers for the most unlikeable school in college basketball. The one who roots for the top seeds to succeed. The sort of vile human who wants to see LeBron James, and, gulp, Tiger Woods win.)

But at least with Duke you can always find at least one guy to cheer, and lean your bracket upon. And this one guy makes it okay to actually cheer for Coach K and yell along with the Cameron Crazies.

That guy this year is Kyle Singler. He's a tall, gangly, and goofy looking kid from Medford, Oregon. And he seems like he knows he is a tall, gangly, and goofy looking kid from Medford, Oregon. His trick-shot video released at the start of the season proves his athletic prowess, while also establishing some definite nerd credentials. Dude is awkward. Watch to his Dick Vitale impersonation (at about 1:33):

His stats are above average: 17.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists- but nothing obscene.

Here's the thing: his teams always seem to win tournaments. This goes back to his high school days in Oregon. In 2007, he led his team to the state championship, beating a Lake Oswego High School team powered by the new NBA record holder for most consecutive double-doubles, a guy who at that time, was known more for his connection to the Beach Boys, a guy named Kevin Love.

Now, this has zero impact on what Singler does this year in the NCAA, but it impacts my choices in the tournament. And I think at some point, we all turn off our logical side and go with gut emotion. (Or at least those of us who, like me, never win their office pools.)

Anyhow, to recap: when filling out brackets I always choose the top dogs. And I assuage my guilt by convincing myself there is a player on the team worth cheering for.

But I tossed my SOP aside this year. I chose Texas over Duke in the Elite 8 for no good reason. I have never seen the Texas team play. But LaMarcus Aldridge played at Texas years ago. As did Kevin Durant. (This was honestly my thinking.) And now I'm left feeling guilty… as though I cheated on Kyle Singler.

All this proves why picking NCAA brackets with stats, data, and actual research is a better way to go.

- Bradley

From: Tobias J. Moskowitz

Subject: 2011 Men's Bracket

Here is my bracket.  I didn't use team colors, allegiances (though I do have Purdue going to elite 8), hatred (Duke!), or any personal biases. I used stats, models, data, and then took a few chances in places where the numbers were close (this is the only place gut intuition mattered). We'll see how this approach does relative to others. Southeast bracket was by far the toughest. Not clear Pitt or Florida are good enough to make it to the Final four, but Wisc., Kansas State, and BYU are worse. If Davies hadn't been suspended I would have gone with BYU. Now, they lose to Florida in Sweet 16.

- Tobias

From: Celeste Headlee

Subject: 2011 Men's Bracket