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Biden’s March Madness bracket is already busted

President Biden speaks to reporters as he returns to the White House in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, March 9, 2023. Biden held an event in Philadelphia, Pa., to discuss his newly released FY 2024 budget.

President Biden shared his March Madness brackets Thursday afternoon, and his men’s bracket was promptly busted when University of Arizona went down to an underdog Princeton team.

Biden picked the Arizona Wildcats to win on the men’s side, and Villanova University on the women’s side — a longshot pick that nods to the first family’s loyalty to all teams Philadelphia.

“Good luck to every team in this year’s NCAA tournament,” Biden wrote in a tweet on Thursday. 

“I’ve got Arizona in the men’s tournament and Villanova in the women’s – and as you know, in this household, Villanova always wins.”

Arizona, led by second-year head coach Tommy Lloyd, went into the tournament as a two seed, while Princeton was a 15 seed after winning the Ivy League tournament. Arizona’s shocking 59-55 loss busted brackets across the country.


Biden’s other men’s Final Four picks were still alive Thursday, with the Kansas Jayhawks winning their opening round game earlier in the day, and the Marquette Golden Eagles and Texas Longhorns set to play on Friday.

In his women’s bracket, the rest of the commander-in-chief’s Final Four picks were more predictable. Apart from Villanova, a four seed, he selected defending national champions South Carolina Gamecocks and the Stanford Cardinal, both one seeds, and the traditional powerhouse UConn Huskies, a two seed this year.

First lady Jill Biden received her Master’s degree from Villanova, and grew up in the Philadelphia area.

The Men’s March Madness tournament kicked off Thursday afternoon, while women’s side will begin on Friday. 

Vice President Harris, along with Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, attended her alma mater Howard University’s first-round game, where her 16th-seeded Bison, who made their first March Madness appearance since 1992, lost to top-seeded Kansas.