It all comes down to Michigan versus Villanova. The Wolverines and Wildcats face off in the 2018 national championship game tonight at 9:20 p.m. ET on TBS.
Michigan is known for its size and defensive prowess, while Villanova is known for an extraordinary offense, particularly its record-setting three-point shooting. ‘Nova hit a March Madness-record 18 threes in their Final Four victory over Kansas, while Michigan knocked off Loyola-Chicago to earn its spot in the title game.
Villanova is a 7-point favorite tonight.
But what you REALLY want to know is who is leading the 2018 TVNewser Bracket Challenge, right?
Going into Saturday’s Final Four games, it was NBC News Sunday Today host and MSNBC Morning Joe co-host Willie Geist in first place, with HLN Morning Express host Robin Meade right behind him.
The tables have turned. With 103 points, Meade now leads the 2018 Bracket Challenge field. Bloomberg Daybreak anchor David Westin has also moved past Geist, and into second place with 98 points. Geist now sits in 3rd, followed by CNN Early Start co-host Dave Briggs, and Fox & Friends correspondent Todd Piro.
Both Meade and Westin have Michigan winning it all. Geist and Briggs have Villanova taking the title.
It will likely be one of the aforementioned four newsers winning the Bracket Challenge this year, but stranger things have happened!
Stay tuned…
Here’s a look at the field:
STANDINGS | ||||||
RANK | TEAM NAME | SCORE | CORRECT | BEST SCORE | BEST CORRECT | CHAMPION |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Robin Meade | 103 | 37 | 135 | 38 | Michigan (132) |
2 | David Westin | 98 | 35 | 130 | 36 | Michigan (137) |
3 | Willie Geist | 89 | 39 | 121 | 40 | Villanova (148) |
4 | Dave Briggs | 83 | 38 | 115 | 39 | Villanova (136) |
5 | Todd Piro | 82 | 36 | 82 | 36 | Virginia (157) |
6 | A.J. Katz (TVNewser) | 80 | 36 | 112 | 37 | Villanova (158) |
7 | Kasie Hunt | 79 | 36 | 111 | 37 | Michigan (155) |
8 | Matt Quayle | 78 | 34 | 78 | 34 | Virginia (145) |
9 | Blake Burman | 76 | 35 | 108 | 36 | Michigan (150) |
9 | Lynn Smith | 76 | 34 | 76 | 34 | Virginia (117) |
11 | Dominic Chu | 75 | 38 | 107 | 39 | Villanova (129) |
11 | Jessica Golden | 75 | 32 | 107 | 33 | Villanova (136) |
13 | Andrew Ross Sorkin | 74 | 36 | 106 | 37 | Villanova (133) |
13 | Hari Sreenivasan | 74 | 36 | 106 | 37 | Villanova (135) |
13 | Michael Rancilio | 74 | 36 | 106 | 37 | Villanova (158) |
13 | Peter Doocy | 74 | 31 | 106 | 32 | Villanova (151) |
13 | Todd Bonin | 74 | 35 | 106 | 36 | Villanova (135) |
18 | Hallie Jackson | 72 | 37 | 104 | 38 | Villanova (163) |
19 | Craig Melvin | 71 | 33 | 71 | 33 | Virginia (143) |
19 | Dylan Dreyer | 71 | 35 | 71 | 35 | Nevada (191) |
21 | Bob van Dillen | 70 | 34 | 70 | 34 | N. Carolina (132) |
21 | Kevin Corke | 70 | 35 | 102 | 36 | Villanova (147) |
23 | Brian Sullivan | 69 | 32 | 101 | 33 | Villanova (161) |
24 | Janelle Rodriguez | 68 | 36 | 68 | 36 | Kansas (103) |
24 | Peter Alexander | 68 | 37 | 68 | 37 | Virginia (145) |
26 | Brian Steel | 67 | 31 | 67 | 31 | N. Carolina (144) |
27 | Lisa Desjardins | 66 | 31 | 66 | 31 | Kansas (102) |
27 | Liz Claman | 66 | 34 | 98 | 35 | Villanova (120) |
29 | Coy Wire | 65 | 35 | 65 | 35 | Kansas (137) |
29 | Mike Bettes | 65 | 33 | 65 | 33 | Virginia (153) |
31 | Sara Eisen | 62 | 36 | 62 | 36 | Virginia (136) |
32 | Jeffrey McCracken | 61 | 33 | 61 | 33 | Michigan St. (152) |
32 | Tyler Mathisen | 61 | 36 | 61 | 36 | Virginia (128) |
34 | Harris Faulkner | 59 | 33 | 59 | 33 | Kansas (150) |
35 | Ana Cabrera | 58 | 35 | 58 | 35 | Duke (144) |
35 | Judy Woodruff | 58 | 33 | 58 | 33 | Duke (136) |
37 | Becky Quick | 57 | 31 | 57 | 31 | Xavier (142) |
37 | Tom Keene | 57 | 34 | 57 | 34 | Purdue (136) |
39 | Matt Rosoff | 56 | 27 | 88 | 28 | Villanova (165) |
40 | Joe Kernen | 54 | 32 | 54 | 32 | Xavier (137) |
41 | Jason Kelly | 53 | 32 | 53 | 32 | Virginia (136) |
41 | Sandy Cannold | 53 | 32 | 53 | 32 | Michigan St. (152) |
43 | Anne Tironi | 49 | 30 | 49 | 30 | Michigan St. (156) |
43 | Scarlet Fu | 49 | 31 | 49 | 31 | Kansas (164) |
45 | Alex Wilson | 43 | 32 | 43 | 32 | Virginia (159) |
46 | Melody Taylor | 41 | 29 | 41 | 29 | N. Carolina (146) |
47 | Gerri Willis | 27 | 23 | 27 | 23 | N. Carolina (160) |