Former president Barack Obama picked one notable upset in his annual March Madness bracket. He picked the 13th-seeded Iona Gaels to defeat the fourth-seeded Connecticut Huskies in the first round of the tournament.
Iona head coach Rick Pitino saw the upset pick and sent a clear message to the 44th president of the United States, calling Obama “one of the most intelligent presidents we’ve ever had.”
Rick Pitino on Obama picking @IonaGaelsMBB over @UConnMBB
‘I’ve always said that President Obama is one of the most intelligent presidents we’ve ever had and this only lends credence to that ‘ pic.twitter.com/K4AqX6m1yJ
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) March 16, 2023
Obama picked the Gaels to defeat UConn, as well as advance over VCU to make the Sweet 16.
That is where the Gaels’ run will end according to the former president, who has them losing to the Kansas Jayhawks in the Sweet 16.
Oddsmakers list the Huskies as nine-point favorites in Friday’s opening round of the tournament.
The Gaels currently list an impressive 27-7 record. That was good enough to win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season title.
Iona defeated Mount Saint Mary’s, Niagra and Marist on their way to clinching the MAAC tournament championship on March 11th. They won every game in the tournament by double digits. The Gaels are known for their defense, limiting opponents to a startling 29.2% shooting percentage from three-point territory.
The Huskies, for their part, have won nine of their 11 past games.
