So your bracket is in critical condition. You’re kicking yourself for listening to all those ESPN analysts with their “sure thing” first round upsets and now you have to face the harsh reality that Kansas isn’t going to the Final Four.

Let’s face it, we all knew coming in that March Madness is a crapshoot. It is every year, so should we really be that surprised that the Wichita State Shockers and George Mason Patriots are in the Elite Eight? Well yes, that’s absurd, but props to the Colonial Athletic Association for getting two bids (George Mason and UNC-Wilmington) and boasting one of the potential Cinderellas in this year’s tourney, in George Mason.

So how do you earn back the $20 you blew on your dorm pool? Instead of cutting your losses and saving your cash for Summer I books, you could just bet on the rest of the games. However, the eight games scheduled for this weekend pose quite a problem for the casual bettor.

Take the Washington D.C. region, where two mid-majors (the aforementioned Wichita State and George Mason) are matched up for a chance at the Elite Eight. If you followed NU basketball, you may be familiar with Mason, however, I couldn’t begin to tell you anything about Wichita, other than it’s in Kansas (although my girlfriend tells me Wichita is the air capital of the world), and the average fan is probably in the same boat.

So how do you pick a game between two relatively unknown teams that were separated by just one spot in this season’s final RPI ratings? Do you take the Shockers, who, despite being a No. 7 seed, are underdogs? It’s a tough call, and this is beer money we’re talking about