Obama picks Indiana to win NCAA tourney

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WASHINGTON, March 20 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama, the most prominent basketball fan in the United States, picked Indiana to win the NCAA national championship.

Obama announced his selections in an interview broadcast Wednesday on ESPN. His picks for the Final Four were Louisville, Ohio State and Florida -- in addition to Indiana -- with Louisville losing to the Hoosiers in the championship game April 8.

On the women's side, the president picked Connecticut, Baylor, California and Notre Dame for the Final Four.

ESPN pointed out the president was only 1-fo- 4 picking NCAA champions in his first term.

As with much of what a president does, his NCAA brackets became politicized.

Congressional Republicans released a web video Tuesday criticizing the president for spending time on the NCAA tournament, CNN reported.

"Clutch with his brackets. Late with his budgets," the video said.

Obama's brother-in-law, Craig Robinson, is head coach of the men's basketball team at Oregon State University in the Pac 12 Conference.