It’s one of the great days – one of the great weeks, really – on the sports calendar: The first round of the men’s NCAA Tournament tips off Thursday with a busy slate of 16 games. Cinderellas will try on slippers, brackets will be busted. 

The Post dispatched five writers to cover the opening rounds: Zach Braziller (after a stop in Dayton, Ohio, for the First Four) and Steve Serby are in San Diego to cover Seton Hall (but not Rutgers, alas) as the Pirates try to reach the Sweet 16; Mike Vaccaro went to Buffalo, where the headliners include UConn and Providence; Mark Cannizzaro traveled to Indianapolis, where Saint Peter’s will try to pull off a miracle against Kentucky; and Ian O’Connor is in Greenville, S.C., where Duke begins its quest to send Mike Krzyzewski into retirement with a national title.

To get in the March Madness spirit – and to help you with last-minute bracket prep – we asked each of our guys to share what storyline they’re watching in this tournament and which players they’re most excited to see. They also shared picks for a sleeper team to keep an eye on and of course, their predictions for the Final Four and the team left standing with the trophy as “One Shining Moment” plays in New Orleans. 

Zach Braziller

Final Four: Gonzaga, Kentucky, Tennessee, Iowa