The gubernatorial bracket picks

What do the brackets show about the gubernatorial candidates?

With the help of our sports colleagues, Dome took a closer look at the NCAA brackets submitted by Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, state treasurer Richard Moore, Salisbury attorney Bill Graham and former Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr. 

Here are some trends: 

BRACKET PANDERING: All four picked UNC-Chapel Hill to win. Graham picked UNC to beat Duke. That's sort of like when the N&O used to ask candidates their favorite book, and they'd all answer "The Bible." (Or they called later and asked to change it to that from a James Michener novel.)

MOORE'S CORNERS: Moore doesn't watch much basketball. His final score for the men's tournament, 52-46, would give Roy Williams a conniption, says one sports writer. Or he may be thinking of the old days, when the "Four Corners" offense let UNC run out the clock.

AD-HOMONYM ATTACK: Moore also picked a good loser: Purdue University. Clearly, that's more of a dig at his Democratic opponent than a serious bracket pick, but he wins points for humor. 

SPREADING SEEDS: Orr picked all No. 1 seeds to make it to his Final Four. That's a pretty rare outcome, our sports colleagues say. Since the tournament expanded to 64 teams, it's never happened.

For more on their picks, click here: Perdue, Moore, Graham, Orr.

Or go online to ncaa.newsobserver.com and fill out your own bracket by 11 a.m. today.