Kelly vs. Wamp: How each mayor has fared with NCAA choices

With the first two days of March Madness in the books, Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp, posting a record of 22-10 with his first-round picks, had a clear edge over Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly’s 15-17 record in the 2024 NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

As for the 2024 NCAA women’s basketball tournament so far, Kelly has an insurmountable lead over Wamp as the county mayor did not provide picks for a women’s bracket to the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

TIM KELLY’S BUSTED BRACKET

As for the rest of the men’s tournament, Kelly is in for a bumpy ride as three of his Final Four picks have been eliminated from the tournament.

Drake, a 10 seed; Saint Mary’s, a 5 seed; and Kentucky, a 3 seed, were all eliminated in the first round.

His fourth pick for the Final Four, Tennessee, a 2 seed the city mayor also picked to win the championship, remains in play.

As for Kelly’s Sweet 16 picks, seven teams remain. Just two of his Elite Eight picks have a shot at making it that far in the tournament.

As for the women’s tournament, Kelly has undefeated South Carolina and Iowa, led by all-time leading NCAA scorer Caitlin Clark, in the final game.

South Carolina, which the mayor has winning the championship, defeated Presbyterian College in the first round Friday. Iowa plays the College of Holy Cross Saturday.

Kelly has 4 seed Gonzaga and 12 seed Vanderbilt for his other two Final Four teams in the women’s tournament.

WAMP’S PICKS

While Kelly submitted an upset-heavy Cinderella bracket, Wamp went with safer picks, and it’s paid off so far for the county mayor.

All four of Wamp’s Final Four teams — 1 seeds Connecticut, North Carolina and Houston and 2 seed Tennessee — all won their first-round matchups.

Wamp has Connecticut prevailing over Tennessee in the final game.

He has 13 Sweet 16 picks remaining. All but one, Brigham Young, of his Elite Eight teams are still in play.