How to Pick a Winning March Madness Bracket

March is upon us and March Madness is right around the corner. While basketball teams are vying for spots in the NCAA tournament, college basketball fans are thinking ahead to their March Madness bracket. While I can't tell you which basketball teams to pick and which to avoid, I can tell you what you should and should not do when you sit down to fill in your bracket. Avoid these common March Madness bracket selection mistakes, and you'll be on the road to victory.

Check university affiliation and emotion at the door.
Sure, I went to Wake Forest University, and in a dream world, the Demon Deacons would go all the way and Duke would be out in the first round. Of course, the chances of that ever happening are pretty slim (but I still hold out hope every year). Don't get caught up thinking about who you'd like to go all the way in the NCAA tournament. Instead, be practical. It may pain you to have to have your rival university heading to the final four, but you need to think about your bracket choices practically. Check emotion and university affiliations at the door when filling in your March Madness brackets.

Consider working your brackets backwards.
I've been surprised to fill in my March Madness brackets in years past, get down to the final four and the championship game, and think to myself, "But I don't think that team is going to win!" If you have a clear idea of who is going to win the NCAA tournament, consider filling in your bracket starting with the championship game and working out to the 64 teams that will participate from the beginning. Or, if you want to fill the bracket in starting with the first games. jot down on the side which teams you expect and hope to go all the way, to be sure that you don't accidentally eliminate them too soon.