madness!

Entry fee is $15.
One entry per brain (person).
Entries must be submitted no later than THURSDAY, MARCH 18 at 12:20PM EST (your web entry is auto time-stamped).
Fill out the entire bracket on the Entry Form and click SUBMIT PICKS. You will then have an opportunity to print out your choices using your web browser. There is no way to update your picks online after you've submitted them - so all changes must be emailed to Mark prior to Thursday at 12:20PM EST.
At the bottom of the Entry Form, you may choose to have an automated HTML email with a full bracket listing of your selections sent to you. You should receive this email within just a few minutes. Be sure and verify that your selections are correct. Contact me if you do not receive this email, if there are any errors, or if you want to make changes before the Thursday morning deadline...

1. Send your entry fee to:

Mark McKenna
9316 Palm Bay Circle
Raleigh, NC 27617

2. Alternatively, you can charge your entry fee using PayPal... it's free and easy! Well, sorta free. I get charged about a buck by PayPal so I pass it along.

SCORING

Scoring is set up to encourage intelligent "upset picking" throughout the tournament... you'll find that having your champion knocked out of the tournament early by no means eliminates you! But, understanding the point distribution is critical...

You receive points for every game you get correct, calculated as:

Fixed Round Points  +  (Round# X Seed#) Points

Fixed Round Points

1st Round =  1 Point
2nd Round =  2 Points
3rd Round =  4 Points
4th Round =  8 Points
5th Round = 16 Points
6th Round = 32 Points (You Picked the Champion!)

(Round# X Seed#) Points

Round# = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6
Seed#  = 1 through 16

SCORING EXAMPLE

You pick Marquette (a 6th seed) to beat Missouri (a 10th seed) in the 3rd Round.
If they win, you will receive points for this game as follows:

FIXED ROUND POINTS      =  4 Points (3rd Round Victory)
(ROUND# X SEED#) POINTS = 18 Points (3rd Round TIMES 6th Seed)
                          ---------
TOTAL FOR THIS GAME     = 22 Points

WHAT ABOUT THE 65TH TEAM?

The NCAA expanded the tournament to 65 teams in 2001. Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Winthrop will meet for a "play-in" game on Tuesday to determine which one enters the regular field of 64 as a 16th seed to face Duke in the first round. Due to entry deadline time constraints, this "play-in" game will be ignored. You will instead make your picks as though Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Winthrop were one, playing against Duke in the first round as shown.

PAYOUT

At the end of the tournament, total points will determine the winners. I start with 1 payout position, then add an additional one every 10 entries, and one more for the Second-Chance Pool. All monies are paid out. There are 64 players in 2010. Payout will be allocated as follows:

1st PLACE     = $ 200
2nd PLACE     = $ 170
3rd PLACE     = $ 145
4th PLACE     = $ 120
5th PLACE     = $  95
6th PLACE     = $  75
7th PLACE     = $  55
REPICK POOL   = $ 100 
                -----
                 $960

In the case of a tie, the player with (1st) the correct Tournament Champion, (2nd) a closer total score in the Championship Game, or (3rd) a higher percentage of correct picks overall will rank higher in the standings.