March Madness expert picks: SI's writers fill out their 2017 NCAA tournament brackets

Sports Illustrated's experts make their picks for the 2017 NCAA tournament.

You've probably spent the past couple of days examining matchups, eyeing potential upset picks, agonizing over who to send to the Final Four and coming up with an excuse to stay home from work later this week. The good news is that the wait is almost over: First-round games in the 2017 NCAA tournament tip off Thursday. The likelihood of unpredictable results makes these next few days the most exciting part of the college basketball season. It also could compel you to rip your bracket to shreds.

To help you make the tough decisions to fill out your bracket, a panel of Sports Illustrated writers made its picks for every game. (Click on the brackets to view them in larger size.)

• Region-by-region previews

Seth Davis

Davis's Final Four: Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, UCLA

Luke Winn

Winn's Final Four: Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, North Carolina

Pete Thamel

​Thamel's Final Four: Duke, Arizona, Kansas, North Carolina

Michael Rosenberg

​Rosenberg's Final Four: Duke, Arizona, Purdue, UCLA

Brian Hamilton

Hamilton's Final Four: Villanova, Arizona, Kansas, UCLA

Lindsay Schnell

​Schnell's Final Four: Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, UCLA

Michael Beller

​Beller's Final Four: Duke, Arizona, Kansas, North Carolina

Andy Staples

Staples's Final Four: Duke, Arizona, Oregon, North Carolina

Stewart Mandel

Mandel's Final Four: Villanova, West Virginia, Louisville, North Carolina

Dan Greene

Greene's Final Four: Duke, Arizona, Kansas, North Carolina

Molly Geary

Geary's Final Four: Villanova, Gonzaga, Louisville, Kentucky

Bark-etology: A deep dive into Primrose the puppy's bracket

Chris Johnson

Johnson's Final Four: Duke, Gonzaga, Louisville, North Carolina