Updated 04:07 AM EDT, Fri, Mar 29, 2024

NCAA Basketball News: President Barack Obama Reveals Regional Finals Picks!

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A big basketball fan, President Barack Obama has chosen his picks for the NCAA men's tournament title game and favored Michigan State over defending champion Louisville in the finals.

During the "Barack-etology" on Wednesday, Obama made his picks in the league for the sixth consecutive year.

"Tom Izzo is a great tournament coach. I've got Michigan State going all the way. ... He knows how to motivate folks and he knows how to coach. My pick: Michigan State. Bring it home for me. It's been a while since I've won my pool," he told ESPN.

The U.S. President also selected No. 1 overall seed Florida and top seed Arizona to be part of the Final Four in Arlington, Texas. Obama explained that the teams were not imaginative picks but he believes that they are the "right ones."

ESPN revealed that 9.2 percent of the 6.97 million brackets entered in ESPN's Tournament Challenge have the same Final Four picks as the president. The report said Obama's picks have become a popular combination.

The other picks from Obama's list also include 12-seeds to be victorious in their openers like Harvard over Cincinnati, and North Dakota State over Oklahoma. The president also thinks North Carolina will beat 3-seed Iowa state and reach the Sweet 16.

A similar Bleacher Report article noted that the President is a "huge sports fan" but a bigger fan of basketball which stands out for him above the rest.

He also made some intriguing picks this year in each of the four regions.

"One of the most controversial selections in Obama's bracket came in the South Region, where he had No. 10 Davidson knocking off No. 2 Gonzaga in the round of 32," Bleacher Report added.

Aside from focusing on his selections, Obama also gave some "interesting thoughts" on the present state of college basketball and how it could be improved.

"I am an advocate, by the way, for the NCAA changing the rules in terms of shortening the shot clock, widening the lane, moving the three-point line back a little bit. The fact of the matter is I like how basketball is going in the NBA because it's fluid," he was quoted as saying.

He also added that Atlanta and Golden State also seem to be replicating what San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich did with his team.

"And you're seeing a lot of teams move in that direction. I'd like to see college basketball get back to that. It's a fast game, let's get it down to 30 seconds at minimum," Obama added.

With his latest picks, the President is surely proving that he supports the sports industry and that he also patronizes it.

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