2023 NCAA tournament instant bracket -- Jeff Borzello predicts how men's March Madness will play out

It is said you should go with your gut when it comes to key decisions. The more you mull, the more you tinker, the more likely you are to talk yourself into other options that might not be as ideal. It goes for all the important choices you make in life: houses, cars, jobs — and yes, NCAA tournament brackets.

Ever since I was a kid, I would fill out a blank bracket by hand — first in the pullout section of the newspaper, then later printed off ESPN.com — as it was being announced and then make my picks during the break between each region. First in the pullout section of the newspaper, and then printed off ESPN.com. And a couple of decades later, it's my belief that's still the best way to do it.

I've watched all the teams and crunched all the numbers over the course of the past four months, so who needs another three or four days?

So that's what we're doing here. It's a true instant bracket, filled out as the field was being announced. No second-guessing allowed!

MIDWEST REGION No. 11 Mississippi State 68, No. 11 Pittsburgh 64

Brackets are open! Head to Tournament Challenge and fill out your bracket now!

LaPhonso Ellis, Seth Greenberg and Jay Bilas react to the reveal of the Midwest Region.

FIRST-ROUND PICKS

Complete your bracket by selecting the winner for each game of the 2023 men's NCAA tournament. Play Tournament Challenge

MIDWEST ANALYSIS: The first thing that jumps out about the Midwest region is it's Houston at the top, not Kansas. The Jayhawks playing in Kansas City for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight would have been a huge advantage for Bill Self's club, but they were shipped out West. Assuming Marcus Sasser is healthy for the tournament, Houston will be the heavy favorite to come out of this region. But there