Obama Makes NCAA Tournament Picks, Predicts Kansas Will Win It All
WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork/AP) — President Barack Obama has made his final NCAA Tournament call in office: Rock Chalk, champions.
Obama picked Kansas, Texas A&M, North Carolina and Michigan State to all reach the Final Four in a bracket he filled out for ESPN.
MORE: Enter Bracket Challenge
His choice might be an unpopular one around Kansas, though. Obama hasn't correctly predicted the national champion since he picked North Carolina in his first year in office in 2009.
Obama also picked the Jayhawks to win the national championship in 2010 and 2011. Duke won in 2010 and UConn won in 2011, while Kansas missed the finals both years.
"Bill Self owes me,'' Obama joked. "I'm putting Kansas in here. Coach, I'm just teasing. I'm not putting pressure on you. But I think the Jayhawks in a squeaker get past UNC.''
Obama told ESPN that filling out a bracket was a reminder that "college sports at its best can bring people together."
MORE: 4 Times NYC Area Teams Pulled Off Big Upsets In The NCAA Tournament
Just like all the office pool players trying to win big, Obama selected one upset in the first round. He has 13th-seeded Hawaii, his home state, beating fourth-seeded Cal.
Out of the teams in the tri-state area, Obama picked only Seton Hall, Syracuse and UConn to win in the first round. He has all three being eliminated in the second round.
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